Martin "Guitar of the Month" HD-28LE December 1985, Brazilian
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Listed:7 years ago
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Chattanooga, TN, United States
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1985 Martin HD-28LE "December Guitar of the Month" Brazilian Rosewood
Big Price Drop! To my watchers - not sure I'll go much lower. $4350 is a bargain for this guitar.
Wanting to pass this along before the winter gets bad. Shipping in winter can be iffy- temperature and humidity changes.
The Nitty Gritty:
Right off the bat, here are the only three issues: 1) This is a playable guitar - action is regular with Lights, it gets on the medium-high side with Med-Lights; this guitar probably can't handle Mediums. The guitar will certainly need a neck reset to maintain playability in the long run. Martin built this model without a truss rod, which makes it light and loud, but it means it will need a neck reset, the first in its life since 1985. 2) There is a finish crease behind the bridge. For about a half inch, the laquer is not even. This is not a threat to the seam separating. There is no issue with wood or humidity. It's almost not worth mentioning, but honesty is the best policy. In the past, I've bought a used a Santa Cruz guitar with the same existing issue. 3) Pickguard is shrinking and lifting in some spots. Martin sprayed the laquer over the pickguard, so this is expected, and you could argue that it adds to the pre-war authenticity.
There are Brazilian dreads going for $8k-15k, so I feel this is priced right, given the eventual neck reset. This will beat the pants off any Collings braz dread. Video link is not this guitar, but it is a model that is essentially the same and gives a great example of the tone.
Diverse tone. Incredible instrument. Would make a great companion to a singer songwriter. Notes are full of overtones and clarity, for fingerpickers. And of course, with a flatpick, it's freakishly loud and growly with a bark to behold. Feels like you're playing a pre-war herringbone; whisks you away to a different time.
You're thinking to yourself, why doesn't the seller just get the neck reset done? My answer - wouldn't you rather have the work done by them - they set it to your action preferences - than have me pay a luthier to do it; although, I, too, have a luthier whom I trust and whom I know would do great work on this.
This is a remarkably light guitar due to the fact that Martin built it without a truss rod. When I think rosewood, I think bulky and heavy. This feels like a D-18 in your lap.
The Specs:
1.75" nut
2 3/8" saddle spacing
Neck is a big V neck shape. The neck is even bigger than the Modified V that Martin is doing. I'm 5'11" and have average size hands. At times, the neck can be too big for me when playing lead lines or more of a hybrid. But for strumming, it feels great.
From a book called - The Martin Book by Walter Carter, it documents this HD-28LE as being:
Scalloped bracing, X brace 1" in from the soundhole, aging toner on top, herringbone top purfling, tortoiseshell pickguard under the finish, white bridgepins with red dots, V-neck, slotted diamond inlay, square peghead. 1 of 87 made. Label signed by both C.F.Martin III & the IV (rare!).
These were more-or-less the predecessor of the modern day Authentic series. In the early 80's Martin released a D-28V that is almost exactly like this model.
Unsure of exact top spruce. Guessing Sitka although I have seen some info online that says it could be Englemann or even Adirondack. I think there is too much cross-silking for it to be Adi.
The Condition:
Very carefully maintained and well-cared for guitar. One small ding on the headstock near the Martin logo. One inch finish mark on the top, lower bout. One finish streak by the pickguard. All three of these are in the last three photos.
No pickup or strap button have been installed. Frets are in great shape. Bridge pins are a really banged up, but they are original. I would recommend finding replacement pins. Original Grover tuners that work well. They are old, but they work. Rectangular rosewood bride plate. Ivoroid binding is stunning. There is maybe a 1/16" gap in the top binding, towards the lower bout near the butt wedge, which is also ivoroid material.
The Sound:
The tone and EQ is very much a "smiley face." Big and growly bass, but sparkly trebles. Warm and boomy. The video is a very close example of what this sounds like. The one in the video is slightly brighter sounding than mine.
The Case:
Hardshell case is in great shape. 4 latches, 1 is a little fidgety. The case opens all the way flat, probably a Martin/Gieb design flaw. (No fabric strap or anything to keep it at the typical "60% open" angle.)
The Story:
These models were built with EIR and there are only a handful around with Brazilian. For some other 80's models, like the HD-28SE, it was only a $600 increase on retail price to order it with Brazilian. But as you can see, it's a great cut of Brazilian. There are noticeable Brazilian "swirls." This rosewood is also a lighter brown than the EIR sets used in the 80's. The prior owner confirmed with Mike Longworth back in 1991 while visiting the factory, that it is indeed Brazilian. I'm guessing the Brazilian was leftover from the shipment Martin got in the early 1980's (which they used on D-28V, 150th anniversary models, and others.)
Well-respected luthier, Dan Lashbrook, worked on one of the very few ones of this model that has Brazilian. Search in Youtube: "1985 HD-28V Lashbrook" - Dan accidentally mis-labeled the model name.
The Summary:
Hoping to pass this along to someone who will be an incredibly happy singer-songwriter, bluegrasser picker, or guitar collector. Lower 48 shipping only. Happy to provide more pics if needed.
Big Price Drop! To my watchers - not sure I'll go much lower. $4350 is a bargain for this guitar.
Wanting to pass this along before the winter gets bad. Shipping in winter can be iffy- temperature and humidity changes.
The Nitty Gritty:
Right off the bat, here are the only three issues: 1) This is a playable guitar - action is regular with Lights, it gets on the medium-high side with Med-Lights; this guitar probably can't handle Mediums. The guitar will certainly need a neck reset to maintain playability in the long run. Martin built this model without a truss rod, which makes it light and loud, but it means it will need a neck reset, the first in its life since 1985. 2) There is a finish crease behind the bridge. For about a half inch, the laquer is not even. This is not a threat to the seam separating. There is no issue with wood or humidity. It's almost not worth mentioning, but honesty is the best policy. In the past, I've bought a used a Santa Cruz guitar with the same existing issue. 3) Pickguard is shrinking and lifting in some spots. Martin sprayed the laquer over the pickguard, so this is expected, and you could argue that it adds to the pre-war authenticity.
There are Brazilian dreads going for $8k-15k, so I feel this is priced right, given the eventual neck reset. This will beat the pants off any Collings braz dread. Video link is not this guitar, but it is a model that is essentially the same and gives a great example of the tone.
Diverse tone. Incredible instrument. Would make a great companion to a singer songwriter. Notes are full of overtones and clarity, for fingerpickers. And of course, with a flatpick, it's freakishly loud and growly with a bark to behold. Feels like you're playing a pre-war herringbone; whisks you away to a different time.
You're thinking to yourself, why doesn't the seller just get the neck reset done? My answer - wouldn't you rather have the work done by them - they set it to your action preferences - than have me pay a luthier to do it; although, I, too, have a luthier whom I trust and whom I know would do great work on this.
This is a remarkably light guitar due to the fact that Martin built it without a truss rod. When I think rosewood, I think bulky and heavy. This feels like a D-18 in your lap.
The Specs:
1.75" nut
2 3/8" saddle spacing
Neck is a big V neck shape. The neck is even bigger than the Modified V that Martin is doing. I'm 5'11" and have average size hands. At times, the neck can be too big for me when playing lead lines or more of a hybrid. But for strumming, it feels great.
From a book called - The Martin Book by Walter Carter, it documents this HD-28LE as being:
Scalloped bracing, X brace 1" in from the soundhole, aging toner on top, herringbone top purfling, tortoiseshell pickguard under the finish, white bridgepins with red dots, V-neck, slotted diamond inlay, square peghead. 1 of 87 made. Label signed by both C.F.Martin III & the IV (rare!).
These were more-or-less the predecessor of the modern day Authentic series. In the early 80's Martin released a D-28V that is almost exactly like this model.
Unsure of exact top spruce. Guessing Sitka although I have seen some info online that says it could be Englemann or even Adirondack. I think there is too much cross-silking for it to be Adi.
The Condition:
Very carefully maintained and well-cared for guitar. One small ding on the headstock near the Martin logo. One inch finish mark on the top, lower bout. One finish streak by the pickguard. All three of these are in the last three photos.
No pickup or strap button have been installed. Frets are in great shape. Bridge pins are a really banged up, but they are original. I would recommend finding replacement pins. Original Grover tuners that work well. They are old, but they work. Rectangular rosewood bride plate. Ivoroid binding is stunning. There is maybe a 1/16" gap in the top binding, towards the lower bout near the butt wedge, which is also ivoroid material.
The Sound:
The tone and EQ is very much a "smiley face." Big and growly bass, but sparkly trebles. Warm and boomy. The video is a very close example of what this sounds like. The one in the video is slightly brighter sounding than mine.
The Case:
Hardshell case is in great shape. 4 latches, 1 is a little fidgety. The case opens all the way flat, probably a Martin/Gieb design flaw. (No fabric strap or anything to keep it at the typical "60% open" angle.)
The Story:
These models were built with EIR and there are only a handful around with Brazilian. For some other 80's models, like the HD-28SE, it was only a $600 increase on retail price to order it with Brazilian. But as you can see, it's a great cut of Brazilian. There are noticeable Brazilian "swirls." This rosewood is also a lighter brown than the EIR sets used in the 80's. The prior owner confirmed with Mike Longworth back in 1991 while visiting the factory, that it is indeed Brazilian. I'm guessing the Brazilian was leftover from the shipment Martin got in the early 1980's (which they used on D-28V, 150th anniversary models, and others.)
Well-respected luthier, Dan Lashbrook, worked on one of the very few ones of this model that has Brazilian. Search in Youtube: "1985 HD-28V Lashbrook" - Dan accidentally mis-labeled the model name.
The Summary:
Hoping to pass this along to someone who will be an incredibly happy singer-songwriter, bluegrasser picker, or guitar collector. Lower 48 shipping only. Happy to provide more pics if needed.
| Listed | 7 years ago |
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| Condition | Very Good (Used) Very Good items may show a few slight marks or scratches but are fully functional and in overall great shape.Learn more |
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