I've been on a search for a good acoustic guitar for quite some time now — preferably something balanced that records well and is equally good for strumming and fingerpicking (which is how I play most of the time). I've tried several Martins already, but I never had the chance to try the legendary D-28. The older Reimagined model, with its non-scalloped bracing, seemed to me like a guitar optimized for a heavy pick and strong attack — more of a bluegrass-style instrument. However, I was curious about this new model because they’ve updated the bracing to be scalloped, making it more responsive and open-sounding, and therefore perhaps better suited as an all-around guitar. YouTube reviews sounded promising, so I decided to give it a go.
FEATURES:
If you’re ordering this guitar, you probably already know what you’re getting. It comes with a high-quality hard case and an end pin included. Personally, I’d like to see a strap button installed on the heel of the neck, but that’s just personal preference — so all in all, five stars there.
I must mention the updated neck: I found it to be a great shape for someone who likes to wrap the thumb around and use it occasionally to fret the 6th string (although the fingerboard radius felt a bit odd — I seemed to have more trouble getting clean notes on barre chords than on other necks, but maybe that could be remedied with a better setup or simply by getting used to it).
SOUND:
I wasn’t overly impressed with the sound. The guitar had good sustain, but the overall tone was a bit thin; almost a bit muffled, and somewhat rigid or tight, sounding most pleasing in the “cowboy chords” area. The first two strings weren’t very responsive and seemed a bit quiet compared to the other four; you had to put in a lot of energy to achieve an optimal tone, yet they still underperformed somewhat.
What I found particularly off-putting was a dead spot on the 8th fret of the A string (the 7th fret was affected as well, though to a lesser degree). Interestingly enough, I also tried the new D-18, and it had a similar issue on the 7th fret of the A string. Maybe it was just a coincidence — or perhaps the new Golden Era-inspired bracing causes some frequencies to cancel each other out? Anyway, after playing this instrument for a while, I found it to be better suited for a heavier attack, which is to be expected. I don’t think it’s the best choice if delicate fingerpicking is your style, even after changing from 13s to flexible-core 12s.
The guitar didn’t sound bad overall, there was a pleasant rosewood ''ring'' to the chords; it just felt like a talented underachiever (at least this particular example I tried), especially for this kind of money.
QUALITY:
By now, I’ve kind of given up hope of finding a Martin with spot-on intonation. Just like several others I’ve tried before, this one had issues — the intonation was off on the first two strings (it went progressively flat as you climb up the neck). When changing the strings, I also noticed that the saddle wasn’t fitted tightly into the bridge; it wobbled slightly in all directions.
I ended up returning the guitar, as you might have guessed — so the search continues. I hope you find this review useful. Good luck!
