C.F. Martin & Co D-28 2025

A Legendary Dreadnought, Revisited in the Standard Series

The D-28 is an absolute reference for American folk sound: its "dreadnought" shape was established in the 1930s, and its spruce/rosewood pairing has become an industry-wide standard. Made in Nazareth, Pennsylvania, following traditional lutherie (dovetail joint, X-bracing), this D-28 Golden Era belongs to the modernized Standard series, featuring subtle but audible updates: GE bracing, angled nut, "diamond" transition at the headstock, refined heel, and redesigned Modern Belly bridge.

Who Is It For, and Which Styles?

This Martin is aimed at intermediate to expert guitarists seeking a high-end acoustic, powerful and expressive, equally suited for pick playing and fingerpicking. It excels in folk, country, singer-songwriter, bluegrass, and pop/rock accompaniment: a guitar that naturally holds its place in the mix, with a solid foundation and strong authority in both rhythm and arpeggios.

Sound Characteristics

The solid Sitka spruce top delivers attack, clarity, and a wide dynamic range, ideal for varying playing intensity. The solid East Indian rosewood back and sides enrich the spectrum with deep lows, bright highs, and generous harmonics, producing a full, "piano-like" sound. The Golden Era X-bracing (forward shifted, non-scalloped) promotes a livelier response and increased projection, while the dovetail neck joint enhances resonance and sustain. The result: an immediately recognizable tone, balanced yet robust, designed to fill a room effortlessly.

Recommended Compatible Accessories

To stay as close as possible to the original feel, you can choose a set of phosphor bronze steel strings with a Medium gauge, like the factory-installed model: Martin SP Acoustic 92/8 Phosphor Bronze Medium (MSP4200). A guitar humidifier is also recommended to protect the solid woods during seasonal changes.

Technical specifications

Category	Steel String Shaped Body	Fingerboard	Ebony
Format	Dreadnought	Nbrs of frets	20
Left handed	No	Headstock	East Indian rosewood
Cutaway	No	Neck Type	Glued
Strings	Steel	Electroacoustic	No
Nbr of strings	6	Color	Natural
Top	Spruce	Finishing	Glossy
Neck	Selected wood	Hardware	Nickel

Body Shape	Dreadnought	Finish	Gloss
Back & Sides	Solid East Indian Rosewood	Neck Shape	Modified Low Oval
Bracing	X	Body/Neck Joint	Glued, dovetail joint, 14th fret
Top Bracing Type	Forward shifted, non-scalloped	Inlays	Mother of Pearl
Top Braces	Sitka Spruce	Number of Frets	20
Rosette	Multi-ring	Scale Length	25.39" / 645 mm
Pickguard	Tortoise shell style	Radius	16" / 406.4 mm
Bridge	Ebony	Nut Width	1.75" / 44.40 mm
Bridge Type	Mounted, modern belly style	Fingerboard Width at 12th Fret	2.13" / 54 mm
Bridge Pins	White plastic	Nuts	Compensated Bone
Binding	Antique White	Neck Finish	Satin