Well, I did it. New-to-me HD-28E

[sinistral]

Originally Posted by b1j

Not on the Martin: I’m replacing the Grover strap tuners on my J-45 with individual Waverly open 21:1. So far I’m quite happy with the Grover 18:1 open-back set on the HD-28.

By the way, the tech at Gryphon today turned the HD-28’s truss rod four quarter turns! I saw (!) and heard the neck respond. It was hardly engaged at all when I brought it in. With that change alone, the action is now at Martin specs. So already it’s twice as much fun to play.

Do you have a preference for the pre- or the Re? I won’t ask why you have two, but I do wonder how on earth you decide which to play?

And why is mine the closest to the 1930s D-28? Because of the herringbone, or something else?

Sorry to gloat, but for what I paid, I’m deep into the “reasonable” price point! Well below it, even. I can’t believe my luck.

No logic to it, really. Well, there is a rationale, but not a very good one. I bought the pre-reimagined one used last year, and when Sam Ash got a new one in this spring (after the price increase was announced but before it went into effect) and had a 15%-off Memorial Day sale, I decided to pick it up. As a lefty, I find that it’s better to just buy something I like when it presents itself, since left-handed guitars are that much harder to come by than right-handed ones, especiall in-person. In terms of sound and playability, I like them both, and will often play/practice the same song back-to-back on each one. If I had to choose between the two, I would probably keep the newer, reimagined one, but it’s not like I couldn’t be happy with either one.

[b1j]

Originally Posted by sinistral

No logic to it, really. Well, there is a rationale, but not a very good one. I bought the pre-reimagined one used last year, and when Sam Ash got a new one in this spring (after the price increase was announced but before it went into effect) and had a 15%-off Memorial Day sale, I decided to pick it up. As a lefty, I find that it’s better to just buy something I like when it presents itself, since left-handed guitars are that much harder to come by than right-handed ones, especiall in-person. In terms of sound and playability, I like them both, and will often play/practice the same song back-to-back on each one. If I had to choose between the two, I would probably keep the newer, reimagined one, but it’s not like I couldn’t be happy with either one.

Sam Ash saw you coming with that sale/discount on the eve of the +$200 date! I see why you sprang for the new one, especially with the lefty wasteland we live in.

But I’m curious about which differences you find are most noticeable, which you like, and any you like less?

[KenL]

I snagged a 1998 HD-28VR about a month ago. Haven't hardly put it down since it arrived. Great guitar!

It's been a long time since I played a rosewood Martin. There is a reason the -28 series is iconic.

[HogsNRoses]

I thought HD-28s were supposed to use light strings, max. Maybe I missed the memo.

[b1j]

Originally Posted by HogsNRoses

I thought HD-28s were supposed to use light strings, max. Maybe I missed the memo.

After almost a year with my J-45, which comes with 12-53, I was surprised to see that Martin ships its HD-28 with mediums. When you also factor in that the J-45 is short scale, you can see why there’s more force needed to fret the Martin.

But then there’s that sound.

My seller just put on a new set of D’Addario EJ17 mediums (13-56), so I plan to play them until they need to be changed, to make sure I have enough experience to know how I feel about them. My fretting hand can feel the impact even now, 13 hours after I last played.

Still, with the thin neck, I may not end up wanting the mediums. I can recognize that I have a bad habit, developed over a lifetime, of anchoring the neck into the crook between my thumb and index finger to balance the force of my fingertips on the strings. Like making a fist. It’s lazy playing, but it’s engrained — egged on by the thick necks of my other three guitars. With the MLO I can’t squeeze down enough on the neck. It feels very different!

[b1j]

Originally Posted by KenL

I snagged a 1998 HD-28VR about a month ago. Haven't hardly put it down since it arrived. Great guitar!

It's been a long time since I played a rosewood Martin. There is a reason the -28 series is iconic.

Yeah. It’s quite unlike mahogany Gibson dread or mahogany Martin size 0.

I’m glad you’re enjoying yours!

[jspe]

I had a very similar situation recently on my (new to me) 2010 HD 28 concerning the vibration. Mine was on the combined low E and Low A.
I swapped it back to original bridge pins and presto...problem solved.

[b1j]

Originally Posted by jspe

I had a very similar situation recently on my (new to me) 2010 HD 28 concerning the vibration. Mine was on the combined low E and Low A.
I swapped it back to original bridge pins and presto...problem solved.

Intriguing. I’m going to have the HD-28 in front of my Gryphon tech as soon as they call me back to say they’re done with the new tuners on my J-45 (next week?). I’ll run that one by them at that time.

The seller commented that he thought he had the original pins around somewhere, but he didn’t produce them by the time I left. I thought the current bone pins looked cool, but I have no idea about their size or slot condition.

I’ve since noticed the buzz no matter which string I play E 165Hz on (one octave above the low E string; E below middle C):

E 12th fret,
A 7th, or
D 2nd.

If the problem is pins, does that mean there are three involved? Seems unlikely. Or maybe it’s just one pin going wild at that frequency? In any case, something is resonating between 164 and 175 Hz.

[Tony Burns]

Its actually not luck- its brains
you did your homework and took it to the right people .

Ive had a set up i wasnt happy with on one of my instruments, so i said what the hell , ill do my own but with caution . took the bridge saddle 1/2 of what I though it needed , and compensated the B strings a hair -and it was perfect.

[jspe]

Most likely reasoning here would be the pins aren't properly pressuring the strings inside the bridge. If the contact isn't flush the string balls are going to rattle, likely at some very specific frequencies.
When I refitted the original pins they seemed to snug perfectly against the ball ends, whereas the aftermarket bone pins did not contact consistently with every string.
I am not an expert but I think when a top quality guitar comes fitted with the plastic type of pin... there is some experience and wisdom at hand.
This HD28 I have is awesome...I hope this might be the solution for yours!

[b1j]

Originally Posted by jspe

Most likely reasoning here would be the pins aren't properly pressuring the strings inside the bridge. If the contact isn't flush the string balls are going to rattle, likely at some very specific frequencies.
When I refitted the original pins they seemed to snug perfectly against the ball ends, whereas the aftermarket bone pins did not contact consistently with every string.
I am not an expert but I think when a top quality guitar comes fitted with the plastic type of pin... there is some experience and wisdom at hand.
This HD28 I have is awesome...I hope this might be the solution for yours!

This makes a lot of sense. The seller put new strings on it before I came over, so maybe there's that glitch. I can't think of any other reason I'd get the buzz on any string I played the notes on. Boy, I hope it's something like that. I'd be willing to change the pins to Martin standard if the bone ones have some size or shape issues.

In the meantime, I suppose I could loosen the strings one by one and reseat the pins. I've never liked to do that with a used string, but I see people doing it all the time. For that matter, I could go ahead and change out to lights, but I just want to give the mediums a little more of a chance to grow on me.


By the way, I think this HD-28 is awesome too. This problem must be fixable.

Thanks!

[b1j]

Originally Posted by b1j

Here’s a mystery: when I play an E one octave above the low E string (and the F above that, too), I hear buzzing. It happens with those two notes whether I play them on the A string fret 7/8 or the D string fret 2/3 or the E string 12/13. The note goes dull and there's that buzz sound. It’s definitely coming from inside the guitar, not from a high fret or string vibration. You don't hear the buzz with the Enhance knob off. I suspect one of the wires resonates against the body at those frequencies.

Update on the mystery buzz:

When I picked up my J-45 at Gryphon today (new tuners; separate thread), the tech kindly spent several minutes trying to diagnose the buzz in my new HD-28E, described above. As before, he initially suspected the battery compartment at the end, but checking that did not stop the buzz.

He got out a mirror on a stick and, after ruling out a couple of things, saw that one of the wires in the Fishman Aura VT Enhance was vibrating against the side. He reached his hand in and bent the wire away from making any wood contact. Buzz is gone! Now I have every E note back!

This is a mighty guitar.

[Bob Womack]

Congrats on your new guitar! The HD-28s are certainly enchanting as loud acoustic instruments!

Bob

[sinistral]

Originally Posted by b1j

Sam Ash saw you coming with that sale/discount on the eve of the +$200 date! I see why you sprang for the new one, especially with the lefty wasteland we live in.

But I’m curious about which differences you find are most noticeable, which you like, and any you like less?

I wanted to hold off from replying to your question until I had put fresh strings on both guitars to make the comparison fairer, and I’m glad I did. If I’m being totally honest, the difference between the two sonically could be the difference between two guitars of the same era. The reimagined HD-28 is a bit louder and fuller, but I get the sense that the pre-reimagined one projects it’s sound more. Otherwise, they sound very similar. Overall, I prefer the wider nut on the reimagined HD-28, but for certain songs (especially when playing notes on the low E string with my thumb), I prefer the 1-11/16” nut on reimagined one.

On a separate note, I was going to suggest that you check the preamp wire. I was checking out a GPC-PA4 at a local shop, and it t had a buzz when I played the D string. The tech at the shop figured out that the preamp wire was buzzing. Glad you got that sorted out.

Btw, a set of strings that I’ve found really bring out the sound of the HD-28 is John Pearse Phosphor Bronze mediums. Give them a try the next time you change strings.

[tbirdman]

Fine purchase you made. I had a HD28 with Dazzos pickups that I bought less than a year ago. I stopped playing the HD28 for over 6 months as I bought a OM28. It's a much smaller guitar. I was thinking about selling it and even had a prospective buyer who backed out.

I picked up the HD28 about a month ago, and had fun playing it and took it to an open mic. I discovered some songs were more suited to one guitar versus others in my mind. I also some were easier to play on one versus others. I guess I'm going to keep it. Nothing to have wrong with a OM28 as your primary guitar and a HD28 as an alternative.