The Martin OM-28 is one of the great all-around acoustic guitars, and the current Standard Series version is a fantastic example of why this model has remained so popular. Introduced by Martin in 1930, the Orchestra Model was designed as a smaller, more balanced alternative to the big dreadnoughts of the era—and it has become a favorite of fingerstylists, flatpickers, singer-songwriters, and pretty much anyone who appreciates a guitar that can do a little bit of everything. This OM-28 combines that classic 000-14-fret body with a solid spruce top, solid East Indian rosewood back and sides, Golden Era scalloped bracing, and Martin's modern playability refinements. It includes a molded Martin hardshell case.
The OM-28's neck is one of the reasons this model is so comfortable to play. Martin uses its GE Modified Low Oval profile with a High-Performance Taper, giving you a substantial enough neck to feel like a Martin without feeling like you're wrapping your hand around a baseball bat. The 1 3/4" nut width provides plenty of room for fingerstyle work and complex chord shapes, while the 25.4" scale length gives the OM that little extra string tension and snap that separates it from the shorter-scale 000. The ebony fingerboard has 20 Plek'd frets, long Diamonds & Squares abalone inlays, and a 2 1/8" width at the 12th fret.
The body is the classic OM recipe: a solid spruce top over solid East Indian rosewood back and sides. This is a combination that gives you plenty of bass and harmonic richness, but the smaller OM body keeps everything balanced and articulate rather than letting the low end take over the room. Martin's Golden Era scalloped spruce X-bracing lets the top respond easily and contributes to the vintage-inspired voice of the refreshed Standard Series. Visually, the OM-28 is about as classic as it gets, with bold herringbone top trim, antique white binding, faux tortoise pickguard, Style 28 multi-stripe rosette, and a gloss finish with Aging Toner on the top.
There are no electronics here, and that's exactly what we'd expect from this version of the OM-28. The guitar is built to sound great acoustically first, with an ebony Golden Era Modern Belly bridge, compensated bone saddle, bone bridge pins, and nickel open-gear tuners with butterbean buttons. The combination of spruce and rosewood gives the OM-28 a broad tonal palette: deep, complex lows, a strong and articulate midrange, and clear trebles that stay present without getting harsh. The longer scale adds projection and sustain, while the OM body keeps the response quick and controlled. It is equally happy being fingerpicked on the couch, flatpicked at a bluegrass jam, or strummed behind a singer.
If you're looking for one acoustic guitar that can cover an awful lot of ground, the Martin OM-28 is a tough guitar to beat. Come play one and you'll quickly understand why this particular Martin has earned such a devoted following.
