Martin: The Sounds & Players of the D-28 Dreadnought Acoustic

Martin’s origins date back all the way to 1833, when the company was founded in New York City. The company moved locations shortly thereafter and quickly established itself as a leading manufacturer of acoustics, flat-top guitars, and ukuleles. They are one of the oldest family-owned brands in American history and a titan in the guitar industry.

Many models have entered and left the lineup, and Martin has also produced electric guitars, basses, mandolins, and more. Although there is some contention, it is widely believed that Martin invented the now-common X brace system for acoustic guitar bodies, which greatly improves their rigidity.

What guitarists use Martin guitars?

Martin guitars have been a part of countless creative processes over the decades. Listing the number of famous and visionary musicians who chose a Martin as their acoustic companion would be outrageously long, but here are a few of the highlights to showcase its pedigree:

  • Johnny Cash
  • Bob Dylan
  • Nick Drake
  • Paul McCartney
  • Lindsay Buckingham
  • Van Morrison
  • Neil Young

The list quite literally could go on and on. The folk music scene of the mid-20th century had a huge part in making the Martin D-28 the iconic acoustic guitar it is today, but has also been used regularly by artists such as John Mayer, Noel Gallagher, Chris Cornell, and John Frusciante.

What makes the Martin D-28 special?

Martin guitars have featured across popular music for nearly a century, but their story goes much further back than that. While we’ve seen Martin guitars in use by artists for decades at this point, given that the company was founded in 1833, nearly 200 years ago, this means that Martin acoustic guitars have been, as Martin themselves describe, ‘strummed by Civil War soldiers around campfires’. That is quite a cool concept to think about indeed.

To have a musical instrument with such a special and historical DNA is incredibly rare, and something that makes every Martin a special affair. The dreadnought D-28, in particular, is prized for its ability to project effectively and well-rounded tone, and is one of the most popular acoustic guitars ever produced.

Joni Mitchell: Joni Mitchell’s Chelsea Morning (1969)

Joni Mitchell’s Martin D-28 has a legendary story to it. Known as her ‘dear one’, this Martin was previously owned by a military veteran who served in the Vietnam War. It is alleged that the guitar sustained damage when the soldier’s tent was fired upon, and shrapnel hit the guitar. Joni believes that this accounts in some part to the unique tone and feel of the acoustic, and it became a staple part of her sound throughout the early records. This specific guitar was unfortunately damaged during air travel and was stolen shortly after.

Mitchell’s Chelsea Morning is the second track of her second album Clouds, though it was actually written before even her debut released to the public. The song is in E major, and Joni has her D-28 tuned to DADF#AD with a capo on the second fret. It makes heavy use of open strings as she slides between the broken chords.

Here is Paul Davids, a popular YouTube musician, who showcases the versatility and beauty of this open D tuning on a – you guessed it – Martin dreadnought acoustic.

John Lennon: The Beatles’ Dear Prudence (1968)

Dear Prudence is a beautiful addition to the legendary White Album and is led by Lennon’s droning fingerpicked Martin D-28. The specific technique Lennon uses is called clawhammer picking, which is a common fingerpicking style that focuses on a continual back-and-forth between your thumb and fingers. We’ve chosen the intro of the song, which features a 4-bar descending phrase that ends in a brief 2/4 bar, finally resting on the main droning progression that features throughout.

Take a look at the tab above and note the number of notes per bar. We have 12 notes to fit into a 4-beat bar. Our pattern is essentially going to thumb+fourth finger, index, middle, thumb, middle, index, and repeat throughout. Listen to the song to get a feel for the timing of the notes and practice slowly to get a hang of it.

Elvis Presley: Elvis Presley’s Blue Suede Shoes (1956)

Featured on the album cover itself of a young Elvis Presley’s debut record, this iconic D-28 has featured in several of Presley’s early works. Played in great contrast to our previous two picks, Elvis played hard and heavy rock n’ roll music, slamming chords over the top of drums and a full band.

The first track and one of his most famous, Blue Suede Shoes, showcases exactly how he approached playing his Martin. It’s a fast and rowdy number that sees a call-and-response verse between his vocals and guitar, leading into a full band chorus. This 12-bar blues number is played in the key of A and focuses on quick percussive strums during the verse.

The Bottom Line

Martin guitars stand as one of the true greats in the acoustic guitar industry. It goes beyond simply crafting high-quality guitars for nearly 200 years; Martin guitars have taken on an almost mythical persona. The numerous stories of Martin D-28s and the musicians who played them continue to reverberate and only grow more fascinating as time passes.

They’re among the most regarded of all acoustic brands and have contributed to timeless recordings from the most influential artists time and time again. A Martin guitar feels bigger than a purchase; it feels like the start of a new journey.

If you’re interested in trying a Martin D-28, get in touch with us at GuitarGuys and arrange a visit to our showroom.