Martin 000-28EC Eric Clapton Signature Model Acoustic Guitar
by John Gatski, 4.20.2003
John Gatski is the Publisher & Executive Editor of Pro Audio Review.
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Martin 000-28EC
Since its introduction in 1996, the Martin 000-28 Eric Clapton signature model has been a great success for Martin and Co. Premium priced at $3,599 retail, this small body acoustic exudes quality in terms of playing and cosmetics.
The guitar evokes vintage tones of Martins from 50 years ago — good for finger picking style playing, but also well suited for general strumming. And yes, according to Martin, Eric Clapton owns and plays quite a few of his namesakes.
Features
The 000-28EC is a "000 sized Martin, usually termed a "auditorium sized" guitar. The front bout is about 11- inches wide and the back bout is just under 15 inches. This relatively light guitar is 4-inches deep near the end pin and just over 3-inches deep near the neck attachment.
The woods are premium all the way — with select solid Sitka spruce for the two-piece top and select, solid Indian rosewood for the back and sides. The 24.9-inch scale neck is made from mahogany and was designed with a "modified" V shape. The fretboard is ebony. Unlike vintage Martins, the truss rod is adjustable from the sound hole.
Many of its features are based on the pre-WWII "000" models that Martin made including the scalloped X-bracing, herringbone wood marquetry around the soundhole, herringbone trim and ivoroid body binding around the body, and open gear "butter bean" replica tuners. Martin’s traditional abalone "diamonds and squares" inlay pattern marks the fret positions.
The meticulous hand work needed for neck inlays and the herringbone borders contribute significantly to the guitar’s cost, but it all sure looks good. An aging toner applied to the top gives the guitar that vintage look. You don’t have to wait for this guitar’s lacquer to darken. The last fret has Eric Clapton's signature inlaid in mother-of-pearl into it.
Inside the guitar, the bracing and all other surfaces looked perfect. No excess glue or wood by-products anywhere. It did have a strong smell of rosewood, but the guitar was just completed a few months before the review.
My favorite feature is the wider neck profile, which is 1 3/4" at the nut. The neck is just flat out comfortable for my stubby fingers. I have played a lot of acoustics and the Martin — with its 1-3/4" width — is the most comfortable I have played. The action was lower than your average Martin, which also contributed to its ease of play.
The OOO28-EC is covered by a lifetime warranty and includes a premium hardshell case.
The Audition
For $3,600, you would expect a guitar to be perfect, with the tone and playability that you want. For my taste, the EC was indeed close to perfect. First of all, the EC’s sounds is not overly bright or thin. Though a relatively new guitar without years of playing and wood seasoning, the 000-28EC has a rich, fuller character than most small body acoustics I have played.
It has bloom in the mid bass and upper bass, and slightly recessed upper mid and treble, making it ideal for finger picking. Thanks to the nearly 4-inch diameter soundhole, the volume projection of the tone is amazing for a guitar this size. The EC fills up small and medium rooms with plenty of volume, and it sounds a lot like a Dreadnought Martin D28 when recording it.
At first, I was not too sure about the vintage style tuners. They look good, but would they stay in tune? I can happily report that the EC stayed in tune just fine with the Martin SP light strings that came with it. I also tried extra lights to see if the tone can be brightened for those who may not appreciate the fuller tone (it does somewhat). I discovered, however, that the .010 small E string slipped off the post unless you put four or so wraps around it.
The only negative that I can foresee is that the 000-28EC’s thin lacquer finish may make the guitar more prone to nicks, scrapes and dings, but hey, that thin finish contributes to the rich tone. Life is full of tradeoffs.
Conclusion
I was so impressed with the amazing sound, the aesthetic quality and the playability of the small bodied Martin 000-28 EC that I had to buy it. I strongly urge those finger-style pickers and singer/player strummers who like comfortable necks to check out this guitar. Do like I did, sell some other guitars and buy one of these.
Thanks to Dick Boak, head of artist relations at Martin, for making the review possible.
For more information, contact Martin and Co. at 610-759-2837; or visit the web site at www.martin.com
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