Been wanting one of these for years....

[duhvoodooman***]

...and finally bit the bullet when a dead mint example was posted on my local CL by a small music store in downtown Schenectady. So I'm now the proud owner of a gorgeous 2004 Martin HD-28. See pics below.

I've got a number of very nice electric guitars, but I'd never owned a high-end acoustic. I've had a '71 Yamaha FG-300 for ~40 years that's a nice sounding and playing guitar, and a very serviceable Epiphone Masterbilt acoustic-electric I picked up a couple of years ago, but neither are in the class of this beauty. So now I finally have my first (and very probably last!) Martin.

Here's the back story on the instrument: Apparently, the guitar was purchased about a decade ago by a well-known local mandolin player who decided he wanted to learn to play guitar, as well. He had a couple of very expensive mandolins, so was used to high quality instruments and insisted on a top quality guitar. But he never got around to learning to play it and recently decided to trade it in on something else. It's a true "case queen" and had obviously been played very little if at all. Not a mark on it, not even pickguard scratches, and no visible fret wear whatsoever. And to sweeten the pot further, this store had it priced about $400 - $600 below what used HD-28's of comparable vintage and condition typically sell for. The store recently moved from a nearby location into an empty spot in the arcade of Proctor's Theatre right on the main drag in downtown Schenectady. It's a nicely refurbished old vaudeville theater that is a very popular local venue for touring Broadway shows, so the arcade gets quite a bit of traffic. Their main gig for years has been selling, renting and repairing band and orchestra instruments, but they're trying to build up the guitar, keyboard and percussion side of the business in this new location. The store manager, a very straight-up guy, told me that they priced the guitar so aggressively and then advertised it on CL in the hope of getting more guitar player traffic through the store. Well, it sure worked on me.

The guitar plays like butter and sounds, well, exactly like a Martin dreadnought is supposed to sound--rich tone, great projection, and a beautiful low end. We're just getting to know one another, but I think this is going to be a beautiful friendship....

P.S. Keep an eye on the For Sale forum here--I'm gonna have to move a couple of things to pay for this puppy!

[tjcurtin1]

Wow! What a score! One always has that Martin dream in the back of the mind even if you love the acoustic you have - and a D-28....! Nice!

[Robert****]

Congrats! Those are very fine guitars indeed.

[marnold***]

Very nice! A number of years ago, a friend let me play his Martin. I felt uncomfortable, not because the guitar itself made me uncomfortable, but I was petrified that I would drop it or that a button from my shirt would scratch it or something. I played it like I was holding a guitar-shaped hunk of plutonium.

[martyjward]

Ooooh, lovely

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[Jipes***]

Congrats Man it's looking great and believe me they only get better with years, I had the privileged to get a JM-42 special and it's opening up every year

[piebaldpython***]

DVM.....Congrats on the Martin score....sweeter than sweet. I think Stephen Stills played Martins exclusively for years IIRC.

Gonna keep my eyes open for the For Sale section too. Anything you sell is as advertised and priced to move.

[helliott***]

I'm pretty sure I just drooled on the keyboard. I've never had a really high end acoustic either, and have wondered if just one might complement the electric stable, which is lovely and I can't see expanding. One really nice acoustic to round out the other nice but mid-range (including a nice Yammy) trio? Hmmmm I wonder

[kidsmoke*]

right on Vood! Now your talkin' my language. You know who Gio is, my buddy that recently moved to PR. He pined for an HD-28 for years, and recently obtained one. (FYI, you "obtain" a guitar of this caliber...) So I've had the pleasure, and wow.

As referenced above, you've done enough other guitarists favors with your sales over the years, this was karma.

Enjoy!

[mopleez]

Great move, man-- and at what sounds like a bargain price too! I've played Martin's for 48 years -- nothing like 'em. Pictured is my 1973 00-21.

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[Jipes***]

Very nice instrument Mopleez ! I love those short scale with only 12 frets they sound differently than the 14 frets

[mopleez]

Thanks. Small body slotted head guitars are so misunderstood. My D-28P will never be as loud as my 00-21, especially for finger picking because of the slotted head (besides being 42 years older). Plus the short scale makes action a dream.

Very nice instrument Mopleez ! I love those short scale with only 12 frets they sound differently than the 14 frets

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