The OM-28 Is in Its Prime
A mainstay of the Martin catalog since 1930, the jack-of-all-trades OM-28 fuses comfort, stylistic flexibility, and incomparable organic tone into one marvelous musical vessel. This Standard series acoustic exemplifies Martin’s dedication to heritage and high-quality guitar building, showcasing a wealth of Martin Golden Era appointments employed in conjunction with optimized playability. Fingerstylists and flatpickers can commandingly wield the OM-28 across a multitude of genres thanks to its orchestra body and the versatility of its standard scale length. Spruce-topped East Indian rosewood, bolstered by GE-scalloped X-bracing, sets the tone with beautiful balance, while its GE Modified Low Oval neck carve and ebony fingerboard streamline maneuverability through the octaves. Every glance at the Martin OM-28’s Antique White binding, herringbone purfling, Diamond and Squares inlays, Style 28 multi-stripe rosette, and classic nickel open-gear tuners may as well be in slow motion!
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An opportunely crafted orchestra
Guitarists across the globe, including countless ones here at Sweetwater, understand that Martin’s OM-28 design checks a ridiculous number of boxes in terms of convenience for the constant performer. Most notably, this blueprint conjoins the sized-down body of an orchestra model with a standard 25.4-inch scale length, as opposed to its short-scale 000-bodied counterparts, resulting in premier playing versatility that artists have coveted for nearly a century. Fingerstyle players will also enjoy this OM-28’s responsiveness, which maximizes the impact of the playing style’s softer attack across its smaller, Golden Era–braced top surface.
The special tones of a 28
Sizing aside, this OM-28 sends an outstanding musical message by way of its high-grade, all-solid tonewoods. Spruce is as equalized as a tonewood comes, paying equivalent attention to treble crispness, midrange definition, and tight low-end response. Matched perfectly with a back and sides of East Indian rosewood, the OM-28 furthers its splendid tone with a balanced richness that resonates just the right amount for its orchestra model body size. A 16-inch-radiused fingerboard of ebony seals the deal of sonic excellence, providing a gorgeous sustain that treats chording and phrasing to a magnificent musical glow.
Standard series: revisiting timeless Martin tradition
Considering the storied history of Martin’s acoustic guitar engineering and building practices, there’s no question that the company’s iconic models stand firm as the backbone of American steel-string instrument design. With this sentiment top of mind, Martin presents the refreshed Standard series: a lineup dedicated to reviving the looks and tone of the brand’s golden-era vintage models while introducing a complex set of modern performance enhancements. The result is a comprehensive update to Martin’s most revered range of instruments, combining tonal authenticity with the comfort and versatility of a contemporary instrument. Across-the-board changes include remarkably responsive GE (Golden Era) bracing, thinner fingerboards with beveled edges, a slick vintage-style heel, angled nuts, and GE belly bridges equipped with bone or ebony bridge pins. What’s more, the refreshed standard series introduces a fresh new trio of Martin models back into the fold, including the iconic 000-17, D-17, and OM-45. Refreshed with a plethora of musician-requested features, the Standard series harnesses the power of these legendary acoustics and takes center stage once again.
Martin OM-28 Standard Features:
- The long-standing Martin standard for playing comfort and performance versatility
- Laden with Martin Golden Era appointments for period-correct style and playability, from GE-scalloped X-bracing to fingerboard beveling and beyond
- OM-28 body offers a smaller and easier-to-command body with a full 25.4-in. scale length to thrive under any circumstance
- All-solid construction of spruce-topped rosewood achieves incredible natural tone equalization, balancing shimmer, punch, and tight response
- GE Modified Low Oval neck profile feels absolutely fantastic in hand
- Ebony fingerboard with 16-in. radius and Diamond and Squares inlays delivers smooth and luscious sustain
