Martin OM28. Why is Modern Deluxe so much more expensive than Reimagined?

[L20A]

My guess is, good marketing.

[zoopeda]

Originally Posted by Matts67

I wasn't able to compare the two side by side, but the OM28 MD was one of the best sounding OMs I've played. You're paying for the VTS Sitka top, VTS Adirondack Golden Era bracing, animal protein glue construction, titanium truss rod, gold Waverly tuners, torrefied Adirondack / carbon fiber bridge plate, liquid metal bridge pins, gold EVO frets, maple binding, the headstock inlay and veneer you mentioned. The Vintage Deluxe neck profile with 2 1/4" bridge spacing alone is a deciding factor for me, as I strongly prefer this over the MLO/PA neck with 2 5/32" spacing. IMO the increase in cost is definitely worth it.

Bingo. To those who appreciate these upgrades, the MD is an enormous value. In addition to the above, they're also full gloss (no matte neck and headstock) with a one piece 12/4 mahogany neck.

Honestly, though, I'd cut the chaff and head right for a used OM-28 Marquis. Same GE 1/4" bracing with an adirondack top. No synthetic bridgeplate, no VTS, chunky neck, classic adornments, less than $3k.

[UncleJesse]

Originally Posted by zoopeda

Bingo. To those who appreciate these upgrades, the MD is an enormous value. In addition to the above, they're also full gloss (no matte neck and headstock) with a one piece 12/4 mahogany neck.

Honestly, though, I'd cut the chaff and head right for a used OM-28 Marquis. Same GE 1/4" bracing with an adirondack top. No synthetic bridgeplate, no VTS, chunky neck, classic adornments, less than $3k.

That would be a lot harder to find. I see exactly one OM28 Marquis for sale on Reverb and they're asking 5k for it.

[zoopeda]

Originally Posted by UncleJesse

That would be a lot harder to find. I see exactly one OM28 Marquis for sale on Reverb and they're asking 5k for it.

Waiting list on new Martin MDs is up to a year from the factory now. A reasonably priced Marquis will pop up on reverb or UMGF by then. $5k's outlandish. They can be had for 3k. I played one at my Guitar Center 2 years ago that was $2700. Great shape. Ended up buying one on reverb for the same price.

[Br1ck]

Love the one you're with.

[UncleJesse]

Originally Posted by zoopeda

Waiting list on new Martin MDs is up to a year from the factory now. A reasonably priced Marquis will pop up on reverb or UMGF by then. $5k's outlandish. They can be had for 3k. I played one at my Guitar Center 2 years ago that was $2700. Great shape. Ended up buying one on reverb for the same price.

I'm sure they pop up occasionally. I was just looking at right now. There are 40 OM28MDs up there right now. So I would think it would come down to if the person wanted to buy new or used. Plenty of new OM28MDs available for purchase, you'd have to hunt for a Marquis which may very well be a better instrument but it would be used.

[keith.rogers]

Originally Posted by Song

Martin put a lot of thought and love into the design of these guitars and I'm very happy and proud to own one.

<lots of good pics>

I liked the MDs I've played. If they'd come out with a 000/OM-18MD I'd probably have one of those. (I still cannot understand why they have not.)

[brandall10]

Originally Posted by keith.rogers

I liked the MDs I've played. If they'd come out with a 000/OM-18MD I'd probably have one of those. (I still cannot understand why they have not.)

It's funny how this was rumored to happen both last summer and this summer IIRC.

To the OP: you can black box the performance of the guitar all you want, but the stated upgrades are a crazy bang for the buck. If you don't look at things this way fine, but the features (most of them related to sound/performance) differentiate one price bracket from the next, and if you were able to spec out these upgrades with the CS they'd come out to at least 2x this much.

To be more direct to the question posed in the title: because there are an insane number of pretty awesome upgrades, that's why.

[brencat]

Originally Posted by zoopeda

Honestly, though, I'd cut the chaff and head right for a used OM-28 Marquis. Same GE 1/4" bracing with an adirondack top. No synthetic bridgeplate, no VTS, chunky neck, classic adornments, less than $3k.

But unfortunately, 2 3/8" string spacing on the Marquis and a massively thick neck. That string spacing is entirely too wide for flatpicking or strumming. Many of them are stiff feeling too.

The OM-28MD practically plays itself by comparison.

[MickZ]

Originally Posted by Br1ck

Love the one you're with.

And there's a rose in a fisted glove . . .

[leew3]

Originally Posted by L20A

My guess is, good marketing.

This was my reaction as well when I first saw the ads. However, I appreciate the real life reviews we've seen in this post. As I think about it and as we see in the posts here there are substantive upgrades to this new model that are creative as well as functional improvements. Whether any of that is worth the extra price to the individual consumer is the existential question for the ages.

[Song]

Originally Posted by Peter Z

That is a beautiful back, Song!!! Better than mine, I mean better than the one of my MD!

Now that this thread is not only connected to OMs anymore I dare to chime in. In January this year I destroyed the strings on a standard D-18 and a D-18 MD in my music store. It was a hard decision.
I also played a lot of other Martins and Taylor to get my head free. I even found an OM-21 that i bought before I made my decision. And went home with the OM-21 and the .....
D-18 MD!

What I liked:
- the neck
- the torrified top (I believe this is more resistent to humidity problems)
- the more clean, crisp sound (I think, mostly because of the torrified top)
- I admit, the looks, especially the tonerless pale top, also the pearl logo looks nice
- the fascinating light weight

But the standard is no slouch either. Martin builds GREAT guitars these days.

And no, it doesn’t sound like a Taylor. A true Martin for sure!

Thanks Peter!
Nice list. I also like the wood binding, titanium truss rod, and evo frets.
Shouldn't ever have fret wear issues.
Congratulations on your MD!

[chad362wiley]

I’m not a fan of either the standard 28 or 28MD (I bought a 28MD and exchanged it) but the MD is far superior to the standard. It feels like a better guitar, sounds better, plays better.