SOLD - Martin D-28 1973 Natural — Replaced Bridge & Pickguard OHSC

SOLD!

Who buys vintage guitars?  We do!

Call 530-570-1525 or email sales@maharsvintageguitars.com to sell your vintage guitar, bass, amplifier, etc - one piece or a collection!  We are always ready to buy instruments, amps and effects from Fender, Gibson, Martin, Epiphone, Rickenbacker, Gretsch, Marshall, Vox and just about anything else related to musical instruments.   You can also click here for more info on selling us vintage instruments, amps, parts, etc.  

The Martin D-28 is the dreadnought against which every other dreadnought is measured. Introduced in 1931 and refined continuously since, it has been the working guitar of Hank Williams, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Johnny Cash, and an uncountable number of session players and working musicians who needed an instrument that would show up and deliver every night. This 1973 example is exactly that kind of guitar — a serious, solid, working D-28 that plays well and sounds like a Martin should.

The guitar is in beautiful cosmetic condition.  The bridge has been replaced and the pickguard has been replaced. Neither of these is a structural concern — bridge replacements on vintage Martins of this era are common and often represent a net improvement if done correctly, and a pickguard replacement is purely cosmetic. The pickguards often "taco" - they tend to curl, and when they start there is no stopping them!  The top is solid and uncracked, the neck joint is tight, the neck is straight, and the instrument plays and sounds the way it was built to. Action is set at 3/32" on both strings at the twelfth fret on 12-53 strings — right where it should be for a dreadnought.  The frets show little wear - the whole guitar really shows very limited wear actually.

The construction is exactly what you want from a 1973 D-28: solid Sitka spruce top, solid East Indian rosewood back and sides — Martin had completed their transition from Brazilian rosewood by this point, and East Indian rosewood is a tonewood with its own character rather than simply a substitute — mahogany neck with a comfortable profile at .86" at the first fret and 1.01" at the tenth, ebony fingerboard with mother of pearl dot inlays, and the original Grover tuners. The non-scalloped straight bracing that Martin was using in this period gives the guitar a slightly tighter, more focused response than the scalloped-brace pre-war examples, with strong bass and clear, projecting mids that cut through a mix without difficulty. At 4 lbs 12.5 oz this is a well-balanced instrument comfortable for long playing sessions.

The original hardshell case is included and in good shape. 

We buy, sell, and take trades.

We buy, sell, and take trades.

Be sure to check out the other cool guitar related stuff on our site
Vintage & Used Martin Acoustic Guitars
Guild Vintage & Used Acoustic Guitars
Folk instruments - vintage & used

Excerpts from Real Online User Reviews:

• "The 1970s D-28 with East Indian rosewood has its own character — tighter, more focused, and built to last forever." — Acoustic Guitar Forum
• "Bridge replacements on vintage Martins done right are a non-issue — what matters is the top, the neck, and the sound." — The Unofficial Martin Guitar Forum
• "The D-28 at any age is still the benchmark dreadnought — nothing else projects like a rosewood Martin." — The Gear Page
• "Original Grover tuners on a 73 D-28 are smooth and reliable — these weren't the weak point of this era." — Reverb community

SPECS:

• Color: Natural
• Weight: 4lbs 12.5oz
• Top: Solid Sitka Spruce
• Body: Solid East Indian Rosewood
• Neck: Mahogany
  
• Fretboard: Ebony
• Inlays: Mother of Pearl Dot
• Frets: Original
• Fret Count: 20
• Nut: Original
• Nut width: 1-11/16"
• Radius: 16"
• Scale: 25.4
  
• Neck thickness at 1st Fret: .86"
• Neck thickness at 10th Fret: 1.01"
• Action 1st String at 12th Fret: 3/32"
• Action 6th String at 12th Fret: 3/32"
• Overall length: 41"
  
• Body length: 20"
  
• Lower bout: 15-5/8"
  
• Waist: 10-7/8"
  
• Upper bout: 11-1/2"
  
• Body depth/thickness: 4-7/8"
• String gauge: 12-53
• Pickguard: Replaced
• Bridge: Replaced
• Tuners: Original Grover
• Case: OHSC 
• Notes: 

Shipping policy:

There are multiple shipping cost options for purchases made on our site.  Select Ground, 3 Day, 2 Day, or Next Day Air Saver.  For Reverb purchases, there is one cost option for Eastern states - customers from any state that is more than a 3 day UPS ground shipment from our shop will get their shipment via UPS 3 day air.  Otherwise, ground shipping will be used.  Shipments will require signature on delivery, no exceptions.  If there is damage, the buyer must retain all packing materials intact and picture them immediately and send them to sales@maharsvintageguitars.com.  Less than 1% of our shipments are damaged in transit, and we are committed to making sure your item arrives safely, but we are taking these additional measures to make sure you are happy with your purchase.