Martin Style 28 Guitar Models:
Martin D-28, OM-28, 000-28, 00-28, 0-28
Description: Martin D-28, OM-28, OOO-28, OO-28, O-28 style flat top guitars
Available: 1957 to present.
Collectibility Rating: 1934-1944 OOO-28, 0M-28 and D-28 sizes: B, 1945-1965 OOO-28 and
D-28 sizes: C, 1965-1969 OOO-28 and D-28 sizes: D. Smaller body sizes subtract a
full letter grade.
General Comments:
The Style 28 Martin guitar (D-28, OM-18, 000-28, 00-28, 0-28) is a spruce top, rosewood body
Martin guitar that has been the mainstream of the Martin guitar line since the late-1800s.
Awesome sound, many famous stars have used the Style 28 as their main guitar.
The Martin D-28 and other style 28 models are a higher-end Martin model,
with a rosewood body and a fantastic sound. The pre-1947 Martin style 28 models
with herribone trim are very cool. Also the pre-1970 Brazilian rosewood
models look better than the 1970 and later Indian rosewood models. The "28"
portion of the model indicates the style of the guitar. The letters before the "28"
indicate the body size (0-28 being the smallest, 00-28 being larger, OM-28 and
000-28 being larger still, and D-28 being the largest). The models D-28 and OM-28 and 000-28
are regarded as "the best" sizes as applicable to today's musical styles.
The OM-28 (1929-1933) is particularly interesting because of it's early design with modern
features. Note there are some other style 18 models too like the
OO-28G (gut string, 1936-1962), OO-28C (classical, 1966-1976), OOO-28C (1962-1966),
and the coolest OO-28K (Koa wood, 1919-1921). The gut, classical and tenor (0-28T)
models are not really desirable. The 00-18k though is a really pretty model.
Here's a chart of the available Martin style 28 models:
Model Years
----- ---------
1-28 1898-1923
5-28 1901-1939
O-28 1898-1931, 1937
O-28T 1931-1932
O-28K 1921-1931, 1917
OO-28 1898-1936, 1939-1941
OO-28G 1936-1962, 1936-1937
OO-28C 1966-1976
OO-28K 1919-1921, 1926-1933
OOO-28 1924-present, 1902-1923
OOO-28C 1962-1966
OM-28 1929-1933
D-28 1931-present
Here's a list of the body sizes (because before October 1930 the
body style and size was not stamped into the neck block above
the serial number, so the body size and style number are
hard to determine on pre 10/30 models):
Size Frets Width Depth Length Year Introduced/Notes
---- ----- ----- ----- ------ ---------------------
O 12 13 1/2 4 3/16 19 1/8 1852
O 14 13 1/2 4 1/4 18 3/8 1934 (first year for 14 frets)
OO 12 14 1/8 4 1/16 19 5/8 1877
OO 14 14 5/16 4 1/8 18 7/8 1934 (first year for 14 frets)
OOO 12 15 4 1/16 20 7/16 1902
OOO 14 15 4 1/8 19 3/8 1934 (first year for 14 frets)
OM 14 15 4 1/8 19 3/8 1929 (discontinued 1934)
D 12 15 5/8 4 3/4 20 15/16 1931 (available 1916 from Ditson)
D 14 15 5/8 4 7/8 20 1934
If you need to figure out the exact year and body size of your Martin style 28 guitar,
use the serial and style/size numbers.
This is stamped inside the body's sound hole on the neck block.
See the Martin Serial Number Info web page
for help determining the exact year.
If you have a vintage Martin style 28 (D-28, 000-28, etc.) guitar for sale, please contact me at
cfh@provide.net
Rosewood back and sides, volute or "ice cream cone" on back of
neck. First listed in 1870s.
1870 Martin Style 28 guitar introduction specs:
- Ivory Herringbone body binding around top edge.
- Zipper-pattern backstripe.
1901 Martin Style 28 guitar specs:
- Slotted diamond fingerboard inlays. Two inlays at 5th fret, 1 at 7th
fret, 2 at 9th fret.
1919 Martin Style 28 guitar specs:
- White celluloid herringbone binding material replaces genuine ivory binding.
1925 Martin Style 28 guitar specs:
- Most sizes braced for steel strings.
1929 Martin Style 28 guitar specs:
- Martin OM-28 guitar introduced with 14 fret neck, pyramid bridge, 25.4" scale length,
no pickguard, banjo tuners, inlays at frets 5/7/9, solid peghead with
no "Martin" decal. Pickguard added in late 1929.
1930 Martin Style 28 guitar specs:
- OM-28 has a belly bridge and silkscreened "Martin" peghead logo.
1931 Martin Style 28 guitar specs:
- Martin OM-28 guitar gets a larger pickguard, right angle tuners, and inlays at frets
5/7/9/12/15.
- Martin D-28 guitar introduced with 12 fret neck, white bridge pins with tortoise colored
dots (a total of 41 D-28s were made from 1931 to 1933 with a 12 fret neck).
- Inlays from 5th to 15th fret, 2 inlays at 5th fret, 1 at 7th fret,
2 at 9th fret.
- Sunburst shaded top available.
1932 Martin Style 28 guitar specs:
- Tortoise shell pickguard.
Late 1933 Martin Style 28 guitar specs:
1934 Martin Style 28 guitar specs:
- All style 28 models change from 12 fret clear body style to 14 frets clear.
1939 Martin Style 28 guitar specs:
- All Martin models change the neck nut width from 1 3/4" to 1 11/16".
- Top X bracing changes from "advance" or "forward bracing" to "rear shifted" bracing.
Late 1944 Martin Style 28 guitar specs:
- Heavy bracing replaces scalloped bracing.
- Small graduated dots replaces slotted diamond inlays.
1946 Martin Style 28 guitar specs:
- Large uniform sized dot finger board inlays.
- Sitka spruce top (darker than the 1945 and prior Adirondack spruce).
1947 Martin Style 28 guitar specs:
- Large graduated sized dot finger board inlays.
- Black/White binding with white grained outer layer replaces herringbone binding
(last herringbone was serial# 98223).
- Narrow chainlink backstripe replaces zipper pattern
(last zipper back was serial# 99992).
1958 Martin Style 28 guitar specs:
1966 Martin Style 28 guitar specs:
- Outside white binding no longer grained.
1967 Martin Style 28 guitar specs:
- Black plastic pickguard replaces celluloid tortoise pickguard.
Late 1969 Martin Style 28 guitar specs:
- Indian rosewood back and sides replaces Brazilian
(last Brazilian rosewood model was serial# 254497).
1975 Martin Style 28 guitar specs:
- Scalloped bracing available HD-28 model.
- Herringbone binding available HD-28 model.
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