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!
...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!
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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!
"GAS never sleeps" - Gil Janus
"Now you got to pay your dues. Get that axe and play the blues." - Spudman
Gear: Epiphone Sheraton II, Epiphone Wildkat, Epiphone Emperor Joe Pass, Fender MIM Strat, Tacoma DR-14, Johnson JR-200 resonator; Fender Super Champ XD amp
Congrats! Those are very fine guitars indeed.
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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.
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Ooooh, lovely
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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
Guitars:
1978 Fender Telecaster Thinline Custom USA, New Nash TL-72 Thinline Telecaster, 1965 Harmony Meteor, H71, 1986 Fender Telecaster Esquire MIJ, New Martin J-41 Special, 1933 National Duolian, 1941, New Eastwood Mandocaster 12 strings
Amps:
Tweed Vibrolux Custom Denis Manlay, 1976 Fender Deluxe Reverb Silverface
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.
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
helliott in Hamilton
Guitars -- 2 PRS CE 24s 85/15 pups, PRS semi-hollow CE 22, Fender Baja Telecaster; Gibson Les Paul Standard; 80s Strat updated with custom 69 pups, Anniversary Strat with Fat 50s, Epiphone Sheraton re-issue; Yamaha 5-string bass; Yamaha TBS 6 and 12 string acoustics,Takamine acoustic, Fender nylon string acoustic
Amps -- Mesa Boogie Lone Star; Boss Katana 100, Peavey Blueamaster 2x10, Line 6 Helix
Pedals etc: Mosfet Full Drive 2; Ibanez Tube Screamer; Fairfield Barbershop OD, Diamond Compressor; Voodo Sparkledrive, Boss Digital Delay DD7; Boss TU2 Chromatic Tuner; Cry Baby wah
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!
"It's never too late to be what you might have been" - Eliot
Guilars: '02 Heritage H-535 ASB; '04 Larrivée LV-03 w/Fishman Blend; '95 Washburn/Bourgeios D-55SW Cherokee
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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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Very nice instrument Mopleez ! I love those short scale with only 12 frets they sound differently than the 14 frets
Guitars:
1978 Fender Telecaster Thinline Custom USA, New Nash TL-72 Thinline Telecaster, 1965 Harmony Meteor, H71, 1986 Fender Telecaster Esquire MIJ, New Martin J-41 Special, 1933 National Duolian, 1941, New Eastwood Mandocaster 12 strings
Amps:
Tweed Vibrolux Custom Denis Manlay, 1976 Fender Deluxe Reverb Silverface