If you've ever bought a Martin Guitar because you have seen me playing mine - will you email me - with pictures? guitarstories@maryspender.com 🎸 My Fingerstyle Guitar Course! Learn with me. maryspender.teachable.com/p/fingerstyleguitar
Way back when, Martin guitars were scarce. At the time they were hard to get… you had to pay for it up front and then wait for about two years before it would be delivered. These days, you check with a Martin dealer and you could walk out of the dealer with your own Martin. I’m glad to see you with an OM-28… it is an excellent instrument for a singer-songwriter. More balanced than a D. Not to say that a D doesn’t have a place. If you find yourself in Northern California in the near future drop me a line.
Thank You for sharing this with us. Nothing could be more personal a choice than a guitar (and specifically an acoustic guitar). As a player myself, another person could order my meal, pick my cloths and shoes out, even choose a watch for me and I would get along just fine. My choice of guitar though, that can only be decided by myself and no-one else.
I don't own such an expensive guitar. It does sound beautiful. I have a 80.00 rogue. Now before everyone boos. It was all I could afford. Im dissabled and live on a strict budget.I set it up myself. Got the action down to 5/64ths. I named her marcalene the vpire queen. And she has literally saved my life! After my husband and sister died in the same week, I had a breakdown after the hospital I decided to play again. Playing gives me focus and a purpose. 4 yrs later and I've learned 165 cover songs and wrote 14. I'm 60 yrs old and I love it when I see people like Mary show their love for that special instrument. All the best to you musicians out there
Isn't it fun listening to and experiencing how these good, all solid wood acoustics age? The depth and strength and subtlety of voice grows. So rewarding.
The path statement and two hands feeling more connected to your instrument was everything. I appreciate the way you Articulated that. Amazing video. Love your music and style.
As a guitarist who has had quite a few guitars over the years, nothing touches my Martin D-35. My search for sound was simply over. Now I am wanting an OM or 000 like yours!
I have a 2020 OM28e Modern Deluxe. I love it. When I first opened the case and strummed it was like angel's singing. Now every few months it seems a new angel joins the choir. I play random rounds around Nashville and almost every night someone asks me about the guitar, telling me how great it sounds.
I absolutely love my Martins! I have a '67 00-18 and a '99 HD-35, both of which have stellar tone and personalities all their own. Just spectacular instruments. 🔥❤👍
I bought my Martin when life's problems prevented me from going on a big vacation to the Swiss Alps with my mountain buddies. I had taken out travel insurance so when the settlement came in I decided to get something special. Not quite my dream guitar like Mary's OM-28 but a nice playing Performing Artist series OM. It continues to sound better each year as it gets played daily so much it is in need of new frets. Still the best vacation I never went on, as I play it nearly every day.
In some of your videos you just glow. I finally realized in this one what it is; such an authentic passion! In this world of drama and negativity it is so fresh to see that. God bless you. The feeling I get when I pick up and play the first note on my HD-28 is like walking into your grandma’s house. It was the 41st one I played and the connection was instantly magical. It was 2009 in Gruhn Guitar and still has the mojo.
I was surprised at how the colour of the top changed so much so quickly but I like the more golden look. Really nicely balanced sound. Also prefer using fingers over plectrum.
Mary, listening to you play often helps me move passed my own mental block in my playing, this was one of those times. Love your passion. Thank you for yet another great video.
I have a 1985 D35. It sounds great. It’s one of the first Martins made with an adjustable tension rod. I’ve busked with it in the NYC subways for years, un-amplified. It’s a gem. I would like to get an OM28, like yours. Eventually. I have a Taylor 814ce, also; but it’s the Martin D35 that is my favorite. It’s a workhouse.
I've always felt that acoustic instruments choose their musician and not the other way around. It's such an intimate scenario when you play an acoustic that, when you find the right one, you know it and you never let it go. Wonderful video as always.
Beautiful. I have a mahogany Martin 00-15M and it has such rich warm tones that I love. Completely different than my Taylor, which is much brighter. I love my Taylor as well, but that Martin just has some magic in it.
Great video, Mary. I went 000-28 recently when looking for my dream Martin and am loving it. I look forward to it aging and getting old with me. I thought I was done getting acoustics when I stumbled upon a Guild M20 that I fell in love with in store previous to this purchase, but I've always wanted a 28 series Martin so now I have both and am fortunate that they are both inspiring guitars. I just need to add one of those Anthem pickups or something similar to one of them to have the plug-in option.
I have had a OOO28EC for the last 20 years its a beautiful honey gold color and has an amazing sound. I think I got lucky - just a perfect storm of amazing qualities. It too like yours sounds good strumming but it really comes to life while finger picking. Continue enjoying your beautiful guitar
Got a 1975 D-35 and have had it since new! Over the years that's one thing about the D35 .. it sound has just gotten better and better. When I hold it against my chest I can feel the vibrations coming from the sound box .. amazing! 🤠
I am a finger-picker. I have owned 15 Martin guitars since 1961. I currently have a 2015 00-18V and a 1997 (one of 370), 0000-1. Your Martin seems to be an extension of you, beautiful and inspiring.
I was dead set on getting a D-28, but they're as common as muck. What I didn't realise at first was that the OM-28 is a lot easier to play fingerstyle and sounds better than a D-28 when played fingerstyle; it has a lot more midrange. The D-28 really shines under hard flatpicking which is why they are so popular with bluegrass players, but the OM-28 is a more versatile guitar that responds well to both flatpicking and fingerstyle.
I have the same guitar. I bought it on a trip to the Martin factory in 2019. I bought it a plane seat on the way home :) I also have the dark night finish strat... we have similar tastes it appears. BTW, using Elixir 12 strings really brings the guitar to life. I also replaced the bridge with bone.
I bought mine years ago (2014/15) from Andertons, a DPA5K, which was marked down because it was slightly bruised on the underside. Best acoustic I've ever played. Very very happy with it.
Even lower level martins without rosewood are made with so much love. I have Martin Road series DRS2. It’s about 4 years old I’ve owned it for 2 and omg it has been through so much hell it’s cracked and glued back, but the sound still makes my brain tingle and it feels like the sound keeps opening. I also use the same strings!!! Just the .12-.54. Martins are just really made different. I love my baby.
I built a Martin Dreadnaught style guitar many years ago and installed a K&K Trinity pickup in it (3 under-saddle transducer pickups and a mic). When I first plugged it in I didn’t think the pickup/mic was working. I turned off my amp to unplug it to troubleshoot and things just got quieter. The tone was so pure to the original, unplugged guitar that I didn’t even realize it was on. I turned it up and just enjoyed the sound. For those interested: Engelmann spruce top, East Indian rosewood sides and back, Honduran mahogany neck, ebony fingerboard and bridge, Sperzel locking tuners.
I bought a Martin 000-28 in 2018. It came down to it or the OM-28. Fortunately, the store had both in stock so I could try them side by side in a very quiet room. In the end, one just speaks to you more.
My dad bought a yamaha classical guitar in 1969 for my mom and it just gathered dust until my eye caught it at age 14. Now 44 years further it sounds and plays better than many high end expensive guitars..
Hi Mary. I used to own a Martin OM-21. But I sold it during Covid and ended up buying a Yamaha FS5 second hand. Basically a Martin 000-18 in specs. Had an LR Baggs Anthem SL installed and I haven't played any other acoustic since. The FS5 is so punchy, resonant, warm and versatile. Made of good materiales, torrified top, japanese craftmanship and a world class pickup. Every song idea I've been written since april 2021 has been on my Yamaha. I adore Martin but the Yamaha Red Label series are the best sleeper guitars on the market right now.
I bought my D-28 in 2004 and had the same experience. After a couple of years it started to sound better and better as the years went on. It was "warming" as you said.
So getting you just got my first real Martin a few weeks back after years of dreaming. They're such great instruments and to know that your own Martin is always waiting for you to play any time you like is a sweet feeling.
I've also got an OM-28 as my main acoustic! Definitely the best purchase I've ever made. I have a string recommendation for you, Mary! Try out the Lifespan 2.0 Bronze strings once and see how you feel. I find that the little bit of extra brightness (compared to phosphor bronze) is really nice for this particular guitar.
Bought my first ever Martin D36 in Edinburgh 2013 and added a LG Briggs pickup - a lovely Acoustic but you should expect that of every and any Martin because cheap they are not. However I took it to Goa India and played it for 6 Months there then back into its hard case for about 4 Months of Monsoon while I travelled round Asia. Returned and to my horror the strings had risen above the fretboard by about 3-4mm and the inner strutting in 3 seperate places had separated. This had never happened to my previous Acoustic a Takamine 360 that had experienced the same routine 4 times. I also realised the LG Briggs a useless pick-up for Gigs in Goa where you would typically get up on stage after someone else but with the same mixer settings meaning it a must you could dial in bass, treble, volume of the pickup system. Anyway i gave the Martin to a profi Guitar shop in Germany on my return but after 2 Months of treatment the original low action could not be returned and I sold it. The happy end to this was discovering and then purchasing a Sigma DR41 and installing a Fishman Blend. This guitar was/is easily as good as my Martin D36 and the Fishman Blend as good as the LR Braggs at a fraction of the cost. In fact for playing solos the Sigma was and is (unplugged) better I found than my old Martin. So impressed was I that when I saw a rare Sigma SDR-41 on sale which is the full body massive high finish version of the Sigma DR41 I jumped at the chance (only 64 made World Wide) and when I too handed it over to the Luthier to insert a Fishman Blend pick-up system he confirmed what I myself believed, he called me after installation to say it was the best Acoustic he had had in his hands for many a year, better than both Martins he owned a D28 and D36 and would I consider selling it to him. I wouldn't but from what I can tell it would be a Martin D42 that is comparable in build quality as a Sigma SDR41 but the sigma HALF as expensive. Guys its all relative and there is no real moral here but if having 40+ years experience playing and owning many acoustic guitars and you are after a dreadnought then you would not be wasting your time trialing a Sigma DR 41/42 against whatever Martin dreadnought you are considering. You might like me discover they are just as good and at least half the price. Certainly agree with Mary that age changes and mostly improves good guitars because over months/years the body contracting and expanding to changing room and climate changes just matures it, mines sounds better after its relatively young 4yrs although it was Steven Stills & David Crosby that reckoned 10 years is required for every Acoustic to reach their best. Love your channel Mary stay safe, take care.
Mary, I moved from a hot humid environment to a cooler dryer one. After a year and a half the tone of my Martin is like night and day. Every day it gets better.
I have a local luthier created violin and HR Pfretzschner Bow that have been with me for over 50 years now. We have all three aged well. Rehaired with Siberian White and the random new bridge and sound post. They are my comfort. Over the past 3 years I've held 15 different guitars. Bought 9 and gave away 5. My LÂG 30 feels so warm. And what a voice she has. That is my first reach always. Second is the Cordoba.
Fifteen years ago, on a day I was looking for an archtop jazz guitar, I stumbled onto MY guitar. I've owned literally hundreds of guitars, and played maybe thousands more over the last 44 years, but THIS specific J-45 clicked the instant I put my hand on it. I remember thinking "I'm home" as my hand went 'round the neck to lift it off the hooks of the store, along with the thought "Why is MY guitar hanging on the wall of this Guitar Center?" I can understand, intellectually, that the neck contour matches my memory of the necks of two vintage Gibsons I had owned decades before and still missed. I can truthfully say the sound was reminiscent of every vintage Gibson I had ever played or heard and loved - but with a difference that has only grown more pronounced through the years, a breathy, voice-like living quality I connect with. I actually took nearly a month to give in and buy it - but I literally could not get it out of my head. And then the first night I had this guitar at home, I experienced something I've only ever encountered with well-worn vintage instruments. It's rare, but every so often I've picked up a well-loved, much-played guitar and felt compelled to play things I would not normally play, or with a touch different from my normal style. It was most pronounced with a one-owner '49 D'Angelico I got to play for a few minutes many years ago. This brand-new off-the-wall J-45 has that, and that first night I found myself starting the process of ditching the plectrum completely and shifting from the split between flatpicking and fingerpicking to using my whole right hand in what I jokingly call "bareknuckle guitar." It desperately needed a setup - the nut slots were more suggestions than actually usable slots, and cutting them deeper cleaned up some minor intonation problems. The dead-as-doornails strings still managed to convey what it could go, but years of playing and finally settling on Pearse Pure Nickel acoustic strings got me to where I found the tone I want and the sound that accompanies my voice the way I hear it in my head. When I finally got up the nerve to release my contribution to the late-night-singer-songwriter-acoustic-guitarist album genre "Midnight Sunroom, " this guitar was featured on nine of the eleven tracks. Even with the primitive recording setup, the guitar sound just nailed me to my chair. It was exactly, precisely how I felt a guitar should sound. I mentioned I was looking for a jazz guitar, and oddly enough, I found one. All of those lovely jazzy chords come out perfectly from this guitar, as it carries the Gibson archtop DNA in its tone - but it shines in all the other genres I play in as well. It might not be perfect for everything, but it sounds so good trying! This past weekend I had the opportunity to play a bunch of guitars in a shop. Nothing compared to my '05 J-45. Nothing even comes close. This is my guitar, my favorite guitar of all time, ever. May you continue to develop a rich partnership with the Martin!
had a friend in high-school (5-6 years ago) who had a Takamine and to this day it is still top 5 in best acoustic guitars IMO good sustain, the clarity of notes individually or in a chord just felt and hit different and it just felt so right to play still not bought one but really want one
Acoustics are often best tested used. The acoustic sound also must fit your voice and picking style. I LOVE Taylor’s, but my voice fits perfectly with my Yamahas. That brighter thinner sound let’s my fuller male voice fill out that lower mid range.
I own this guitar, minus the electronics. It's versatile. Looks, sounds and plays like a dream. It's a lifetime guitar. Mary, I'm curious, have you ever toured the Martin factory? If not, I highly recommend it. I'm sure they'd love to see you.
Mary one day if you are in Guildford I would love to show you my collection of Martins. I have a 000 custom shop Adirondack cocobolo then a EC 2800 a OMJM a custom OM28 Deluxe VTS and a Brooke Legertwood then recently I acquired a 00-28 and have to say I have played everything from Australian guitars to Furch and Taylor and many many more. Honestly I can vouch all my Martins have Anthem pickups and they are absolutely the finest instruments I have ever owned. Just love them
Course Martin provided the blueprint and rich history that all guitar builders base their own models from. I’d love a Martin but I actually opted for a second hand 12 fret handmade Brook Taw guitar made in Devon. A guitar I really love
It's nice to see a musician on RUclips talking about a dream guitar that could realistically be purchased by most people, and not some expensive vintage guitar. I recall seeing your video about this guitar from when you got it, and it was one of many pro-Martin videos that influenced me to buy a D-10 for my first acoustic guitar.
Hi Mary! From the interior of “super natural” British Columbia! I feel the same way about my 2018, 000-28h (sunburst). My recordings from when it was new sound nothing like it does now. I have 6 Martins, two Guilds, two Gretsch, and a Collings in my acoustic arsenal. My “new” 000 is my go to. Peace
I know how you feel Mary. I've been playing a Martin OMCE (#83 of 150) with Claro walnut b & s since 2010 and it is my "desert island guitar". Does everything well, plays great and is ageing quite nicely!
Thanks for this post, I've the same OM and really enjoy it After sold my D41...different but you are right, for finger style and for singer, it's one of the best guitar ! 😘
Your dream guitar is my dream guitar, I also have an OM28, but I installed the fishman infinity blend pickups. The D28 was too bass heavy and I thought the comparable taylors were too bright... the OM28 to me is the perfect balance of high and lows
Wow. Definitely the most incredible sound I’ve ever heard come out of an acoustic guitar. You made me set my sights on it, will have to look to see if I can find one. Thank you. Hope all is well. Keep doing what you do and being an inspiration to many musicians and songwriters around the world.
I’ve had a Taylor 314 since 2007 but have always loved the Martin sound. Finally decided to get one last month and not being near a dealer, researched UTube and online extensively, thinking that the Martin 00-28 was ideal. I went to Elderly music in Lansing Michigan and compared that model to the 000-28 and couldn’t believe how much better the latter sounded to me. Then I tried the OM-28 and was surprised again- in fact couldn’t even find another guitar that felt or sounded as good to me (by my own playing).
Thank you for articulating my feelings for finger style as well. I feel like I am always having to make excuse for avoiding a plastic pick when I feel as though there is another direction for me.
No excuses are needed. I abandoned the pick about 20 years ago and have never looked back. Playing a melody on top of a bass line (fingerstyle) is very rewarding and well worth learning.
Totally agree with you both. Sure, I strum songs especially covers where the rhythm is so key to the song. But, for me to really enjoy playing and singing, fingerstyle is what truly makes me love playing the song. It’s that connection that Mark describes that connects me to the song. Yeah, I play a ton of John Prine but a surprising number of classic/new rock songs too. And yes, my primary is an HD-35 but a Gibson J-45 is a go-to as well.
I too have an OM28e and it is amazing! It and my HD28 are my favorites. Have a couple Taylor's as well but the Martin is just a different feeling. My OM28 is my couch guitar. Its always around and always makes me smile.
I tried different guitars and my fav is the Martin 000 - 15M full Mahogany :)... but yours is so awesome too :D but u make every guitar sound good for sure...
Mary, I have the shorter scale cousin of your guitar, the 000-18. It’s an incredible instrument. I also enjoy finger style. Been playing for years, but I seem to gravitate back to finger picking. I really enjoy your videos. Do well.
I currently have 3 Martin guitars. In the mid-1970's while I was a grad student I had late 1960's Ventura V-14 Japanese import and decided to look for something better. I considered buying an expertly repaired 1932 Martin OM-18 for $400 but passed it up because it seemed like a lot of money. Finally in 2004 I bought a brand new HD-40 Tom Petty Limited Signature Edition. It took a year or two for the finish to harden. It sounded great new and has only gotten better over time.
Wow, that does sound fantastic. Beautiful guitar. I’m a guitar player and own a custom Taylor 810ce with a rosewood instead of spruce top. After years of break in, it’s so perfect for me. I absolutely love it, so I completely understand the love for your Martin.
I used to live just 7 miles from the Martin factory. Would go there at least once a month to use their ‘picking room’ where they always had models to play. They also have a great tour if you’re ever near Nazareth, Pa.
Love your music. Love Martin. I live a 25 minute drive away from the factory. I photographed Chris Martin for a magazine and everyone there is great people. Nuff said.
❤ the channel Mary. I have a D-18 and used those same Martin strings for the longest time until I discovered D'Addario XS Phosphor Bronze strings. Try them if you get a chance (unless Martin is paying you of course!) 😉
Love the Martin OM/0/00/000/etc bodies. They sound so good. Dreadnoughts are sound cannons, but the rounder bodies have more nuance to their tone, especially Martin's versions.
Sounds Beautiful! I have a entourage size Washburn six string I've had for about 25 years now and I bought it used them....... Same effect! Getting warmer....... I've done little mods on it. Bone bridge saddle, replaced the plastic string pins with Black ebony ones....... Things like that.....
Very nice guitar! I play a D 18 Dreadnought with an AER Pickup. I think for fingerstyle a smaller guitar like OM or OOO is the best. Your guitar sounds amazing!
Mary, like you I have only played finger style guitar. I was born in 1950, and my father got me an archtop Harmony guitar in 1962. I didn't know how to tune in so for the first 6 months to 9 months I just picked the strings and changed until I heard things I liked as a child I would lay on the floor and listen to the strings and watch them vibrate I fell in love with the sound the guitar makes. I bought a Martin CPGPA1 with the Fishman Aura +1 mic modeling software and hardware. The guitar played perfectly with the hardware in it. I have never use a flat pick and I don't know how. When Paul Simon came out with April Come She Will and Kathy's Song, I was already picking on level with those tunes. I am selling the GPCPA1, for 2 guitars, a Martin 00-18 AND Gibson 1942 00-21 Gibson repro...Great sound, just a little more treble on the Gibson. BUT IN THE MEANTIME, I was in my favorite store called Parkway Music in Clifton Park, NY(upstate Adirondacks) A fellow (Luthier) was pushing his guitars. His Name wa George Krakat. I found the dream guitar. It has a sound that is halfway between Gibson and Martin, and plays like a damn dream with probably the highest quality tone and natural sustain I have ever heard. I have one question for you you're sitting back in your place of rest and playing your guitar and it sounds beautiful. what are you recording on I have never been able to get the natural sound of my guitar further than the room mine in because any recorder I use doesn't truly capture it. what am I listening to when you play your guitar in this clip, or I should ask, what gear?
fantastic publicity for Martin all well earned - i have a couple martin customs and they're magical every time - i have had days where after i hit those initial chords, i stop, take a look at the guitar from a short distance and say, wow - wood, glue, no electronics, and it's the most extraordinary thing I own - and will be even if i were a multibillionaire. Especially the OM-28 - I have a custom that has the specs of the OM28-JM - as i said MAGIC!!!!
My much loved Washburn 12-string is my writing instrument. Cywin I call her. She's never been an expensive guitar, but she is the envy of many others. She's probably one of the last made in Chicago before production went overseas. She's temperamental, that is to say if she's in a mood, nobody on Earth can tune her, and if she wants to sing she's ready to rock at the drop of a hat. She's written 13 or more songs for me. She just settles in my lap and something new comes out typically something cheerful. She's a little roadworn. The dry climate in these parts is separating the clearcoat from the wood. Being a 12-string, she had to use a brace to keep the top from rolling. She's grossly ordinary in appearance. She came to me aged, and she's only a little more scarred today. Just the same I dread taking her out anymore. The fog in the finish, the action and tuning stability all argue to treat her gently.
A 12 string is a sound to behold. I find the action the most coveted feature in a steel string acoustic guitar: is awful to attempt to play advanced fingerstyle with a bad set up.
I have a Martin Dreadnaught, Jr. that I bought in 2,015. The top has aged and looks older than it is. The sound is so much better than when I first bought it. I had thought about selling it once. But, it sounds too sweet now and is way too comfortable to play for me to think about parting with it. It’s one of my guitars that now feels like an extension of me.😊
Wonderful!! I have the exact same guitar but a 2020 and I love playing it so much!!! I agree it seems to warm up....both in tone, color, and beauty. It's truly an amazing instrument and love hearing you playing it!! You are a joy to listen to!
Hi Mary, re: strings, like you, I put a set of Martin’s light strings on my OM-28 to compare to the Elixer strings I’ve played for some time. I found the Martin strings went well for awhile and then, poof… they dropped off dead/stunted and poor tuning memory … I’ve gone back to the Elixir lights, not Xtra light… and very pleased again. I live a lot of humidity in Tallahassee, FL and always store my pride & joy in its case… all the time, strings oxidize
I just purchased a Martin GPC-16E Rosewood Acoustic-Electric Guitar. The very first guitar I bought in 1969 was a Martin. One of my teachers worked at the local music store and showed me the guitar. It had been dropped then developed a crack on the top by the bridge. It was only $150 as is. I finally had a nice guitar that fingered well and sounded great. This guitar came with me to Southeast Asia, the island of Iwo Jima while in the service. And then into the '80s and grad school. Unfortunately the dry heat of a wood stove during the New England winters finally caused the crack to widen and the bracing to separate. Being a poor grad student and being the son of a cabinet maker, I attempted to replace the top. Alas, my carpentry skills did not make me a luthier although it was "playable". I soon. bought an Applause entrained by the rounded back and it was affordable. I drifted away from playing regularly. But 22 years ago this night, A house fire took my wife's life. We lost much, but the Applause guitar (in spite of its damage) and music started our (my two young teenage children and my) recovery. After we settled into our new home, I purchased a Seagull acoustical. I enjoyed the guitar and joined the folk music group at church. My son now has the Seagull guitar. I remarried. My second wife joined the group and bought a Taylor 414-CE-L4 once she started taking guitar lessons. After breaking her ankle 8 years ago, we both stopped playing regularly. (I was focusing on live sound for community events.) When the possibility rose to play at a different church, I noticed the Taylor would not stay in tune. The dry air during winter caused the Taylor's top and back to crack in four places! Taylor recommended a local luthier who identified a previous repair in the guitar's first year. Seeing this luthier's workmanship of the guitars in his shop makes me wish I had brought my original Martin to a luthier. Ironically, this luthier is a scant dozen miles from where I purchased the original Martin. Ah, hindsight! Now, it's time for sleep. In the morning I will pick up my new Martin, enjoy the fragrance of the rosewood while attempting to get my 70 year-old fingers to properly fret and pick the strings with the appropriate hands. I love the mellow tones of this Martin as much as I appreciate the brightness of my wife's Taylor.
If you've ever bought a Martin Guitar because you have seen me playing mine - will you email me - with pictures?
guitarstories@maryspender.com
🎸 My Fingerstyle Guitar Course! Learn with me.
maryspender.teachable.com/p/fingerstyleguitar
marins eew the best
Bought a custom shop Martin orchestra model bc of you! I love it
Rosewood back and sides, Sitka top. Flame maple binding on body as well as fingerboard. A triangle wedge of flame maple on the back of the body too.
Way back when, Martin guitars were scarce. At the time they were hard to get… you had to pay for it up front and then wait for about two years before it would be delivered. These days, you check with a Martin dealer and you could walk out of the dealer with your own Martin. I’m glad to see you with an OM-28… it is an excellent instrument for a singer-songwriter. More balanced than a D. Not to say that a D doesn’t have a place. If you find yourself in Northern California in the near future drop me a line.
Thank You for sharing this with us.
Nothing could be more personal a choice than a guitar (and specifically an acoustic guitar).
As a player myself, another person could order my meal, pick my cloths and shoes out, even choose a watch for me and I would get along just fine.
My choice of guitar though, that can only be decided by myself and no-one else.
I don't own such an expensive guitar. It does sound beautiful. I have a 80.00 rogue. Now before everyone boos. It was all I could afford. Im dissabled and live on a strict budget.I set it up myself. Got the action down to 5/64ths. I named her marcalene the vpire queen. And she has literally saved my life! After my husband and sister died in the same week, I had a breakdown after the hospital I decided to play again. Playing gives me focus and a purpose. 4 yrs later and I've learned 165 cover songs and wrote 14. I'm 60 yrs old and I love it when I see people like Mary show their love for that special instrument. All the best to you musicians out there
Isn't it fun listening to and experiencing how these good, all solid wood acoustics age? The depth and strength and subtlety of voice grows. So rewarding.
The path statement and two hands feeling more connected to your instrument was everything. I appreciate the way you Articulated that. Amazing video. Love your music and style.
Amazing tone in those hands. Great content as always, thank you for sharing!
As a guitarist who has had quite a few guitars over the years, nothing touches my Martin D-35. My search for sound was simply over. Now I am wanting an OM or 000 like yours!
I have a 2020 OM28e Modern Deluxe. I love it. When I first opened the case and strummed it was like angel's singing. Now every few months it seems a new angel joins the choir. I play random rounds around Nashville and almost every night someone asks me about the guitar, telling me how great it sounds.
I absolutely love my Martins! I have a '67 00-18 and a '99 HD-35, both of which have stellar tone and personalities all their own. Just spectacular instruments. 🔥❤👍
I have a '66 00-18 and it is my go to guitar.
I think it's time for you to do an instrumental album. Love hearing you play.
Wonderful guitar, outstanding musician, extraordinary video. Keep up the stellar work, Ms. Spender!
I bought my Martin when life's problems prevented me from going on a big vacation to the Swiss Alps with my mountain buddies. I had taken out travel insurance so when the settlement came in I decided to get something special. Not quite my dream guitar like Mary's OM-28 but a nice playing Performing Artist series OM. It continues to sound better each year as it gets played daily so much it is in need of new frets. Still the best vacation I never went on, as I play it nearly every day.
Beautiful guitar! I have a 000-18 from 1937 and the wood is the warmest I have ever heard. It’s my constant in my small collection.
Hoping this new turn in your content keeps growing your audience, Mary. You’re such a genuine and generous person.
For me Martins are the most authentic sounding acoustic guitar and it always makes me so excited to play on. Great video and you sound amazing!
yes ! I bought a D28 in 2012. The spruce was so anaemic... 10 years on the table is lovely, aged and dark... and sounds divine. Nice video.
In some of your videos you just glow. I finally realized in this one what it is; such an authentic passion! In this world of drama and negativity it is so fresh to see that. God bless you.
The feeling I get when I pick up and play the first note on my HD-28 is like walking into your grandma’s house. It was the 41st one I played and the connection was instantly magical. It was 2009 in Gruhn Guitar and still has the mojo.
I've been fingerprinting my D18S as a folks Ingersoll since 1972. It just gets sweeter.
I was surprised at how the colour of the top changed so much so quickly but I like the more golden look. Really nicely balanced sound. Also prefer using fingers over plectrum.
Mary, listening to you play often helps me move passed my own mental block in my playing, this was one of those times. Love your passion. Thank you for yet another great video.
I have a 1985 D35. It sounds great. It’s one of the first Martins made with an adjustable tension rod. I’ve busked with it in the NYC subways for years, un-amplified. It’s a gem. I would like to get an OM28, like yours. Eventually. I have a Taylor 814ce, also; but it’s the Martin D35 that is my favorite. It’s a workhouse.
I've always felt that acoustic instruments choose their musician and not the other way around. It's such an intimate scenario when you play an acoustic that, when you find the right one, you know it and you never let it go. Wonderful video as always.
Beautiful. I have a mahogany Martin 00-15M and it has such rich warm tones that I love. Completely different than my Taylor, which is much brighter. I love my Taylor as well, but that Martin just has some magic in it.
Great video, Mary. I went 000-28 recently when looking for my dream Martin and am loving it. I look forward to it aging and getting old with me. I thought I was done getting acoustics when I stumbled upon a Guild M20 that I fell in love with in store previous to this purchase, but I've always wanted a 28 series Martin so now I have both and am fortunate that they are both inspiring guitars. I just need to add one of those Anthem pickups or something similar to one of them to have the plug-in option.
I have had a OOO28EC for the last 20 years its a beautiful honey gold color and has an amazing sound. I think I got lucky - just a perfect storm of amazing qualities. It too like yours sounds good strumming but it really comes to life while finger picking. Continue enjoying your beautiful guitar
Got a 1975 D-35 and have had it since new! Over the years that's one thing about the D35 .. it sound has just gotten better and better. When I hold it against my chest I can feel the vibrations coming from the sound box .. amazing! 🤠
I love your playing Mary. You and that guitar are perfect together.
No, you didn’t. Spam alert!
You make very soothing videos, a pleasure to watch 💖
Truly is beautiful.
My Ibanez 12 string acoustic at about 40 years old has aged well too. Yes you can hear the years of joy.
I am a finger-picker.
I have owned 15 Martin guitars since 1961.
I currently have a 2015 00-18V and a 1997 (one of 370), 0000-1.
Your Martin seems to be an extension of you, beautiful and inspiring.
Agreed, I bought a D35 in 1975. It was so white in appearance. After 47 years, it is beautiful. Color is rich and sound so resonate.
I was dead set on getting a D-28, but they're as common as muck. What I didn't realise at first was that the OM-28 is a lot easier to play fingerstyle and sounds better than a D-28 when played fingerstyle; it has a lot more midrange. The D-28 really shines under hard flatpicking which is why they are so popular with bluegrass players, but the OM-28 is a more versatile guitar that responds well to both flatpicking and fingerstyle.
❤ my OM28
I have the same guitar. I bought it on a trip to the Martin factory in 2019. I bought it a plane seat on the way home :) I also have the dark night finish strat... we have similar tastes it appears. BTW, using Elixir 12 strings really brings the guitar to life. I also replaced the bridge with bone.
Mary. Pure joy when you find THE GUITAR. Its upward and onward from here . Awesome.
I’ve never been so early for a video! I’m really looking forward to the new album! Lone Wolf is one of my all time favorites
Wow thank you Adam!
I bought mine years ago (2014/15) from Andertons, a DPA5K, which was marked down because it was slightly bruised on the underside. Best acoustic I've ever played. Very very happy with it.
Even lower level martins without rosewood are made with so much love. I have Martin Road series DRS2. It’s about 4 years old I’ve owned it for 2 and omg it has been through so much hell it’s cracked and glued back, but the sound still makes my brain tingle and it feels like the sound keeps opening. I also use the same strings!!! Just the .12-.54. Martins are just really made different. I love my baby.
I have a Martin OM-21 and it’s 15 yrs old now and sounds wonderful. David
I built a Martin Dreadnaught style guitar many years ago and installed a K&K Trinity pickup in it (3 under-saddle transducer pickups and a mic). When I first plugged it in I didn’t think the pickup/mic was working. I turned off my amp to unplug it to troubleshoot and things just got quieter. The tone was so pure to the original, unplugged guitar that I didn’t even realize it was on. I turned it up and just enjoyed the sound.
For those interested: Engelmann spruce top, East Indian rosewood sides and back, Honduran mahogany neck, ebony fingerboard and bridge, Sperzel locking tuners.
Love the herringbone finishing on this guitar, beautiful.
Hey Mary,
I have been watching your video from last many years. This is the first time I am commenting. Love your work.
Please keep it up. 🙏
I bought a Martin 000-28 in 2018. It came down to it or the OM-28. Fortunately, the store had both in stock so I could try them side by side in a very quiet room. In the end, one just speaks to you more.
My dad bought a yamaha classical guitar in 1969 for my mom and it just gathered dust until my eye caught it at age 14. Now 44 years further it sounds and plays better than many high end expensive guitars..
WOW. What a sweet vignette! Lovely playout at the end. Wonderful stories shared. Thank you ❤️ Cheers 🍺🇬🇧
Hi Mary. I used to own a Martin OM-21. But I sold it during Covid and ended up buying a Yamaha FS5 second hand. Basically a Martin 000-18 in specs. Had an LR Baggs Anthem SL installed and I haven't played any other acoustic since. The FS5 is so punchy, resonant, warm and versatile. Made of good materiales, torrified top, japanese craftmanship and a world class pickup. Every song idea I've been written since april 2021 has been on my Yamaha.
I adore Martin but the Yamaha Red Label series are the best sleeper guitars on the market right now.
I bought my D-28 in 2004 and had the same experience. After a couple of years it started to sound better and better as the years went on. It was "warming" as you said.
So getting you just got my first real Martin a few weeks back after years of dreaming. They're such great instruments and to know that your own Martin is always waiting for you to play any time you like is a sweet feeling.
I've also got an OM-28 as my main acoustic! Definitely the best purchase I've ever made.
I have a string recommendation for you, Mary! Try out the Lifespan 2.0 Bronze strings once and see how you feel. I find that the little bit of extra brightness (compared to phosphor bronze) is really nice for this particular guitar.
Wow! You and that guitar are beautiful!!
Bought my first ever Martin D36 in Edinburgh 2013 and added a LG Briggs pickup - a lovely Acoustic but you should expect that of every and any Martin because cheap they are not. However I took it to Goa India and played it for 6 Months there then back into its hard case for about 4 Months of Monsoon while I travelled round Asia. Returned and to my horror the strings had risen above the fretboard by about 3-4mm and the inner strutting in 3 seperate places had separated. This had never happened to my previous Acoustic a Takamine 360 that had experienced the same routine 4 times. I also realised the LG Briggs a useless pick-up for Gigs in Goa where you would typically get up on stage after someone else but with the same mixer settings meaning it a must you could dial in bass, treble, volume of the pickup system. Anyway i gave the Martin to a profi Guitar shop in Germany on my return but after 2 Months of treatment the original low action could not be returned and I sold it. The happy end to this was discovering and then purchasing a Sigma DR41 and installing a Fishman Blend. This guitar was/is easily as good as my Martin D36 and the Fishman Blend as good as the LR Braggs at a fraction of the cost. In fact for playing solos the Sigma was and is (unplugged) better I found than my old Martin. So impressed was I that when I saw a rare Sigma SDR-41 on sale which is the full body massive high finish version of the Sigma DR41 I jumped at the chance (only 64 made World Wide) and when I too handed it over to the Luthier to insert a Fishman Blend pick-up system he confirmed what I myself believed, he called me after installation to say it was the best Acoustic he had had in his hands for many a year, better than both Martins he owned a D28 and D36 and would I consider selling it to him. I wouldn't but from what I can tell it would be a Martin D42 that is comparable in build quality as a Sigma SDR41 but the sigma HALF as expensive. Guys its all relative and there is no real moral here but if having 40+ years experience playing and owning many acoustic guitars and you are after a dreadnought then you would not be wasting your time trialing a Sigma DR 41/42 against whatever Martin dreadnought you are considering. You might like me discover they are just as good and at least half the price. Certainly agree with Mary that age changes and mostly improves good guitars because over months/years the body contracting and expanding to changing room and climate changes just matures it, mines sounds better after its relatively young 4yrs although it was Steven Stills & David Crosby that reckoned 10 years is required for every Acoustic to reach their best. Love your channel Mary stay safe, take care.
Mary, I moved from a hot humid environment to a cooler dryer one. After a year and a half the tone of my Martin is like night and day. Every day it gets better.
I have a local luthier created violin and HR Pfretzschner Bow that have been with me for over 50 years now. We have all three aged well. Rehaired with Siberian White and the random new bridge and sound post. They are my comfort.
Over the past 3 years I've held 15 different guitars. Bought 9 and gave away 5. My LÂG 30 feels so warm. And what a voice she has. That is my first reach always. Second is the Cordoba.
Fifteen years ago, on a day I was looking for an archtop jazz guitar, I stumbled onto MY guitar. I've owned literally hundreds of guitars, and played maybe thousands more over the last 44 years, but THIS specific J-45 clicked the instant I put my hand on it. I remember thinking "I'm home" as my hand went 'round the neck to lift it off the hooks of the store, along with the thought "Why is MY guitar hanging on the wall of this Guitar Center?" I can understand, intellectually, that the neck contour matches my memory of the necks of two vintage Gibsons I had owned decades before and still missed. I can truthfully say the sound was reminiscent of every vintage Gibson I had ever played or heard and loved - but with a difference that has only grown more pronounced through the years, a breathy, voice-like living quality I connect with.
I actually took nearly a month to give in and buy it - but I literally could not get it out of my head. And then the first night I had this guitar at home, I experienced something I've only ever encountered with well-worn vintage instruments. It's rare, but every so often I've picked up a well-loved, much-played guitar and felt compelled to play things I would not normally play, or with a touch different from my normal style. It was most pronounced with a one-owner '49 D'Angelico I got to play for a few minutes many years ago. This brand-new off-the-wall J-45 has that, and that first night I found myself starting the process of ditching the plectrum completely and shifting from the split between flatpicking and fingerpicking to using my whole right hand in what I jokingly call "bareknuckle guitar."
It desperately needed a setup - the nut slots were more suggestions than actually usable slots, and cutting them deeper cleaned up some minor intonation problems. The dead-as-doornails strings still managed to convey what it could go, but years of playing and finally settling on Pearse Pure Nickel acoustic strings got me to where I found the tone I want and the sound that accompanies my voice the way I hear it in my head. When I finally got up the nerve to release my contribution to the late-night-singer-songwriter-acoustic-guitarist album genre "Midnight Sunroom, " this guitar was featured on nine of the eleven tracks. Even with the primitive recording setup, the guitar sound just nailed me to my chair. It was exactly, precisely how I felt a guitar should sound.
I mentioned I was looking for a jazz guitar, and oddly enough, I found one. All of those lovely jazzy chords come out perfectly from this guitar, as it carries the Gibson archtop DNA in its tone - but it shines in all the other genres I play in as well. It might not be perfect for everything, but it sounds so good trying!
This past weekend I had the opportunity to play a bunch of guitars in a shop. Nothing compared to my '05 J-45. Nothing even comes close. This is my guitar, my favorite guitar of all time, ever.
May you continue to develop a rich partnership with the Martin!
I have a Martin 00-15 and I absolutely love the tone of that guitar.
Just bought a 2011 OM-18 Special-specs are almost the same, but without the binding- I’m a finger stylist also and it is perfect for me.
I have the OM-28 modern deluxe and they are very special guitars. Have a J-40 also when I want more volume. Great video Mary!
I’ve owned only one acoustic for 35 years, a Takamine, and it has aged like a fine wine.
had a friend in high-school (5-6 years ago) who had a Takamine and to this day it is still top 5 in best acoustic guitars IMO good sustain, the clarity of notes individually or in a chord just felt and hit different and it just felt so right to play still not bought one but really want one
Acoustics are often best tested used. The acoustic sound also must fit your voice and picking style. I LOVE Taylor’s, but my voice fits perfectly with my Yamahas. That brighter thinner sound let’s my fuller male voice fill out that lower mid range.
You could almost say it’s a Takawine.
My eldest brother has owned his Takamine dreadnought since the early 70’s and still plays it to this day.
@@braedonmorrissey7548 They actually record really well
I own this guitar, minus the electronics. It's versatile. Looks, sounds and plays like a dream. It's a lifetime guitar. Mary, I'm curious, have you ever toured the Martin factory? If not, I highly recommend it. I'm sure they'd love to see you.
Go away bot. Leave Mary and her fans alone.
Mary one day if you are in Guildford I would love to show you my collection of Martins. I have a 000 custom shop Adirondack cocobolo then a EC 2800 a OMJM a custom OM28 Deluxe VTS and a Brooke Legertwood then recently I acquired a 00-28 and have to say I have played everything from Australian guitars to Furch and Taylor and many many more. Honestly I can vouch all my Martins have Anthem pickups and they are absolutely the finest instruments I have ever owned. Just love them
Course Martin provided the blueprint and rich history that all guitar builders base their own models from. I’d love a Martin but I actually opted for a second hand 12 fret handmade Brook Taw guitar made in Devon. A guitar I really love
It's nice to see a musician on RUclips talking about a dream guitar that could realistically be purchased by most people, and not some expensive vintage guitar.
I recall seeing your video about this guitar from when you got it, and it was one of many pro-Martin videos that influenced me to buy a D-10 for my first acoustic guitar.
I loved what you played in the beginning of your video 💜
It really is special when you find the one guitar that is made for you.
Hi Mary! From the interior of “super natural” British Columbia!
I feel the same way about my 2018, 000-28h (sunburst). My recordings from when it was new sound nothing like it does now. I have 6 Martins, two Guilds, two Gretsch, and a Collings in my acoustic arsenal. My “new” 000 is my go to.
Peace
I know how you feel Mary. I've been playing a Martin OMCE (#83 of 150) with Claro walnut b & s since 2010 and it is my "desert island guitar". Does everything well, plays great and is ageing quite nicely!
My first Martin was triple 0, love them sooo much :)
Beautiful guitar. My personal go-to acoustic is a Martin 000-28. I’ve had it many years. I also love the way these guitars age.
I have 11 electrics and just one acoustic - the om28e. It’s the only acoustic you need. It definitely does sound warmer with age.
I love what you're playing at the guitar
I’ve got a Martin OM-28V. Plays and sounds AMAZING!
Eventhough I am not a Martin OM owner, I do own and play OM (from Furch) and I do really love it.
Thanks for this post, I've the same OM and really enjoy it After sold my D41...different but you are right, for finger style and for singer, it's one of the best guitar ! 😘
Your dream guitar is my dream guitar, I also have an OM28, but I installed the fishman infinity blend pickups. The D28 was too bass heavy and I thought the comparable taylors were too bright... the OM28 to me is the perfect balance of high and lows
Wow. Definitely the most incredible sound I’ve ever heard come out of an acoustic guitar. You made me set my sights on it, will have to look to see if I can find one. Thank you. Hope all is well. Keep doing what you do and being an inspiration to many musicians and songwriters around the world.
I’ve had a Taylor 314 since 2007 but have always loved the Martin sound. Finally decided to get one last month and not being near a dealer, researched UTube and online extensively, thinking that the Martin 00-28 was ideal. I went to Elderly music in Lansing Michigan and compared that model to the 000-28 and couldn’t believe how much better the latter sounded to me. Then I tried the OM-28 and was surprised again- in fact couldn’t even find another guitar that felt or sounded as good to me (by my own playing).
Thank you for articulating my feelings for finger style as well. I feel like I am always having to make excuse for avoiding a plastic pick when I feel as though there is another direction for me.
No excuses are needed. I abandoned the pick about 20 years ago and have never looked back. Playing a melody on top of a bass line (fingerstyle) is very rewarding and well worth learning.
Totally agree with you both. Sure, I strum songs especially covers where the rhythm is so key to the song. But, for me to really enjoy playing and singing, fingerstyle is what truly makes me love playing the song. It’s that connection that Mark describes that connects me to the song. Yeah, I play a ton of John Prine but a surprising number of classic/new rock songs too. And yes, my primary is an HD-35 but a Gibson J-45 is a go-to as well.
I too have an OM28e and it is amazing! It and my HD28 are my favorites. Have a couple Taylor's as well but the Martin is just a different feeling. My OM28 is my couch guitar. Its always around and always makes me smile.
I've owned a 1970 Martin D-18 for many years now. I'm thinking of selling it now because I like the OM size and fingerpicking sound better.
I tried different guitars and my fav is the Martin 000 - 15M full Mahogany :)... but yours is so awesome too :D but u make every guitar sound good for sure...
I own a Martin D28E, probably the most beautiful sound ever. My Taylor 414CE also has an amazing tonal quality.
Mary, I have the shorter scale cousin of your guitar, the 000-18. It’s an incredible instrument. I also enjoy finger style. Been playing for years, but I seem to gravitate back to finger picking. I really enjoy your videos. Do well.
I currently have 3 Martin guitars. In the mid-1970's while I was a grad student I had late 1960's Ventura V-14 Japanese import and decided to look for something better. I considered buying an expertly repaired 1932 Martin OM-18 for $400 but passed it up because it seemed like a lot of money. Finally in 2004 I bought a brand new HD-40 Tom Petty Limited Signature Edition. It took a year or two for the finish to harden. It sounded great new and has only gotten better over time.
Wow, that does sound fantastic. Beautiful guitar. I’m a guitar player and own a custom Taylor 810ce with a rosewood instead of spruce top. After years of break in, it’s so perfect for me. I absolutely love it, so I completely understand the love for your Martin.
I used to live just 7 miles from the Martin factory. Would go there at least once a month to use their ‘picking room’ where they always had models to play. They also have a great tour if you’re ever near Nazareth, Pa.
Love your music. Love Martin. I live a 25 minute drive away from the factory. I photographed Chris Martin for a magazine and everyone there is great people. Nuff said.
Love Martin - I have an OM-28 Marquis - it’s amazing I bought it near the factory in Nazareth PA - really cool place
❤ the channel Mary. I have a D-18 and used those same Martin strings for the longest time until I discovered D'Addario XS Phosphor Bronze strings. Try them if you get a chance (unless Martin is paying you of course!) 😉
A lovely story beautifully told. Thanks for sharing.
Love the Martin OM/0/00/000/etc bodies. They sound so good. Dreadnoughts are sound cannons, but the rounder bodies have more nuance to their tone, especially Martin's versions.
Sounds Beautiful! I have a entourage size Washburn six string I've had for about 25 years now and I bought it used them....... Same effect! Getting warmer....... I've done little mods on it. Bone bridge saddle, replaced the plastic string pins with Black ebony ones....... Things like that.....
Very nice guitar! I play a D 18 Dreadnought with an AER Pickup. I think for fingerstyle a smaller guitar like OM or OOO is the best. Your guitar sounds amazing!
My 2021 D18 is just opening up brilliantly. Also a picker
Mary, like you I have only played finger style guitar. I was born in 1950, and my father got me an archtop Harmony guitar in 1962. I didn't know how to tune in so for the first 6 months to 9 months I just picked the strings and changed until I heard things I liked as a child I would lay on the floor and listen to the strings and watch them vibrate I fell in love with the sound the guitar makes. I bought a Martin CPGPA1 with the Fishman Aura +1 mic modeling software and hardware. The guitar played perfectly with the hardware in it. I have never use a flat pick and I don't know how. When Paul Simon came out with April Come She Will and Kathy's Song, I was already picking on level with those tunes. I am selling the GPCPA1, for 2 guitars, a Martin 00-18 AND Gibson 1942 00-21 Gibson repro...Great sound, just a little more treble on the Gibson. BUT IN THE MEANTIME, I was in my favorite store called Parkway Music in Clifton Park, NY(upstate Adirondacks) A fellow (Luthier) was pushing his guitars. His Name wa George Krakat. I found the dream guitar. It has a sound that is halfway between Gibson and Martin, and plays like a damn dream with probably the highest quality tone and natural sustain I have ever heard. I have one question for you you're sitting back in your place of rest and playing your guitar and it sounds beautiful. what are you recording on I have never been able to get the natural sound of my guitar further than the room mine in because any recorder I use doesn't truly capture it. what am I listening to when you play your guitar in this clip, or I should ask, what gear?
fantastic publicity for Martin all well earned - i have a couple martin customs and they're magical every time - i have had days where after i hit those initial chords, i stop, take a look at the guitar from a short distance and say, wow - wood, glue, no electronics, and it's the most extraordinary thing I own - and will be even if i were a multibillionaire. Especially the OM-28 - I have a custom that has the specs of the OM28-JM - as i said MAGIC!!!!
My much loved Washburn 12-string is my writing instrument. Cywin I call her. She's never been an expensive guitar, but she is the envy of many others. She's probably one of the last made in Chicago before production went overseas. She's temperamental, that is to say if she's in a mood, nobody on Earth can tune her, and if she wants to sing she's ready to rock at the drop of a hat. She's written 13 or more songs for me. She just settles in my lap and something new comes out typically something cheerful. She's a little roadworn. The dry climate in these parts is separating the clearcoat from the wood. Being a 12-string, she had to use a brace to keep the top from rolling. She's grossly ordinary in appearance. She came to me aged, and she's only a little more scarred today. Just the same I dread taking her out anymore. The fog in the finish, the action and tuning stability all argue to treat her gently.
A 12 string is a sound to behold. I find the action the most coveted feature in a steel string acoustic guitar: is awful to attempt to play advanced fingerstyle with a bad set up.
I have a Martin Dreadnaught, Jr. that I bought in 2,015. The top has aged and looks older than it is. The sound is so much better than when I first bought it. I had thought about selling it once. But, it sounds too sweet now and is way too comfortable to play for me to think about parting with it. It’s one of my guitars that now feels like an extension of me.😊
Absolutely. Strumming has always felt, well, just not right. From day one of my guitar journey, it's been fingers. 😊
Wonderful!! I have the exact same guitar but a 2020 and I love playing it so much!!! I agree it seems to warm up....both in tone, color, and beauty.
It's truly an amazing instrument and love hearing you playing it!! You are a joy to listen to!
Hi Mary, re: strings, like you, I put a set of Martin’s light strings on my OM-28 to compare to the Elixer strings I’ve played for some time. I found the Martin strings went well for awhile and then, poof… they dropped off dead/stunted and poor tuning memory … I’ve gone back to the Elixir lights, not Xtra light… and very pleased again. I live a lot of humidity in Tallahassee, FL and always store my pride & joy in its case… all the time, strings oxidize
Thanks Mary, it's a wonderful guitar and back story.
Great video Mary, love your style /approach 👌🏻👊🏻
I just purchased a Martin GPC-16E Rosewood Acoustic-Electric Guitar.
The very first guitar I bought in 1969 was a Martin. One of my teachers worked at the local music store and showed me the guitar. It had been dropped then developed a crack on the top by the bridge. It was only $150 as is.
I finally had a nice guitar that fingered well and sounded great.
This guitar came with me to Southeast Asia, the island of Iwo Jima while in the service. And then into the '80s and grad school. Unfortunately the dry heat of a wood stove during the New England winters finally caused the crack to widen and the bracing to separate. Being a poor grad student and being the son of a cabinet maker, I attempted to replace the top. Alas, my carpentry skills did not make me a luthier although it was "playable".
I soon. bought an Applause entrained by the rounded back and it was affordable.
I drifted away from playing regularly. But 22 years ago this night, A house fire took my wife's life. We lost much, but the Applause guitar (in spite of its damage) and music started our (my two young teenage children and my) recovery.
After we settled into our new home, I purchased a Seagull acoustical. I enjoyed the guitar and joined the folk music group at church. My son now has the Seagull guitar.
I remarried. My second wife joined the group and bought a Taylor 414-CE-L4 once she started taking guitar lessons. After breaking her ankle 8 years ago, we both stopped playing regularly. (I was focusing on live sound for community events.)
When the possibility rose to play at a different church, I noticed the Taylor would not stay in tune. The dry air during winter caused the Taylor's top and back to crack in four places! Taylor recommended a local luthier who identified a previous repair in the guitar's first year.
Seeing this luthier's workmanship of the guitars in his shop makes me wish I had brought my original Martin to a luthier. Ironically, this luthier is a scant dozen miles from where I purchased the original Martin. Ah, hindsight!
Now, it's time for sleep. In the morning I will pick up my new Martin, enjoy the fragrance of the rosewood while attempting to get my 70 year-old fingers to properly fret and pick the strings with the appropriate hands.
I love the mellow tones of this Martin as much as I appreciate the brightness of my wife's Taylor.