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Date: Sun, 14 Sep 2003 13:05:35 EDT
Subject: D-28 or HD-28 AHHHHHHHH!

Hi, Mickey.

I'm relatively a novice regarding Martin guitars. I have owned 2 Taylors (612c, 810). Where I loved the extreme playability of these guitars, I must admit that they seem to lack personal 'voices', if you will. Even with different body shapes, they tend to sound the same. Anyway after learning that Michael Hedges main guitar was always that D-28 that he called 'Barbara', and after hearing Benjamin Woolman play one on a song of his called 'Soul Discovery', I decided to give Martin a serious investigation. Needless to say, I am very pleased with the sound of the '28's. The salesman explained that they can file down the bridge to accomodate my playing style a bit. Here's my dilema. Unfortunately, I do need to be cost conscious; but, I don't want to cheat myself out of the appropriate instrument for me. The HD-28 is definitely more responsive to more subtle fingerstyle playing, and I'm sure that it will open up with flatpicking; but, I hear that it might be challenging to control the 'bottom' in a recording situation. The basic non-scalloped D-28 sounded tighter, even choked when played in fingerstyle; but the salesman did say that it also will respond well to more aggresive playing. He also said that both guitars have much more 'headroom' per se, and will not breakup if played or strummed hard like a Taylor Dreadnought might. The bottom line is that financially, I'm drawn to the slightly more conservative basic D-28, as it would cost me about $400 less; but, once again, I don't want to make a long term mistake. I want the most versatile instrument for both complex fingerpicking and strumming/flatpicking. Eventually, I will either install a Sunrize and soundboard pickups, or I believe it's the fishman pickup with a mic that reaches into the body for live performance. For recording, I currently plan on just playing the guitar in a small room into an awesome Marshall Labs Condenser Mic that I just acquired. I appreciate your insite regarding the 2 models.

Grace and Peace,
Frank  

Greetings Frank,

I personally like the scalloped bracing of the HD-28...more responsive with less effort in the attack...it will give you more dynamic range from light to dark. Additionally, I like the versatility that the HD-28 offers as applied to most any style...the D-28 seems like a solid, one-horse, flatpicking guitar period.

Wishing you the best in your research efforts.

Mickey

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Subject: Adjustments to M-36
Date: Tue, 20 Aug 2002 10:28:24 -0400

MIckey: Just a little news about the work I just had done on my M-36. It's now
the finest-sounding flattop on the planet -- or so I like to think. I found
some new friends on the Unofficial Martin Guitar Forum, a website that you might find
very interesting. One of the members is from a town near me, and we're going to
get together and play soon. Another has already been over to my place for
Guinness and bluegrass. The Forum is a great place for this sort of thing. One of
these two guys recommended a luthier near here who'd done a lot of work on his
Martins and who had his complete trust. I called him and he not only quoted me a
price lower than that of the anonymous music store repairman but said that he
could do the work on a Saturday while I watched. Can't beat that.

Went up to this little town in Maryland south of Baltimore.
Found the guy's house and brought my guitar downstairs to his
shop. I knew immediately that this guy knew what he was doing.
He had a box filled with segments of what he called (ironically)
"vintage cow bone," which is what the supplier called it. He thought
that that was pretty stupid, but the supplier promised that it
was harder than ordinary bone. Bunch of baloney, but that's what
we chose. I was going to leave and kill two hours, but he invited
me to stay and watch. It was fascinating to watch a really skilled
craftsman at work. He measured the distance of the strings from the
fingerboard so that he could exactly reproduce the action, which is
what I wanted. I helped choose the bone pieces: I found a nice
thick piece for the nut. When he looked at the nut, he said that
the factory had done a bad job on it. The strings sat in deep grooves;
this can cause strings to break or wear out quickly. Exactly half
the diameter of the string should sit above the nut. And the bridge
had a wooden shim under it ! I had forgotten about that; it was
put there by the guys at the store where I bought it and had it
adjusted. That was certainly dampening the sound.

Enough details. When I took the thing in, I left the old dead
strings on. When he'd finished working on it (he'd left the
strings on but simply loosened them) they sounded brand new !
The guitar is louder, clearer, better sustain, much more
treble, and overall just sounds wonderful. I'm delighted and
excited. Cost me exactly a hundred bucks. Well worth it.
I now have bone pins, saddle and nut and a little guitar that
sounds like a D-35. It's amazing. I love the Martin Guitar
Forum -- that's where I first read about these replacement parts.
Still can't understand why they're not standard equipment. They're
so cheap and the plastic has to be shaped and cut and sanded
just like bone. It's a mystery.

Hope that you're well. Sorry for the extra-long e-mail but thought that
you might find my little story interesting. Deeply in love with my M-36.

All the best Mickey. Jim

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Subject: M-38s still in production !
Date: Mon, 12 Aug 2002 14:17:57 -0400

Always good to hear from you Mickey. I have been lurking around
the Unofficial Martin Guitar Forum (address below, in case you
don't already know about it: I have learned a great deal from it)
and I have been reading about all these beautiful HD-35s and HD-28s
and it's giving me what they call "gas," or "guitar acquisition
syndrome." I'm having quite an attack right now. I would love to
own an HD-35 --- but I'd have to trade in my M-36, and I won't part
with it. Incidentally, there is now a small crack in the top. And
the worst part is that I think that I caused it by pressing the bridge
pins in with too much force. It's a small crack, and I'm pretty sure
that it's in the wood, since it follows the grain. I know that these
cracks don't affect tone or value, but it still makes me sick to
think that I did it. I was trying to force in a new camel bone bridge
pin. I bought a set of camel bone pines a couple of weeks ago and they have
--- to my great surprise --- made a huge difference in the sound of the
guitar. It's louder and brighter. Next Saturday I'm taking the guitar
to a well-respected luthier near here for a bone saddle and nut. Can't
wait to hear how that sounds.

Incidentally, I discovered that Martin is STILL making the M-38 (Hooray !)
They're doing so as a custom job for Elderly Instruments in Lansing, MI.
Selling at a discount price of around 2,000 dollars. They are calling them
the 0000-38, and they still have in their catalogue a standard series
0000-28H, which must be very similar in sound: scalloped bracing, etc. Finally,
there's the Shawn Colvin Signature model, which you may have seen. It's basically a
mahogany M-36, though the middle wood strip in the back is rosewood.
Interesting and odd combination. I'd love to hear one of these, and I'd love to get my
hands on an HD-35. Perhaps someday I'll have the money to add that to my
collection.

Thanks for writing Mickey: always great to hear from you. Best wishes,
and don't worry, that M-36 is always going to be mine ---- Jim Girsch

Here's the web address of the UMGF; let me know what you think of it:
http://pub125.ezboard.com/btheunofficialmartinguitarforum

J Girsch

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Date: Tue, 30 Jul 2002 13:32:55 -0400

Thanks Mickey. I will definitely hang on to my M-36, but
I must say that I'm wishing that its treble end sound were
brighter. Just had a visit from a friend who brought his
new 000-16RGT model, the lower-end stuff, to play with me.
His instrument is beautiful -- no "ageing toner" on the top,
so a nice, clear bright spruce. The sound: wonderful, with
clear bright treble and plenty of bass. His guitar stood right
up to my M-36, though my bass booms like that of a Dreadnaught.
I'm just a little dissatisfied, but nothing's perfect, and
I certainly wouldn't trade guitars with my friend. Mine is
clearly a first-rate instrument. I'm hoping that a bone
saddle and nut will make the treble clearer. Many thanks
again for answering my note. All the best, Jim Girsch
PS: Do you believe Martin's claim that the 3-piece back
really does boost the bass? My little guitar has amazingly
loud and powerful bass response.

Greetings Jim,

I wasn't sure if I answered your last question:

I'm not sure about Martin's claim about the bass response being affected by the 3-piece back. I believe the first dreadnaught introduced with a 3-piece back was the D-35...it has a wonderful appearance...and, my original D-35 did have a powerful bass response. I do miss that guitar...so, whatever you do, don't ever let go of your M-36...or guaranteed, you will have sellers remorse.

At your disposal, Mickey

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Subject: M-36 or M-38 ?
Date: Thu, 25 Jul 2002 14:23:27 -0400

Mickey: I have been thinking -- and with all your experience you'd be the
man to ask -- should I swap my M-36 for an M-38?

Not if you're happy with your M-36...

I wonder what the differences in sound are?

I know that my M-38 is well balanced with crystal clear highs...it does not have the bottom end of a dreadnaught...

The M-36 has that 3-piece back in rosewood, and Martin claims that it
boosts the bass. Does your M-38 have a booming bass?

Nope...it has a clear bass...and a powerful bass...but not a booming bass.

My M-36 surely does. But I think that the treble is a little muddy. I would love to hear your M-38. Another guitar
that intrigues me, which you perhaps have some knowledge of, is the J series.

Not really...I'd love to play a few...we have been working on going on board with Martin...

They have the same body contours as the M's, but a deeper D-style body depth. I wonder
whether I shouldn't look for a J or "Jumbo" Martin. I should probably just be happy
with what I have -- it's really quite wonderful --- but Guitar Acquisition
Syndrome (GAS ) is easy to catch and hard to shake. Thanks Mickey. Talk to you later.


I'd most definitely keep the M-36...I cannot believe you were able to acquire it as new...this means you're the original owner...that makes it even more special.


Jim

Glad to help...Mickey

James M. Girsch, Ph.D.

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Subject: Note from Girsch: Micarta and Unofficial Martin Guitar Forum website
Date: Thu, 25 Jul 2002 12:47:53 -0400

Mickey: thanks very much for the advice about Micarta. I know
how to spell it because I have now read so much about it ! An old guitar-picking pal of mine, someone with whom I learned
to play, is flying in today for a visit. He's bringing his new
Martin 00-16RGT with him: flatpicking fun. His guitar has
a Micarta fingerboard, bridge, and saddle. He loves the thing,
even though it's a "low-end" Martin, as they say it. That's
what's important: being in love with your instrument. I may
try some camel bone bridge pins for 20 bucks just for fun.
A lot of people who post things on the Unofficial Martin Guitar
Forum swear that bone pins improve the sound of their guitars.
Do you know about the UMGF site? I'll send you the web address
just in case. I have learned a great deal from it. It's great:
you get discussions and arguments (not quarrels but reasoned
discourse) and lots of opinions and information there. Some
real guitar nuts there who know all kinds of arcane stuff.
Thanks again for writing and hope that all is well. Wish to God
that I had the money for an HD-35. I have always wanted a D-35,
but the way things are going, doesn't look like I'm ever
going to get it. Good thing that I love my M-36 so much.
It's really a gem I think. Best wishes, Jim

If you don't know about this site, take a look. It's worth it:
http://pub125.ezboard.com/btheunofficialmartinguitarforum

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Subject: Note to Mickey: Water Buffalo, Camel Bone, Ebony Bridge Pins
Date: Wed, 24 Jul 2002 14:08:33 -0400

Mickey: I have been lurking around the Unofficial Martin Guitar Forum
quite a bit lately, and I have picked up a lot of opinions regarding
replacing
stock saddles, nuts, and even bridge pins with ivory, cow-bone, water
buffalo horn, and more. What in your opinion is best? I can't afford
fossilized walrus ivory, though I do like the idea of sth. really old as
part of my M-36.

Another question, which I posted on the site and have not yet gotten
any response to yet: why does a company like Martin, which makes such
fine instruments, use so much damned plastic on them? Why in the world
don't they use real wood for bindings, as some of the minor makers do?
I would really much rather have maple binding on my guitar than "ivoroid."
What do you think? Do Folk of the Wood sell real ivory or bone pieces
for replacement of some of that plastic?

Hope that all is well with you. Jim

James M. Girsch, Ph.D.

Greetings James,

I personally like the Micarta...My M-38 has this type of material installed for both the saddle and the nut...Fortunately, everything's still in tact and there's no need to change out the nut or saddle. I haven't tried any of the materials you have listed above...therefore, can not truly pass judgment. I love keeping all my vintage instruments original if at all possible.

I agree...I do like the wood bindings found on many other handmade guitars...in all practicality though, the plastic is more functional in that it does protect against bumps; whereas, the wood binding would dent easily.

Your M-36 should have Micarda...as does mine...yes, this is a synthetic material...however, it isn't plastic...it serves very well as a bone substitute...it effectively transcribes the vibration as well as any bone materials that I've tried in the past...

Thanks for staying in touch...My ultimate suggestion, keep it original. Sincerely, Mickey

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Subject: Note from the M-36 Guy
Date: Thu, 27 Jun 2002 12:51:50 -0400

Mickey: Thanks a lot for the note. Marty is crazy about you
and your Folk of the Wood. He's gone completely nuts over
his dobro, to the extent that he's neglecting his D-28 - and that's
a very special instrument with an amazing full rich sound.

I have five brothers, four of whom play bluegrass. One, Chris,
lives in Japan. He found a wonderful old D-28 there. It's amazing
how much the Japanese love bluegrass. Chris has played in a number
of bands over there during the past 20 years. He's definitely one
of the best guitarists I've ever played with. Brother Marty is right
up there with his HD-28. I love jamming with both of them. Brother
Bill plays 5-string banjo and is working on the mandolin, and brother
John is now the owner of the Guild D-50 that I got for high school
graduation in 1968. It's a real vintage instrument now, and he's
had it completely refurbished. It's a gem that I gave him when I
stopped playing guitar back in about 1976. Exactly 20 years later
I started up again with my new Martin M-36, and I doubt that I'll
ever give it up again. It's a beautiful thing to hear a flatpicked
guitar. Incidentally, when I'm not playing but rather listening, I
listen almost exclusively to classical music, especially string
quartets and Bach's stuff for solo violin and solo cello. But when
I play, it's flatpicking.

I heard a recording in the early 80's of Chet Atkins playing the Beatles'
"Lady Madonna," and it really knocked me out. I have been trying
ever since to figure out a good arrangement of that tune, and one
promising start has the low E string tuned down to D so that the
bass runs can be played properly. This is in the key of A. Any
ideas or have you heard this Atkins rendition?

I have heard a rendition of Lady Madonna by Chet...in fact, it was originally arranged by John Knowles...and, I happened to have learned it all the way through. It was not in a drop-D tuning...it was in the key of A...and had a walking bass line throughout similar to the original Beatles arrangement. John Knowles has a book out with this arrangment. I'm not sure it's still in print. It was originally published by Mel Bay under the title: "Sittin' Back Pickin'"...you may find a copy on Ebay.


Many thanks for the information. That is one beautiful M-38 you have
there and it must have years of great memories attached. It's been great
learning about my M-36 from you and chatting too. I shall never part
with it. But I would like to hear one of Martins "J" series jumbos, with the
"M" body but dreadnought depth.

Many thanks to you also...I enjoyed talking Martins and Chet with you...

On the J series Martins: there will be far more reverberation with a bassier tonality...it will not have the balance you're enjoying on your M-36.

Keep on Pickin', Mickey

All good wishes, Jim

James M. Girsch, Ph.D.

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Date: Wed, 10 Jul 2002 21:46:23 -0400

Mickey,

I have a guitar question. How does a Martin D-15 handle when used for flatpicking? I've heard that the Martin D-15 is especially good for fingerpicking, but I wasn't sure if that meant that it might actually be bad for flatpicking. From looking at your site, I see that you have a used D-15. Do you think you could answer my question. Hope this doesn't take up too much of your time.

Thanks,

-Brian

http://www.bluegrassweb.net

Greetings Brian,

I would not recommend a mahogany top Martin for flatpicking. It would be somewhat too mellow and lack the projection of a spruce top. A mahogany top guitar is sweeter in tone and great for fingerstyle medium. When flatpicking within a bluegrass context, volume is of the essence. And, the standard has been set with spruce top Martins...The D-15 is still a nice guitar for a variety of styles; however, it would not have the volume necessary for a bluegrass setting.

Hope this helps...Mickey

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Subject: Martin M-36
Date: Tue, 25 Jun 2002 12:45:27 -0400


Greetings,

Glad to assist if I can:

Dear Mickey: I own a beautiful Martin M-36, and it's I think the
nicest-sounding
acoustic I have ever played. It's certainly up there in the top three.

Congratulations! This is the best Martin ever made...in my humble opinion (I'm referring to the M series of course)...I'm completely at a loss on why Martin would discontinue this series. I happen to own a M-38 that I dearly love. What a great guitar? It offers a balanced tone along with tremendous playability. I played it for 6-nights-a-week at Cattleman's Steakhouse in Fabens, Texas for 12 years straight (no vacations)...and, this guitar held up very well...it's not necessarily good for bluegrass, but it serves well for a variety of styles...and holds it own in a bluegrass context. The Breedlove dreadnaught would be far more powerful...and even louder.

Now I have been trying to trace its origins and I have learned that Martin produced the M-36 from 1978 to 1987. The serial number inside the instrument indicates that it was made in 1987 --- but I bought the instrument new in 1996 from Herb David Guitars in Ann Arbor MI. It smelled new, had not a scratch on it, looked new, was new.

Yet it can't have been made any later than 1987 if the serial number series that I have consulted (two of them on the net) are correct. Question then ---
did Martin hold this guitar back for nine years before shipping it out? If so, why? At the store, when I bought the instrument, I gathered that it had not been in the store all that long, for one of the salesmen told me after I had paid for it that all the employees in the store had their eye on it and all wanted to buy it. It's an amazing guitar ---stands right up to my brothers' vintage D-28's. I know that the M-size body, or 0000, Grand Auditorium, is supposed to be best for fingerpickers, but I play bluegrass on it with a very stiff flatpick and the guitar speaks just the way I want it to.

That's all that counts...if it works for you, ignore the consensus.

I'm not sure why yours was held back so far...there may have been a stockpile found at the factory which was redistributed. This is only conjecture...consider yourself very fortunate to have stumbled into it.

PS: I am curious about your M-38. What's the difference between the M-36 and
M-38, if you can spare the time to answer?

I introduced my response, to this e-mail, bringing up my M-38; I had no idea you already knew that I owned one. I believe these are the exact same guitars...other than appointments. Mine has a rosewood bridge and a ebony fretboard. Additionally, it has the abalone rosette which sets it off very tastefully aesthetically....it also has Indian rosewood back and sides and a mahogany neck...it has a purfling center stripe dividing up the two-piece back. It's completely binded with white/black/white trim...the D-28 diamond is located on the back of the headstock where it meets the neck. Schaller tuners...I understand that the M Series came with scalloped bracing...at least mine does...I purchased mine used in the '80s and was told that it was a '70s model...serial number: 398356. I just now looked it up in the "Blue Book of Acoustic Guitars" which states that mine is a 1977 model. So, was the M-38 introduced before the '78 M-36?

Thanks a million. I have been all over the web looking for answers and finally found you. My brother swears by y'all.
He bought his dobro from you last year and really liked the way you do business.

Glad to assist...and be sure to tell your brother hi...

Hope all is well with him...

Hope that my question is not too involved and long. Many thanks. Post PS:
do you sell strings by mail order?

Sure...however, I'd recommend buying them bulk for cost effectiveness...try Just Strings at http://www.juststrings.com

Hope this helps...hang on to that M-36...I don't want to ever hear that you sold it. And, welcome to the exclusive and rare M Series club...Mickey

James M. Girsch, Ph.D.

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