If there is one name in acoustic guitars that commands reverence and respect from just about anyone you ask, it’s C.F. Martin & Co. AKA just “Martin.” The Martin Dreadnought is the acoustic guitar—the one that comes to mind when you close your eyes and think, “guitar,” the one that has yielded a near-infinite number of imitators, the one that, if you asked AI to show you an acoustic guitar, it would probably dream up an image of (albeit one with five tuners and eight strings).
The “Pre-War” Martin Dreadnought in particular is something of a Holy Grail for guitar collectors. Lighter, scalloped bracing, tonewood selection, open tuners, and natural materials like Ivory and real hide glue all contributed to what is often described as the “magical” quality of these guitars.
And the people at Martin know this. That’s why they’ve just refreshed their Standard Series guitars with vintage-inspired appointments that emphasize not only the timeless style of these iconic instruments, but also do a great deal to bring back the sonic profile of the legendary pre-war Dreadnoughts through their construction and materials.
I’ve had the privilege of spending some time playing the two flagship models of the “refreshed” Standard Series, the D-28 and the D-18, and let’s just say my poor electric guitars have been languishing in their cases untouched for weeks. Let’s take a look at these two models and dive deep into the specs that make Martin’s 2025 Standard Series special.
2025 Martin Standard Series D-28
The Martin D-28 is widely recognized as the gold standard of acoustic guitars. Boasting a lineup of boosters that more or less reads like a country, bluegrass, rock, and folk hall of fame, the D-28 has been the acoustic guitar of choice for discerning pickers (to whom such a choice is available, that is) pretty much since its debut in 1931.
That first iteration of the D-28 featured an Adirondack Spruce top, Brazilian Rosewood back and sides, a scalloped-X bracing pattern, an ebony fingerboard and bridge, and a real ivory saddle, nut, and bridge pins, among other premium appointments. Produced more or less unchanged from their debut until the United States entered the Second World War, the original Pre-War D-28s are considered by many to be the Platonic ideal of acoustic guitars.
And while many of those rare materials are not available today (for what many would agree are obvious reasons), Martin’s 2025 D-28 has brought back many of the original’s construction details, along with sufficient modern replacements for the unavailable materials, making for the closest-to-prewar-spec D-28s seen since V-J day.
Quick Overview
Materials and Construction
First, since Adirondack Spruce is rare and protected, and therefore no longer commonly in use as a guitar tonewood, Martin is using Sitka for these, which does the job just fine. Responsive, yet resonant, it’s more lightly braced in the Pre-War mode for freer vibration (more about this in the next section), and it’s treated with aging toner that I assume will age beautifully (though the jury is admittedly still out on that one).
The back and sides are a gorgeous East Indian rosewood, in lieu of the traditional Brazilian, which not only looks stunning but provides a depth of tone that’s hard to beat.
The neck is a satin-finished mahogany that’s just smooth enough without getting sticky, with a gorgeous ebony fingerboard that’s embellished with real mother-of-pearl dot inlays. The bridge is ebony, too. Nickel open-gear tuners are another feature vintage guitar lovers will not miss. Genuine bone bridge pins, nut, and saddle complete the package—and the elephants thank us for it (apologies to whoever’s bones these are, though).
The classic rosette and antique white binding lend a serious helping of class to this instrument’s appearance, and the magnificent Multi-stripe back inlay is the cherry on top. My second-favorite thing, next to playing this guitar, is looking at it.
But probably the most important detail of the revamped Standard Series is the inclusion of forward-shifted, scalloped “Golden-Era” style X-bracing, which is really where much of the “magic” factor stems from. This style of bracing relies on less contact between the braces and the top, allowing the top to resonate more freely for stronger projection, response, and sustain.
Sound and Feel
All of these materials and construction details add up to an incredible-sounding and -feeling guitar.
The bass response in particular is really something else on these guitars. Whether picked single notes or strummed, the boom is real. This is where the “magic” comes in. Even a light touch seems to produce an outsize sound, so you expend less energy making yourself heard—that’s the magic. I could compare it to plugging a Les Paul into a Marshall Stack, or revving a Harley Davidson—something about making a big noise, moving some serious air, with a mere flick of the wrist, just makes you feel powerful.
While acoustic guitars’ tones are meant to change over the years, my D-28 already sounds incredible brand-new. The tone of a single picked note rings like a bell, with brassy, punchy lows and mids and bright, yet mellow, almost piano-like trebles. The improved resonance of the top provides a natural reverb that sounds just heavenly, and the sustain is unreal as well. And strummed chords sound massive—I hesitate to even do this inside my apartment because it might disturb the neighbors.
The GE Modified Low Oval neck with High-Performance Taper is relatively slim, and feels more modern than what you might associate with a vintage guitar—although, in actuality, vintage Martins were made with a wide range of neck profiles over the years, including very slim ones. With slightly beveled fingerboard edges, it plays wonderfully, especially at the nut in first position—this thing feels made for bluegrass flatpicking and cowboy chords (and, truthfully, it pretty much is!).
But that’s not to say things are any more challenging further up the neck. I’m actually incredibly impressed with how easy it feels (not to mention how resonant the notes are!) to noodle all the way up the neck. Advanced players will have no problem letting the notes fly, no matter where their imagination takes them. Which is to say, the setup it came with feels pretty darn good right out of the box.
One thing that stands out with this model is the inclusion of a lengthened diamond-shaped bit at the back of the neck where it meets the headstock (called a “volute”). This channel of extra wood adds to the strength and stability of the headstock where it angles backward past the nut, and is another feature you’d find on a vintage Martin. Initially, I wasn’t sure what to make of this, and was a bit concerned it would feel uncomfortable.
But, as it turns out, you don’t feel the volute at all, as it begins past the nut where your hand never goes while playing. I will note, however, that if you use a cradle capo (as you should, in my opinion) and like to slide it past the nut when not in use, you have to loosen it a fair few cranks further than you would otherwise to get it there.
Specs:
- Tonewoods: Spruce top, Solid East Indian Rosewood back & sides, Mahogany neck
- Body Bracing: Forward Shifted X-brace
- Neck Finish: Satin
- Neck Shape: GE Modified Low Oval
- Radius: 16"
- Fingerboard Material: Ebony
- Number of Frets: 20
- Scale Length: 25.4"
- Nut Width: 1.75"
- Nut Material: Bone
- Saddle Material: Compensated Bone
- Bridge Material: Ebony
- Tuning Machines: Nickel Open-gear
2025 Martin Standard Series D-18
Martin’s refreshed D-18 brings many of the same appointments and construction features as the D-28, at a (slightly) more budget-friendly price point that befits the D-18’s reputation as Martin’s workhorse Dread.
The most notable difference between the D-28 and the D-18 is that the D-18 is constructed with mahogany back and sides instead of rosewood. You get the same solid spruce top, the same Golden Era forward-shifted scalloped X bracing, and the same satin mahogany neck—in a blind test, you’d be hard pressed to tell the two apart, unless you have a really keen ear.
Aesthetically, the guitars are similar as well, with the D-18 featuring just a slightly more understated rosette and binding trim. Abalone dot inlays adorn the neck instead of mother of pearl, and ebony bridge pins instead of bone complete the picture.
If you find yourself balking at the price of a D-28, or just prefer the sound and aesthetic of Martin’s mahogany workhorse, you cannot go wrong with this guitar. I’ve been playing the two pretty much interchangeably, and I have not been able to put them down.
Quick Overview
Specs:
- Tonewoods: Spruce top, mahogany back, sides & neck
- Body Bracing: Forward Shifted X-brace
- Neck Finish: Satin
- Neck Shape: GE Modified Low Oval
- Radius: 16"
- Fingerboard Material: Ebony
- Number of Frets: 20
- Scale Length: 25.4"
- Nut Width: 1.75"
- Nut Material: Bone
- Saddle Material: Compensated Bone
- Bridge Material: Ebony
- Tuning Machines: Nickel Open-gear
Final Thoughts
There’s one thing I have not had the opportunity to mention thus far, but it’s really important—the unbelievably pleasant scent that emanates from these guitars and their included hardshell cases.
Martin, what is it? I will buy this scent by the bottle. There’s the natural spruce aroma, but there’s something else there as well. Martin has tapped into something primal, the association of scent with memory, emotion, and so on. It truly completes the love spell that these guitars have cast on me. I was traveling for a few days and could not stop thinking about them.
If you’re a serious guitarist, do yourself a favor and invest in a guitar that you can really fall in love with. Martin's refreshed Standard Series Dreadnoughts are the perfect candidates for this role. I, for one, won't need another acoustic guitar in my lifetime.
Learn more about Martin's refreshed Standard Series at martinguitar.com.
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