Martin D18 vs D28 – Battle Of The Dreadnoughts

It is well-known that Martin makes some of the best acoustic guitars in the world. If you’re looking into a Martin guitar, you have probably heard about the legendary Martin D-18 and D-28 models. 

These guitars may look similar on the outside, but they have several distinct differences in their construction and sound. I have played a lot of Martin guitars in my life, and both of these guitars stand as some of the best I have ever played. 

To understand how they compare, we have to take a closer look at both of them. 

We have done all of the homework for you, so read on!

Martin D18 vs. D28 Acoustic Guitar: A Head-to-Head Comparison

Summary (if you’re in a hurry!)

Both the D-18 and the D-28 were created in 1931 and both are still built in the USA from premium tonewoods. The D-18 was the most affordable high-quality dreadnought acoustic guitar on the market at the time and both guitars became hits with guitar players in just a short time. 

Both guitars are made from similar woods. The Martin D-18 is constructed of a hardwood neck with a solid Sitka spruce top and mahogany back and sides. The D-28 has a hardwood neck, a Sitka spruce top, and East Indian rosewood back and sides. 

Here are other ways they compare and contrast:

	D-18	D-28
Sound	Bright, crisp tone	Darker and warmer
Appearance	Lighter shade	Darker shade
Bracing	Scalloped bracing	Forward-shifted bracing
Cost		More expensive than the D-18

Scalloped Bracing vs Straight Bracing Using Martin as an Example

Bluegrass musicians love both models. This is because they require a guitar that produces a loud, full sound without sounding muddy and Martin guitars are known for producing clear sounds at loud volumes. This allows them to cut through a mix of other instruments without an amplifier. 

You want a Martin D-18 if you like a brighter tone with more high-mids and crisp bass. Choose a D-28 if you want a rich, mid-forward tone with a warmer bass response. Both are great for rhythm playing and soloing. 

Now, let’s take a closer look at the specs, design, construction, and sound of these two legends, as well as pricing information.

Key Specs for Martin D-18 and D-28

Specifications	Martin D-18	Martin D-28
Body Shape	Dreadnought	Dreadnought
Back & Sides	Mahogany	East Indian Rosewood
Top	Sitka Spruce	Sitka Spruce
Neck	Hardwood	Hardwood
Finish	Gloss	Gloss
Bracing	X Scalloped	Forward Shifted X
Binding	Tortoise-colored	Antique white
Neck Radius	16”	16”
Fingerboard	Ebony	Ebony
Inlays	Old Style 18	Mother-of-Pearl dots
Number of frets	20	20
Scale Length	25.4”	25.4”
Nut Width	1.75”	1.75”
Nut/Saddle	Bone/Bone	Bone/Bone
Tuning Machines	Nickel open gear	Nickel open gear
Body Length	20”	20”
Body Width	15.6”	15.6”
Body Depth	4.8”	4.8”
Overall Length	40.5”	40.5”

Design & Materials

Shape & Size

Both the D-18 and the D-28 are dreadnought guitars. They are large-bodied guitars with a body length of 20”, a body width of 15.6”, and a body depth of 4.8”. They have a 25.4” scale length, and the overall length is 40.5”.

Materials & Construction

The Martin D-18 is constructed with:

• Solid mahogany back and sides.
• Solid Sitka spruce top.
• Ebony fingerboard.
• Select hardwood neck.

I inquired about the “select hardwood” neck, and a Martin representative told me it could be mahogany, utile, or another suitable hardwood, depending on what they had in stock at the time of manufacturing. 

The D-28 is built from the following:

• Solid East Indian rosewood back and sides.
• Solid Sitka spruce top.
• Ebony fingerboard.
• Select hardwood neck.

Hardware

The nut and saddle of both models are made from bone. This allows for an excellent transfer of vibration from the strings and adds volume. The nickel open-gear tuners and the nickel frets are the same on both models. 

Playability & Neck Profile

If both guitars are set up identically, they will feel and play nearly the same. The fingerboard width and neck profile are the same on both models, as are the other dimensions that would affect playability. 

They are both made of solid wood, so they will both respond to humidity the same way, too. This typically causes the guitars to drift out of tune as the wood swells slightly in humid conditions. However, mahogany is stiffer than rosewood, so it may be more stable, but the difference is hardly noticeable.

Sound Comparison

My good friend, Steve Kilby, is an award-winning bluegrass player and long-time collector of Martin guitars. When it comes to sound, he told me: 

“D-28s are usually more bassy and louder. D-18s are clearer and brighter, but there are exceptions in either style of Martin. Usually, I play old D-28s for their tone but I have a couple of good old D-18s. I usually play the D-28 in a bluegrass band situation whether onstage or in the studio. D-18s sound better with old-time bands or flatpicking.” 

This difference in sound comes from the wood used for the back and sides. The sound of a D-18 is more focused and brighter because of the mahogany, while the rosewood on the D-28 makes it more bassy. 

This difference in sound can also be attributed to their different bracing. The D-18 has scalloped X bracing and is more responsive overall. The D-28 has forward-shifted X bracing, which makes it louder and more bass-heavy. 

If you need a loud guitar to stand out in the mix of other instruments (like a bluegrass band), then a D-28 may be what you need simply because of the volume. If you’re playing old-time fiddle tunes, flatpicking leads, or playing the blues, you may want to go with a D-18. They are certainly not limited to these styles, however. Each can hold its own with acoustic rock, pop, and country.

Martin D28 vs D18 - Review and Comparison

Pricing

The prices of the Martin D-18 and the Martin D-28 are not cheap by any means. Both instruments are made in the USA and with the highest-quality materials. These factors alone affect the pricing. 

The D-18 is a bit less expensive than the D-28 because it uses mahogany and not East Indian rosewood for the back and sides. East Indian rosewood is more expensive than mahogany, so the price reflects this. 

The D-18 uses vintage-style dots for the fretboard inlays, while the D-28 uses genuine mother-of-pearl.

Other Features

Both models also feature an adjustable truss rod. This allows you to adjust the neck relief when doing a setup. 

The only other difference that you will see is the binding. The Martin D-18 has tortoise shell-colored binding, whereas the D-28 has antique white binding. 

Martin D18 vs D28 – Pros and Cons

Martin D-18:

Pros	Cons
Focused, clear, and bright tone.	May struggle to stand out in a large group of other instruments.
The 16” neck radius feels excellent in your hand.
Great for rhythm playing or soloing.
Made in the USA of the highest quality materials.

Martin D-28:

Pros	Cons
Warm, full tone with excellent bass response.	It’s not as responsive as a D-18 when played at lower volumes.
Binding and mother-of-pearl inlays give it a classy look.
It has impressive volume.
Made in the USA of the highest quality materials.

Conclusion

Each Martin guitar has its own personality and character with its own pros and cons. The only way you’ll know which one is best for you is to play it before buying it. It is essential to understand that every piece of wood is different, so each guitar has its unique tone and feeling. That’s where there can be exceptions to the rules. 

I have had the opportunity to play many Martin guitars myself, and I prefer the focused, clear tone of a Martin D-18. My friend, Steve Kilby, prefers his D-28s. No one is right or wrong in this situation, although his ears are more experienced than mine. It comes down to our individual preferences. 

I have a feeling that if you go with either guitar, you will be delighted with it. I don’t believe I have ever met anyone who completely regretted buying a Martin guitar. They are incredible instruments in every way and will surely bring a smile to your face!

Happy pickin’ from all of us here at guitaristnextdoor.com! 

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