Feeling the need for a dreadnought - Brook Teign or Martin HD 28?

Ungulate

As it says above - been hankering after a dreadnought for a while, and just spotted that Project Music - (who are not that far down the M5 from me) have a 2nd hand Martin HD28 and a new Brook Teign in stock.....

Anyone out there played both - I love the idea of a Brook, lived on the edge of Dartmoor for a long time & the name Teign has many happy associations for me.

Apart from the emotion there, how do Brooks sound compared to Martin.

I know, the answer is I'm heading down to play both in a few days. Just interested in opinions.

bertie

Ungulate said:

 , lived on the edge of Dartmoor for a long time 

good innit


Id say (owning a Tamar) that Brooks are more "Lowden-esque" than "Martin-esque",  a much lighter build.   TBH -  you do need to try em side by side

Ungulate

Have a lol too for the "good innit" remark - yep will play them side by side, with eyes closed probably!

(Somerset's too flat for me)

bertie

Ungulate said:

Have a lol too for the "good innit" remark - yep will play them side by side, with eyes closed probably!

(Somerset's too flat for me)

Quantocks are nice ..................    cant beat a bit of north dartmoor tho  

Ungulate

Yeah live on the edge of Quantocks & cycle all over 'em, but Dartmoor is wilder & fiercer & madder -
back to guitars - will post back as soon as I've been to Exeter, long way from the shire.........

bertie

Ungulate said:

Yeah live on the edge of Quantocks & cycle all over 'em, but Dartmoor is wilder & fiercer & madder -
back to guitars - will post back as soon as I've been to Exeter, long way from the shire.........

LOL -   almost the same distance from you -  Intersound in Dursley (Glos) usually have a really good stock, and great guys to boot

(we had a static in Watchet for years)

Ungulate

Shit, forgot about Intersound, will check them out too. 

Why thank you!

stickyfiddle

Can you get to an Atkin dealer? My Forty Seven (admittedly not a dreadnought) knocks spots off my HD28. I'd wager their dreads do the same

drofluf

I’m not very good at describing sounds but here’s my happenworth based on moving from a Martin 00015M to a Brook Lyn. The Brook had a more sophisticated sound with better Dynamics. 

On page 2 of this thread there’s a link to a comparison of the two https://thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/229935/ngd#latest

Different body size from a Dread’ and the Martin was all Mahogany the Brook Walnut with a Spruce top but it may help. 

I was deliberately opaque in that thread but the Martin is worth. 

And if you didn’t like the playing blame me, if you did praise the luthiers

Ungulate

stickyfiddle said:

Can you get to an Atkin dealer? My Forty Seven (admittedly not a dreadnought) knocks spots off my HD28. I'd wager their dreads do the same

Yeah, another tempting option, I'm in Somerset need to google Atkin dealers near me :-)

Ungulate

drofluf said:

I’m not very good at describing sounds but here’s my happenworth based on moving from a Martin 00015M to a Brook Lyn. The Brook had a more sophisticated sound with better Dynamics. 

On page 2 of this thread there’s a link to a comparison of the two https://thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/229935/ngd#latest

Different body size from a Dread’ and the Martin was all Mahogany the Brook Walnut with a Spruce top but it may help. 

I was deliberately opaque in that thread but the Martin is worth. 

And if you didn’t like the playing blame me, if you did praise the luthiers

I was impressed by the playing, haunting - makes me want to break out & write something original - 

That was really useful - thank you!

BTW Project Music have an Atkin 43 in stock, slope shouldered dread...it could be a long visit to Devon.

hollywoodrox

Surely the Martin D28 is like the acoustic equivalent of a Gibson R9 along with the D41 & D45 
  A sort of aspirational guitar seen in the hands of the mega famous for years . So The D28 gets my vote 

Ungulate

hollywoodrox said:

Surely the Martin D28 is like the acoustic equivalent of a Gibson R9 along with the D41 & D45 
  A sort of aspirational guitar seen in the hands of the mega famous for years . So The D28 gets my vote 

Gonna reserve my judgement till I play them, preferably blindfold, seriously...

drofluf

Would definitely recommend Project Music; I bought a guitar from them online this week and can’t fault their service and professionalism. I’m sure they’ll blindfold you if you ask nicely:)

Ungulate

Yeah, am not a fetishist but would love to somehow impartially assess each guitar without just buying the Brook immediately ;-)

bertie

@Ungulate ;

Project do have "some" Atkin  - but they're usually made to order and often not kept in stock so to speak  - give em a call

Ungulate

Yep they have an Atkin 43 in stock atm, will call.

TheBigDipper

I love my Brook Taw and would have bought a Tavy at the same time I was at Project Music if I’d had the dosh, so, good luck ! Although I've played a few Atkins at Oasis in Ringwood and liked every one of those, too.  Played a lot of Martins and own an 0-16NY, but most left me cold. Too many guitars, not enough money. 

bertie

TheBigDipper said:

   Played a lot of Martins...... but most left me cold. 

with you all the way

Mellish

What I would tell you is, if that HD-28 is from the Re-imagined series, make sure you go to try it out.

The soft V/1.75" nut combination felt a bit too much for me. Thinking I could get used to it, I bought it. Great guitar for sure, and I gigged with it, but I felt I was fighting it cos of the nut/profile.

But hope you enjoy choosing a dread  

Ungulate

bertie said:

TheBigDipper said:

   Played a lot of Martins...... but most left me cold. 

with you all the way

Never played a Martin, that's why I wanna be blindfolded:-)