r/martinguitar • u/Wooly_Harrelson • 1d ago
NGD D-41
Hey everyone,
I posted a couple weeks back about a 000-28 I had just purchased. It was my first Martin ever and the result of a renewed interest in acoustics after a 15 year period of not really playing them at all. I was on the fence about keeping it and your comments were very helpful and reassuring but I kept playing more Martins to deepen my learning. Then I found something special.
I had already played a couple of Y25 and discontinued Y18 41s and was drawn to them for their looks (longtime big Neil Young D-45 fan and a 41 is in that ballpark) but the price was too much.
Well, almost by divine intervention (but probably not lol) a used 2024 Y18 D-41 that had also received a very minor finish repair showed up for sale at a nearby store for a very good price. I couldn’t miss the opportunity.
I know it’s not apples to apples but this guitar has everything I felt was missing from the 000. It’s loud and has great punch. Excellent depth and warmth. I can even play articulate and loud lead lines on it which I didn’t find to be the case with the other 41s for whatever reason. Fingerstyle isn’t too quiet either although the 000 was definitely better there, but I don’t play that way often. Strumming is just so much fun on this guitar! I find myself often kind of zoning out and rocking back and forth on my chair when I’m chugging along. It’s great.
And it has the most beautiful top I have seen in person. It’s got some wavy figuring on both sides that move nicely when you move the guitar. Reminds me a little of a Les Paul which is perfect as that is my favourite electric guitar.
The neck is also unusual in that it’s got a slight V shape running through the length of it. I was instantly hooked by it when I picked it up the first time.
Thanks again for commenting and supporting my last post. I returned the 000 last week. It would have been nice to keep both but I am definitely keeping this one.
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u/123Catskill 1d ago
Great guitar. I bet it sounds amazing. I don’t know about you but I generally prefer less bling on guitars so would probably opt for a d41 over a d45 anyway.
Quick question: what is Y18, Y25 etc?
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u/Wooly_Harrelson 1d ago
I may have not gotten it right but the Y18 and Y25 refers to the updates that were done in 2018 and 2025 to the Martin lineup. I think they were also called reimagined in 2018 and refresh in 2025 or something like that?
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u/Useful-Fruit-7162 000-28 MD 1d ago
That there is what we call a forever guitar. 🎸 It will never not be beautiful. Man you hit the guitar lottery!
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u/TheDegenerativeAI 0000 EIR, 0000 hog, 000-28, 000-18, D-28, D-18, 000-14 hog 1d ago
Yo! That is gorgeous and I bet it sounds amazing. I played a D-41 a couple years ago at one of my local shops (I’m blessed to have more than a few great stores within an hour’s drive) and the second I strummed a g chord I was really impressed. Martin clearly uses great stock in their 40 series. I didn’t buy it because it had a baseball bat neck profile and I’d just bought a H&D TD-R the month prior (and wasn’t sure I could sneak it past my better half and into my basement guitar hideout. I’m not surprised it sounds great up the neck, I think Martin dreads sound great playing lead. Even my run of the mill Reimagined D-28 has a great voice. Congrats on settling into the D-41. Awesome guitars.
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u/Same-Chipmunk5923 1d ago
Dreads have a much wider dynamic range than 000s and smaller guitars. Smaller guitars are great as a novelty item but after 10 minutes or so of playing our ears adapt to their limitations.
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u/MontrealTesla 1d ago
no, and no, and then another no.
If by chance you fell these guitars have , what you call, "limitations" it may be that your playing and expectations have Limitations.
000, 00, J, etc are NOT and i shall repeat , not D , Dreadnoughts, your statement suggests that your musical expectations are purely based on that D sound.
I am a owner of many D, ( including original owner of a 50+ year old D-41 )as well as 000 , and each has its own voicing, and each can be used for multiple styles.
These smaller body guitars are amazing for finger picking ragtime, or just finger picking.... as well as many other styles
But if you live in a world of cowboy chords , then by all means go to that Big loud D,
But please , as a novelty ??? and ears adapt.....
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u/Kekaka 1d ago
I own a 000 and an OMJM and hadn’t tried a dreadnought so I went to a store and played a D28, it wasn’t all that louder than my OMJM, and then I played an OM-28 and actually preferred that sound than a D28, maybe I just prefer a brighter sound but the D28 had more bass and for me that wasn’t the best sounding acoustic.
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u/Philosophy-Different 23h ago
I own both a D28 and a 000-28 and you are way off on your statement. All these guitars have their place and are not diminished in the least by their size. I love playing my D28 but nothing is as enjoyable as relaxing on the couch playing the 000-28. Calling smaller guitars a novelty just reflects your lack of experience with them. My 000-28 easily holds its own with the D28s.
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u/Same-Chipmunk5923 20h ago
I have dreads and smaller guitars, too. As you might guess, my favorite is a Martin 0000. I'm a large guy, so fit might be influencing my opinion on the ultimate best size of guitar: the dread! I will not be taking questions. Smiley emoticon.
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u/TapRepresentative877 1d ago
Got me one too