Corey Congilio compares the 000-28 Modern Deluxe and the 000-28 Re-Imagined

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Corey Congilio compares the 000-28 Modern Deluxe and the 000-28 Re-Imagined
In 2005, Corey produced his first EP for a local country artist and his love of the studio began to blossom. Corey became an in demand session player in Pittsburgh and began to produce projects for singer-songwriters which ran the gamut of styles.
Over a 15 year period as an instructor, Corey has taught hundreds of students. That experience lead Corey to become an author of 15 instructional guitar courses with TrueFire.com garnering him status as one of the site’s top selling instructors. Information on studying guitar with Corey can be accessed here.
Corey’s currently working as a session guitarist and producer as well as and performing with his solo project in Nashville. He can also be seen on tour with Furthest Point/Thirty Tigers recording artist Lucie Silvas. Corey is an artist clinician for CF Martin Guitar and lead presenter Universal Audio and can be found presenting for those companies around the world.

[@larrytusoni401]

Excellent comparison - thanks Corey. To my ears, they sound similar despite the bracing width difference, but the modern deluxe is incredibly beautiful.

[@dionst.michael1482]

You really DID bring out the best of that triple O man. I was thoroughly impressed and satisfied with the punchy tone you were wringing out of it. Really sold me on the more budget friendly model. Thanks

[@azcharlie2009]

I've loved Martins since the 1960's. The 000-28 modern deluxe is the best Martin I've ever heard.

[@el34glo59]

Yeah honestly I think the 000 might be Martins best guitar. I have a 000-28 1937 custom authentic and it's the best I've heard too Martin wise. I was shocked as I've always been a Martin dread guy.

[@guestguide2544]

Except for in this demo here? I hear graphite bridgplate (maple between 2 layers of graphite), Rainsong. Titanium bridge-pins? They certainly will last a long time but questionable improvement of tone.

[@peterabbey1539]

The Modern Deluxe has a little more of everything.

[@alexandrekhazal5966]

Modern Deluxe is incredible to my ears

[@daverenick5830]

I bought the 000-28 modern deluxe but when I got my hands on a 000-18 modern deluxe I traded off the 28 immediately. It's all a matter of taste. There is no 'better or worse' in this. This was my ninth Martin and I have come to like mahogany's sound more then rosewood, particularly Indian rosewood. Of the standard 000's the EC is by far my favorite but I can't get around on its massive neck. Of all the re-imagined 000's the 000-18 MD is my choice. It has everything I'm looking for in a 000. It is extremely bright sounding with great clarity and the VTS and other features just really open up the sound without waiting 20 years. They're all excellent and if you like a darker mellower sound I'd say go with the standard 000-28. The MD version brightens it up a little, but if you really want a clean sound I have made my impressions clear on the way to go.

[@daverenick5830]

@@NudeDragons Maybe so........glad to "meet ya'.....I have been getting Martins a long time. My dad got me my first D-28 from 1963, for around $200 new, and you can imagine how I wish I had kept that but what did I know about hyperinflation as a kid? I never though about tonal qualities and neck dimensions and wood characteristics and action etc until I had been playing for years. So it was when all the 're-imagined' Martins came out I got itchy again. I never liked the idea of putting electronics into an acoustic, and this is about the only time, and the only guitar (the 000-18 md) where it seems maybe reasonable. I could always mic it up, and deal with feedback...(I play at clubs and such) and as far as i know, while they do, or did 2 years ago make a 000-28 MDE (with the Fishman internal pickup) that option doesn't exist with the 000-18 MD. Also, I am leery of doing any surgery on it because it is so perfect for me as is, and I don't mess with perfection. Anyway, thanks for the reply, and I'm just sitting here reading all sorts of stuff online and eating ice cream, which seems like a good time to babble.....I think in a few minutes I'm gonna take off the phosphor bronze strings and try 80/20's. It already sparkles and that could take it up a notch. C'est la vie........D

[@boshi9]

000-28EC has exactly the same specs as the standard 000-28 except for the neck shape and some minor cosmetic differences like the color of the toner.

[@kennymraz927]

Is 000-28 drive the sound play with fingers more easily? Compare with the OM28.

[@paulfowler5420]

Have you tried to adjust the truss rod? A 1/4 to 1/2 turn tighten should bring the strings closer to the frets.

[@Hardcorezeus]

I bought the 000-28 Re-Imagined this year as I have small hands for a guy and thought the short scale length would help. Find It too tight up near the nut, I’m always muting strings by accident that I want to sound. Don’t get this on my Taylor 414ce-R. I also find the strings need more effort to fret, is this due to the higher action that came from the factory compared to the Taylor or is this to do with the guitar/neck/scale length? Anyone?

[@stefankalscheid3818]

Shorter scale means LESS string tension so it should be easier to fret and bend. No idea if your Taylor and the Martin really have the same nut width but string spacing at the bridge may also have an influence...

[@Hardcorezeus]

coreycongilio thanks for your reply’s guys. I live in Scotland and the climate is definitely not drier. The more I play the guitar the more I get used to it maybe I will just sell the Taylor. The 000 has a better sound I think it just needs a setup. The action looks like 4mm on the low E

[@jamesmartin9406]

A professional setup will do wonders for action and playability. However, the tightness between frets near the nut may take some Technique modification on your part to compensate for.

[@harlequin75]

James Robertson I have the opposite issue with my fingers being too thin. What I have done is simply adapted by changing technique. As another individual said, you can change your technique which I’m positive with practice will help you; or you can change your guitar to something that is more suitable for your finger anatomy. If the guitar is not right for your hands, then frustration will make you stop playing and that’s not what you want.

[@Presleythecoolest]

Maybe more practice

[@TheJohnemmanueL23]

how do the necks compare? is the MD much slimmer than the Re-imagined? Thanks!

[@kimpaul9468]

Yeap. MD is slimmer than the Re-imagined

[@Zed.90]

If you want the GUITAR to sing = 000-28 Modern Deluxe If YOU want to sing while the guitar plays = 000-28

[@TimMilliken]

I’m hearing a bit too much brightness in the MD. Kind of what I don’t like about Taylor and why I love love traditional Martin and Gibson. Thanks for another great video!!!

[@guestguide2544]

Titanium bridge pins, graphite bridgeplate. You could change the pins out for Ebony or legal Elephant Ivory from D. Colossi in Georgia.

[@eigilsiren]

Mine had 12's when i bought it. To me that was a bitt to stiff. Put on 11's big difference😊👍

[@station2station544]

I just picked up a 000-28 Modern Deluxe and the strings are stout. I may do the same. Is yours a M.D?

[@eigilsiren]

Standard with straight bracing

[@station2station544]

@@eigilsiren im sure you know of the Rick Beato videos. He (and Rhett Shull) both did test videos this week where they tried 11's, 10's, 9's to see what they liked better, and to a man, they all liked 9's sound wise. Check it out if you have time. (KZbin search Rick Beato if you don't know him)

[@randyranderson]

@@station2station544 Great video but that was on electric guitars only. Acoustic instruments it does not work because they need the mass of the strings to vibrate the top.

[@guestguide2544]

@@station2station544 Yes they will sound great for possibly the whole week that they might last.

[@sc12100]

MD has nice appointments but I'll take the standard 000-28. The MD is a little too bright for me. The new 000-28's are basically an EC model with a MLO neck, short drop in saddle, and 2 5/32 bridge spacing.

[@ericecklund676]

I've played both of these at my dealer, and they sounded so similar that it would be hard to justify an extra $700 for the 000-28 Modern Deluxe just to have a prettier guitar. But, some folks will want the extra eye candy. Personally, I believe the toned top on the Re-Imagined was prettier.

[@phillipsbuckley]

I thought the exact same thing and saved the $700 :)

[@guestguide2544]

More important, Reimagined sounds better.

[@esparka]

I vote for the Modern Deluxe here in this video. Quite a bit more smooth…

[@shahidsarkar3620]

I found the Deluxe more punchy and wide sounding

[@BarefootBill]

Looks and sounds to me that you liked the standard series better the the MD, I know I do. MD sounded too boomy and muddy and the idea of a carbon fiber bridge plate makes me sick to my stomach. Who decided to copy that from Yairi. I have a Yairi with the direct coupled bridge and it gets used when sound quality doesn't matter. Not a bad guitar but it's miles below a Martin. I have several Martins and have tried the MD and it just didn't jive with me. My newest Martin is a 000-18 made in late 2017, standard 1/4 brace, scalloped with the 18 to 1 grover open geared tuners with the new bridge pins placement (excellent improvement) and it has become my favorite of the bunch!

[@el34glo59]

Very nice on the 000-18. I think the rosewoods need Addy with them honestly.