Posted by Ken
on 7/14/2009, 9:28 am, in reply to "Re: These HD-28's"
Hi Rick & Norm & All,
In the July 2009 issue of Vintage Guitar Magazine, in the Steve Earle article, Matt Umanov of Umanov's Guitars, states flat-out that he believes forward-shifted braces don't make a hoot of difference in tone and most, if not all, players can't hear any difference! I think I can hear a difference in tone but I'd have to have an HD-28 and an HD-28V side by side in the test. If I was blindfolded and someone played each one, I'm sure I could tell the difference between them but may not be able to tell you which is which.
Original Martin D-18 and D-28 guitars featured forward-shifted (or High X bracing, which is Martin's old-time 1930s name for forward-shifted bracing) scalloped bracing, and long about 1940 or so, Martin moved the bracing rearward about a 1/2" to what is known as Standard X Position and I believe they also removed the scalloping about this time too. This was done because Martin felt moving the bracing rearward and eliminating the scalloping increased the top's strength without sacrificing tone. In 1976, Martin introduced the HD-28 which was a D-28 model with old-time 1930s Herringbone top purfling and which re-introduced scalloped bracing to the modern Martin dreadnought. This bracing was in the Standard X rearward position. With the HD-28V (Vintage Series Model) Martin once again moved the scalloped bracing to the forward-shifted or High X position.
At any rate, I feel having forward-shifted braces or high X bracing is secondary to scalloping of the bracing in producing a noticeable tone difference.
Regards,
Ken
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