Deciding between D28 D35 and HD28 -please help

[Jef_]

Hello y’all,
I really could use some help.

So as you can read in the title I am at a bit of a crossroads.
Two weeks ago after trying both a d28 and D-18, I bought a D28 reimagined and loved it. But unfortunately had to bring it back due to a factory defect (top bracing coming loose). What I love about the d28 reimagined is the balanced sound with much sparkle and articulation. What’s important to me is:
- I want to be able to use it around a camp fire (at a safe distance of course :-)) and have it be loud enough and great sounding in that setting
- I would mostly use it for live worship in church (amplified). Usually with my own male voice (tenor) and soprano woman’s voice. And often accompanied by piano.
- I like to record every once in a while also using a condenser microphone.
So my main playing style is strumming, at least for the time being.

The store was out of d28’s so went to another store that was quite far away and for the first time picked up an HD28 reimagined and pre-reimagined d35.


The HD28 was used (2018 model), but in great condition with some minor scratches and scuffs and a built in lr Baggs anthem pickup system for about $3150, new one costing about $3500. (Keep in mind that here in Western Europe prices for martins are significantly higher). It sounds good, my wife loves it the most of all of the above. I feel it to be a bit dull/compressed and quiet compared to a d28 with a general lack of articulation when strummed. But it just has this specialness about it that I can’t put I to words. The “tonal chaos” (for the lack of a better explanation), that occurs when strumming heavily occurs in the mids. Which is less pronounced and less intrusive than the D35’s mid-low chaos.
!It currently has Martin acoustic ME530 012 light strings instead of the standard MSP4200, 013 strings.
I don’t know if different strings could help me get more what I like out of this guitar.

The D35 is brand new, and sounds great. It is very bass heavy but has more of the sparkle of a d28 which I love. The articulation is very close to the d28, but is more bass-y. I like that it plays airy and is very loud. The 3-piece back is also beautiful. The price is about the same as the new d28 reimagined at $3025.
This guitar has barely been played and still has the pickguard cover on it.

The d28 is also new, yet it is hung in the store as demo (as is 99% of this huge store’s inventory. So it has a few scratches and the plastic pickguard cover has been removed prior to being put on display. So it isn’t “factory new”. But it is full price without discount. It looks and sounds amazing, but not as “full and overtones as either the d35 or hd28. It is also loud but not as loud as the d35.

Also.. the store never gives the original martin shipping box or tags with their new martins.. It is important to note that the d28 and d35 do not come with a pickup system. I would go for a k&k pire mini, which with professional placement would set me back another $200.

Thank you so much for reading this and helping me out!
Le_Jef

[Hypnos]

Have you tried singing with any of them? If you'll mostly be using it while you sing, it's worth singing with them while you play so you can tell if your voice stands out better with one than the others. Generally a D28 and HD28 will have a punchier mid range compared to a D35. That might work for your voice or it might not.

I have a D35 but also really like HD28s and D28s. You can't go wrong with any of them, so really it comes down to what your ear prefers and where your voice fits.

[Canada310]

It sounds to me by reading what you’ve wrote here (and between some lines) that your preference lies in the reimagined d28 you had initially. Why not have another of those in and test that out again. From what I can tell you appreciate each of the others but feel there is concessions to make on each one.

Of course there’s no real ‘wrong’ choice here.

For what it’s worth, I always feel the d28s feel a bit more...scaled back, dare I say hollow in comparison to the d35s and company. Probably not a popular opinion I know.

[SKYHIGH]

Not much to reply except...you should test more examples of each before deciding.

In case you didn’t know already:

D-28/D-35: non scalloped Bracing whereas HD-28 is scalloped. D35 is also 1/4” non-scalloped. To me non-scalloped has stronger mids in general and adding thinner bracing will means more response and bass. I tend to prefer straight bracing my self but I think more on this forum prefer scalloped.

You said D-35 has plastic still on its pickguard. I’m pretty sure tortoise guards Martin uses on their new “reimagined” series Martins do not come with plastic on it. Or was the D-35 new old stock? It looks like older ones came in black guard and those do have plastics on them.

One more note, I do exactly what you do in terms of use and style of playing. I ended up with Gibson Songwriter. Not that you asked but give it a try if given a chance.

Enjoy the hunt!

[mercy]

D-28 for what you want to do. I prefer the 35's for just playing myself but the description of the 35 is right on and you should see that it isnt the best for the job you want it to do. I too think the Gibson may be a better choice for you, consider it. That being said by a person that doesnt like the Gibson sound, but I dont record, play in a band or lead worship. I think Martin gets more guitar sound out of a guitar than Gibson but thats not always a good thing. A better Martin is a Huss&Dalton but you have not have those over there.

[phcorrigan]

In addition to what others have said, have someone else play the guitars while you listen. Also, you really can't go wrong with any of them.

[Neil K Walk]

Go with another reimagined D-28.

[Jef_]

I didn’t know the new reimagined series doesn’t come with a plastic cover on the pickguard. Is that actually a fact?
Thank y’all for your advice so far. I have tried singing with them. The hd28 seems to supplement my voice the best without overbearing. Whilst the d28 sounds shallow and the d35 too heavy with my voice.

What do you guys think about the string situation?

[SKYHIGH]

Originally Posted by Jef_

I didn’t know the new reimagined series doesn’t come with a plastic cover on the pickguard. Is that actually a fact?
Thank y’all for your advice so far. I have tried singing with them. The hd28 seems to supplement my voice the best without overbearing. Whilst the d28 sounds shallow and the d35 too heavy with my voice.

What do you guys think about the string situation?

I can be totally wrong about this but I’m pretty sure new ones come with brown(tortoise pick guard) and older ones are black. Brown ones are typically beveled and so no plastic... unless they use different tortoise for D-35 from D-28.

Martin web currently shows reimagined with brown tortoise guard.

[DebbieE]

I love my 2017 Martin D-28 and it seems like you really liked the D-28 you had for a few days, I'd say get another D-28.

[Neil K Walk]

Originally Posted by Jef_

I didn’t know the new reimagined series doesn’t come with a plastic cover on the pickguard. Is that actually a fact?
Thank y’all for your advice so far. I have tried singing with them. The hd28 seems to supplement my voice the best without overbearing. Whilst the d28 sounds shallow and the d35 too heavy with my voice.

What do you guys think about the string situation?

LOL, you must not remember how bad the pickguards were prior to 2012 when they were pallid representations of how somebody with no idea of how tortoise shell and no attention to detail and a sense of color blindness thrown in thought how it should look. IME the black pickguards should come with plastic, the colored ones maybe or maybe not. Why is it important?

BTW, how old was the D-28 vs the age of the HD-28? You may find that the straight braced/forward shifted X bracing of the "standard" D-28 may settle in to what is pleasing to you after several months, whereas the scalloped/standard shifted X bracing of the HD-28 may start to sound subdued. Only time and experience will tell. Guitars have a tendency to adjust to many different environmental factors. That's why I said previously that you should just stick with your original choice. I sense you're getting distracted from a choice that you were initially happy with. Why change your mind?

As for strings: medium gauge phosphor bronze without any type of coating is a good place to start. My Martin doesn't sound good with lights or coated strings, but I live in a different climate than you do and my model is lower end compared to the ones you've tried and owned.

[vindibona1]

As others have said, you have to go with what you think will work best with what you do. Here are the differences as I see them...

The D28 has a nice articulate sound. The re-imagined bracing seems to have corrected the sonic issues that may have turned others away from this model in earlier iterations.

The HD-28 is sort of a split between the D28 and D35. It will be more "jangly" than than the D28. It will sound brighter than both of the other models.

The D35 has a gigantic sound with huge bass. The mids are a bit scooped, but can be brought back a bit if you choose the right strings. It is not as articulate as the D28. If you buy a D35 you may want to look at other pickup options besides the K&K. The K&K can get a bit boomy and the D35 can be on the edge of boom on it's own.

Good luck

[ManyMartinMan]

Originally Posted by vindibona1

As others have said, you have to go with what you think will work best with what you do. ...

Yes. The simple answer (for every guitar purchase) is buy the one that pleases you the best. It doesn't matter where you're going to play it, get the one you prefer.

[L20A]

I own a D-35 and love it.
It fits me very well.
With that said, I think that an HD-28 is a better all around guitar.
The HD-28 is closer to a pre war D-28 in sound.
I have not played a new D-28 and can't comment on one of them.

[Jef_]

For some reason the HD28 feels subdued as if it is not coming to its full potential.

Thank you all for your insights. If anyone else would like to chime in, please feel free to do so.