Is it worth spending $4k on an Acoustic Guitar? Martin 000-28EC Eric Clapton

[@fernandofernandezescalante2554]

Congrats Lukas on this episode of Martin’s (times two) 000-28EC. Mine stayed with me for over 5 years but, conversely, its V shape neck and my arthritic hands decided to part ways… and it’s presently in Austria, as a matter of fact. Here’s a few more reasons why this signature model is €1.000 more expensive than the Standard Series 000-28: the soundboard Sitka spruce is grade 5/6 out of 8 (whereas the Standard Series is 3/4), and the back & sides East Indian Rosewood is grade 3 (out of 4 grades, being the 000-28 grade 2); the chunky V shaped neck is “genuine” Mahogany (and quite heavy too), instead of “select” wood, namely timbers of the Mahogany family which is what’s used for most of the Standard Series models; herringbone is present not only on the sides of the top (as with the 000-28) but also around the rosette and, last but not least, while Martin pride themselves for putting their guitars together by hand, with Signature models they go the extra mile, almost Custom Shoppish... Cheers to you all!

[@LMGuitarCorner]

Thanks a lot, Fernando! I'm sorry to hear that you had to part with this guitar and hope you found a great alternative! I really appreciate the insights and information of your comment and learned a lot! Cheers, Lukas

[@fernandofernandezescalante2554]

@@LMGuitarCorner I am sorry too, Lukas… But did eventually overcome my dread of dreadnought long scale 😁 and got me an HD-28, not as exquisite as the EC 000 but with Martin’s magical “Modified Low Oval and High Performance Taper” neck which works like ointment on my fingers 🤣. All the best to you two!

[@LMGuitarCorner]

Sounds like a fine replacement! All the best to you too, cheers!

[@offbeatbassgear]

I have a custom acoustic builder that lives near me that makes ladder-braced instruments that run around this price point, and I lived one town over from Martin headquarters for a decade, and used to travel there quite a bit just to develop a bit better understanding of what goes into the construction of acoustics, and I've established that acoustics are one of the few guitars where what you pay really does translate into the level of tone, resonance and overall playability.

[@LMGuitarCorner]

Yeah, that's also my personal experience I had with trying different acoustic guitars. Obviously you also have diminishing returns the higher it gets, but it's way more justifyable than on electric guitars (imho). Cheers, Martin

[@tuberoast]

I have looked at this guitar for a long time but I tend to shy away from guitar hero signature models. Well, I played one recently and had to leave with it. Responsive, with just the right amount of low-end and highs, and very resonant. I could have saved some money and bought one years ago.

[@LMGuitarCorner]

Yeah, I know that feeling. Even though I'm a huge Clapton fan, I couldn't care less about the signature on the guitar and the extra on the price tag made me hesitant too. But the sound and the feeling of the neck were exactly what I was looking for, so I went for it. Haven't regret it ever since! Thanks for commenting, cheers, Martin

[@danb821]

Great review guys. This guitar just has that classic Martin sound. Love it.

[@LMGuitarCorner]

Thanks a lot! Glad you liked it! It indeed is a wonderful guitar. Cheers, Martin

[@brewsky38c]

Yes it is worth it, just put one in your hand and listen and feel the difference

[@michaeldore661]

Just a piece of advice.. I wouldn't keep 13's on that guitar. 000's like that aren't made for medium/heavy strings, considering they are smaller and shorter in scale vs a dreadnought which has a longer scale length and is braced to handle the increased tension. I'm fairly certain Martin advices against it in the owner's care manual. Gauge 12's would be perfect and more suited for that guitar. 12's would sound better on it as well IMO.

[@LMGuitarCorner]

Thanks for the advice, however these strings were recommended to my by the Martin representative and I liked the sound way better than any other string I've had until now and I've tried quite a few. Maybe I should continue my search for other monel strings. Your point is certainly valid, but I think it's less of a problem on 000 than on OM as the shorter scale length lowers the tension again. The 13 feel pretty much like 12s do on a Dreadnought or OM. Cheers, Martin

[@jeffhildreth9244]

@@LMGuitarCorner NEVER use more than a 12 on a Martin 000 of any kind. Foolish. Martin suggests 12s. not 13s.

[@johnsee7269]

Everything seems fine in your willage gentlemen. Lots of boutique guitars out there; perhaps better but... CF Martin on the headstock means a lot to most people; especially, if/when you or a descendant want to sell it sometime in the future. I always play Blackbird and Peaceful Easy Feeling a "quintessential" strumming song. Seems to sound really really good; great! 🤘

[@LMGuitarCorner]

Thanks a lot! Yeah with some manufacturers you can always argue with resale value. However, I hope this guitar will stay in my family for a long time, even when I'm gone. Cheers, Martin

[@jeffhildreth9244]

Your 000-28EC is exceptional. The backs and sides are old growth East Indian, not the wood quality Martin now uses which is rubber plantation grown. One of the other features of the EC compared to the standard 000 is the string spacing at the bridge which is wider at 2 1/4 inches.

[@LMGuitarCorner]

Thanks for the info! Totally forgot about the string spacing. Cheers, Martin

[@jeffhildreth9244]

@@LMGuitarCorner I am considering buying an EC made in 1996, one of the first. It is In excellent condition and all the materials and workmanship are superior to the guitars now being made. I'll be looking at it again next week. Luckily owned by a guitar collector friend, so no hurry to rush and buy it. It will still be there. He owns 80 plus guitars. He is also one of the finest guitar repairmen I have met.

[@LMGuitarCorner]

@@jeffhildreth9244 Chances are good, you'll like it then, if you like V shaped necks. Have fun! Cheers, Martin

[@jeffhildreth9244]

@@LMGuitarCorner This will be my third visit to look at/play the guitar. I currently have a 2015 Martin 00-18V with the v neck. The backs and sides are highly flamed (figured) mahogany.. I have never seen another like it. I also have a 1929 Stromberg-Voisinet guitar with a V neck. 12 frets slot head.

[@LMGuitarCorner]

@jeffhildreth9244 Nice, congratulations on those beauties. Cheers, Martin

[@Roady-13]

That Martin is an exquisite guitar!! Martin's Martin!!! Really Love the intro song, but very hard for me to listen to. Very informative video. Thanks Lukas & Martin!! Take Care ☮️- Roady

[@LMGuitarCorner]

Thanks a lot Rusty! Yeah, it's an amazing guitar I am really grateful to own. I probably wouldn't ever spend so much money on an electric guitar but on acoustics I think the point where the increase in price does not make much of a noticeable difference is way higher. And yeah, we really struggled to not use this phrase. :D Cheers, Martin

[@marcreno893]

Great informative video. I’ve been doing a lot of research on this guitar as I’m saving up to purchase one. I just sold by Martin D18 to put the funds towards it. My only worry is that I have a martin 000-15 already and that for $2,000 less than yours it might be all the guitar I need. Have you ever played a 000-15 to compare the necks ?

[@LMGuitarCorner]

Hi Marc, I've played the D15 a couple of times when I was looking for a camp fire guitar. I only played the 000-18 when I was looking for my "main acoustic" which resulted in me buying the 000-28EC. This has been quite some time ago and I didn't play it much, so I can't really tell you the difference in feel of those two series. However the difference from the D15 modified oval to the 000-28EC modified V neck shape is huge. I have also had friends play my EC who absolutely did not like the neck. Mostly players though playing in a more classical way with the thumb on the back. One also said it was simply too chunky for him and for me it was just perfect. Also I remember the sound of the D15 to be very different in character. It was crisper and more sterile to my ears. It lacked some warmth in comparison. Full mahogany guitars are said to have this character, and from my experience with the D15 I think there's something to it, but the construction is also different. This might very well be something you like, so again, hard to say. As mentioned in the video, I think it's especially important with acoustic guitars to try them out. I had three 000-28ECs in front of me and even there was a noticeable difference. So your 000-15 can very well be all the guitar you need. I also don't "need" this guitar. I have a Harley Benton clone, which I'm using as my outdoor guitar. But back then I decided to go for no compromise because I could afford it and I don't regret it at all. Whenever I play it, it just fits my hands perfectly and gives the tones my head thinks of being perfect for an acoustic guitar. So it motivates me to play and I have fun doing so which is the most important thing in my book. For you this guitar can very well be your 000-15. If you still have questions, feel free to ask. Cheers, Martin

[@krismcreynolds984]

Hard to best those 15 series Martins.. punch well above their weight..

[@marcreno893]

I appreciate all the information you shared with me Martin. I decided against the EC model. Still have the ooo-15 and my D18 and plenty of Gibson LPJ’s and SGs I don’t need lol been on the hunt for one of those “in between” size acoustics that are good for thumbing and strumming.. are you still in love with your EC ?

[@jeffhildreth9244]

I bought one of the very first 000-15 Martins. It had flamed mahogany backs, sides and top. I was an extraordinary guitar. However, I cannot play a 1 11/16ths nut width guitar. I prefer 1 13/16ths and will settle for 1 3/4". I sold the guitar for that reason.

[@jamesgreally2195]

Hi Lukas & Martin, I'm in Ireland and bought my 00028ec online 2 years ago from a shop in Germany. Not something I'd normally do, but my local guitar store couldn’t get one. Also, it was during lockdown & I had Covid. Its a really beautiful guitar, and it cost me €4500 (pricey, but I see they cost €5000 now!), but I really need to change the strings. Which brand and gauge do you recommend is best for the 000-28EC? Would really appreciate your opinion. Thanks, James

[@LMGuitarCorner]

Hi James, it comes with Phosphor Bronze 12s. If you like it the way it is, you can always go back to those. I personally love Monel strings on mine. We have a string comparison video with this guitar. Maybe you'll want to have a look at it to get an idea if you prefer to experiment with those or if you're leaning more towards 80/20 bronze. Monel can be picky with the guitar, though. They can have a vastly different effect on two different guitars, but I think it's worth trying, especially on high class guitars, like this one. They also have an extremely long lifetime, almost like coated. In general, people recommend not to use a heavier gauge than 12s. When I bought mine, Martin only had the Tony Rice signature strings that were Monel and those were 13s. Now they have the retro series, which also offers 12s or lighter. I haven't had issues yet due to using 13s, but I'll be switching to 12s, just in case as soon as I've used up the 13s I still have. I hope this helps. Feel free to ask if you still have questions. Cheers, Martin

[@jamesgreally2195]

Hi Martin, Thanks for getting back to me so quickly. I'll definitely try out the Monel 12's. Getting them on Amazon today! Just wondering, if you tried Elixir strings on your 000-28EC at all? I've never had coated strings myself. I read that they're more expensive but then long - lasting. Thanks again, James

[@LMGuitarCorner]

@@jamesgreally2195 Actually, I have used those in the comparison video. They definitely last longer than regular strings, but I don't think longer than the Monel strings. those are also extremely long lasting. However, I could never bond with Elixir. There's something about their sound that rubs me off on my Martin. In comparison to regular uncoated strings, I would say they have less highend. But with my playing, I cause somewhat of a high frequency noise in addition to the actual note, like some kind of overtones. Maybe you like that, or are not causing it, but on my 000-28EC, I can't stand them. On the other hand, on my Harley Benton, which is essentially a cheap clone of the 000-28EC, they work fine and don't bother me that much. There, the Monel are a little lacking for my taste, but I still use them, as they are cheaper and last just as long. I would say, with strings, you will have to try them on your guitar with your playing. In the end, it only matters what you like and it can vary quite a bit between guitars what works. I can just only recommend trying the Monel strings, as those are often overlooked. Once you've tried them, I would love to know how you liked time. Cheers, Martin

[@jamesgreally2195]

Great - Thanks so much for your advice, James 😊

[@LMGuitarCorner]

You're welcome! Cheers, Martin

[@Theguy-y2y]

Totally Worth it , the EC Martin blows away many guitars

[@LMGuitarCorner]

Hey @David Bible I fully agree. We recently uploaded more videos with the 000-28EC, one is a comparison with my Larrivée OM-03. Here are the links - hope you enjoy them: kzbin.info/www/bejne/p5KTc6CtmNalhMk kzbin.info/www/bejne/nX6rnaJ5mqdjjas Cheers, Lukas

[@dirkjanklijn9949]

Great guitar, and if you have the money to spend buy it but there are much cheaper guitars what do the same, most of the money you pay for the brand.

[@andreaboglio7792]

Great sounding guitar!

[@LMGuitarCorner]

Thanks a lot! Cheers, Martin

[@keithskelton2287]

The first chords Confirmed my view 👍

[@LMGuitarCorner]

Just played it recently on my sisters wedding. The sheer volume it can push without me abusing this guitar is great. Was totally sufficient without any amplification. Cheers, Martin

[@wansrichaimaneewong9242]

You never go wrong with 000-28EC.

[@LMGuitarCorner]

Agreed, however, I was really surprised how big the difference was between the several 000-28ECs I've tried that day. I wouldn't have complained about any of them though if I wouldn't have tried them next to each other. Cheers, Martin

[@robflewell7706]

I got mine used for $2400 US

[@LMGuitarCorner]

Nice, that's a great price. Congratulations! Recently or some years ago? Here in Austria they went for about 2.8k used when I bought mine, but I liked the opportunity to try 3 of them next to each other and take the one I like most. That was the 1k extra worth to me. Couldn't have tried a used one beforehand as they always were on sale on the other end of Austria. Cheers, Martin

[@robflewell7706]

I got mine from Mr. Music in Boston, MA in 2020. it's a little bit beat up, and has had a neck reset, but it plays and sounds great.

[@LMGuitarCorner]

@@robflewell7706 Ah, then it makes sense that they give you some discount. But yeah, they are beautiful instruments. I love that V shaped neck. Cheers, Martin

[@giannirocco7492]

Is it worth it?Probably not!But if it makes it's owner happy than yes!Back when I used to make my living playing guitar I spent plenty on guitars but the funny thing is some of the ones folks just gave to me are worth the most in today's market!

[@LMGuitarCorner]

Good take on it. I think something like this is always subjective. What's worth it for someone, might not be for someone else. But as long as it inspires that person to play/practice, create music and he/she can afford it, it's worth it. Chris Buck just had a video dedicated exactly to that topic recently. Cheers, Martin

[@giannirocco7492]

@@LMGuitarCorner Thanks for the reply!Yes,as long as the person is happy with it and,especially,if contributes to the creative process it's actually a bargain at any price,even if it's owner can't really afford at the time.There are things no one can put a price on and creativity is,in my opinion,the most important!Again I thank you and wish you and your people everywhere all the best!

[@LMGuitarCorner]

I absolutely agree on that. Thanks for the reply and also the very best to you! Cheers, Martin

[@waynewatson1273]

Of course, I spent £8000 on my martin d45

[@LMGuitarCorner]

Wow, that's even a good bit out of my price range. I'm sure it's an amazing instrument though. Cheers, Martin

[@luckyjinxer]

If I do it once, yeah. These are heirlooms.

[@LMGuitarCorner]

Absolutely, and imho it has to be a guitar that absolutely speaks to you. Speaking of having the right scale length, neck profile and thickness, fingerboard material and so on and so forth. One where you're extremely certain to never let go of it. Cheers, Martin

[@sotirzvanidjubre4109]

No. If you are that big of a Clapton fan then maybe. But...no.

[@LMGuitarCorner]

Valid opinion. Martin is a huge Clapton fan (saw him twice in one year some time ago), so I think that justifies the premium he had to pay. Cheers Lukas