Where Martin Heritage Meets Modern Innovation
If you've ever wished you could play a pre-war Martin without waiting fifty years for it to open up, the 000-28 Modern Deluxe is your answer. Martin took everything that made their Golden Era guitars legendary—scalloped Adirondack bracing, natural protein glue, that rich herringbone trim—and paired it with their Vintage Tone System to create a guitar that sounds broken-in from day one. The torrefied Sitka spruce top has been heat-treated to simulate decades of aging, giving you that resonant, open tone right out of the case.
The Modern Deluxe series represents Martin's most ambitious blending of old and new. You get the visual elegance of 1930s appointments—flamed maple binding, gold EVO frets, Waverly open-gear tuners, and that beautiful abalone script logo—combined with cutting-edge materials like a carbon fiber bridgeplate, titanium truss rod, and Liquidmetal bridge pins. The slightly asymmetrical neck profile is based on a rare 1930 OM-45 Deluxe from Martin's archives, and players consistently describe it as one of the most comfortable necks they've ever played.
The 000 body size sits in the sweet spot between intimacy and projection. It's smaller than a dreadnought but offers surprising volume and clarity, with a balanced voice that works beautifully for fingerstyle, flatpicking, or strumming. This is a guitar for players who value tradition but want modern comfort and responsiveness—whether you're recording, performing, or just playing on the couch.
The VTS Advantage and Advanced Engineering
Martin's Vintage Tone System is what sets the Modern Deluxe apart from the Standard Series. Through a precise torrefaction process, both the Sitka spruce top and the Adirondack spruce bracing are heat-treated to remove moisture and chemically age the wood. The result is a top that behaves like it's been played for decades—more responsive, more resonant, with richer overtones and a higher ceiling for volume. You'll hear the difference immediately: notes ring out with clarity and sustain, and the guitar responds to the lightest touch.
The carbon fiber bridgeplate and Liquidmetal bridge pins work together to boost volume by 3-4 dB without adding weight. The bridgeplate is lighter and more rigid than traditional maple, allowing the top to vibrate more freely. The Liquidmetal pins reflect energy back into the soundboard instead of absorbing it, giving you more projection and sustain. Combined with the scalloped X-bracing and natural protein glue construction, the Modern Deluxe delivers exceptional resonance and structural integrity.
The neck features a titanium truss rod that's 64% lighter than steel, contributing to the guitar's overall lightweight feel. The Vintage Deluxe profile with High-Performance Taper offers a 1 3/4" nut width and a gently asymmetrical carve that supports your hand naturally up and down the fretboard. The 24.9" scale length provides slightly lower string tension than a standard 25.4" scale, making it easier to play and particularly comfortable for extended sessions.
Tonewoods and Construction Details
The 000-28 Modern Deluxe is built with solid East Indian rosewood back and sides, a classic Martin pairing with the Sitka spruce top. Rosewood brings complex overtones, rich bass response, and that characteristic shimmer in the treble—everything you expect from a Style 28 Martin. The solid ebony fingerboard and bridge add clarity and sustain, while the bone nut and compensated bone saddle ensure optimal energy transfer and tuning accuracy.
The dovetail neck joint is a Martin hallmark, providing structural stability and excellent resonance transfer between the neck and body. The genuine mahogany neck with satin finish feels fast and comfortable, and the scalloped Adirondack spruce bracing—once reserved for Martin's high-end Authentic Series—is more responsive than the bracing used on Standard Series guitars. The 16" fingerboard radius and 20 gold EVO frets provide smooth playability across the entire fretboard.
Visual details include European flamed maple binding, bold herringbone purfling around the top, the multi-stripe Style 28 rosette, and abalone diamond-and-squares inlays on the fingerboard. The 1930s-style abalone script logo on the headstock and the faux tortoise pickguard complete the vintage-inspired aesthetic. Everything is finished in high-gloss nitrocellulose lacquer that highlights the natural beauty of the tonewoods.
Product Features:
- Solid Sitka spruce top treated with Martin's Vintage Tone System (VTS) for aged, open tone
- Solid East Indian rosewood back and sides for rich overtones and projection
- 000-14 Fret Auditorium body size with balanced tone and comfortable dimensions
- 24.9" scale length with 1 3/4" nut width for smooth playability
- Vintage Deluxe neck profile with slight asymmetry based on 1930 OM-45 Deluxe
- Scalloped Adirondack spruce X-bracing with natural protein glue construction
- Carbon fiber bridgeplate and Liquidmetal bridge pins boost volume 3-4 dB
- Solid ebony fingerboard and bridge with 20 gold EVO frets
- European flamed maple binding, Waverly gold open-gear tuners, and 1930s abalone script logo
- Dovetail neck joint, titanium truss rod, and bone nut and saddle
Brand: Martin
Model: 000-28 Modern Deluxe
SKU: 00028MODERNDELU
Condition: New
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