The Martin D18 and the Martin D28 are two of the most iconic guitars in history. They’re beautiful, they’re powerful, and they’re versatile. Today, you’re going to learn why you need both a Martin D18 and a Martin D28 in your guitarsenal.
Fortunately, if you can’t get either of these great Martin acoustic guitars, I have a few options to help you out.
In this episode, you’ll also hear an awesome acoustic guitar player by the name of Sturgill Simpson, an artist that uses a custom Martin D18 to great effect.
If you want to geek out over Martin D18s and D28s, this episode is for you. There’s a reason why these two guitars are the gold standard for acoustic guitar sound and craftsmanship.
As always, you can watch Acoustic Tuesday at 10 am every Tuesday in these four places:
- Acoustic Life YouTube channel
- We Play Every Day Facebook Community
- Get show notes emailed directly to your inbox.
- Listen to audio-only below or in iTunes
This Week on Acoustic Tuesday
5 Reasons You Need both a Martin D18 and a Martin D28
Both the Martin D18 and the Martin D28 are essential guitars for any collection. Even if you aren’t going to purchase these guitars, you definitely want to be familiar with the sound and body style.
Why?
Well, here’s 5 reasons you need (or should at least check out) both a Martin D18 and Martin D28…
Reason #1: The Martin D18 and Martin D28 are EXTREMELY versatile.
There’s almost no musical situation where a Martin D18 or D28 hasn’t been used. Think about it.
These guitars are mostly associated with bluegrass, but these Martin guitars work for almost any genre.
To prove it, I’ve got footage of singer-songwriters, rockers, and trad players using Marin D18s and D28s!
To prove that the Martin D18 and the Martin D28 aren’t just for bluegrass, here’s the iconic Bob Dylan with his trusty Martin.
Additionally, there are plenty more guitarists who have used these Martins outside of the bluegrass genre! Catch the full episode to see more!
Reason #2: The Martin History
What’s remarkable about owning a Martin guitar, especially a D18 or D28, is the history. When you play one of these guitars, you are stepping into history.
Starting in 1916, the dreadnought shape was created. After that, there have been twists and turns that have defined and shaped how this iconic body shape (pun intended) came to be. The dreadnought is a historical guitar shape that Martin absolutely innovated.
Reason #3: The Bass on Martin D18s and D28s
For guitars that have unmatched bass quality, regardless of whether they are vintage or not, look no further than the Martin D18 and D28. Now, just to be clear, each of these guitars has a slightly different bass sound, but the bass levels are truly awesome.
For example, the D18 offers a nice dry and woody bass tone. Meanwhile, the Martin D28 has a wonderful mid-scooped present bass tone. To demonstrate these differences, I have footage of Billy Strings and Molly Tuttle playing both Martin D18s and Martin D28s.
Reason #4: Martin D18s and D28s are the most imitated guitars on the market today.
I don’t care what brand of guitar you choose, but they usually have a copy of the D18 and a copy of the D28. Why? Because the recipe is ingenious. With the Sitka spruce top and the mahogany rosewood back and sides, it’s an unbeatable combo.
For those of you who recognize that Martin D18s and D28s are expensive, and perhaps are looking for the best imitations, look no further than this list of guitars:
1) Blueridge BR-140 (D18)
2) Blueridge BR-160 (D28)
3) Recording King RD-318 (D18)
4) Recording King RD-328 (D28)
5) Eastman Guitars E6-D (D18)
6) Eastman Guitars E8-D (D28)
Reason #5: The Martin D18 and D28 are used as standards for other guitars.
In my decade of reviewing guitars professionally, I’ve compared countless guitars to the Martin D18 and the Martin D28. Why?
Both the Martin D18 and the D28 are so finely crafted, that they have become the gold-standard for a well-crafted guitar.
Sturgill Simpson: Acoustic Artist
Now that you know why you need a Martin D18 and a Martin D28, I want to feature Sturgill Simpson, a proud user of Martin dreadnoughts like his custom Martin D18.
Now, I love that he uses a Martin HD28 and a custom D18…but can we talk about his voice for a little bit?
When I listen to Sturgill Simpson sing, he has a classic country quality that I don’t hear that much these days. Additionally, his lyrics are masterful, ranging from sorrowful to comical all in just one song.
Listen to “You Can Have The Crown / Some Days” by Sturgill Simpson
Hear Sturgill and the band play “Long White Line”
Be sure to check out Sturgill Simpson and listen to some of his music!
Link: https://www.sturgillsimpson.com/
6 Martin D18/D28 Alternatives
Now, I know I mentioned some good alternatives to a Martin D18 or a Martin D28 earlier in the episode. However, I want to revisit this topic to give you a more focused list of specific guitars.
#3 for D18 Alternative: The Bourgeois Country Boy
For a guitar that has the same dry bass and projection that the Martin D18 has, the Bourgeois Country Boy is a strong contender. I’ve been playing this guitar for a while now, and I love how punchy that bass sound can be at times. It never seems to drown itself out or get too muddy, which I also appreciate.
Be sure to catch the full clip of me playing the Bourgeois Country Boy to see if this D18 alternative stacks up to your expectations.
#3 for D28 Alternative: Boucher BG-52
Clocking in at my third-favorite non-Martin D28, the Boucher BG-52 is a stellar guitar from a stellar guitar maker. I’ve had the most recent experience with this guitar, and I truly believe this guitar can hold its own against a Martin D28. It has the open, voluminous sound as a D28 with maybe just a hair brighter tone.
Tony, I have two SIGMA guitars DM2 and DM3 Korean made late 70’s by The Martin Guitar Co. The DM3 sounds like a D18 and the DM2 sounds like a D28 for a fraction of the cost.
Hey Tony
two of my fav’s for d28 and d18’s are a Vancouver based Morgan guitars the”d” and the “c” series,
You really need to check their guitars out there beautiful tone plus,plus
Cal M T.A.C. member
I bought a D-18 new in 1972 and still have it. It has wonderful tone but the V-shaped neck causes hand pain now that I’m developing arthritis. Its action is stiff and it has never been especially easy to play. I’ll probably sell it.
I found two excellent alternatives to use in my traditional/modern folk, bluegrass and old-time jams and song circles. The PRS T-40 sounds every bit as lovely and is wonderfully playable. It’s also $700 instead of $2200 for a new D-18. In a stroke of luck at a flea market, I found an old Nagoya N-18 in good condition. It’s an excellent Japanese copy of the Martin sold by Veneman Music in Washington DC in the early 1970s, and it has a truss rod. It’s outstanding in tone and playability, and it cost me only $50.
I own a Martin 0000 15 M and love it , starting to learn how to make it sound as it was built to sound , thanks to (TAC) !
Hi — Are comments still open? This show, about the D18s/28s was right on time for me. Thanks!
I recently acquired an 80’s era Martin D25 Koa. There’s little information available about them except that Martin made less than 1000 of them. That number may be because they finished up the load of koa wood. Anyway… the guitar is spectacular, with a light, airy ring and good balance of tone. If you know anything more about them, I’d love to hear it.
There’s a photo of it on your “Play Acoustic” Facebook page. It’s being reset and the pic shows the dismantled neck with an interesting find from the luthier who is fixing it.
Thanks for what you do — SB
I’m waiting, impatiently, for the release of the SC13. I believe the new neck design is a truly revolutionary development in acoustic guitar design. I think it will have a similar impact on industry as Taylor’s NT neck or Taylor’s more recent innovation of the Vbrace design.
I have a Taylor 327e, which I characterize as very Martinesque; in that due to the Blackwood/Mahogany constructrion the new Grand Pacifica body it has a much more round/bottom end tone. Tone is much more blended/ with less individual note articulation that typically characterizes Taylor.
However, in terms of bottom end, age does have an impact. I have a 20 year old Taylor 310 that has more bottom in its town than either the Taylor GP or the Martin D18 I compared it to at the local guitar store. String selection also has an impact as I have D’Addario NB on the 310. The only ‘new’ guitar that beat the 310 or Martin on bottom was a Gibson J45. For me the Gibson was very muted on top end requiring a pretty aggressive attack to get the high end tones to break through the low end.
I have a Martin D18 1952 edition. My parents got it for my 9th birthday. I still have it and am coming up on my 76th birthday. Loved playing it all those years and so did my mom. It needs some work done now, but still is a beautiful sounding guitar.
would you be willing to sell your 1952 Martin? thanks
What about the Martin 35?
I would put my Yamaha LL16D up against any Martin D28, Anyday.
My partner just acquired a 50 year old vintage D 28 clone that sounds amazing! She loves it, when she can pry it out of my hands, that is. We found it on Craigslist here in Santa Cruz Ca. for $150
Sitka top solid rosewood back and sides mahogany neck with a burst finish!
It is a Pecador and Surprise, Surprise that brand was owned by Martin and I understand it was made in the same factory in Japan as the early Sigma guitars. I own a Guild D 125 an all mahogany dreadnought and a Martin Dreadnought Jr. Sitka and Sapele It compares favorably to both, with big boomy bass and a great action
I bought a Guild D-50 in 1965, Only because where I was stationed in the Air force, the one and only music store didn’t have the Martin D-18 that I was looking for. Turns out the Guild still works and sounds better every decade. And it fits like an old shoe. Still looking for that Martin. Someday 🙂
The sound. I have a D28 bought ages ago. When I started looking for another acoustic, it was hard to find anything else that had such a full and bright tone.
I have a ’72 D-18 well played and needing new frets and maybe a fingerboard, and a 10yr old Backpacker. I have no other 6 stings. Just started playing again after a few years off. Spend 50 years learning bad habits and now I am trying to change that… it would be easier if I could walk and chew at the same time… LOL
Gibson J-45 for D-18 and Gibson Humming Bird Rosewood for D-28.
Got the trivia right off 14 fret. 🙂
A -13 degree – clear & cold – good morning from Bethel, Alaska, and our dog Dinker.Thanks for another great show. Always learning is one of the FUN things I enjoy about my acoustic journey: 18 & 28 are my new favorite numbers. Also, please don’t forget to sign my CDs (what a stressful existence for the rodent). Good luck with the sales.
So sorry you didn’t spend some time on the original D-18/D-28 “S” (12 fret) models. While not necessarily bluegrass instruments these would seem to be the iconic Dreds. For us old folkies (playing now for almost 60 years) these are absolutely at the top of the list. Other than that, a wonderful presentation.
He Tone,
Great show!
I have a 2017 Martin D18 custom with an Addy top. Sounded great out of the box but 2 years of playing, 2 weeks of tone-rite on full blast and it’s only now starting to open up. Classic Mahogany dry tone though.
I have a 2017 Martin D35 Seth Avett and everyone that plays it wants me to sell it to them. haha, not bloody likely.
I have a 2019 Pre*War HD Bazillion rosewood that took a year to receive after ordering. It was totally and tonally worth the wait. It blows both of my Martins away and worth every penny. They quoted 6 months when I ordered. At month 8, I was like hey guys remember me. They were like sorry but we’re crushed. The look on my buddy’s face was priceless when he hit a big G chord on it. ???? I think it scared him.
Tony, if you really want that Pre* War HD BRW their website is now quoting lead times of 18-24 months. Better pull the trigger soon and apologize to Whitney later. Just sayin…
Trey Hensley told me that Santa Cruz was building him a Guitar with the Tony Rice sound hole. He’s excited about that but I didn’t get to drink with him though, dang it. Him and Rob were cool guys and their show was awesome.
Cheers,
JW
Eastman E6D and E8D are all solid woods with Sitka tops. The E10D and E10D are all solid woods with Adirondack tops.
I meant E10D and E20D are Adirondack topped all solid wood construction.
Tony,
You’ll be getting a call from Eastman!!????
Eastman E6D…. Solid Sitka/mahogany
Eastman E8D…. Solid Sitka/rosewood
Eastman E10D… Solid Adi/mahogany
Eastman E20D… Solid Adi/mahogany
Hope this helps!!
Great show on Martin guitars! I play a 1973 Alvarez 5044 Japanese Dreadnought resembling the Martin. Bought it new back in the mid 70’s because of the look not even knowing anything about guitars. Several years back I started playing again and following a professional set up, couldn’t believe how great this old guitar sounded! Thanks for all your lessons and historical lectures! Rock on…Mike Hannah, Orlando
The Tony Rice Santa Cruz has incredible sound but I absolutely love my Martin modern D28.
Love Martins!
Back in 1990’s I was having a hard time finding a good D28 and being lefty was even tougher. My buddy had a 1970’s Martin D28 lefty but wouldn’t part with it and to be honest it didn’t speak to me.
So I was told about Marc Beneteau
a guitar luthier in Southerner Ontario. Nervous … i had him build me one. I like to play one before I buy it. Built in 1998 and now 2020 the guitar gets better everyday for me. Its a workhorse. I am starting to play holes in the top, where there not suppose to be.
Funny, my son now wants a Martin D28. At least he is right handed. But he basses the sound of each guitar he plays off of how my Beneteau sounds. Actually so do I……
Check out Beneteau Guitars. Great bang for the buck if your have green backs!
I’m waiting in anticipation for next week show featuring the Hummingbird guitars. I suspect it may have something to do with me having 2 Hummingbirds but probably not!
I still want a Martin but I also have been watching the Bourgeois, Santa Cruz, and Thompson guitars with interest.
Makes me even happier to own a Martin HD28. I also own a few Taylors, which sound great, but I keep coming back to the Martin for “that” sound.
Tony,
Enjoyed this weeks episode as always. I don’t disagree with your choices for the non-Martin D18’s and D28’s on your list. There are so many, it would be impossible to list them all. I have never owned either the D18 or D28, but I owned and played a D35 for years. my two comparable guitars at this time are a Gibson Advanced Jumbo and a Mossman Texas Plains model. I have to say, for bottom end and projection, the Mossman is hard to beat. Below is a linked to a comparison of a D18 and a Mossman Great Plains model. Keep up the good work.
Thanks,
Guy Pharis https://youtu.be/88E-rsG-Olg
I saw/listened to Leo Kottke about ten days ago – he put on a great show! He’s a pretty amazing fellow!
I read your comments and think you do a great job reaching us… I might actually pick up one of the guitars and get back into it. I’m retiring soon and I’m not feeling very “golfy”.
Thank you, again.
Frank May
Santa Cruz, CA
How about an Acoustic Tuesday on the “G” guitars? A Gibson J-50 has base., at least the vintage. J-50s or J-45s was good enough for James Taylor, Bob Dylan, Dave Van Ronk, Elvis, Donovan, Bruce Springsteen, Mississippi John Hurt, & Skip James. The Guild D-40 was good for Richie Havens and has a balanced tone. D-55s are great as well. They have been making guitars before you were born.
Collins D1T – Check out Collins Traditional models
I loved my D18. What a beautiful sound….but…I am small with short fingers. It was too big for me and I also started having right shoulder problems after playing. My doctor and Physical Therapist both told me to ditch the dreadnought and find something more slender. I also had trouble playing some basic chords due to short fingers. When I play a C chord my ring finger can’t arch enough to get clear of the A string. Suggestions please?????
Try a Martin 00.
The Eastman guitars have all solid woods. The E8D have solid rosewood back and sides, and the E6D have solid mahogany back and sides.
I recently purchased an Eastman E10D display model for $800. I have always wanted a D18 since I visited the Martin factory on a HS field trip, but just never had that kind of money to spend on one. Perhaps one day I’ll own one, but for now I am really enjoying my E10D which has its own killer tone.
Is it just me ? Does Sturgill Simpson sound like WAYLON ?
Hi Tony,
very intereting episode. Loads of information and very nice music. I happen to have a DM 18 manufactured by Darco Guitar in Japan for C.F. Martin probably in the 1980’s. I found her at a flee market in a village near Rome, Italy, where I live, and bought for less than 150 USD. Now, I’m not an expert – nor did I ever had the chance to play an original DM 18, – but to me she sounds just beautifully. I wonder if you are – or anyone reading is – aware of this guitar and can give me some information to compare with the original and appreciate her better. Thanks.
Hi Tony you got the title tag wrong for this page : “Why You Need a Martin D18 and a Martin D18 – AT133 | Acoustic Life”
this will impair your reach on th eweb
should be “Why You Need a Martin D18 and a Martin D28 – AT133 | Acoustic Life” I guess. still contemplating should I get the D18 or D28 😉
D-18