Martin - Wide Body Dread 16 1/4" lower bout?

[pandaroo]

This is the first I have heard, did not know you can do a custom body width on a Martin Dread. Has there ever been a Martin dreadnought model that came with those measurements?

The tone must be big and deep.

https://www.myfavoriteguitars.com/Ma...y-2102839.html

[TominNJ]

Gruhn has been getting some custom wide 16 1/4” dreads with sinker wood. That dimension came from a D-45 that Martin made in 1936. I don’t know what that larger size does for the sound.

[llew]

Originally Posted by pandaroo

This is the first I have heard, did not know you can do a custom body width on a Martin Dread. Has there ever been a Martin dreadnought model that came with those measurements?

The tone must be big and deep.

https://www.myfavoriteguitars.com/Ma...y-2102839.html

The tone is big and deep but it's also sparkling on the high end as well. You wouldn't think 1/2" in the lower bout would make that big a difference but it does. A D-28 on steroids! That particular D-28 Adirondack (bear claw) is mine. When Martin "Reimagined" the Standard line I decided I "needed" something else more. So it ended up in Jon's used section.

As noted, until recently, Martin had only used the wide body on those two D-45's in 1936. I've played the D-45S Authentic 1936 and certainly sounded great. Oddly, I didn't really notice it feeling any bigger.

[llew]

No it really doesn't feel any bigger at all? But a bigger voice...

[Brucebubs]

Pandaroo keep your eyes open for a Guild G41 from the 1970's.
Dreadnought with 17" lower bout and 26.25" scale.
Rare.

[zoopeda]

I realize this is an older thread, but are there any other experiences playing one of these wide body custom dreadnoughts? It seems they are louder and with big bass. Any affect to the trebles? Tone approach an Authentic or more HD28? They're so hard to find in the wild, this place seems a good way to hear more about them.

[CASD57]

Not that this relates much but Ibanez has come out with a Grand Dread...

[Zigeuner]

I don't really see he need for a wide-body D-28. The standard-sized dread is just fine, IMHO.

There are "J" models and also, the "S" models have a larger body in the upper bout. Those will sound very nice as well.

[zoopeda]

So no one’s played one, I take it

[zoopeda]

Originally Posted by CASD57

Not that this relates much but Ibanez has come out with a Grand Dread...

Interesting shape. Same body width, slightly longer and just a hair deeper. Bracing is radically different. Thanks.

https://www.ibanez.com/eu/products/d...100_1x_02.html



Anybody play the Martin? I saw Gruhn ran a few in sinker mahogany...

[woodbox]

As Zigeuner wrote:

“ There are "J" models and also .. “

Yes, my Martin J65M, is a Maple/Sitka Jumbo body (bought new incidentally in 1988) has a 16 inch lower bout dimension.
It’s actually about 16 1/16.
It’s a remarkably balanced, articulate guitar, and plenty loud!
The Maple brings the high end sparkle, the large body brings the low end, and the mids fall right where they need to be.

I had to learn to play it gently, cuz it’s got plenty of horsepower.
Gives up little or nothing to most dreads, although a good HD-28 has a deeper low end.
It’s not 16 and 1/4, but headed that direction.

[zoopeda]

Originally Posted by woodbox

As Zigeuner wrote:

“ There are "J" models and also .. “

Yes, my Martin J65M, is a Maple/Sitka Jumbo body (bought new incidentally in 1988) has a 16 inch lower bout dimension.
It’s actually about 16 1/16.
It’s a remarkably balanced, articulate guitar, and plenty loud!
The Maple brings the high end sparkle, the large body brings the low end, and the mids fall right where they need to be.

I had to learn to play it gently, cuz it’s got plenty of horsepower.
Gives up little or nothing to most dreads, although a good HD-28 has a deeper low end.
It’s not 16 and 1/4, but headed that direction.

Martin Js are neat, for sure. But they definitely sound different from a dreadnought. Not better or worse, but my ears prefer a dread. I think that's what makes these "D-28 on steroids" wide bodies seem so appealing. They're just so rare and hard to find out in the world...

[brencat]

Originally Posted by zoopeda

So no one’s played one, I take it

IIRC, I believe Music Villa did a small run of oversized dreads a couple years back. Forum member Jim (llew) may have also had one... maybe he'll chime in to this thread.

[llew]

Originally Posted by brencat

IIRC, I believe Music Villa did a small run of oversized dreads a couple years back. Forum member Jim (llew) may have also had one... maybe he'll chime in to this thread.

I did^^^ a little over three years ago!