Martin D28 vs Blueridge BR-160A

[hearsedriver]

Originally Posted by zmf

Now you've gone and done it. Created major cognitive dissonance. You must be doing something wrong.

Please correct before the universe implodes.

I know! How can a Blueridge sound better than a Martin?? Well, right now, it does Even a buddy of mine confirmed it for me. I also listed while he played both guitars. The BR was better all around but, Im not giving up on the Martin. Its in there somewhere!

[hearsedriver]

Originally Posted by PiousDevil

IMO, if the guitar came set up for light gauge strings I would stick with light gauge for a while. It might surprise you to find that you actually get a better sound from the guitar with the lights that it is set up for than the mediums. This is the case with my very lightly braced Yairi DYMR70SB. I've had mediums on it, and the sound was stiffer than it is with lights. My D18, on the other hand, needs the extra tension of the mediums to get the top moving.

You may be right. I do have a set of Martin SP Light PB's...Hum...
Im too cheap to replace a set of strings before they go dead. I'll have to wait a week or 3.

[rokdog49]

Originally Posted by hearsedriver

I know! How can a Blueridge sound better than a Martin?? Well, right now, it does Even a buddy of mine confirmed it for me. I also listed while he played both guitars. The BR was better all around but, Im not giving up on the Martin. Its in there somewhere!

I sure hope so. Hate to see anyone unhappy with their guitar.
BTW, if you ever decide to part with that Blueridge 160A, P.M. me.

[merlin666]

It is not clear why you bought the Martin if you are happy with the Blueridge. It's also possible that you are used to the guitar you play a lot and get comfort from that sound. Maybe instead of going back and forth between the two just play the Martin exclusively for two months and then do comparison again.

Of course it's also possible that the new Martin is just not that great. My friend has one from the 70s that sounds sweet, whereas the new ones in the store all seem lifeless compared to the Larrivees they have there.

[Daveyo]

Even though a d28 is on of my dream guitars, I have noticed that
Martin guitars are inconsistent
i have been very impressed with the blueridge br160 though
I would look for another Martin or go for something Like a Larrivee
or a Taylor , who says Martin is the end all?
good luck
David

[hearsedriver]

I have to give a shout out to Bob Colosi for his incredible bone bridge pins. I received a set today for my D-28 and they made a tremendous difference in volume, low end, and sustain! Simply the best upgrade you can do in my opinion. They took a so-so Martin and made it sound much more mature. I cant stop playing it now!

[tomvwash]

Originally Posted by HHP

Not necessarily. He's had the Blueridge for 9 years so it has become his "baseline" for what a guitar should sound like. He hasn't begun to explore what the D-28 can do. To modify an old saying, "Familiarity breeds content"

Blueridge has yet to make a guitar I would trade my D-28 for.

There is no such old saying phrase as you mention above. It's contempt, not content.

[PiousDevil]

Originally Posted by tomvwash

There is no such old saying phrase as you mention above. It's contempt, not content.

Which is the “modification” to the old saying he references immediately before it.

[Scotso]

send the Martin back

[rokdog49]

Originally Posted by big jilm

That’s a lot of money to be tied up in a guitar you don’t love. I’ve played D-28’s that were absolutely amazing, and D-28’s that were terrible. .

I thought that was limited to J45’s
Sorry, couldn’t resist.

[Bluenose]

Here's another option, have a luthier scallop the braces of the D28. I believe Bryan Kimsey has done this for some of his clients in the past but I don't know if he still does it. If that's not practical you could trade it in (and pony up some cash) for a HD28 which comes with factory scalloped braces.

[RoyBoy]

Originally Posted by hearsedriver

Actually, as per my post, I did buy it locally and compared it to another D-28 and they sounded the same to me. Yes, I bought it on Martins reputation and confidence that they would stand behind it should any issues arise. Dont misunderstand. Its not a bad sounding guitar. Just not as good as the BR at this point in time. The bonebridge pins on the Blueridge were a tremendous upgrade so, I am hoping they have the same affect on the Martin. The Martin does open up as I play it and sounds much better after an hour of strummimg so, I think the potential is there. It already has a bone nut and saddle from the factory so, no need to replace those as far as I am concerned.

I have a picking buddy/client who recently bought a reimagined D-28 (couple years old I think). One thing I noticed is that his guitar sounds good to the player but really projects well when he digs in, like loud and clear from the other side of the house. More headroom is what you get from a guitar with non-scalloped braces. He's a bluegrasser so it suits him well.

I think two factors make your Blue Ridge sound so appealing to you. One is the adi top, which has more of a zingy edge to it- at least my TC Eastman does. The other is scalloped braces allow the guitar to resonate a little more freely- lending to a fuller, more airy tone (relatively speaking). I mention these traits because it's what I hear in my Eastman E20D-TC which is a HD-28 copy.

I think in general, a D-28 is going to be a solid workhorse guitar, focused on the fundamentals. Of course, there are some spectacular ones out there that do it all, but you have to have time and patience to seek them out.

You may just have two similar guitars that each do what they do well. It really depends on what your goals are for the Martin playing-wise, and whether it meets that mark.

[Dirk Hofman]

Originally Posted by hearsedriver

I have to give a shout out to Bob Colosi for his incredible bone bridge pins. I received a set today for my D-28 and they made a tremendous difference in volume, low end, and sustain! Simply the best upgrade you can do in my opinion. They took a so-so Martin and made it sound much more mature. I cant stop playing it now!

Well that’s good! Swapping pins has never made a significant difference for me, but great that it’s helping you with this guitar!

[El Cheapo]

It sounds like you're walking through the same situation I had years ago. I bought my first Martin (OM1) and was underwhelmed by the sound. I ordered a bone saddle from Colosi and that helped, but it still didn't sound as good as I thought it should. I thought about selling it a couple times, but the neck was so darn comfortable and easy to play. I told myself it didn't sound that bad.

So anyway, I kept playing it and one day it finally opened up. The guitar got louder and it sounded beautiful. I was glad I kept it! You have to remember that when it was made they used steam and heat to force the wood into the shape of a guitar. This introduces stress into the wood and the result is that a new guitar feels "stiff". It doesn't vibrate and produce sound the way it will when it's had time to get used to it's new shape. The more you play it the quicker the vibration will loosen it up.

So the bottom line is, your Blue Ridge guitar has an 8 year head start on your Martin. That's why it sounds better. Only you can decide whether you want to keep it, but if you do you will eventually be rewarded with a great sounding guitar. Chris Martin says the worst your guitar will ever sound is the day it leaves the factory. He knows what he's talking about!

[Tony Burns]

You've been playing the blueridge for a very long time .
you tried many different strings and its opened up -
plus to your ears because youv'e had it longer it sounds better -
but in your defense not all guitars are great -
The Martin may or may not have the typical D28 -
you if you bouht tit reasonable and it doesnt bond with you
you can always sell it down the road . a couple of guitars that ive had
were not my cup of tea so I sold them - and to the people who bought them
they were mesmerized by them !


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