Martin Dreadnoughts

[ataylor]

In addition to perhaps more premium, select wood cuts being responsible for any difference in tone the style 40 dreadnoughts might tend to have compared to a 28, I've heard that some claim that both the amount and type of decorative purfling has a very slight impact on the sound.

In case it's helpful, here's a nice, well-crafted, no-nonsense comparison I found of the Martin D-18, D-28, HD-28, D-35, and D-18 Modern Deluxe:



Structurally, the 41/42/45 are going to be almost identical to the HD-28, with the only real differences as far as I know being in the cosmetic appointments and grades of wood used.

I tend to gravitate towards both the aesthetics and tone of the D-18 and D-28, but I'd love to play a style 40 dreadnought someday for some first-hand experience!

[musicman1951]

Originally Posted by brencat

Agree about the style 40 shimmer. Anyone with a casual ear for nuance can hear the difference between style 28 and style 40. You can't get 95% of the tone of a 40 in a 28. More like 75% tops. On the other hand, I probably won't be flatpicking a style 40 -- to me, they are too lush for fiddle tunes and such.

Regardless, Martin's best stuff is still the Authentic line, in my opinion.

I agree on both points. I had a D-28 Authentic and it was a considerable improvement over the standard D-28 - with a considerable price hike as well.

[Br1ck]

If I were building guitars, and Martin is a whole lot better at it than I'd be, I'd do everything I could do to make my more expensive guitars sound better. The best tops would go into the 40 and up pile. I'd count on the abalone infatuated to pick up on any sliver of better tone.

I'm half shopping for a Collings mandolin. Though they tout the plain MF as being just the same build as the MF Deluxe or MF 5, every time I try them I hear a small but perceptible difference. One thing about Collings, all of the maple is beautiful.

Now here is where things get cloudy. The eyes are one of the senses, and I don't think you can entirely divorce them from sound and touch when evaluating an instrument, much less your preconceived notions.

A friend sold a D 45 to an immigrant gentleman who didn't even play guitar. Somewhere along the way a D 45 became the symbol of the American Dream for him, so he worked hard and finally was able to buy one.

[FingahPickah]

In addition to higher grade wood, the 40 series also has scalloped 5/16" bracing like the HD28 (D18 and D28 braces are non-scalloped).

My D40 is close sonically to an HD28 and very close esthetically to a D41. The only difference from the D41 is a little less bling ; no abalone inlay around the outer edge of the soundboard.

The D35 and HD35 both have 1/4" bracing (D35=non-scalloped, HD35= scalloped) - btw a friend's mid-eighties HD35 might be the loudest Martin dread I've ever heard. I considered one myself when I was looking but chose the D40 because it offered me plenty of power with less low-end boom.

[llew]

Originally Posted by FingahPickah

In addition to higher grade wood, the 40 series also has scalloped 5/16" bracing like the HD28 (D18 and D28 braces are non-scalloped).

My D40 is close sonically to an HD28 and close esthetically to a D41. The only difference from the D41 is a little less bling ; no abalone inlay around the outer edge of the soundboard.

The D35 and HD35 both have 1/4" bracing (D35=non-scalloped, HD35= scalloped)

In 2012 Martin forward shifted and scalloped the braces on the current D-18 Standard. The new D-28 (2017) remains non-scalloped but forward shifted. I also think the 40's have more "shimmer" and are overall more "lush" sounding.

[FingahPickah]

Originally Posted by llew

In 2012 Martin forward shifted and scalloped the braces on the current D-18 Standard. The new D-28 (2017) remains non-scalloped but forward shifted. I also think the 40's have more "shimmer" and are overall more "lush" sounding.

Didn't know D-18 is now scalloped.. I do know my 40 sounds great !

[llew]

Originally Posted by FingahPickah

Didn't know D-18 is now scalloped.. I do know my 40 sounds great !

I don't doubt it? I had a D-41 (Reimagined) and sold it for something else. Still not sure that was a good move? But I do like the crispness and snap of the D-18 and D-28.

[FingahPickah]

Originally Posted by llew

I don't doubt it? I had a D-41 (Reimagined) and sold it for something else. Still not sure that was a good move? But I do like the crispness and snap of the D-18 and D-28.

I bought a Larrivee 000-40 12 fret a few months ago that to me sonically resembles the D-18 sound ... I was amazed at the snap and volume (like a D-18) from a smaller (than dread) body...

[llew]

Originally Posted by FingahPickah

I bought a Larrivee 000-40 12 fret a few months ago that to me sonically resembles the D-18 sound ... I was amazed at the snap and volume (like a D-18) from a smaller (than dread) body...

I haven't had the opportunity to try any of the 40 Larrivee's but constantly hear great things. The 12 fret 000 is probably about as close as you can get to a dread other than the more rare 0000 12 fret bodies.

[FingahPickah]

Originally Posted by ataylor

In addition to perhaps more premium, select wood cuts being responsible for any difference in tone the style 40 dreadnoughts might tend to have compared to a 28, I've heard that some claim that both the amount and type of decorative purfling has a very slight impact on the sound.

In case it's helpful, here's a nice, well-crafted, no-nonsense comparison I found of the Martin D-18, D-28, HD-28, D-35, and D-18 Modern Deluxe:



Structurally, the 41/42/45 are going to be almost identical to the HD-28, with the only real differences as far as I know being in the cosmetic appointments and grades of wood used.

I tend to gravitate towards both the aesthetics and tone of the D-18 and D-28, but I'd love to play a style 40 dreadnought someday for some first-hand experience!

I had been a maple Guild guy for years ('73 D44M & '87 JF65-12 Blonde). In early 2000 I went shopping for a Martin dreadnought.. I was most interested in HD-28 or HD-35.. I had checked out a couple of D-18s but they didn't seem to quite have the voice I was after.. I found a Mom/Pop shop (Union Music in Worcester, MA) that was loaded with Martins.. ROAD TRIP with two player-buddies. I played (and listened to them play) every rosewood dread there...two each of some models.. D-28,HD-28,D-35,HD-35,D-40,D-41.. I narrowed it down to two D-40s realizing that model was HD-28-ish sound-wise, D-35-ish feel-wise (bound fret board), D-41-ish appointments with a little less bling (no abalone inlay around the edge of the soundboard).. One D-40 ultimately won me over... I had no idea that the D-40 would later leave the standard line-up and become a custom order. No regrets.. In the past 20 yrs I've only seen one other one (a few years ago at a community jam - a guy visiting from Canada had one - he was as surprised as I was).

[Tony Burns]

traditionally the higher the model , besides the cost going up and more bling etc
-the more work goes into it and it should be a top end instrument in sound
, wood quality and tonally superior -but not always . The best bang for your buck
in my opinion is the HD-28 - but they vary , you should play a few of them -
in other words play before you pay.
I like martins as a whole - have a OM28v and thats all i need of that brand.

[Shredmaster007]

Originally Posted by ataylor

In addition to perhaps more premium, select wood cuts being responsible for any difference in tone the style 40 dreadnoughts might tend to have compared to a 28, I've heard that some claim that both the amount and type of decorative purfling has a very slight impact on the sound.

In case it's helpful, here's a nice, well-crafted, no-nonsense comparison I found of the Martin D-18, D-28, HD-28, D-35, and D-18 Modern Deluxe:



Structurally, the 41/42/45 are going to be almost identical to the HD-28, with the only real differences as far as I know being in the cosmetic appointments and grades of wood used.

I tend to gravitate towards both the aesthetics and tone of the D-18 and D-28, but I'd love to play a style 40 dreadnought someday for some first-hand experience!

I thought the D28 and HD28 in that video sounded amazing - the others didn't really do much for me! I know everyone loves the D18, but it sounds so aggressive to me, especially when strummed. In contrast I thought the D35 sounded like a wet noodle.

[Russ C]

My experience of many years and many Martins has been that 40 series Martins on average sound better than their 28 cousins - though usually only by a small margin over the HD’s and HDv’s (and not over the Authentics).

I bought my D45V because I always wanted one - not because it was worth the price. I have heard better, though very rarely - and never less than a more lightly braced GE or Authentic .. and not all of those.

The only explanation I can imagine is that the visual wood grading they do (I didn’t say “cosmetic” because of the implication that it’s meaningless sonically) can on average achieve some tonal discrimination. I don’t know if that is possible but I have no other ideas - as I can’t accept that abalone makes an audible difference.
As unscientific as it is, part of me reasons that a company as experienced as Martin may have accumulated some way, other than bracing, of telling whether a guitar will sound good or not before it’s built.

[thomasinaz]

I went through several Martin Dreads over the past few years. D-28, D-35, D-18 and the D-41. The 41 sounds better than any of them to me. It just has a rich sound that I like. I don't know if Martin uses better woods, better skilled builders or what, that 41's sound makes me smile every time I get it out.

[zoopeda]

Originally Posted by thomasinaz

I went through several Martin Dreads over the past few years. D-28, D-35, D-18 and the D-41. The 41 sounds better than any of them to me. It just has a rich sound that I like. I don't know if Martin uses better woods, better skilled builders or what, that 41's sound makes me smile every time I get it out.

Of the guitars you mentioned, the 41 is the only one with a rosewood back and scalloped top braces. You get that same tone in a newer HD-28 or in the previous HD-28V. Great guitars.