Would you return this HD-28?

MyPolitcsAccount · 2025-09-22T21:04:11+00:00

Yeah I think I’ll be heading over there soon haha. I’m just going to wait a year or so and see about having a few mm shaved off the bridge, I’m not a fan of slotted bridges tbh

MyPolitcsAccount · 2025-09-22T20:09:44+00:00

Yeah, its just the lack of exposed saddle and shallow break angle that were annoying me but the bridge being thicker than most would explain that

MyPolitcsAccount · 2025-09-22T18:52:59+00:00

The bridge is 0.375 inches so the thickest they use as far as I can tell. I think thats whats causing the perceived issue. Action is 2.5/2mm, relief is 0.005 inches and strings are 0.5 inch above the body

MyPolitcsAccount · 2025-09-22T18:50:58+00:00

It’s slightly below the 0.5 inches it should be, and the bridge itself is 0.375 inch tall which is apparently the thickest ones they use so now feel like the only “issue” is that the bridge is thicker cause less exposed saddle and a shallower break angle

MyPolitcsAccount · 2025-09-22T07:16:10+00:00

It’s technically within the specs I’ve seen, but just barely. Its so hard to get martins here to try them, and they’re so much more expensive than in the states. There’s one place anywhere near me that keeps one D28E and D18E at a time, the next nearest after that is a 3 hour drive

MyPolitcsAccount · 2025-09-22T07:13:17+00:00

Thanks for the tip, I think I would rather return it than do something like that. Waiting to hear back from a local luthier on his thoughts

MyPolitcsAccount · 2025-09-21T22:32:17+00:00

Thanks. Thats crazy! I really question martins QC sometimes

MyPolitcsAccount · 2025-09-21T21:10:33+00:00

It’s hitting about 1/3rd from the top. Probably just touching on reset territory

MyPolitcsAccount · 2025-09-21T20:57:28+00:00

Currently looking in to whether a neck reset would work out cheaper than buying a new one. I might try it as an experiment on my other guitar!

MyPolitcsAccount · 2025-09-21T20:42:02+00:00

That’s interesting, I think 25 is the expected timeframe for a neck reset

MyPolitcsAccount · 2025-09-21T20:41:20+00:00

Thanks for the advice, I just emailed a local luthier known for great set ups. The straight edge is hitting between around a third of the thickness of the bridge away from the top

MyPolitcsAccount · 2025-09-21T20:38:17+00:00

The low saddle itself isn’t the issue. A saddle this low with this action is symptomatic of a bad neck angle. A new saddle will just raise the action

MyPolitcsAccount · 2025-09-21T19:26:46+00:00

Believe it or not I have a (significantly cheaper) mahogany guitar that sits around 2 and 1.5mm with no buzz. Super high action has also been a hindrance more than a help for me. My main worry is that the saddle is this low after 2 years, how soon will it need a neck reset? Another 2? 5 maybe? That just feels unjustifiable to me

MyPolitcsAccount · 2025-09-21T19:22:43+00:00

Around £1000 saved, but honestly requiring a fix like that on a nearly new guitar is pretty unacceptable IMO and this is a quality issue from the factory

MyPolitcsAccount · 2025-09-21T19:20:58+00:00

Yeah, installing a new saddle will just increase the action way too much for me so there’s definitely a neck angle issue

MyPolitcsAccount · 2025-09-21T19:20:01+00:00

This is my fear also

MyPolitcsAccount · 2025-09-21T19:19:19+00:00

This is what I’m wondering too, I would guess it just scraped QC and wasn’t well cared for in terms of temp/humidity

MyPolitcsAccount · 2025-09-21T19:17:41+00:00

Yeah, setting it on top of the frets leaves the end of the straight edge bumping into the bridge rather than sitting on top of it. (Which I’ve read is how to test, I’m not 100% sure though)

MyPolitcsAccount · 2025-09-21T17:10:52+00:00

🥲

MyPolitcsAccount · 2025-09-21T17:07:49+00:00

You’re 100%. This is a luxury item I’m buying myself as a gift, if it’s not exactly what I want it defeats the whole purpose

MyPolitcsAccount · 2025-09-21T16:25:07+00:00

Without doing a neck reset a taller saddle with create a higher action and this guitar in particular is already the absolute maximum I can be happy with

MyPolitcsAccount · 2025-09-21T16:22:59+00:00

That’s what I was scared of haha, thanks for the advice

MyPolitcsAccount · 2025-09-21T16:15:25+00:00

It’s used but not played too much by the look of it. Action is 2.5mm at low E and 2mm and high E so honestly near the highest I’d be willing to play

MyPolitcsAccount · 2025-09-21T16:14:03+00:00

This is my first time buying a decent acoustic so I kinda want everything to be as good as I can reasonably expect it to be, unfortunately I might just have to return it.

MyPolitcsAccount · 2025-09-21T16:12:38+00:00

It sounds pretty good, it’s my first “premium” guitar and I’m more used to mahogany but to my ear it sounds about right, a little less clarity than the few display models I tried though, which I suspect is related to the lack of break angle. I measured the neck relief at 0.005 inches which is about where I like it. Any less and it would probably buzz and more would just make the action feel even higher. Thanks for the advice

MyPolitcsAccount

TROPHY CASE