I'm in trouble now...and a little confused...

[Shades of Blue]

So I went to the local guitar shop today to try out an HD28 they had. I tried out the D28 yesterday at this same shop, but somehow I was unaware that the HD28 was in the store. I also moved my daughter up to an 1/8 size violin for her 3rd year of lessons. She's only 6, but is doing FANTASTIC!!!

Saturday I was a little disappointed in the D28 in the shop. It was fine I guess, but it sounded a little hollow and lacked the mids of my D18. I came home yesterday solidified my belief that the D18 is the Martin dread for me.

The HD28 in the shop turned out to be a used HD28V, and I didn't care for it. Very open sounding, but almost too much so. No real low end depth, and just bland. My D18 is just shining brighter and brighter in my eyes, with more low end than the two 28s I played.

Then I saw a D-45 hanging on the wall and the sales guy asked me to play that one. I thought "yeah right...sure haha." But, I did, $8500 price tag and all. Here is the thing. That D-45 rocked my world. I hate the visual pizzaz, but MY GOODNESS at the sound. The action was low and it played wonderfully, but it had the most balanced sound, and would be the perfect Martin sound if I could pin point it. Lows rumbled, highs were chimey, and the kids were punchy. And the growl....Oh my!!!

I immediately became a little depressed because the guitar is so expensive and I just can't force myself to spend more than $3000 on a guitar, even if the angels did bring it down from heaven themselves.

But, here is where I get confused. Why does the D-45 sound so amazing? Isn't it technically the same construction as an HD28, or at least very similar? Why the crazy difference in sound? Does the setup and low action make that big of a difference? Even my D18s action is a little high.

In the end I know what I need to do. I need to find a Martin Dread that sounds like a D-45, but without the bling....if that is even really possible.

[Pickcity]

My solution would be to try a D-41, which you can have for much closer to your $3k mark, especially on the used market, and it won't be far behind the D-45 in terms of tonal bliss, if at all.

[guitararmy]

There is the possibility the the D45 is older than the other two, so you might be comparing to a newer revoiced D28.

You may be a non-forward shifted brace person!

[fitness1]

All fresh strings - play them all for a long time and take your D18. Play them all about a foot from the wall and see what you think then. There are too many variables for you to make a decision.

My guess is the D18 wins from what you are saying

[semolinapilcher]

Originally Posted by fitness1

All fresh strings - play them all for a long time and take your D18. Play them all about a foot from the wall and see what you think then. There are too many variables for you to make a decision.

My guess is the D18 wins from what you are saying

Concur. It could well be that not as many people test-drive the D-45, leaving the strings in better shape.

I’ll also say that the D-18 is a fantastic guitar. Just stellar.

[Shades of Blue]

Originally Posted by fitness1

All fresh strings - play them all for a long time and take your D18. Play them all about a foot from the wall and see what you think then. There are too many variables for you to make a decision.



My guess is the D18 wins from what you are saying

Yeah the strings were in good shape, but the action on the HD28 was crazy high. At this point, I’m just confused why the HD wasn’t even in the ballpark tonally...

[brencat]

There are many people who believe, and I am one of them, that the extra routing channels for the abalone causes the guitar to vibrate differently and increases resonance. You are also getting Martin’s top of the line grade 8 woods too.

[fitness1]

Originally Posted by Shades of Blue

Yeah the strings were in good shape, but the action on the HD28 was crazy high. At this point, I’m just confused why the HD wasn’t even in the ballpark tonally...

Sometimes they look OK visually, but are completely spent. Only one way to know for sure.

[Jabberwocky]

If the shop obliges buy a pack of your usual set of strings and have them set it up to your liking. That means that you have to come to some prior agreement about price before they do so. Then they know that you are serious and may work with you on price. Take a little, give a little.

As for the D-45, that is why I never play a guitar above my pay grade even when they invite me to...

[woodbox]

I don't have a difinitive answer as to exactly why the D45 was so much better, but to add to what brencat said above--
"You are also getting Martin’s top of the line grade 8 woods too."

I was told that the 40 series and Custom Shop models gets first pick of wood.
What doesn't make the cut goes down the line.
Add to that, the folks who build those are the more skilled, more experienced employees.

I cannot comment about whether the additional routing for all the inlays on the 45 affect tone.
(I for one, do not like the appearance of all that fancy stuff...I just don't get it)
But I do agree that perhaps a 41 might be a consideration for you.
There is a reason Martin gets big bucks for those 41,42 and 45 models.
And it's not just appearances..it's cuz they usually sound wonderful.
Tone brought down by the angels indeed!

[WindChaser]

The d45 and hd28v (pre 2018 for both) should sound very similar. Just like you can have 10 of the same guitars in a room and have one just stand out, that may be the case for the d45 you tried. Either way, I really like the d45; the bling and all.

[Pnewsom]

Sounds as though you might be having a gas attack. Maybe take three weeks off and see how you feel then...

[Shades of Blue]

Originally Posted by Pnewsom

Sounds as though you might be having a gas attack. Maybe take three weeks off and see how you feel then...

3 isn’t enough!

[Placida]

You have 3 choices:

Visa
MasterCard
Discovery

[TBman]

Originally Posted by Placida

You have 3 choices:

Visa
MasterCard
Discovery

What's in your wallet?