Martin: D-35 vs D-28??

[rmyAddison]

Wade nailed it, the D-35 is "fuller" but not as penetrating in a bluegrass situation as the 18's and 28's. I personally think the D-35 is excellent for solo acts, they complement a single voice very nicely.

[yammieplaya]

Thanks a lot guys, this is just what
i wanted to know. Hopefully, when the time comes,
I can try out lots of guitars and hear what is best for me.
Then I'll be "martinplaya" instead of "yammieplaya".

[66strummer]

Originally Posted by yammieplaya

Thanks a lot guys, this is just what
i wanted to know. Hopefully, when the time comes,
I can try out lots of guitars and hear what is best for me.
Then I'll be "martinplaya" instead of "yammieplaya".

Or you can be both, depending on the day of the week.....


Ryan

[Rob Martin]

Hello Everyone! I am new on this forum. I own a newer model D35, and after comparing the 28 to the 35, I decided on the 35. A bit more bass, and I do like binding on my guitars. The 3 piece back is also cool. I also agree....choose the one that you like best. They are all good choices!

[guitarsanyone]

I don't see a substantial difference in the sound between the two. They are both dreads and both going to have a good bottom end.... So I would play them both and see which one you like. But you may find that a D-35 from one store from a different time period may sound quite different than another D-35.

[darius50]

MY 1970 D35 which I bought new has served me well for forty years. At the time I bought it I A/Bd it against five D28s and the 35 won out. But I have to admit I was a novice back then and it might have been the 3 piece back I liked best. I don't get the "baseball bat" neck comment. While my 35 leans to the V shape it's certainly not a Louisville Slugger.

[AZLiberty]

Of ones I have played, I've always preferred the D-35. I'm not a flatpicker though. Mostly fingers and an occasional thumbpick.

[Neil K Walk]

Wade's comments are right on. The 35s are like a grand piano IMO and inspire a soloist to sing more loudly. OTOH the 28s tend to be a little more clear with not as much bottom end as the 35s. I could certainly see the benefit in an ensemble. However, if you want something to really cut through the mix the D-18 with its strong note fundamental (minimal overtones) or an OM would be the best bet.

[L20A]

Originally Posted by darius50

MY 1970 D35 which I bought new has served me well for forty years. At the time I bought it I A/Bd it against five D28s and the 35 won out. But I have to admit I was a novice back then and it might have been the 3 piece back I liked best. I don't get the "baseball bat" neck comment. While my 35 leans to the V shape it's certainly not a Louisville Slugger.

There must have been a lot of difference in neck profiles from one guitar to another back then.
My 1981 D-35 has a very thich chunky C shaped neck.
It took several years of playing it to get used to it.
The good thing about the neck on my D-35 is that the neck is still at perfect angle and the relief is spot on.
Martin did a good job of making a neck that would hold up over time.
I have had one refret job done on it so far.

[harryboss1]

Both the D-28 and D-35 are great guitars and as said many times already the D-35 has a bassier sound. Depends on what you would enjoy better.

[Eurobluegrass]

Originally Posted by yammieplaya

Guys - I'm just idly curious.
Are there substantial differences
in tone or playability between these two models?
Leaving aside variance from individual guitar to guitar.

Hi there, especially yammieplaya! I guess that refers to Yamaha...

I usually play my 1971 Martin D35 in my Bluegrass band as well as to jam and to accompany myself and I still think this guitar works better for me and also cuts through much better than other guitars I have owned and tried. I used the D35 all over Europe and some in the USA at festivals and for recording sessions and it always works in any situation. Its sound is full, warm and powerful and effective in a band or solo. I have no problem whatsoever to "cut through" a mix of banjo, mandolin, fiddle, bass and voices either for thytm playing or solos. I feel I need this solid basis if my guitar in order to sing and play well enough. I have owned a beautiful 1994 Martin D45 from new and picked it up a lot during rehearsals and put it back in its case after 2 songs because I could not hear it well enough in the band and that made me feel unsure. I did not understand why and kept trying it for about 12 years until I decided to sell it to a fingerpicking professional guitarist who was very happy with it and had tried many D45's before but never was satisfied. I also owned a custom Martin D41 with a cedar top from new. Same problem! I have a 50's Kay Dmodel with mahogany back and sides - all solid! - which does the job almost as well as my D35, amazing but true. Then I owned a Martin D37K, beautiful guitar, but not for Bluegrass and I sold it after 6 years, in fact traded it together with a fantastic Gibson A5 Custom mandolin from 1998 for a well used 1965 Martin D21. Great guitar, plays without touching it, loud and balanced, cutting, but not warm nor powerful enough for me. Then I had a very good offer of a 1949 D28 I have been considering for a while, but recently decided against it. Now I have decided to buy 2 used Martin D35 guitar from the USA - they are on they way I hope -one from 1968 and the other from very early 1970, both Brazilian RW. The 1968 even has a small maple bridgeplate... I will keep the best of the two and sell the second as a companion to my original 1971 D35.
The other amazing Martin which works great in any situation including a loud Bluegrass band on stage and off is my 1966 martin D35S, which beats everything I have every heard or tried. Only, the neck is a little too wide for me, I prefer to have it a little narrower.
My conclusion is that every 2 part back Martin I have tried cannot beat my D35 in power, warmth and cutting power in a 5 piece Bluegrass band for rhytm or solo playing.

Luckily, taste differs as well as moods and I also use other guitars I like:
Yamaha - he Yammieplaya - FG2000 1972
Yamaha FG1200S
Yamaha L25TA
Martin OO28G 1963 (beauty!!! but not for Bluegrass)
RoZawood copy of pre-war Martin D45 Red Smiley signature model
Kay mahogany D model (sloid, 50's)
Goya N-26 1963 (great guitar!)
My wife plays a 1960's Kay D model and a Yamaha LL500

[beachbum205]

D35=D28 on steroids.

[CharlieG]

I was looking for a HD-28 or D-28 when I stumbled into my HD-35. It took some time to find exactly what strings I wanted on it but now it has the sound that I think should come from a dread. Above posts say that it does not have the sound projection that the D-28's have but I'm not playing in a bluegrass band, just jamming with my friends and it has enough volume for me.

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by Eurobluegrass

...I usually play my 1971 Martin D35 in my Bluegrass band as well as to jam and to accompany myself and I still think this guitar works better for me and also cuts through much better than other guitars I have owned and tried. ...

Hi EuroBluegrass,

Welcome to the forum! We hope to hear more from you.

As an old D-35 user myself, I find your comments interesting. Do you use medium strings on your 1971 D-35? I am wondering what makes it work for bluegrass playing...

Regards, Glenn

[rodmeister]

I've been considering a D-28 for my next guitar, then I heard Johnny Cash's "Solitary Man" which was reportedly played on his custom D-35. Love that sound! That's the sound I've been looking for.