Martin’s 2025 Standard Series Acoustic Guitars | What’s New?

[@sweetwater]

Shop Martin Standard Series guitars here 👉 sweetwater.sjv.io/aOKaxW Check out Martin’s wide selection of products at Sweetwater 👉 sweetwater.sjv.io/yqrdgG

[@JacobLawrenceCanning]

They're all good. I could see some preferring the slab board ebony rather than the new thin boards that appear to have more grain variation. Ebony just isn't available like it used to be. Also nut changes will be a nightmare on these with the slanted nut. It reminds me of Rolex, constantly releasing the same watching with minor tweaks.

[@bedlamknights]

Love that these features are being implemented, but boy would I be peeved if I had bought one of these guitars only a few months ago.

[@kbb149]

Maybe, but it might be worth waiting for the verdict on whether these are actual improvements. "Golden Era" bracing will be considered superior, but I won't be surprised if people don't actually prefer it. I'm already bummed they're discontinuing the straight-braced D28. It has a very different response...pure and punchy without as much murkiness as the HD IMHO.

[@nibpicky]

You probably would have saved yourself on a price increase though.

[@stuco]

A thinner fretboard and larger volute are downgrades IMO. Beveled fretboard and GE bracing are upgrades. They all come with a too skinny neck unfortunately.

[@jasper_north]

At this time I don’t see the pins on the website. The bridge on the 2025 models is canted, prior bridge pin holes were vertical.

[@whatsupchicken]

2:45 whenever I buy a guitar I always file the sharp edges with a nail file, I thought they would never realize it is important for some people!

[@RingtailBanditMedia]

Love the changes! The price increase hurts a bit.... but man, it's hard to beat a good martin. Definitely makes my decision a bit harder between trying to get a J-45 or a D-18 this year. Love my HD-28!

[@jackramey3456]

Bring back the 1 11/16" nut width and I'll buy one.

[@ohiosouthpaw]

Ha! I thought I was all alone. I had to Custom order my 000-28 because 1 11/16 is so crucial. It took me years of playing different guitars to realize how much of a difference it makes. I am not efficient & stumble on a 1 3/4. 1 11/16 is home 🏠 for me.

[@Dragon_rls]

We changed our pricing also 🎉🥳🎈🎊.

[@tehee-]

They're pricing themselves out of business. No everyman can afford a Martin guitar, even a D-18. Sad times :(

[@mikehopper1674]

@@tehee-it’s only a few hundred dollars more. The Takamine I bought 2 years ago has went up $500.

[@ohiosouthpaw]

Long Saddle would have been another nice vintage touch.

[@revivalbliss2738]

Can I trade my 2018 D-45 for this new version with the Golden Era bracing? 😂 Finally, Martin is moving away from cheap plastic bridge pins. It's always my first upgrade when getting a new guitar.

[@matthewgreco7489]

Soooooo Martin no longer makes a straight-braced D-28?

[@ILuvJazzNJava]

This is nothing more than a mild mid cycle refresh. The only feature of consequence is the tweaks to the bracing. If the “Golden Era” bracing is like the Modern Deluxe bracing, as they say, then I won’t prefer it. Grab a 2024 model for a bit less money while you can.

[@dave-xe6pc]

That dreadnought demoed in the video has herringbone binding. Is that a 2025 HD-28 or is the 2025 D-28 releasing with herringbone? Also, you stated Golden-era bracing. Can you confirm if that’s forward shifted and scalloped?

[@whitemat76]

yes, forward shifted scalloped with a slightly thinner brace

[@tehee-]

The main D-28 is now also scalloped bracing, which goes against convention. The D-28, since the late 1940s has reliably been a non-scalloped X-bracing. I suppose tradition is hitting the backburner at Martin, instead for this illusionary "historic" design. As a longtime Martin owner and fan, they really have gone the opposite direction. Martin no longer makes guitars for a folk music audience, only for the Billy Strings bluegrass crowd. I feel a sense of loss in that regard -- I will buy from the used market if I ever want another Martin.

[@kbb149]

@@tehee- It's too bad about the D28 in my opinion. The straight braced D28 has a focused punch and non-murky clarity that's audibly very different - and for some, more desirable - than the scalloped HD-28.

[@Petrom714]

​@tehee- my 7 year old d18... should I feel bad that it's not this next level up revision? I play dylan, Neil Young and Beatles mostly

[@kbb149]

@@Petrom714 haha, NO. :-). I'd probably prefer a broken in one (7 years is 7 years!) than a new version.

[@dividedbytimestudios]

How does that affect the D-28 bracing? Pretty much the same? Or will it be better?

[@ZionForman]

forward shifted and scalloped like the pre-War guitars.

[@dividedbytimestudios]

@ I haven’t seen any info that they are scalloped

[@FlatpickRei]

@@dividedbytimestudiosmartin’s site says they are “GE(golden era) scalloped bracing”

[@ryan4391]

In 2018 the D28 moved to forward shifted Non scalloped. 2025 D28 is forward shifted but thinner (Golden Era) braces, Non Scalloped. The HD28 has forward shifted scalloped.

[@FlatpickRei]

@ martins site says the normal D28 is now scalloped

[@UAL320]

Striped ebony isn’t vintage 😉 I get it, the “good stuff” is more expensive now, but thinking people aren’t going to notice is insulting our intelligence.

[@kbb149]

I'm surprised they're even trying it again. They went back to black ebony at some point recently with a quickness and the striped was gone - I assumed it wasn't well received. Nothing against striped ebony, but I wouldn't pay what they're asking for a guitar with striped ebony. Some prefer it of course, I'm just not one of them.

[@MJDontPlay66]

Curious if the standard series updates include the -15M line, like the 000-15M played at the end…. -edit- never mind 000-17. Got it.

[@RuggeroBelloni]

Americans are always fond of innovations. The danger is trying to reinvent the wheel My '67 D 18 with transitional small rosewood bridge plate gets the job done with no fuss.

[@absolutacoustic8878]

Rather than call them "Standard" Series maybe Vintage Modern would be more suitable. I for one prefer the standard range before they went to the "Reimaged" range and now this vintage sort of thing.

[@Augminished]

Unfortunately I haven't played a Martin in years that made me want to buy it. There's so much more guitar to buy for an extra $500-1K, or in some cases same price.

[@ymm420]

Release an affordable n20 Willie Nelson type

[@weed491]

Looks like they raised prices ,by a significant percentage! That’s probably not going to go well in today’s economy.

[@RingtailBanditMedia]

Wow yeah ranging from ~700 to ~500 more than last year

[@FlatpickRei]

they raised the prices $100, lol. definitely not a significant percentage. standard D18 price the last couple years was $2799. now it’s $2899. standard D28 price was $3199. now it’s $3299. only big price jump is for finishes like ambertone. which was $300 more than the standard price anyways, so that didn’t change. 100 dollars isn’t a lot when you’re talking about a 3000 instrument. it’s insane specs for value. if you’re looking for value, get an eastman.

[@FlatpickRei]

@@RingtailBanditMedia?? it’s only a $100 price increase? where are you getting the 500-700 price increase numbers from? martins site show that it’s only a $100 increase from the previous years?

[@RingtailBanditMedia]

@FlatpickRei Oh, fair shout, I forgot martin charges differing prices for different finishes and wasn't doing like for like. I was kinda shocked to see a D-18 cross 3k and a HD-28 at 37hundred when I paid 32 for mine a couple years ago. But those were Burst finishes vs natural finishes

[@johnoffutt898]

They have a thin tonal palette sounds like tin.

[@ewm335]

I noticed a brown streak on the dreadnought’s fretboard, and that the bridge wasn’t uniformly black. Are Standard Series not using dyed ebony? Is that a recent change?

[@mr_stompbox]

This most likely due to wood sourcing. The darker colored woods are extremely rare now so most likely you’ll see more striped ebony. I personally like the striped as it gives the guitar more character.

[@ewm335]

@@mr_stompbox I imagine that’s been the case for some time. For years, Martin and other makers have dyed ebony to be uniformly black. But it looks like they’re not doing it on Standards anymore.

[@sure5871]

Won’t buy another Martin dread until they bring back the old square shoulders, I like my Martin guitar, I understand it’s a business, but by releasing vintage features bit by bit like new iPhones, is it really helping? A guitar follows us for a life time, it’s not an iPhone! For me it pushes more customers to boutique builders who replicate vintage guitars more precisely all at once. Even those who pay premium money for an “authentic” dread get a waiting-to-be-upgraded guitar, I think it’s really unfair. Please listen! Martin

[@kbb149]

Considering that a new Collings D2H is over $6k now, IMHO Martin's bracing change and inclusion of any "boutique" appointments will only sell more guitars to those considering boutique. Years ago, I got into Collings because Martins were very good guitars but overpriced because you could get a Collings for some hundreds (and not thousands) more and the difference was very obvious. Since the "reimagined" Martin standards, the difference hasn't been nearly as great IMO - current Martins are amazing guitars that sound pretty boutique. Now there's even less of a difference between Martin and boutique - the words "golden era" will sell some folks before they even hear them. And then there's the fact that Martins sound like Martins and Collings sound like Collings. YMMV. :-)!

[@johnoffutt898]

New Martin 2025 standard series sounds like thin tinny tonal palette.

[@frankcline66]

I've noticed they are getting like Gibson their necks are gonna be like playing a 2x6.

[@dananthony6258]

I bought one of these guitars and the headstock snapped right off, 🫵🏼😜SIKE !!!

[@bobbyblue2632]

Really? Which model? How did it happen?

[@johnoffutt898]

If I wanted a crappie tinny tonal palette I would have bought a Taylor.