2018 00-28 WOW!

[Kinda Old]

I had a chance to play a new 00-28 the other day at a local music store. I was amazed by every aspect of this guitar, the deep tone, the shimmering highs, and playability were simply stunning. Then I picked up a 2018 OM-28. It was not the same experience. It sounded quite good but lacked the magic if this smaller concert sized guitar. Why would this be? I know tone is often a subjective thing but the difference was so obvious that I can't imagine anyone not hearing a clear difference in favor of the smaller guitar. If I just heard them without seeing, I'd swear that the 00-28 was the larger of the two.

[OneMansGuitar]

The number one suspects, aside from your own ears and hands and preference, is the specific spruce soundboard. Some tops really are more tone-full than others.

Some times a top needs time to blossom, others are that way immediately. Whether that means they will get that much better as time goes on, or if they are just head started and other tops catch up in a year or two, who knows?

Some tops get sleepy and need 10 minutes or 30 minutes to really wake up and get going.

That being said, I have been VERY impressed with the sound of the modern 14-fret 00-18 and 00-28. I now believe Martin's current 1/4" scalloped bracing pattern works extraordinarily well with that specific size of top.

I feel the OMs perform better under a heavier, harder attack, respond with more power out the sound hole. But when the 00 is played in the zone, where it gets moving and breathing but isn't being over-driven, they practically glow with radiation as they put out magnificent tone of depth, complexity, and character.

I would love to see one made with a long-scale neck, to see what the extra energy provided by extra string tension does, and compare it to the OMs. But I do not think that would provide the same bigger, rounder bass response you get from the larger top and sound chamber.

But for their size, the 00s sound huge. Martin really hit home runs with both the 18 and 28.

The amazing thing is, Martin never made a 14-fret 00-28 as a regular cataloged model until now. In their history they made 15 between 1934 and 1941. There is not public record as to whether any of those recorded might have been 12-fret guitars.

[amo_guilford]

I think it just comes down to the individual pieces of wood used... I've handled many duplicate guitars built within a few hours of each other, some sound more alive than others. I am constantly surprised by what I hear, i.e. smaller guitars that sound like dreads and vice versa. In any case, all of the 2018 00-28s I have played have been killer. There's just something about a rosewood 00 that is incredibly pleasing to play.

[Johnny K]

Originally Posted by Kinda Old

I had a chance to play a new 00-28 the other day at a local music store. I was amazed by every aspect of this guitar, the deep tone, the shimmering highs, and playability were simply stunning. Then I picked up a 2018 OM-28. It was not the same experience. It sounded quite good but lacked the magic if this smaller concert sized guitar. Why would this be? I know tone is often a subjective thing but the difference was so obvious that I can't imagine anyone not hearing a clear difference in favor of the smaller guitar. If I just heard them without seeing, I'd swear that the 00-28 was the larger of the two.

You ought to take a '31 Authentic 00-18 for a whirl. I did at the Martin factory in August and I had to keep telling myself that I need a new roof on the house and that being single isn't worth it. Yet.

[jkilgour2000]

I bought a new 00-28 on a whim last April, and I can't put the thing down. It's a remarkable instrument!