1999 Martin HD-28VS

If we could, we would call up the C.F. Martin & Co. sales representative way back in 1932 and order up a bunch of Martin D-2’s. The D-2 was the first Dreadnought sized guitar marketed under their own name. It was an evolution of instruments manufactured by Martin for the Ditson company. By 1932, Ditson was no longer in business and Martin began development of the guitar that would become the Martin D-28 by the middle of the decade.

This Martin HD-28VS is a recreation of the 12-fret dreadnoughts of the early 1930’s with a few well chosen updates. Like the D-2, the headstock is slotted and the neck meets the body at the twelfth fret. The bridge and the fingerboard are ebony. The bridge has a “through” saddle like prewar examples and the fingerboard has prewar style snowflake inlays in abalone at the fifth, seventh, ninth, twelfth and fifteenth frets. The nut is 1 ¾” at the nut with a soft “V” profile and the string spacing at the bridge is 2 ¼.” The fingerboard has the standard Martin 16” radius. An adjustable truss rod is a modern update and it is accessible through the soundhole.

The body features a spruce top with Indian rosewood back and sides. The binding is white plastic with herringbone purfling for the top and a black-white purfling for the back. The center strip is the classic zig-zag pattern often seen on D-28’s. The rosette has a nine-ply center ring flanked by a five-ply inner and outer ring. The bracing is forward shifted and scalloped for this model, giving the guitar a deep, throaty bass with well articulated trebles and a very full midrange. 

This HD-28VS has survived in remarkably fine shape. There are a few light rub marks on the back, lower bout. Otherwise, the finish is free of any noteworthy blemishes. The frets are clean and full height. The headstock, fitted with Waverly open back toners in a chrome finish, is similarly unblemished.