Martin D28 vs HD28 vs HD35 - What's the Best Rosewood Martin Dreadnought? 

I just wanted to thank you guys for all those videos you did over the years. It’s always been very informative and a lot of fun. Always, before I buy a new guitar I look through your library of videos. Wish I could order from you guys, but no shipping to Germany. One day I’ll visit Montana and stop by Music Villa - for sure. Merry Christmas to both of you!

D28 has snap that is why I bought one.

This video came out at a perfect time. My brother and I are looking at the difference between the hd28 and hd35. The hd35 sounds really boomy but still articulate and crisp.

Excellent video. I did the exact same comparison a few years back. Took the HD35 home.

Wow, the differences really "popped" at the end of the video. One of the most informative guitar review videos I have ever watched. I search my inbox every day for another Acoustic Letter review. Thanks for the time and effort required to make this happen. BTW, I too am a big fan of scallops!

Very nice comparison for "stock" Martin Rosewood back & sides dreadnought. Yes there are higher numbered Martin's BUT try one or more of the Music Villa Custom Shop guitars...I really like them. Thanks Paul and Quinton

Best guitar reviews on RU-vid - legends! Really love that HD-35, it sounds very similar to my Guild D-55.

Thanks, guys! I'm in the market for an upgrade and am leaning toward the HD-35. So cool...

Always loved those big ole HD 35's. Can't beat that big bass response. My Dad has one. I've always preferred guitars with a bound fretboard board as well. Such a clean and virtually inexpensive extra on an already qualify instrument.

HD 28 for me....just! Always look forward to these guys' reviews whatever guitars they chose. They come across as being really good friends. Quinton is an excellent player and Paul knows knows the technical details. Love it sometimes when Paul looks a little miffed when Quinton plays or talks over him....

Great comparison. You can tell the difference. Wonderful guitars. Thank you

I am a firm believer that tone is subjective. To my ears the HD-35 is the one I would choose. Even though I’m a D-18 person.🎶

Most people are saying the HD's are better. They do sound more brilliant but notice in the section starting at 10:00, the D28 has the most clarity. With the HD28 and especially the HD35, you can barely even hear those hammer ons.

After travelling to multiple music stores that featured many hundreds of instruments, I had it narrowed to about 20 various models but dreadnought shape moved three to the lead voices. Then I quit playing and comparing and asked sales folks to play them as I stood back thirty feet. Then a non descript HD28 won out for my ear preference.

The HD35 really grabbed me by the ears! I like the balance of the tone. I first thought that my ears would go for the D28. Cool!

I had a dilemma of what guitar to buy next, I ended up with a second hand D28 to go along side my D15,but was interested in the scalloped bracing element so I also bought a second hand D18, and that’s the guitar I play most 👍

They are all incredible, but the punchiness of the D28 is the best to my ear. All the hammer-ons and runs just pop right out on the D28 but get lost on the other two. I wish you had a D35 to throw into the comparison as well.

Since the D-28 gets played first, and cognitive bias being what it is, it becomes the benchmark to which the HD-28 and HD-35 are compared. The HD-28 is darker, more muted in tone all around. The HD-35 is lighter on the low end, and brighter on the high end. It is as if sliders on a parametric EQ are being shifted. (This is my take -- YMMV.)

Awesome comparison. Would be great to see pre-2018 hd28 vs 2018 hd28 comparison!

All sound amazing!!

I bought a D 28 before really understanding the differences, but I am not disappointed. I love my D 28. I play mostly finger style

Seems to be more sympathetic resonance in the HDs (chorus/reverb type fill) I couldn’t tell much difference between HD28/HD35 except the volume was noticeably higher. All sounded great. Personally, I own the HD28 Sunburst. With Retro 13s tuned 1/2 step down, sounds majestic. Great sustain, great resonance, full sound. Any of these would be a great guitar for most players.

I really like the Pickguard from the HD-28, soundwise to me it is the winner too.

Really happy I went with the D-28 Standard recently. Has plenty of bass and seems more balanced.

HD35 seems most balanced across the spectrum. Could just be these particular examples.

Paul said what I was thinking when he announced, this was a comparison that needed to be done, especially for those wanting to know which stock Martin Dreadnaught to chose. All 3 models subtly different with the HD28 probably hitting middle ground, the 28 best for picking, HD35 wins the strumming.

Great video here. I'm going to cast my vote for the HD 35.....what about the laser leveling of the frets? This could be my next guitar.

Sounds like the HD35 beats them all. Well balanced.

Excellent presentation. At one time or another I owned them all. Other than the obvious adornments I never knew about the variations in the bracing. So, discounting the custom shop, what happens other than glitz to the Martin D42 and D45. Are there any other upgrades to woods, etc.? The tour of the Matin factory leads one to believe that the selected spruce wood matching at the beginning of production rejects abnormalities but don't separate specific pieces for the upper D models. I always thought that all of that adornment with glue and abalone would negatively effect the tonal characteristics of the top and neck. 😊

The HD-35 has just the most immediate sound. You can dig into it but I like that you can use the soft touch too. Plus I am a sucker for binding on the neck. :)

You guy did a really good job.🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼 it would be great if you do D35 vs HD53

One thing I miss is the aesthetic on the old D28's. I'm a bit unusual in that I prefer the simple black & white binding and I also liked the black pickguard better. To each his own I guess.

The 35 sure sounded deeper in my nearfield speakers. So that came across.

LOVE my HD 35, i have several Gibsons and haven't taken them out of the case in 25 years since i bought my hd 35

That HD-35 sounds excellent!! Nicely balanced, flat response. It sounds like there's a perfect EQ curve to the frequencies. The HD-28 is far too boomy, like it's way too close to the mic and the D28 was just fine but a tad midrange-y compared with the HD-35, which again sounded fantastic here.

What do you think of the Martin Dreadnought that has a 1-11/16" nut with Modified V-neck?

D18. It's the only one you will ever need. Every number thereafter is bling. One Strat. One happy man.

I ended up buying the D28 modern deluxe. Much more pleasant to hold and play. Plus it’s so lightweight

Low end response goes up with the HD28 then more with the HD35. The D28 has a stronger top. I believe in the past Martin had warranty issues with scalloped braced D28s and didn’t build them for a while then came back with the HD28 & 35 with scalloped bracing.

HD 28 is the best-balanced, very nice. Somebody please buy me one.

Hi I recently bought HD28 after listening to a lot of reviews. I like the tone and resonance a lot, but when I play some notes using my thumb, it just dies out very untimely, almost sounds like a thump. It is prominent on E notes and other notes closer to it on the lower strings, like 12th fret on 6th string, 7th fret on 5th string and 2nd fret on 3rd string. What is it? Could it be fixed any way? I also have same problem with another guitar I own called Merida SPOMCES with solid cedar top, but it is mostly lower G notes and notes around it. I spent a fortune (for me at least) on HD28, but I am a bit disheartened with it. The problem is I got it through a friend in the USA here in another side of the world, and I can't go back to the store to check if it was only my guitar's issue. A luthier here told me about Merdia that it happend because of high resonance of the note and the top just dampens it. Could be the same with the HD28 too? 😢 I would appreciate your any thoughts about it.

the guitars look good and sound good. you wouldn't think there would be such noticeable differences but there are. If I lived near Boseman, MT I could have several hours trying to decide which of these three beauties I'd have. Sadly, there's the Atlantic Ocean and 2/3rds of the continental US between us. I greatly enjoy the videos.

Love all 3 but happy I have the D35

I was looking for an older, “ broken in” guitar, but I finally gave up and bought a brand new HD35. I spent several hours going back and forth between a D28, D35, and my final choice, my HD35. All of them sounded and played beautifully, but I kept going back to the HD35. I usually do a solo act, and the fullness and bottom end of the HD35 really works for me. I recently did a completly acoustic gig with 4 other musicians, in an old 1890 era church with no electricity. I recieved several comments about how my guitar really stood out from the others as far as volume, richness, and overall sound. I have had this guitar for about 3 years now, and after being played a lot, it is really starting to open up with that beautiful Martin sound that I was looking for!

Ultimate guitar battle. Want all 3 for different reasons

I really want the hd35 now!!!

what about the thickness of the tops are they all the same thickness si the thickness of the hd35 a little thickner to comensate for the 1/4 bracing just curious

Obviously it’s the 35 that sounds the best. To my ear on my iPad it is clear. Thanks guys

Love it. Liking that d-35

I wonder what the difference in longevity will be between the un-scalloped and scalloped bracing... how long before the tops start to lift ?!!

what was that pick that quinton use?

Great video but it would have been great to include the D35 in this comparison.

I owned a D28, HD28 and a D42, and the D42 blew the other away with ease. It was not even close. I do not understand why none of these comparison videos even mention the D42..... EVER!!

For me it's the boom, bass, and the look of the hd 28 n' 35!

I love my HD 28. I got it because the louder sound and because I play for fun, so the difficulty in recording with a mic doesn't apply. Makes the herringbone spec my preferred choice over the standard.

The D28 standard truly is the gold standard. To my ears it has the widest dynamic range that doesn’t get overpowered by bass.

Have you ever done a comparison of best cutaway guitars out there? In your video list I could only find comparisons among models of one manufacturer, but among different manufacturers.

After tried D28, HD28,D35 and HD35, ended up I chose the D35.

D28

A lot depends on how heavy your right hand is. When I was young I had a very heavy right hand - played very hard. The standard D-28 suited my style to a T. I can hear clearer note separation with it here when it is played hard. But, when playing a little softer the HD-35 takes the tone prize for sure. The HD-28 is a sort of good compromise I'd say. All of this is relative to these brand new guitars. In a few years? Who knows? Things could change.

Great comparison. My DX1RAE still plays amazing as it ha really has opened up. But one day!!

Iam Looking for a new guitar these three caught my ear, question I have the forward bracing and the thinner bracing on the HD35 and some on the HD28 the longevity of the top at the bridge and behind it, on older guitars after years there is some bowing going on, are my o worries over nothing, Iam Looking at either the HD28 or 35??

That HD35 is soooo sweet!!! Wow!

About HD-28, I just got mine from local music store. They asked me to wait for 1 month for them to do the set-up as it needs this period to climatize. Is this always the case that is not setup when it came out from Martin ? Thanks

The D-35 is Martins best kept secret. I thought I wanted an HD-35 until I played the HD and the D side by side. Since purchasing my D-35 2 years ago I almost never play any of my other guitars.

I am lucky enough to own both an HD28(2015) and an HD35 (1980) I love both instruments, neither have a pick up installed- Looking for advice as too which guitar would be a better candidate for a pickup and what would be a choice p/u? Im a strummer, -

It's not just the bracing. Individual guitars with the same bracing will vary.

One omission, the HD35 has a 3 piece back. When I bought my first Martin, I went through a test process on all 3 of these guitars. I took maybe 2 months to decide. OK, they did mention the 3 piece back. The truth is, for most people, any of the 3 would be a fine choice.

Glad I bought my 2008 Martin D-28 Marquis when I did. Now discontinued.

I would love to see an HD-28 vs D-35 video. I haven’t been in a shop with both side by side to compare, but I bet the HD-28’s scalloped 3/8” braces would sound *very* similar to the D-35’s un-scalloped 1/4” bracing. So curious to hear.

I would just go D18 GE. Or d18 ge custom with an Swiss alpine Spruce Top. Which will get you the best of both worlds. Or go d18 authentic. Jmo obviously. I like rosewood in smaller guitars like a Martin 000-28

After hearing the HD 35 the other two although sounding amazing don't quite match up. Imo.

Is the d35 smaller than the rest?

I picked up a used custom shop d41 last year. I thought it was fairly standard, just with an adirondack top and slightly wider neck. I figured it had standard x bracing because it was listed as a 2012. Turns out, it was basically an hd35 under the hood. Thinner forward shifted Adi bracing with the Adi top and two piece back. Now I'm wondering why Martin have never made a more blingy 40 series with three piece back

D 35 is so rich and balanced…sounds amazing!

For the most part I like the HD28 better. The 35 can sound too busy at times

I play Bass , So i lean naturally to the 35 , The 28 sounds so clean and crisp , Hey ill take both !!

Different with these models, is obvious. Thx of sharing.

I had a d35 after it aged it sounded muddy no matter what strings I used .I now have a d28 because of that.

I wish I could buy a new one without the yellow toner 🤦‍♂️. I was told I have to order through the custom shop for more money just to get clear natural finish and that’s ridiculous. I like the natural color of the spruce top and not yellow. I’m not alone on that either. I love Martins but come on Martin at least give us a choice

I'm a novice, but that HD35 sounds very bright to me, like a Taylor might sound.

These guys are really good - kinda backwoods scary - but very good.

Wast toll the end of vid that I could tell the diff. In the focus of the guitars clearly

It’s absolutely between the HDs for me, but the 35 is the clear standout. They both sound far more open.

D28 is classic!

My ears love the HD35, my eyes love the HD28, but my heart and mind want the D28.

Johnny Cash never pounded his 35, but boy you could hear it here like no tomorrow. Even with crap speakers what a Roman cannon....lol...give me that 35....

You left out the best one. D-35

Actual sound comparison starts 6:00 in

they should do a video with same guitar different stings

Still by far the most awkward duo on RU-vid. Awesome.

That’s tough. At varying times, each one sounded best to me

I don't eat scallops, I'm vegetarian. I'm also Martinivorous! I would eat all three of these at one sitting, but my appetite for Martins has always been bigger than my wallet. So give me that D28, and a coke! I own a 1975 D28 that I bought brand new for under $700. I'm partial to D28's but I really like the one above over the HD28, and tht HD35

super

Splitting hairs.. They're all gorgeous guitars.

I just went to the website and it says "HD 35" ....SOLD OUT...

Just bought an HD -35 and it just hums like a bird

My choice the J-40.

I personally would LOVE to see a comparison to cheaper guitars like the Art & Lutherie Americana...I own both, a D28 and an Art & Lutherie Americana Bourbon Burst. What I can say is that the Art & Lutherie is much easier to handle, and for that price class the sound is amazing and for my ears it can easily keep up with the D28...

Had you included the modern Deluxe you would have had a true full comparison. Oh well maybe next time