# Martin D 28 vs D 45. Which would you choose?



## skilsaw

I am thinking of buying a new guitar.
I just burned an afternoon learning all about the Martin guitars. The D28 and D45 in particular.

I cannot see much difference between them when considering the significant specifications.
I would go so far as to say a D45 is really just a D28 with more Bling. Mostly Mother of Pearl inlay.

Price in this case is not a concern.

What would you choose or recommend?


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## Steadfastly

I would recommend you go out and play a number of acoustics and make sure they put new strings on every one you try.


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## Milkman

For me it would be a D45 any day of the week.

Yes, it's blingy, but Martin does bling well.

The nicest acoustic guitar I can remember playing was a 60s D45.


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## skilsaw

Steadfastly said:


> I would recommend you go out and play a number of acoustics and make sure they put new strings on every one you try.


Wednesday I'll go to L&M and play guitars but I won't ask for new strings. Gibson, Taylor, Martin and Larivee are their quality brands in the steel string acoustic models.


Part of me says I'm not serious enough a guitarist to own a D45. I could plunk away on a D18 and never know the difference. But I'm at that life stage where I can't take it with me so I may as well enjoy some of it now.


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## Intrepid

There is more difference than just the abalone inlay (though there are about 900 pieces that have to be inlaid by hand which is very labour intensive.) The D-28 is straight braced while the 45 braces are scalloped. The 45 has much higher grade woods both on the top, back and sides which is rated as an 8. As a result, the woods and abalone difference produces a different tone. If you want to get closer to the specs of a 45 for less money then try out an HD-28 which has higher grade of wood than the 28 and also has the scalloped bracing. I own a 28, HD 28 and D-42. I love them all and tonally they all sound great, but definitely different. You have to play them to see which tone is more pleasing to your ears.


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## High/Deaf

Also, I think the 28 has an unbound neck. The 35 and the 45 are bound, if that matters to you (it does to me). I personally prefer the D35 but the 45 is an amazing piece of kit.


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## Steadfastly

skilsaw said:


> Wednesday I'll go to L&M and play guitars but I won't ask for new strings.


The reason I mentioned new strings is because that is going to give you a much better comparison. If one has new or even newer strings and hardly been played and the other has been sitting in the acoustics room for ages and been played a lot with the original strings, you will definitely be not getting a true comparison.


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## skilsaw

Steadfastly said:


> The reason I mentioned new strings is because that is going to give you a much better comparison. If one has new or even newer strings and hardly been played and the other has been sitting in the acoustics room for ages and been played a lot with the original strings, you will definitely be not getting a true comparison.


Good point.

I was able to play a D28 and an HD28. They were about the same in tone to my untrained ear.
The extra detail in the binding of the HD28 adds class. It is not gaudy, a fear I have about the D45.
Both guitars had really nice action. If a fret buzzed, I was able to clear up the tone by adjusting my fingers. There was another guitar there that buzzed all the time. Adjusting my fingers didn't work so I know it wasn't me.

The closest D45 is at L&M in Vancouver.

No need to rush. I can play the guitar I bought for my son for Christmas this year until Santa gives it to him.
And make a decision in January.


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## zontar

I've played other people's Martins, and also Martins at their product shows at a local music store--and I've discovered that while Martin makes some very nice guitars that sod very good, they're not me.
I'm more Gibson or Taylor or one of the Godin brands--they suit my playing better--but cool if you like Martin and have the means o get the one you want.

Personally if they're about the same to you, I'd go by feel, condition and which ones feels like it's already yours.
Did either one speak to you?


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## Todd68

I love the D45 .......... but I have a Collings.


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## ampaholic

skilsaw said:


> I am thinking of buying a new guitar.
> I just burned an afternoon learning all about the Martin guitars. The D28 and D45 in particular.


Mind me asking why you've settled on a dreadnaught style guitar?


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## Guitar101

Hey, If a D-28 is good enough for Bob, Neil and Hank, it should be good enough for you.










*This Old Guitar – Hank Williams 1941 Martin D-28*
A one hour radio program of an interview with Neil Young on CD called Companion contains extensive insight into Prairie Wind’s recording, as well as, much other interesting stuff. In the interview by JODY DENBERG, Neil is asked about the Martin guitar that belonged to Hank Williams.
NEIL YOUNG: Yeah. I bought it from, uh, uh, off a friend of mine Grant Boatwright put me together with, uh, this fellow Tut Taylor he had an old, uh, collection of guitars. And, uh, I went down there and there it was, and he took it out of the back and brought it out and I bought it. I couldn’t believe that I could buy it. That I, you know, but I did. And now I have it. And, you know, I’ve got it for a while and I’m taking care of it.
JODY DENBERG: But you’re generous with it. You’ve lent it to some of your friends?
NEIL YOUNG: You know, Bob Dylan was using my bus. He, he didn’t have his own tour bus yet. And he was just getting into using buses, and, uh, so I let him use mine and, uh, when I gave it to him I, I told him that, uh, Hank was in the back and that if he wanted to use Hank, that Hank would be there for him. And so I don’t know what he did with it, but he had it with him for a long time. And I don’t know what he wrote or what he did, but I know, you know, something must have happened back there.


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## Milkman

Guitar101 said:


> Hey, If a D-28 is good enough for Bob, Neil and Hank, it should be good enough for you.
> 
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> *This Old Guitar – Hank Williams 1941 Martin D-28*
> A one hour radio program of an interview with Neil Young on CD called Companion contains extensive insight into Prairie Wind’s recording, as well as, much other interesting stuff. In the interview by JODY DENBERG, Neil is asked about the Martin guitar that belonged to Hank Williams.
> NEIL YOUNG: Yeah. I bought it from, uh, uh, off a friend of mine Grant Boatwright put me together with, uh, this fellow Tut Taylor he had an old, uh, collection of guitars. And, uh, I went down there and there it was, and he took it out of the back and brought it out and I bought it. I couldn’t believe that I could buy it. That I, you know, but I did. And now I have it. And, you know, I’ve got it for a while and I’m taking care of it.
> JODY DENBERG: But you’re generous with it. You’ve lent it to some of your friends?
> NEIL YOUNG: You know, Bob Dylan was using my bus. He, he didn’t have his own tour bus yet. And he was just getting into using buses, and, uh, so I let him use mine and, uh, when I gave it to him I, I told him that, uh, Hank was in the back and that if he wanted to use Hank, that Hank would be there for him. And so I don’t know what he did with it, but he had it with him for a long time. And I don’t know what he wrote or what he did, but I know, you know, something must have happened back there.


Sometimes only a D45 will do.


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## Morkolo

I'd recommend getting your hands on a HD28V as well as the models mentioned above.


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## skilsaw

ampaholic said:


> Mind me asking why you've settled on a dreadnaught style guitar?


I looked through the Gibson line, including the parlor and blues guitars, and listened to them on Youtube when I could find them. They didn't capture my interest. Also, my music store carries the dreadnaughts, except the D-45. They have Larivee, Taylor, Gibson and Martin with and without electronics and cut-aways. It seems to be the most common size.

One detail I'm not quite sure of is the size of Martin Jumbo and Gibson Super Jumbo. The Martin Jumbo is smaller than the Martin Dreadnaught but the Gibson Jumbo and Super Jumbo are bigger than the Gibson dreadnaught. That is, if I'm reading the on-line catalogues correctly.


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## skilsaw

I'm not in a rush to buy a guitar because I have bought one for my son for Christmas and I can play it until Santa delivers it to my son.

I haven't played for 25 years but the muscle memory is there. A quirky middle knuckle on my left hand baby finger is making things difficult. If I straighten the finger, sometimes it won't bend next time I want it. At this stage I'm telling myself Django Reinhart only used 3 fingers on his left hand but I'm no Django Reinhart.


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## ronmac

I remember reading somewhere that Young, Steven Stills and David Crosby all bought their D45s at the same time... Listening to any of the songs they were used on makes me think they made a good choice.

Have you tried smaller bodied guitars? I ask that because many of us find smaller bodied instruments so much easier and more comfortable to play. These days there are a lot (especially in your part of the world) small shop luthiers that can make you the guitar of your dreams well within your budget. There are also many medium shop companies (Bourgeois, Collings, Santa Cruz) who make small body guitars that rival the volume and projection of a D45.

Of course, if you are convinced that a D45 is what you want, nothing else can compete with a genuine D45.


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## ampaholic

Excellent advice from ronmac.

What I have found in buying and selling several acoustics before finding the right fit for me, is that scale length (I prefer shorter), neck shape, nut width, string spacing and other factors are equally important to body size. I too have migrated towards smaller body guitars and currently have a Martin CEO-7 on order.

I guess in the perfect world we'd all own a dozen different models!


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## justjazz77

I wouldn't choose either unless one really spoke to me and I had unlimited cash. Tone is the most important, and I found my ultimate guitar: a Martin D-17M. Haven't played a Martin that I like better. Go figure.


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