Martin 000-28 vs 000-28EC (Clapton Model) - Is there a difference?

We just reviewed Martin's popular 000-28EC (Eric Clapton) guitar and got the request to compare it to the standard 000-28. What the heck is the difference anyway? Can you hear it?

MORE INFO:

GET THE LETTER:

[thcarter]

I’ve been playing 50 years. Finger picker, mostly on my couch. In the mid-2000s, kids gone, college paid for, I spent several years trying every high end guitar I could get my hands on, searching for my forever guitar. Martins, Huss&Dalton, Taylor’s, Guilds, you name it. I wanted to fall in love. I tried an ec early on and could not believe my ears. Didn’t really want a signature guitar, but kept coming back to it. In 2008 finally bought it. I’ve never regretted the decision or wanted more. Since then, I’ve played a bunch of other nice guitars, a couple costing between $10k-$15k. The ec has held up just fine. I usually describe the tone as “warm honey.” It may not be the guitar for everyone, but it sure checked all my boxes.

[CalmedByNature]

Would love to see a 000-18 vs 000-28 comparison for 2020. The previous comparison was, if I remember correctly, prior to the updates to the 000-28.

[VonBluesman]

The 000-28EC model has a beautiful vintage tint to it and the guitar is great for finger picking and strumming, it is a high quality made guitar with excellent tone.

[ericecklund]

I have played both of these, and prefer the brightness of the 000-28 Reimagined series over the mellowness of the EC. It just comes down to what kind of tone you like in a Martin. If you play them both and like the EC better, spend the extra $700 and get the EC.

[brettwolf]

I bought a 2009 Clapton. I was lucky enough to be able to shop on 48th street NYC when there were at least 3 Martin Dealers in the street. I tested a 00028, OM28, and a Clapton. I hated (and still do) the toxic orange finish of the Clapton, but it hands down blew (and still ) away all the other same sized Rosewood models. Of my 14 guitars. It is the one I will never sell. I play in a very well known BrooklynnBluegrass jam circuit, and although my skills aren’t the best, My Clapton’s Tone Always turns heads. Love that guitar👍

[lilycat]

The regular 000-28 sounds a tad bit brighter.

[buskman]

I got a deal on/bought an EC a couple of years ago but just couldn't get on with the neck profile - sort of a V shape. Sounded good but I sold it a few months later totally due to the neck profile. It was a good learning experience about neck shapes! For me it's a hand-cramp producer for extended playing/gigging. It was my first and only experience with that neck profile. It's not for me but obviously it works great for Eric Clapton! ;)

[TheTroyallen]

I went to a local music store this week to check out both the re-imagined 000-28 and the EC signature model. A video only goes so far, I think. I'm a pretty particular listener and I normally pick up on even slight differences that others don't hear. With that said, though, the only difference, in person, I heard between the models is that the 000-28 re-imagined version sounded brighter to me. It could just be the strings, though. So, if the sound is the same, what's the real difference? A signature high on the neck and a different neck profile. I prefer the re-imagined neck profile. Now I have the guitar bug for the re-imagined 000-28. I have the 000-18 model in sunburst and think it would go nicely with a traditional finished 000-28. I'd have to hide it from my wife, though, because I already have 8 guitars, 7 resonator guitars, a banjo, and 8 tenor ukuleles. Thinking of making a secret compartment in my bedroom wall to hide future purchases.

[patricklundquist]

I got to play a 000-28EC a couple hours ago. It's a fantastic instrument. I own a OM-21 which also has the same body but different scale length and can hear a major difference between the two. The thick 000-28EC neck is disconcerting at first but is actually easy to get used to. I need one.

[tomgaus]

Great review! I'd be really interested to see a comparison between the 000-28 standard series, modern deluxe, and custom shop 1937.

[jennyomalley]

I've got a Sigma / 00028 50 years old, never seen another one, I've traveled around many Guitars shops trying Martins bought a couple, years ago but non too compare with this Sigma. No paper label inside, just a number stamped near the truss-rod that you can see through the sound hole.

[andmondson]

Simply put...the ec has wider spacing, mod v neck shape and amber toner lacquer. I will be purchasing the 000-28ec as soon as I can fund it (hopefully next year) such a beautiful guitar and just has the sound and charm for what I want to be my life long daily.

[xetexuk]

Have to say, the EC is the only Martin out of a room full I wanted to come away with a while ago at my local shop.

[lesliebright]

The previous 000-28 standard model was notably more different than the 000-28EC, when compared to the new standard. With the 'reimagined' changes, the 000-28 has much more closely aligned with the EC 'where it counts': while all three have been Sitka and EIR, the previous 000-28 had bracing that wasn't scalloped and used closed tuners; the new 000-28 and the EC have the same bracing now, and open-gear tuners. The biggest functional difference between the two now is that the EC has the modified-V neck with a standard taper, the standard uses the MLO (modified low oval) with a high-performance taper. Different strings come on them, which can make a difference, but once you change the strings, that's irrelevant. Aside from Eric's signature and the paper label the toner on the top (cosmetic), and the gloss neck versus satin neck that you noticed, the string spacing at the bridge is probably the biggest noticeable difference: but that's 2-1/4" on the EC, 2-5/32" on the standard: that's a difference of 3/32", that's 0.09" difference. At the 12th fret, the fingerboard goes from 2-1/8" to 2-1/4" wide on the EC. Another cosmetic difference would be that the standard has antique binding, whereas the EC has ivoroid binding. The standard has bold herringbone and a standard rosette, the EC has fine herringbone and herringbone in the rosette. Different dot on the pins, different case...

Of course, we're discussing compressed youtube video over PC speakers, you need to hear these in person, with the same strings to remove that variable, but otherwise, slight variances in the woods could account for more audible differences than the specs themselves cause.

[norcalranger]

As others have posted, EC model to me sounds somewhat warmer and fuller. Strings alone could do that.

[kenbina]

The regular OOO-28 model has slightly more zing and brightness in the Treble compared to the Clapton OOO. Other than that they sound IDENTICAL. I think the main difference will be in the playability.

[robertdickinson]

Eric always said on his signature model they took the unplugged guitar and Martin measured the action, scanned the guitar to see what the bracings were like dimensions wise and copied it in full as near as they could to the 30s model he played. That's got to have a sound changing effect. Either way its an awesome guitar that everyone who plays it loves.

[tomvmorris]

I thought side by side that the Clapton had greater resonance, a fuller tone. More depth and round fullness. The regular 28 sounded bright but flatter by comparison. I have a Clapton and every time I pick it up, I'm astonished by how resonant the wood is, how notes spring from it as if powered from within. It's really a magnificent guitar. I have a 1960s D28 I bought when I was in high school, and several other Martins but this is the most amazing of them all.

[JesseDylanMusic]

You guys should compare two identical D-18s or something and see how much difference there is, or two J-45s, or whatever you have two of in stock. To me, these two might have some differences (the neck might make a difference), but it might also just be the difference between two specific but otherwise identical guitars, or even two sets of strings.

[benniejohnson]

At first I thought that the EC sounded warmer and fuller. But if you go back to around 3:00 when he strummed one and then the other, he strummed the EC more in the middle of the sound hole. He strummed the regular one just at the back edge of the sound hole. That is more than enough difference in the strumming proximity to void any objective comparison in tone.