Martin HD28 Reimagined 2018

zbach · #1 03-18-2020, 05:12 PM

Hello

I am looking to buy a new Martin Dread mainly for bluegrass flatpicking and some light fingerpicking.

My first choice was the Martin HD28 (Reimagined 2018) as I once had a nice HD28 ( Pre 2018 one) which i really liked but I had to sell it....

I considered a D18 but its too bright for my taste and the D28 i tried were lacking some bass. I am not able to try a HD28 close to where I love though...

But after reading online i got the impression that the reimagined HD28 is not getting much praise compared to the old HD28...but then i only found a handful of posts.

Has somebody played one or owns one and can share his opinion on the changes/upgrades and the sound?

Thank you very much !

jpricewood · #2 03-18-2020, 07:02 PM

I just went through this. Here’s my very humble take on the HD-28.

ArchEtech · #3 03-18-2020, 09:03 PM

I just purchased a 2018 Ambertone HD-28. Got it for $2000 and it’s mint so that helped make the decision a bit - I must be honest. In any case, it basically does everything my D-18 did but better. Love the Ambertone too and I typically don’t like the bursts and colors but the Amber looks really good with cream binding and herringbone stuff.

I don’t have experience with the pre-2018, but I heavily considered the HD-28V as well. The reimagined has all of the vintage features of the 28V (forward scalloped bracing) with a less vintage neck BUT......the 1-3/4 nut IS a vintage width too....so... The only reason people seem to dislike the reimagined is because of the neck. Is there is a lot of hate for the MLO neck. People are just never happy! After doing a lot of reading, there are just as many people taking about ordering custom HD-28 to GET the 1-3/4 nut in older threads, about the older model, as there are hating on the new MLO neck.

With the reimagined, you get a 1-3/4 but, 2-1/8 saddle which is a little wider than the older ones. If that is desirable to you I think you’d love the reimagined. It’s a bonus for me because the 28V neck is a bit too chunky for me, I don’t dislike it but it made the neck feel huge even with the smaller nut width. People say the reimagined is their version of a Taylor and I don’t agree, though I only can compare to what I’ve played. It’s more chunky than the 510e soft V that is my other guitar. Noticeably so. I don’t find it hard to play at all. My hand doesn’t cramp up playing the MLO. Your hand probably won’t either if you have good technique. I like the string spacing on the 2018 because it feels good for playing everything with a pick or your fingers. Do people really hate the 2018 models, I actually kind of doubt it. It’s not like every vintage Martin is a big fat V with a 1-11/16 nut!

Sound wise the 28 is fantastic. It is different than the 28V. It’s also slightly different than the 35 too but honestly there is just not an astronomically huge difference between any of them. They are all in the same family. I don’t believe anyone who says they are completely different but that’s just amateur me. Two different 2018 HD-28 are also going to sound a bit different. Necks all felt very different. Play feel and set up was different on all of them too. all also good. The HD-28 I actually bought wasn’t even the one in the store! Does it sound different? **** does the one I bought not sound as good as the in in the store???? I guess I’ll never know!

I mean there are so many factors guitar to guitar. The age and wear of the strings were not the same I’m sure. They weren’t all 2018 models. They’ve all been played different amounts and been exposed to different temps and humidity as well as reacted differently to it. They aren’t made of the same trees. I read about guitars and gear a lot and probably should spend more time practicing than researching, but.....you can get caught up in it too much. If the guitar sounds good and you like it, the model doesn’t matter. My friend has a D-18 that is just way nicer than his D-35. Blasphemy!

Short of it is, just go play a bunch. What I will say is all of the newer martins play and sound great. You can’t go wrong with anything containing -28 in the model number. The resale is also the best of any brand so you can flip it easily if you want to later. My HD-28 literally hits every spec almost exactly on neck relief and action. Neck is dead straight, neck relief literally perfect. It’s maybe slightly brighter than some older forward/scalloped 28 I have played, maybe slightly closer to the -35 than the -28V which was slightly more muddy/full but that could have been old or different strings. The -28v at the store has been sitting at the store for 2 years and probably never had the strings changed. Fat neck make the 28V warmer? I mean I don’t know, maybe a little. They were all three very warm, rich and generally bass heavy. All very Martin sounding.

I think you’d be perfectly happy with any HD-28.

Tnfiddler · #4 03-18-2020, 09:16 PM

I didn’t entertain the idea of getting a Martin guitar until I heard the 2018 Reimagined HD28 my friend had just bought, last year while I was at SPBGMA. When I heard him playing it, I was blown away by how incredible it sounded! That was the 1st time I’d heard a Martin that made me say, “I’ve got to have one of those”! I promptly sold my Taylor 810 and started saving cash to get one. Fast forward a few months and I auditioned several of them in the search to buy one and had “THE ONE” picked out and then played my D41 and it’s the guitar that came home with me. I think the HD28 is a fantastic guitar that will fill any need
You have music-wise!! Coming from the Taylor neck and also owning a slim-necked Bourgeois guitar, I’m a big fan of the MLO/PA neck! I have nothing but praise for the HD28 and I tried an HD28v and preferred the reimagined models to it.

Mindful67 · #5 03-18-2020, 10:25 PM

My friend bought an HD-28 about 5 years ago. I absolutely loved it which surprised me as I usually favor mahogany guitars. Hers sounded so good that I bought one for myself. However, the one I bought sounded flat with no life to it so I returned it about a week later.
2 years ago, I decided to get a D-18 so I went to try some guitars. I played the reimagined versions of the D-18, D-28, and the HD-28. Of those particular guitars, the HD-28 blew me away so I bought it and it is still my favorite of several guitars that I own.
I play almost all bluegrass now but I used to play only fingerstyle, and I do still fingerpick on occasion. The reimagined HD-28 sounds great for Bluegrass but it has a sweet tone when lightly picked as well.
So, I LOVE my reimagined HD-28 but I haven’t played enough of them to know how consistent they are. The dud I purchased 5 years ago was obviously not the new version.
Good luck with your search.

Patrick

P.S. I did finally get a D-18. It arrived today in fact. A 1949 with a new pick guard, ancient but not original tuners, and a new bridge but original bridge plate. It sounds pretty dang good as well.

LeftyKev · #6 03-19-2020, 02:46 AM

I have yet to play one of the 'reimagined' series that's impressed me, quite the opposite.

I have found that the core 'normal' models much better both in feel and sound.

UncleJesse · #7 03-19-2020, 06:25 AM

I have a reimagined HD28 and it's a killer guitar. I think it sounds much better than the pre-reimagined ones I've tried. More bass and presence.

UncleJesse · #8 03-19-2020, 06:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArchEtech

With the reimagined, you get a 1-3/4 but, 2-1/8 saddle which is a little wider than the older ones.

The reimagined HD28 has a saddle string spacing of 2 5/32 like the rest of the reimagined series.

ArchEtech · #9 03-19-2020, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by UncleJesse

The reimagined HD28 has a saddle string spacing of 2 5/32 like the rest of the reimagined series.

You are correct 1-3/4 nut 2-1/8 12 fret 2 5/16th at the bridge. That’s also a vintage spec. I sure like it!! Looks like the OOO and OM 28 are the same.