Martin MARTIN 00028EC-SB WC ERIC CLAPTON SIG SER ACOUS SNBST  

Excellant guitar, have had mine for about 5 years now and no issues whatsoever. Great sounding, playability is great, don't have a bad thing to say about it. To those who marked less than a 5 on value, they are selling for around a grand more than what I paid for it 5 years ago!

The Martin 000-28EC is the first guitar in my collection that makes me think I should get rid of some of my other guitars.  It is absolutely beautiful; it has a powerful sound but can be delicate.  I chose it because of the relatively short scale (easier to fret and bend notes) and because of the slightly wider neck which makes it easier to play.  Minor point, but the Martin case is excellent quality.  American still has the edge on excellent guitars at a reasonable price.  In all honesty, I wish it did not have Eric Clapton's signature on it because some may think that is why I bought it; I bought it and love it because of its geometry, material, and sound.  However, the signature is not too obvious so I can live with it.  Me, satisfied customer!

While I have been primarily an electric guitar player, every time I?ve gone to the music store, I picked up the EC Martin and played one and thought this would be the one to buy.  I happened to find my guitar on consignment at a local music store for an obscenely low price and in near mint condition ? I could not pass it up. Even without the modern electric tidbits found in most acoustic guitars today, the sound is quite loud indeed.  I can?t say it?s the best sounding guitar I?ve ever played because that honour goes to a 1960 Fender Strat, but I can say that it is in the top 2! About the Guitar.  I love the honey coloured Sitka Spruce top and the fret board is rich black Ebony.  The overall detail is subtle, very elegant and brilliant. The sound is rich, crisp and resonant.  It has proved to be easy to play and a welcome addition to my collection. Care.  I can say that I?m a bit worried about care, specifically as to humidity and temperature.  Martin is quite specific and I?d have to say in wintertime, it?s not 72 ? 77 degrees in the house, so I?m going to have to figure that one out. All in all a steal of a deal.  Whomever you are, thank you!

I played (and recorded on an H2) about 100 guitars in my search for the right one for me as a recording artist and performing singer/songwriter. I have the recording of me giggling hysterically when first playing this. I happen to be a fan of the Gibson J45. It has a focused and punchy low end, unlike most Martins I've played. I don't like boom, and I don't like a fuzzy and mushy bass, so I thought I'd end up with the J45, which was one of the final cut. Also in the mix was a Gibson Hummingbird Pro Vintage which had a shimmer to it but a bit too much boom. But one of the last guitars I tried was the 000-28EC. It has the focused bass I was looking for in the Gibsons without sacrificing a bell-like top end. It's just a balanced instrument. The one I bought actually had dead, almost rusty strings on it which brought out the uniqueness of this instrument. I went through a lot of strings to try to regain that magic I heard that first time. The perfect solution for me is to allow the low E and A strings to deaden completely. Phosphor bronze takes too long for this and is too fuzzy, so go with 80/20 or 85/15. They may start bright but quickly mellow out. Once dead, leave them and only change the other 4. Another alternative is Silk and Steel, which sounds nice, but I think this guitar is better with at least light gauge bass strings and maybe even mediums. But I also like the shimmer of phosphor bronze on the D and G strings, especially Martin FX740 fingerstyle strings, which I also reviewed as my current faves. It's a beautiful instrument that may be underappreciated until the right strings are on it. One thing I have to get used to is the V-shaped neck. My hands aren't large and it's a bit bulky, but that may account for some of the tone.