Alternatives to Martin D28?

BigPaulie

Teacherphil said:

I have a blueridge 000 and it's great for the money. Basically a Chinese martin copy. If I remember the ones to buy are the 3 digit models. 140, 160 and 180 are solid rosewood dreadnoughts. The 180 is more bling than the 160 then 140.
The 2 digit models are only solid tops.

140 has solid mahogany.
160 and 180 are now Santos rosewood (pao ferro) b&s.

Tannin

As I recall, Sigma no longer do anything in actual rosewood on the grounds that verifying it as properly sourced is just too hard. (There is an interview with the Sigma CEO somewhere which touches on this in passing.)

BigPaulie

Tannin said:

As I recall, Sigma no longer do anything in actual rosewood on the grounds that verifying it as properly sourced is just too hard. (There is an interview with the Sigma CEO somewhere which touches on this in passing.)

Interesting.

Their website still specs IR and MR for the SDR35.

https://www.sigma-guitars.com/custom-guitars/custom-guitars-all-solid/sdr-35/

Tannin

The policy may have changed, BigPaulie. The interview was (if I remember correctly) to mark their 50th anniversary, so it was a couple of years ago. 

Moe_Zambeek

Takamine make the EF-360 TT which is an all-solid spruce / rosewood dread with a thermo top, very much in a Martin vein. High quality guitars and they come with the low profile preamp so no holes cut in the shoulder. I have the 340 - the mahogany version - and to my ear it sounds great. I bought mine while looking to buy a D-18, the Tak just seemed like a great sounding guitar for considerably less money. They do however have quite chunky necks, apparently because they were designed for bluegrass players who it seems like (or did like) chunkier necks. I do struggle a bit with mine as a result, but I don't play acoustic a lot and so I struggle with any acoustic if I'm not up to speed. 

Pricewise these are pretty reasonable and used ones turn up well under a grand quite often, even at dealers. 

BigPaulie

Moe_Zambeek said:

Takamine make the EF-360 TT which is an all-solid spruce / rosewood dread with a thermo top, very much in a Martin vein. High quality guitars and they come with the low profile preamp so no holes cut in the shoulder. I have the 340 - the mahogany version - and to my ear it sounds great. I bought mine while looking to buy a D-18, the Tak just seemed like a great sounding guitar for considerably less money. They do however have quite chunky necks, apparently because they were designed for bluegrass players who it seems like (or did like) chunkier necks. I do struggle a bit with mine as a result, but I don't play acoustic a lot and so I struggle with any acoustic if I'm not up to speed. 

Pricewise these are pretty reasonable and used ones turn up well under a grand quite often, even at dealers. 

That's a great shout

Lewy

Great suggestions and info on this thread. Just something tangential to throw into the mix....don't think that it has to be rosewood for bluegrass. A lot of hugely important bluegrass pickers play/played a D-18. To a fixed budget, you may well find that pound for pound you can get a better bluegrass guitar with mahogany rather than rosewood. Just speaking from personal experience but having played a lot of bluegrass, on stages and sessions at bluegrass festivals etc, I'd take a (cheaper) mahogany guitar with an (more expensive) Adirondack/Red Spruce top over a (more expensive) rosewood guitar with a (more standard) sitka top any day of the week. 

BigPaulie

Lewy said:

Great suggestions and info on this thread. Just something tangential to throw into the mix....don't think that it has to be rosewood for bluegrass. A lot of hugely important bluegrass pickers play/played a D-18. To a fixed budget, you may well find that pound for pound you can get a better bluegrass guitar with mahogany rather than rosewood. Just speaking from personal experience but having played a lot of bluegrass, on stages and sessions at bluegrass festivals etc, I'd take a (cheaper) mahogany guitar with an (more expensive) Adirondack/Red Spruce top over a (more expensive) rosewood guitar with a (more standard) sitka top any day of the week. 

Good advice.

Kenny Smith, Norman Blake and Ron Block have used D-18s to great effect.

Lewy

BigPaulie said:

Lewy said:

Great suggestions and info on this thread. Just something tangential to throw into the mix....don't think that it has to be rosewood for bluegrass. A lot of hugely important bluegrass pickers play/played a D-18. To a fixed budget, you may well find that pound for pound you can get a better bluegrass guitar with mahogany rather than rosewood. Just speaking from personal experience but having played a lot of bluegrass, on stages and sessions at bluegrass festivals etc, I'd take a (cheaper) mahogany guitar with an (more expensive) Adirondack/Red Spruce top over a (more expensive) rosewood guitar with a (more standard) sitka top any day of the week. 

Good advice.

Kenny Smith, Norman Blake and Ron Block have used D-18s to great effect.

Yes, all amazing. For me the quintessential bg guitar sound will always be Del McCoury and that 1936 D-18

wellsyboy

Atkin D37

ICBM

I would get a cheaper Martin. All the models right down to the HPL-bodied, stratabond-neck X series are excellent guitars and actually sound like a Martin, and are well under a grand new.

I had one of the cutaway electro ones a few years ago, it was fantastic for the money and really did sound very like a D-28. The only problem with it was that as the top is not bound, it was quite prone to dents around the edge.

BigPaulie

There's a beautiful Furch D 31 in the classifieds around your budget.

polotska

I’ve owned an HD-28 as well as a Takamine EF360S-TT and a Yairi DYM70. The Takamine is superb if you like the very thick neck; the Yairi has a more typical-thickness neck along with a lovely modern look. Both are at least as good as an HD-28 and considerably cheaper used.

GRBaldwin

Hi @daveyh I’ve played more high end dreadnoughts than you can shake a stick at in the last year or so and I can honestly say that, for £1k or so, a 2nd hand Thermo cured Adirondack Eastman is the way I’d go. I played an E10D-TC that someone wanted to trade towards a Bourgeois Country Boy D I was moving on and that was a great guitar for the money. I think it might still be for sale on gumtree tbh. All the best with the hunt

SRD81

I’ve got a 2015 Martin DRS 2 which does a passable impression of a D28. Think I paid about £850 for it new. Worth considering if you can find a used one

DavidR

Couple of steps away from D28 but if, as some are suggesting, you try the D18, (mahogany back and sides instead of rosewood) then don't forget Yamaha FG5. Very good solid wood sitka spruce/mahogany dreadnought and a lot cheaper than a D18!

I have one and the two instruments I play most are a Martin OM28 reimagined and the FG5. FG5 seems lighter and sweeter than OM28 and might not quite have the depth of tone of a Martin but its till just about my favourite. Give it a try anyway if you can. Not really an option though if you want Sitka/rosewood.

As regards 'cheap' Martins, I had an 000X1 for a while and it was OK but I think there are better guitars around at that price range now, especially if you are prepared to buy acoustics from the Far East. Instruments from that part of the world are not to be dismissed.

Mercedes300

About 40 years ago I had a Vega, which was a Martin Dreadnaught style instrument, but not a direct copy of any particular model. I remember it played and sounded lovely. Vega were part of the Martin group, but were made in Holland. I haven't seen another for years, but would probably buy it if one came along. I let my friend borrow my Vega, as he was learning to play. Sadly, he died, and i didn't have the heart to ask for it back, as his widow mentioned that she kept it in the same place he he used to have it, and it seemed to give her some comfort. 
I retained my interest in Martin's, but actually prefer the tone of a D18, over a D28, as the D28 sounds a little too bright to my ears. I have a hand-made John Hullah in Brazilian rosewood, with a spruce top, and that does sound terrific (it has an action like an electric!). Despite this my 1969 Martin D20 -12 12-string (mahogany, like a D18, still has a nicer tone.

Mellish

@Mercedes300 ; firstly, welcome to TFB The D18 is a nice guitar. I tried one in GuitarGuitar about four years ago that really rocked. I've an HD28 that I wouldn't part with. My condolences over your friend and hope you'll like TFB  

Mercedes300

Thanks for that. He took his own life, so it was a very difficult time for everyone.
TFB is very interesting, but I guess the dangerous areas will probably be the 'off subject' section, especially of it relates to politics! It seems that in todays P/C. world, so many subjects, and opinions have become taboo.

Mellish

@Mercedes300 ; it can get a bit heated in Off Topic at times...you know, emotions running high. It's understandable, I guess, a topic bringing out strong emotions.
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