What's your favorite bracing pattern for Martin Dread?

[Shades of Blue]

With all of the new Re-Imagined guitars from Martin, I was wondering if there was a consensus that the new bracing is indeed broadly accepted as an improvement. The the sake of this thread, let's just pretend that we are talking strictly about Spruce/Rosewood dreads. If you select an option but prefer say 1/4 bracing or GE bracing, let me know!

Heck, I won't pigeon hole this to exclusively Martin, any maker is fine as long as it is a dread.

What is your favorite pattern?

[archerscreek]

I like the sound forward shifted scalloped bracing gives when the guitar has mahogany back and sides but guitars with rosewood sound better with the standard position scalloped bracing. The previous version of the HD-28 was the best sounding Sitka topped rosewood dread Martin made.

Not to muddy the waters unnecessarily, but "rear shifted" might mean something different than many people think it means. Martin used three bracing positions on 14 fret Dreadnaughts.

Forward (1" from the sound hole) 1934-1938
Rear (1 7/8" from the sound hole) 1938-1955
Modern (1 1/2" from the sound hole) 1955-2018

Very few modern Martin D-28's use the Rear position - the D-28 Dan Tyminski, D-28 Museum Edition, D-28A 1941, and D-45A 1942. Can't think of any other production models. I assume your "non-forward shifted" option is the 1 1/2" position?

[Shades of Blue]

Originally Posted by Todd Yates

Not to muddy the waters unnecessarily, but "rear shifted" might mean something different than many people think it means. Martin used three bracing positions on 14 fret Dreadnaughts.

Forward (1" from the sound hole) 1934-1938
Rear (1 7/8" from the sound hole) 1938-1955
Modern (1 1/2" from the sound hole) 1955-2018

Very few modern Martin D-28's use the Rear position - the D-28 Dan Tyminski, D-28 Museum Edition, D-28A 1941, and D-45A 1942. Can't think of any other production models. I assume your "non-forward shifted" option is the 1 1/2" position?

Good info! I just lumped them all into a rear shifted category.

I'm so close to buying an HD-28, but so many people are saying on forums that the new D-28s actually are sounding better. Better is a broad term, but I take it that the new HDs are pretty bassy.

[Treenewt]

My D18 has GE bracing in standard position. I freaking LOVE it. To my ear, the new post-2012 D18's can sound "flubby", having too much bass and not enough clarity in the mids. Again, to MY ears. Whatever the physics are, non-forward shifted bracing in this particular guitar sounds exactly like how I want a D18 to sound.

[vindibona1]

It's funny... I didn't vote because I have no clue about forward, backward, inside-out, scalloped... nor have I ever cared. The only thing that means anything to me is the sound and the feel. I bought my D35 because I loved the sound. It came with a soft V neck, which was inadvertently the 2nd of ultimately 3 soft V's that I have... without even knowing that it was anything other than comfortable. I didn't even know that I really liked soft V's... until I woke up one morning and owned three of them without even considering what they were when I bought them.

Still the only real bracing that I'm aware of because of all the buzz is the V-Class (told ya Taylor is a marketing juggernaut). I know the term "forward shifted bracing" but totally unaware of which guitars get it except for I think the HD28 and the revoiced Martins and I think the revoiced Taylor 614ce. Do I really care? Not really. I'll leave that to the guitar makers and marketeers. Sound and feel. That's all that counts for a player IMO.

[Sonics]

Hybrid bracing...that's scalloped X + A bracing. This is used on the 'experimental' 16 series...and possibly others.

[noledog]

Yo Shades,

For me it depends on scale, body and woods:

* Mahogany long scale dread body, I prefer 5/16 Forward/scalloped...like my D-18. I did not care much for the older Standard version, the D-18V bracing was awesome, but I did not like the V neck. So in 2012 when they re-imagined the D-18's bracing like the D-18V with the mlo/pa neck, I was all in!

** Mahogany short scale 000 body, I prefer 1/4 Modern/scalloped...like my 000-18. This is a good match for this guitar; keeps tone clear, open & airy without sounding boxy.

*** Rosewood long scale dread body, I prefer 5/16 Forward/non-scalloped...that the new D-28 has. I never was much for the D-28 or rosewood for that matter in a dread body, but the new D-28's sound really nice to me. I like the punchy, balanced tone curve.

**** The 1/4 Forward/non-scalloped in the new D-35 is also sweet, but I liked the Modern/non-scalloped version too. The 1/4 bracing really brings a rosewood dread into a sweet a eq curve without being too scooped and boomy, while retaining the fatter trebles....I do not like the newer HD versions in the 28 and 35, too much bass, thinner trebles, not enough clarity or oomph in the mids imo. They also don't amplify/eq as well for what I do as a working musician.

***** If I were to get a Martin rosewood dread I lean towards the new D-28 or the older D-35. My friend and fellow working musician Alex has a 2017 D-35 (modern/non-scalloped) and I really love that guitar.

Best wishes Shades in your decision!

eric

[Shades of Blue]

Originally Posted by noledog

Yo Shades,

For me it depends on scale, body and woods:

* Mahogany long scale dread body, I prefer 5/16 Forward/scalloped...like my D-18. I did not care much for the older Standard version, the D-18V bracing was awesome, but I did not like the V neck. So in 2012 when they re-imagined the D-18's bracing like the D-18V with the mlo/pa neck, I was all in!

** Mahogany short scale 000 body, I prefer 1/4 Modern/scalloped...like my 000-18. This is a good match for this guitar; keeps tone clear, open & airy without sounding boxy.

*** Rosewood long scale dread body, I prefer 5/16 Forward/non-scalloped...that the new D-28 has. I never was much for the D-28 or rosewood for that matter in a dread body, but the new D-28's sound really nice to me. I like the punchy, balanced tone curve.

**** The 1/4 Forward/non-scalloped in the new D-35 is also sweet, but I liked the Modern/non-scalloped version too. The 1/4 bracing really brings a rosewood dread into a sweet a eq curve without being too scooped and boomy, while retaining the fatter trebles....I do not like the newer HD versions in the 28 and 35, too much bass, thinner trebles, not enough clarity or oomph in the mids imo. They also don't amplify/eq as well for what I do as a working musician.

***** If I were to get a Martin rosewood dread I lean towards the new D-28 or the older D-35. My friend and fellow working musician Alex has a 2017 D-35 (modern/non-scalloped) and I really love that guitar.

Best wishes Shades in your decision!

eric

Very helpful, and again confirms that I think I want a D-28. I want fat trebles, not pristine, and I can't stand a scooped tone. Most Taylor's I've owned have been all highs and lows. I did love the midrange punch of the D-18, but I just would prefer the overtones of rosewood.

I didn't realize how much I missed the rosewood overtones for fingerstyle. I like that the guitar sounds like it has its own reverb tank inside the guitar. With the D-18, it was dry with little going on in the overtone department. If I could have the perfect dread, it would be a loud, bold flat picker with lots of overtones for fingerstyle.

[rokdog49]

Originally Posted by Shades of Blue

Very helpful, and again confirms that I think I want a D-28. I want fat trebles, not pristine, and I can't stand a scooped tone. Most Taylor's I've owned have been all highs and lows. I did love the midrange punch of the D-18, but I just would prefer the overtones of rosewood.

I didn't realize how much I missed the rosewood overtones for fingerstyle. I like that the guitar sounds like it has its own reverb tank inside the guitar. With the D-18, it was dry with little going on in the overtone department. If I could have the perfect dread, it would be a loud, bold flat picker with lots of overtones for fingerstyle.

I can't help but wonder if you're referring to the pre-2012 D18 here.
I don't find my 2017 D18 dry or having midrange punch.
Mine has warmth and for a Mahogany guitar, a respectable amount of overtones.

[ManyMartinMan]

I evaluate every guitar independently. I can’t tell you what any of my guitars have. They are all great an were purchased for how they sound not any specs.

[Vinnie Boombatz]

Originally Posted by Shades of Blue

Good info! I just lumped them all into a rear shifted category.

I'm so close to buying an HD-28, but so many people are saying on forums that the new D-28s actually are sounding better. Better is a broad term, but I take it that the new HDs are pretty bassy.

Who cares what "other people are saying". And I've never thought of a D-28 as a bad sounding guitar. It's a classic for a reason. Sounding "better" is all relative and a matter of opinion. Play them and decide for yourself. People will jump on the bandwagon for new things. Before the "Reimagined" Standard line everyone praised the previous Standards. It's not like they're inferior now, the new ones are just different. Even guitars of the same model are going to sound different played next to each other.

You can post threads, watch YouTube videos and do all the research you want, but it all boils down to actually having the guitar in your hands, playing it, and deciding if you like it or not, and not factoring in what other people think.

[TBman]

I didn't vote either. I love the sound of my D-16GT as well as other Martins that I have played in stores ... 000-15, HD-28, D-35, Whiskey Sunsets....

I'm not sure that I could get exposed to enough different bracings and learn their tonal attributes to actually make an informed opinion as to which I like better.

[Vinnie Boombatz]

OP is all over the place. Mentioning D-35's in other threads, HD-28's, etc.

OP, have you actually gone out and played any of these models?! It's a pretty easy decision to made when you play them. I make my decision in like 15-20 minutes. I'd never rely on an Internet forum to guide me. I know what my ear likes and wants to hear. What others like and want to hear, or the way they describe what they're hearing may be completely different.

I always personally thought the treble side of an HD-28 sounded thin. Others may think I'm nuts and call it fat. Instead of all the endless threads you really need to go play them, otherwise you'll just keep buying and selling.

[Dondoh]

I vote "other".
I like the 0-16ny bracing.