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Post subject: Fender verses a Martin
Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2010 2:38 pm
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I am thinking about getting my husband a new guitar for Christmas.
He has an Ovation now. Used to play a Fender Bass in a band years ago.
He has always talked about the Martin-D28. How do you think a Fender Acoustic guitar would compare to a Martin?
Any input would be appreciated.


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Post subject: Re: Fender verses a Martin
Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2010 3:57 pm
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sammy22 wrote:
I am thinking about getting my husband a new guitar for Christmas.
He has an Ovation now. Used to play a Fender Bass in a band years ago.
He has always talked about the Martin-D28. How do you think a Fender Acoustic guitar would compare to a Martin?
Any input would be appreciated.


Hi Sammy, and welcome!

IMO, a Martin D-28 is one of the finest acoustic guitars ever made and is infinitely superior to any Ovation.

As to Fender acoustics (and I'll say this as diplomatically as I can), they are a step down from any Ovation.

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Post subject: Fender verses a Martin
Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2010 4:35 pm
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Thanks for your input! I am somewhat of a guitar neophyte as you might be able to tell. I kind of had a suspicion that Martins were the mercedes of guitars. The Ovation could then become a hand me down to yours truly! :)


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Post subject: Re: Fender verses a Martin
Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2010 5:34 pm
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sammy22 wrote:
Thanks for your input! I am somewhat of a guitar neophyte as you might be able to tell. I kind of had a suspicion that Martins were the mercedes of guitars. The Ovation could then become a hand me down to yours truly! :)


You're welcome; sounds like a plan with the Ovation!

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Post subject:
Posted: Sat Oct 16, 2010 7:43 pm
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Welcome Sammy! While the Martin D28 is one of the greatest guitars ever made may I suggest a Blueridge, Morgan Monroe, or Takamine. These are very comparable to the Martin but at a portion of the price. By all means if you are finacially sound enough to get him the Martin he will love you even more for it but if not he is sure to appreciate the more affordable alternative.


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Post subject:
Posted: Sat Oct 16, 2010 7:44 pm
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Double post deleted


Last edited by 6twang on Mon Nov 22, 2010 7:42 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject:
Posted: Sun Nov 21, 2010 10:38 pm
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Martins are good but not what they used to be. After EC and unplugged in the mid 90s the quality of wood used in CF Martins has declined greatly due to shortages worlwide for tone woods, and the popularity of the Acoustic Guitar. Along with mass production of guitars and more models to choose from the high end guitars are being made with lower quality wood. Thus, for the quality of tone wood used in a new D-28 is not a great value as it was back before the mid 90s.

A company called Taylor Guitars has great sounding guitars for that price range. If you can find a Martin D-28 built before 1995 it will cost a lot, but it will be (or is) a colectors item and the value will be exponentally grater in years to come than the recent Martins. If you can find a good used D-28 as an investment that would be great.

However, before investing a lot of $$$ in a high end guitar I would consult with the future owner. His taste and how he plays is an important factor. All guitars have a feel to them that the player likes or dislikes, i.e., the feel of the neck, frets, radius of the fingerboard,how the body feels under the arm, do the fingers get tired because of the thickness of the neck or the action of the strings? These questions are subjective and only the player knows.

Or, is this guitar an investment to have and pass on or used to make money?

If buying used, and paying a lot, you should consult someone with guitar knowledge who knows if the neck has been reset, or if it was refretted, and other things which affect the playability, condition, and value of a vintage instrument.

Sorry for TMI, got carried away.


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Posted: Mon Nov 22, 2010 10:20 am
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I recommend checking out Taylor and Takamine. Both companies built excellent acoustic instruments!!

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Post subject: Re:
Posted: Sat May 28, 2011 2:34 am
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CAFeathers wrote:
I recommend checking out Taylor and Takamine. Both companies built excellent acoustic instruments!!


I think that Fender now owns Takamine. Anyway they are great guitars for the money. A vintage Martin is more for a collector than a player IMO.


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Post subject: Re: Fender verses a Martin
Posted: Thu Jun 30, 2011 2:21 am
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I have both Fender and Martin guitars. I don't think they stand comparison. A Martin is a Martin and a Fender is a Fender. They're meant for different things and they do different things. It's a very tough choice between the two.


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Post subject: Re: Fender verses a Martin
Posted: Tue Jul 26, 2011 12:34 pm
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sammy22 wrote:
I am thinking about getting my husband a new guitar for Christmas.
He has an Ovation now. Used to play a Fender Bass in a band years ago.
He has always talked about the Martin-D28. How do you think a Fender Acoustic guitar would compare to a Martin?
Any input would be appreciated.


This is funny because I just bought a Martin OMCPA4 Performance Series on Saturday and I can tell you right now that after spending a few hours comparing all kinds of acoustic guitars, the Taylor's which I originally wanted to buy sounded really thin and way too bright compared to the Martins I tried. I ran the full gamut. The Martin model I bought was in my budget, made in Nazareth, Pa, and is guaranteed for life. The top sides and neck are solid tone woods. I tried a D28 and is was beautiful sounding and playing, but more than I really wanted to spend. I needed something that had a pickup in it for performing in some of the acoustic shows I just started playing in as well as not making me cry too hard if something ever happened to it. I also tried, Parkwood, Epi Masterbuilt, Takamine, and the Martin won hands down. There's a lot of nonsense going on about the quality of different woods. The fingerboards and bridges on some lower and mid range models are being made of Richlite which is a composite of paper and resin. I don't mind it. It feels a little like Ebony and sounds just fine. What nice about the Taylor guitars is the neck, the sound was just really thin and harsh to my ears. I was really disappointed. Also even at the $900 mark, I was still looking at laminates. The Martin I bought was about $1200.

As far as Fender acoustics and many others, like Ibanez and other lower end guitars go, I would look for an instrument with a Sitka Spruce top, solid wood sides and neck. Fender uses laminates in most if not all their guitars. The Epi Masterbuilt are all wood but just lack something and are made in China.

Anyway I would have no reservations recommending a D-28 at all. They are still hand built in Pa, and sound and look stunning.

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Post subject: Re: Fender verses a Martin
Posted: Tue May 08, 2012 9:30 am
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63supro wrote:
sammy22 wrote:
I am thinking about getting my husband a new guitar for Christmas.
He has an Ovation now. Used to play a Fender Bass in a band years ago.
He has always talked about the Martin-D28. How do you think a Fender Acoustic guitar would compare to a Martin?
Any input would be appreciated.


This is funny because I just bought a Martin OMCPA4 Performance Series on Saturday and I can tell you right now that after spending a few hours comparing all kinds of acoustic guitars, the Taylor's which I originally wanted to buy sounded really thin and way too bright compared to the Martins I tried. I ran the full gamut. The Martin model I bought was in my budget, made in Nazareth, Pa, and is guaranteed for life. The top sides and neck are solid tone woods. I tried a D28 and is was beautiful sounding and playing, but more than I really wanted to spend. I needed something that had a pickup in it for performing in some of the acoustic shows I just started playing in as well as not making me cry too hard if something ever happened to it. I also tried, Parkwood, Epi Masterbuilt, Takamine, and the Martin won hands down. There's a lot of nonsense going on about the quality of different woods. The fingerboards and bridges on some lower and mid range models are being made of Richlite which is a composite of paper and resin. I don't mind it. It feels a little like Ebony and sounds just fine. What nice about the Taylor guitars is the neck, the sound was just really thin and harsh to my ears. I was really disappointed. Also even at the $900 mark, I was still looking at laminates. The Martin I bought was about $1200.

As far as Fender acoustics and many others, like Ibanez and other lower end guitars go, I would look for an instrument with a Sitka Spruce top, solid wood sides and neck. Fender uses laminates in most if not all their guitars. The Epi Masterbuilt are all wood but just lack something and are made in China.

Anyway I would have no reservations recommending a D-28 at all. They are still hand built in Pa, and sound and look stunning.


That Fender uses laminate in all their guitars is not true....even cheap ones have a solid spruce top..the exeptions are the Tbucket and CD60 and probably some of the classic guitars. solid wood in the body back and sides is not usual unless u buy a very expensive guitar. the cheapest Taylor and Martins uses laminate in the back and sides too.


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Post subject: Re: Fender verses a Martin
Posted: Tue May 08, 2012 12:49 pm
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Tone wise, I'd take even a Mexican Martin X series over a Fender acoustic. Fender has never been that much of a player in the acoustic guitar arena. Laminates are one thing, but build quality and tone are another. Martin has been at it a long, long time. Not all Martin guitars are real expensive. I just tried a Martin 12 string X series that was under $500 that sounded and played better than a Breedlove and Takamine 12's that were almost twice the price. The funny thing was the Martin had HPL back and sides, a stratabond neck and black richlite fingerboard. The only solid piece of wood was the top. No glossy finish, but played like a dream.

It all boils down to what you call expensive. I paid $1200 for my Martin. It's a quality instrument made in Nazareth Pa which is less than an hour from my home, not in China or Korea.
The Fender acoustics are pretty much in line with Ibanez and some of the Epiphones. I originally started looking at the Epi Masterbuilt but was seriously disappointed. In the $400-500 range, I'd still lean toward Martin. What they lack in glossy finish, they make up for in tone. I'm also a fan of Fishman electronics.
Just my opinion YMMV. Bottom line is get what you like and can afford, but check out all possibilities in acoustic guitar land and try some lower end Breedlove, Taylor, Martin etc. They've been building acoustic guitars longer and can make a cardboard box sound good.

If you're more into looks and than sound, go with Fender, Ibanez, Carlo Robelli....
Believe me I have a few budget acoustics and for the money I've spent on them, I could have had the Martin a long time ago.

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Post subject: Re: Fender verses a Martin
Posted: Sun Jul 01, 2012 5:48 pm
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Tone is subjective. I heard a friend play his Martin parlor guitar and the piezo pickup was crap. Ironically, My Fender acoustic with the Fishman pickup sounded much better through the same PA. I leave my Gibson Hummingbird at home when I play out. My wife found the Fender at a Goodwill store. It sounds great when I'm playing out. The action is great too. So just because it has a big name doesn't mean it'll perform as well. PS. the audience doesn't care. Playing just at home, a parlor guitar is real handy.


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Post subject: Re: Fender verses a Martin
Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2012 5:55 am
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Tone IS subjective. But to compare a Fender Acoustic to a Martin or Gibson is pretty funny. Martin Guitar has been building acoustic instruments for over 175 years. What model Martin did your friend have with the piezo pickup? Martin has been using Fishman Transducers for quite a while. You can even get the $350 "Little Martin" with a Fishman system. The PA system, or even his settings that he liked, may have sounded like crap.

I have a few cheap acoustics, one is an 72 Ibanez Concord, made from solid woods, sitka spruce top and rosewood back and sides, and it doesn't outperform my Martin, none of my lower end acoustics do. I never expected them to.

As far as the audience goes, you never know who's sitting in it. As for me, if it sounds like arse, I leave. In the 45 years I've been playing and the 30 years I've been gigging, I always thought the audience deserved the best show we could possibly give them. They care a lot more than you think. I've played everything from tiny bars to weddings to festival crowds, anything to make a buck, and always felt we gave them a good show.

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