Opinion Wanted: Martin D-35 vs D-28
Eric B. Stark
always wanted. Now, I need to decided which model.
I have seen used D-28's and D-35's in my price range
(ą$1200). If anyone out there has any advice, opinions
about either model, I would love to hear them, especially
concerning the three-piece back of the D-35. Though any
other comments will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
-Eric
RV WRLee
Chifuru Noda
>I've finally saved up enough money to by the Martin I've
>always wanted. Now, I need to decided which model.
>I have seen used D-28's and D-35's in my price range
>(ą$1200).
I think D-35's back is a little stiffer and produces "deeper" bass in
general.
You might also want to look at HD-28 and HD-35. The difference is not
just cosmetic - HD-28 and HD-35 has scalloped bracing (vs. non-scalloped
bracing in D-28 and D-35) and the tonal characteristics are quite
different. I like scalloped bracing - HD-28 are a little louder and has
crispier high-end, again in general. Just make you try them all.
Other Martins are D-18 and D-16T. They are made of mahogany and the sound
is quite different from rosewood models (28 and 35).
If you play fingerstyle, you might also consider OM-21.
If you do not insist on Martins, there are a number of wonderful guitars
- Taylor, Larrivee, Bourgeois. Some of them should be within your price
range.
Good luck! and Have FUN
Chief
BAKimsey
(MarkM63391) writes:
> a little more prone to top
>deformation under heavier gauge strings.
To me, the whole point of having a lighter, more responsive top is so I
don't have to use telephone wire as strings. Putting mediums on a light
top can actually bind it up and reduce sound quality, IMO.
Bryan
Frank Agnello
>In article <estark-0103...@comserv-b-44.usc.edu>,
>est...@mizar.usc.edu (Eric B. Stark) writes:
I really don't know, otherwise, why D-28's
>are more popular.
>Bryan
Both of these guitars cost more than say, a Gibson Les Paul. I'm not
saying they're not worth it, but they're expensive! The D-28 is more
popular because it's cheaper.
Steven Saylor
HD-28. The D-35 is famous for having a boomier bass sound, but
it creates difficulties in trying to mike it. By far, the
"standard" bluegrass (flatpicking) guitar by which others are
judged is the HD-28. The lighter scalloped bracing (compared to
the others) gives it more voulme and projection. Helps a lot in
jam sessions when your player against some banjo player. The
HD-28 will be worth more in the future than the D-28 as well.
Good luck, regardless of my opinions you can't go wrong either
way. These are fine points we are discussing.
Steve
Mark Humpal
>zi...@teleport.com (Mark Humpal) wrote:
>>In <4hbaii$f...@ccnet2.ccnet.com> T E I X E I R A <teix...@ccnet.com> writes:
>>If the materials and dimensions of the guitar are the same, how could a
>>D35 have more bass because of a 3 piece back?
>Just wild speculation here, but perhaps the seams allow for a little more flex.
>Maybe that center piece floats a bit. (?)
Well, I would agree with this analysis except that the back has sone
pretty beefy braces which run cross grain...ie, no floating.
Mark
>--
>Mb / ***
> / C3==#
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Public Access UNIX and Internet at (503) 220-1016 (2400-14400, N81)
Joe Vinikow
Humpal) wrote:
> In <4hlh6j$h...@juliana.sprynet.com> Mike Bagneski
<mbag...@us-email.com> writes:
>
> >zi...@teleport.com (Mark Humpal) wrote:
> >>In <4hbaii$f...@ccnet2.ccnet.com> T E I X E I R A <teix...@ccnet.com>
writes:
>
> >>If the materials and dimensions of the guitar are the same, how could a
> >>D35 have more bass because of a 3 piece back?
>
>
FYI,
On a tour of the Martin plant some 20 years ago, I was told directly by a
Martin employee (the tour guide) that all the Martin D's were braced the
same *except* the D-35, which was braced somewhat heavier. This, rather
than the back, is likely to be the cause of the warmer sound of the D-35,
less top end. In fact, the D-28 should produce a clearer louder bass voice
per se than the D-35, hence its popularity w/ bluegrass players.
>
Joe Vinikow
Carl Westerling
>
>In <4hlh6j$h...@juliana.sprynet.com> Mike Bagneski <mbag...@us-email.com> writes:
>
>>zi...@teleport.com (Mark Humpal) wrote:
>>>In <4hbaii$f...@ccnet2.ccnet.com> T E I X E I R A <teix...@ccnet.com> writes:
>
>>>If the materials and dimensions of the guitar are the same, how could a
>>>D35 have more bass because of a 3 piece back?
>
>
>>Maybe that center piece floats a bit. (?)
>
>Well, I would agree with this analysis except that the back has sone
>pretty beefy braces which run cross grain...ie, no floating.
>
>Mark
>
maximum size to the pieces of Brazilian Rosewood available and the D28's had switched
to Indian rosewood for their bodies. If you wanted a Brazilian rosewood guitar then
you had to settle for a three piece back.
In terms of sound and playability (is there such a word?) any two D28's are
sufficiently different to each other to make comparison difficult. I would just keep
trying both D28 and D35 till I found the right one.
Mark Humpal
Yes, you can play a number of these guitars and note marked differences
between instruments. If you were to play a "dog" D28 and a more stellar
D35, it's easy to see where one could come to the conclusion that D35s
*in general* are better than D28s. When purchasing any guitar of a
particular model, it's best to play a number of them and pick the one
that feels the best. This is an extremely subjective matter in many
ways. Generally speaking, D28s and D35s should sound similar, since they
have the same materials and same size (ie - volume of air pumped from
both are the same). The qualitative difference is only in the different
back construction.
Mark
Chifuru Noda
>Generally speaking, D28s and D35s should sound similar, since they
>have the same materials and same size (ie - volume of air pumped from
>both are the same). The qualitative difference is only in the different
>back construction.
Earlier in this thread, someone posted that D-35 (and HD-35) has a
narrower (1/4" wide) bracing vs. 3/8" bracing on D-28 and HD-28. I
haven't seen any follow-up on that one, but the difference in bracing can
certainly make them sound different.
Cheers
Chief
CWard23993
writes:
>You really think price has something to do with it? Seems to me that at
>the level we're talking about the $100-200 difference between D-28's and
>D-35's would be insignificant. Might be a factor between D-18's and up,
>though.
Dunno. You're probably right. The marginal difference in price wouldn't
make me choose a D-28 over a D-35. I suspect that a lot of the bias
towards the D-28 is based on tradition. The D-28 is an older, more
established guitar. A greater number of famous players have played D-28s
than D-35s because the D-35 wasn't available at the time. I suspect that
if it had been, early bluegrass/country players who had their first hit or
two and went out to buy a new, fancy guitar (as they all seemed to do)
would have chosen the D-35. The deciding factor back then seems to have
been volume. Players had to overcome the limitation of inadequate,
underpowered microphones and sound systems. Necessity led to tradition
which begat popular taste.
But I still like my D-18 <grin>.
Chad
Bob Lee
: >>If the materials and dimensions of the guitar are the same, how could a
: >Just wild speculation here, but perhaps the seams allow for a little more fl
: >Maybe that center piece floats a bit. (?)
: Well, I would agree with this analysis except that the back has sone
: pretty beefy braces which run cross grain...ie, no floating.
As far as I understand it, the D35 has a lighter bracing (or whatever you
call it) than D28. I am sure the back also contribute to the effect,
but I would say the bracing probably matters more.
It goes like this:
Heavier <--- ---> lighter
D-28 D-35 HD-28
B o b
--
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# Be patient in suffering, # bc...@pilot.net #
# Persevere in prayer - Rom 12.12 # bc...@csua.berkeley.edu #
#----------------------------------------#------------*(bro)^(bob)*--#
Alan Straus
edition of Taylor's "Wood & Steel" mentions the
2versus 3 piece back issue: They say that the back
piecing makes no discernible difference (makes sense, since it's
the top that resonates).
CowboyJim1
response.
Carl Westerling-Norris
>
>I understand that the D-35 was made with a different back for more bass
>response.
page 12, he refers to a shortage of Brazilian Rosewood. The Martin
Company had a stock but only in pieces about 6 inches wide. This led to
the developement of the D35.
Jeffrey Adam Evans
I've played both the D-35 and the D-28, and I really do prefer the sound
and feel of the 28. It's much richer and seemed to project better.
However, as an environmentalist, I have to say that buying any rosewood
guitar, whether it's east-indian or brazilian, contributes to rainforest
destruction. The reason there is a shortage of Brazillian wood is because
all the trees have been cut down! Buy maple or cedar if you can.
Luces M. Faulkenberry
I have read that Indian rosewood is farmed in India, similar to pine in
Georgia, just slower. Why would you object to an Indian rosewood
guitar? It endangers nothing at all to sensibly harvest Indian rosewood
trees. I hope the Brazilian government, or some enterprising farmer in
Brazil, does the same kind of farming of Brazilian rosewood. Please be
sure of your facts before you protest, and get yourself a nice D-28 if
you like them.
Luke
George Kaschner
: However, as an environmentalist, I have to say that buying any rosewood
: guitar, whether it's east-indian or brazilian, contributes to rainforest
: destruction. The reason there is a shortage of Brazillian wood is because
: all the trees have been cut down! Buy maple or cedar if you can.
"As an environmentalist" you are having a knee-jerk reaction! Please
take the time to find out more about rosewood before exhorting a boycott
of Indian rosewood. Indian rosewood does not come from a rainforest
anymore than Appalachian walnut.
"Buy maple or cedar if you can"? Why? Do maple trees offend you so much
that you want to herald their demise rather than the renewable Indian
rosewood? And please don't try to tell me that cedar is going to make a
suitable substitution for rosewood sides and backs.
Mildly amused,
George Kaschner
(from a solar powered computer) ;)
BAKimsey
jev...@hamilton.edu (Jeffrey Adam Evans) writes:
>The reason there is a shortage of Brazillian wood is because
>all the trees have been cut down!
The reason the trees have been cut down is to make room for grazing and
development. Guitar makers have a negligible effect on the rainforest.
Indian rosewood is a by-product of the tea industry, anyway.
Bryan
FWIW: M.S. in wildlife biology, currently working with endangered raptors,
have friends working in rainforest (Guatamala, Brazil, Mauritius).
Definitely an environmentalist.
CowboyJim1
(George Kaschner) writes:
>: However, as an environmentalist, I have to say that buying any rosewood
>: guitar, whether it's east-indian or brazilian, contributes to
rainforest
>: destruction. The reason there is a shortage of Brazillian wood is
because
>: all the trees have been cut down! Buy maple or cedar if you can.
>
>"As an environmentalist" you are having a knee-jerk reaction! Please
>take the time to find out more about rosewood before exhorting a boycott
>of Indian rosewood. Indian rosewood does not come from a rainforest
>anymore than Appalachian walnut.
>
>"Buy maple or cedar if you can"? Why? Do maple trees offend you so much
>that you want to herald their demise rather than the renewable Indian
>rosewood? And please don't try to tell me that cedar is going to make a
>suitable substitution for rosewood sides and backs.
Not to mention the fact that India, not exactly the richest country in the
world, depends greatly on the export of this "crop" to support their
nation's economy. Would people deny India this ability to fund their
independent government?
Perhaps the rain-forest would be in great shape if they didn't have to use
the trees to make all the paper the (alleged) environmental folks use to
tell us what we should and shouldn't do.
Jim Steele
"Your Life - Your Rules. My Life - My Rules.
One of mine is: Don't try to make me live by yours."
AliMacZ
In general, the D28 has a more punchy, aggressive sound where the D35 is
more mellow and "spread out".
If you're a singer looking for an accompanying instrument that will let
the song come through, try the D35. If you're a band player or a solo
tunes player, or a fast bluegrass picker - anyone who needs the guitar to
have "presence" - try the D28.
For what it's worth, D28's are easier to sell used (hence harder to find
sometimes).
Allen Kaatz
>Jeffrey Adam Evans wrote:
>>
>> In article <4iv3md$n...@snow.btinternet.com>, Carl...@btinternet.com wrote:
>>
>> > In article <4ijv5j$s...@newsbf02.news.aol.com>, cowbo...@aol.com says...
>> > >
>> > >I understand that the D-35 was made with a different back for more bass
>> > >response.
>> > In mike Longworth's book "A History- C.F.Martin & Co", 3rd edition 1988
>> > page 12, he refers to a shortage of Brazilian Rosewood. The Martin
>> > Company had a stock but only in pieces about 6 inches wide. This led to
>> > the developement of the D35.
>>
>> I've played both the D-35 and the D-28, and I really do prefer the sound
>> and feel of the 28. It's much richer and seemed to project better.
>> However, as an environmentalist, I have to say that buying any rosewood
>> guitar, whether it's east-indian or brazilian, contributes to rainforest
>> destruction. The reason there is a shortage of Brazillian wood is because
>> all the trees have been cut down! Buy maple or cedar if you can.
I don't quite get the logic of your statement re Brazilian rosewood.
The trees weren't made nearly extinct by guitar-builders like Martin - the
vast majority were cut down to use for furniture veneer. Most Brazilian
rosewood that is on guitars that are being made currently is existing
stock that was cut down long ago. It is presently illegal to import B.
rosewood - once again, most of it that is available has already been in
this country for some years.
Re the Indian rosewood, I would be willing to bet that like the Brazilian,
the amount that goes to guitar-makers is a tiny fraction of what is being
cut.
Al
Chifuru Noda
>If you're a fast bluegrass picker, try the D28.
What if I'm a sloooow bluegrass picker <sigh>?
Happy April Fool's Day!
Chief
Luces M. Faulkenberry
My post said that Indian rosewood is a farmed tree, kind of like pines
in Georgia, and that I wish that the Brazilian government (or some
farmers in Brazil) would follow India's lead and farm Brazilian
rosewood. I agree that the percentage of rosewood from either place
consumed for guitar making is very small (same for mahogany from any
country). In fact, I would like all rosewood every where saved for
guitar making. The statements and thier sources got garbled in the
process of many replies and snips, I suppose.
Luke
RickBcrna
bought the herringbone. No question about it, much better sounding guitar
than a 28 or 35. Not as "stiff" as the 28 or 35. Anyway check out the
HD-28 !
Rick...@aol.com
Eric B. Stark
to say thanks to all who replied. After going back
and forth between a Taylor 710 and a Matin HD-28,
I chose the Martin. Sounds great and it should only
get better.
Thanks again,
Eric
Bob Hester
Eric: Although I'm a Taylor player, there's no way you can go wrong with a
Martin HD-28. Who knows, had I the money when I bought my 810, I would have
given the D-28 line a closer look. Frankly, there are so many good guitars
out there today. The choices are hard to make. Hope you enjoy the Martin. I
know I would.
--
My opinions only.