Martin Guitars - HD 28 Semiquincentennial

The rich, full-bodied acoustic sound of the Martin HD-28 Semiquincentennial fills the room from the very first strum. The recycled Sitka spruce top with a high-gloss finish enhances the projection. A 5/16" (7.94 mm) forward-biased X-brace with a GE-Scalloped profile, crafted from spruce, allows the vibrations to flow freely. The natural-coloured East Indian rosewood back and sides deliver rich bass tones. The Style 28 multi-strip rosette, the gloss finish on the back and sides, the multi-strip back inlay, the HD Zig Zag back purfling with a black stripe, and the antique white top binding complete the aesthetic. A heel piece crafted from Basking Ridge white oak with a multi-band inlay supports the Dreadnought-shaped body. The ebony bridge, in the GE Modern Belly shape, features bone tuning pegs with black plastic tips. The bone saddle, with a radius of 16" (406.40 mm), is paired with a bridge string spacing of 2 5/32" (53.18 mm). The Authentic Acoustic Lifespan 2.0 medium phosphor bronze strings pass through the soundhole. With no pickguard, the top vibrates freely without being obstructed by electronics or pickups.

The neck-to-body joint at the 14th fret features a glued-in neck with a dovetail joint. The selected dark mahogany hardwood neck features a GE Modified Low Oval profile with a satin finish. Its High-Performance Taper is combined with a scale length of 25.4" (645.16 mm). The 20-fret ebony fingerboard has a width of 2 1/8" (53.98 mm) at the 12th fret, with no fingerboard binding. A 1.75" (44.45 mm) bone nut guides the playing. Semiquincentennial star inlays in paua shell and mother-of-pearl on the fingerboard are complemented by white dot side inlays. The ebony headplate, without a headstock binding, features a solid shape with a square taper and diamond-shaped cutaways. Open-back nickel tuning machines with Butterbean knobs complement the nickel hardware.

This edition, illustrated by the artist Robert Goetzl, is aimed at collectors, with a limited run of 250 instruments. An embossed Semiquincentennial label, numbered out of 250, certifies the model. The instrument is factory-set using the PLEK system, is available in a left-handed version and comes with a limited lifetime warranty. It is transported safely in its moulded hard case.