I have that guitar. It's made in Nazareth and It's BASICALLY an HD-28 without the Herringbone. But it has FORWARD shifted scalloped bracing like an Authentic '37. All solid wood, the back and sides are satin, the top is gloss. It has a simple dovetail joint rather than the usual standard. Comes with a gig bag (nice one!) Ebony bridge and fretboard. And with new strings rings and rings! I love it! Best deal on a Martin! I changed out the tuners to Grover butter beans, replaced the Tusq saddle with a Martin bone saddle and the pegs with Martin solid standard tortoise pins (like the D-28 comes with). Comes with a nice Fishman unit too. This guitar is the best kept secret on a Martin, along with a 000-16 StreetMaster 👍🏻
Bolt on neck? Cheaper tuners. Simpler binding. Gig Bag? Satin finish. Lower grade wood has little or no effect on tone. Special is the term Martin puts on guitars ordered and built in batches, usually for large dealers. Guitar center gets a discount price for quantity. You get a guitar reflected in the price, which will follow the guitar in the resale market. They are generally a great value. They can also be a spec made in a quantity of ten guitars to be sold at Gruhn, like the sinker mahogany guitars built for them. They used to label guitars like this customs, but it was confusing as people thought they were from the Custom Shop. I have a 2014 00 15 12 fret that was labeled Custom. Today it would be labeled special. Specials are built on the factory floor.
Yep. I have one of these. "Special" bulk order by Guitar Center. Full dreadnaught size and body depth. Made in USA. All solid wood just lower grade than higher end models. Gloss Sitka Spruce top and Matt finish on the rest, cheaper enclosed tuners, simple dovetail neck that bolts on, all to cut cost. Great sound and great playing quality guitar.
Mays Landing New Jersey, although they call the store the "Atlantic City" store for some reason. But I think they have these Martin 16 specials at all the Guitar centers. It's a guitar center exclusive I think
The 16 special, is a full tread, not depth version of the 16 series, so it’s much better than the 16E. It has a few differences from a D28, like a simple, tough tail neck joint, which really hurts the low end in my opinion, among other things like lower grade, wood, and definitely lower grade craftsmanship. The bracing is “scalloped”. But when you look at it, you can tell that they kind of rushed it. There’s a lot more time that goes into an HD28. As far as the the D28, it’s good, but I think the HD28 blows it away. I haven’t watched the video yet, I’m guessing that you’re going to say that the 16 it’s brighter, and lacks bass. It also feels a little bit worse. That basically sums it up.
And you’re right about the next, the neck feels a lot cheaper on the 16. That was the first thing I noticed when I got the 18, Felt way more premium and smooth, thinner, but also, the guitar was lighter. It’s just a better instrument.
The original D16 was a better guitar than both 28 18 was ! It was forward x brace it was a golden era for about 800 bucks ! Wish they still made them . Around 86 -like 94 I think. I’ve had some oldies and some goodies and my 91 D 16 was the best
I have that guitar. It's made in Nazareth and It's BASICALLY an HD-28 without the Herringbone. But it has FORWARD shifted scalloped bracing like an Authentic '37. All solid wood, the back and sides are satin, the top is gloss. It has a simple dovetail joint rather than the usual standard. Comes with a gig bag (nice one!) Ebony bridge and fretboard. And with new strings rings and rings! I love it! Best deal on a Martin! I changed out the tuners to Grover butter beans, replaced the Tusq saddle with a Martin bone saddle and the pegs with Martin solid standard tortoise pins (like the D-28 comes with). Comes with a nice Fishman unit too.
This guitar is the best kept secret on a Martin, along with a 000-16 StreetMaster 👍🏻
Yes that's just as I suspected, now I must seek out this street master one...
Am I imagining this or is the nut cut wrong for the Low E and A? Spacing looks off...
No, it's just the camera angle
The blurring out are medulary rays. You get that in well quartersawn sitka.
Maybe it's the recording on YT, but I'm just not hearing that smooth low end that the Standard Martins have. Otherwise, looks like a deal.
It could be the audio, I just prop to my phone in the corner against a box or something lol
Bolt on neck? Cheaper tuners. Simpler binding. Gig Bag? Satin finish. Lower grade wood has little or no effect on tone. Special is the term Martin puts on guitars ordered and built in batches, usually for large dealers. Guitar center gets a discount price for quantity. You get a guitar reflected in the price, which will follow the guitar in the resale market. They are generally a great value. They can also be a spec made in a quantity of ten guitars to be sold at Gruhn, like the sinker mahogany guitars built for them. They used to label guitars like this customs, but it was confusing as people thought they were from the Custom Shop. I have a 2014 00 15 12 fret that was labeled Custom. Today it would be labeled special. Specials are built on the factory floor.
That's a good point about resale value
The sides are only braced if it is solid wood. If the sides don't have some kind of bracing, then it is most likely not solid wood.
Least expensive American Martin in the room, and almost my favorite
Special is a custom bulk order by a dealer that goes through the standard line at Martin.
Yep. I have one of these. "Special" bulk order by Guitar Center. Full dreadnaught size and body depth. Made in USA. All solid wood just lower grade than higher end models. Gloss Sitka Spruce top and Matt finish on the rest, cheaper enclosed tuners, simple dovetail neck that bolts on, all to cut cost. Great sound and great playing quality guitar.
Where is your local gc ?
Mays Landing New Jersey, although they call the store the "Atlantic City" store for some reason. But I think they have these Martin 16 specials at all the Guitar centers. It's a guitar center exclusive I think
@@BillySoundFarm that’s my “local” guitar center. I bought my 16 special a few weeks ago from there
@@michaelsiegfried7319 might be the one in the video! That was filmed about a month ago.
It’s famous!!!
This was actually the second video I did on that guitar... Here's the first one: ruclips.net/video/WIbEbDDCt3w/видео.html
Id take one for sure. Great resonance and great for flatpickin! Great video!
Thanks!
That’s USA made. I have one i really like it
The 16 special, is a full tread, not depth version of the 16 series, so it’s much better than the 16E.
It has a few differences from a D28, like a simple, tough tail neck joint, which really hurts the low end in my opinion, among other things like lower grade, wood, and definitely lower grade craftsmanship.
The bracing is “scalloped”. But when you look at it, you can tell that they kind of rushed it. There’s a lot more time that goes into an HD28.
As far as the the D28, it’s good, but I think the HD28 blows it away.
I haven’t watched the video yet, I’m guessing that you’re going to say that the 16 it’s brighter, and lacks bass. It also feels a little bit worse. That basically sums it up.
Thanks for pointing that out about the neck joint!
That is a USA Martin
Your videos inspired me to learn red haired boy
Awesome! I learned it from watching JP Cormier
And you’re right about the next, the neck feels a lot cheaper on the 16. That was the first thing I noticed when I got the 18, Felt way more premium and smooth, thinner, but also, the guitar was lighter. It’s just a better instrument.
The original D16 was a better guitar than both 28 18 was ! It was forward x brace it was a golden era for about 800 bucks ! Wish they still made them . Around 86 -like 94 I think. I’ve had some oldies and some goodies and my 91 D 16 was the best
That firt one sounds like shit
Firt?
Tune the damn thing…
I know I should have taken a minute to tune it, I regret it so much now.