Martin Guitars 000-28ECE Eric Clapton

Sitka spruce top with Antique-Toner finish

In order to create an expressive tone enriched with distinct mid and high frequencies, the manufacturer uses a tightly grained Sitka spruce top, which, due to its fine structure, produces each individual tone in a clear and defined way. A wafer-thin finish and Scalloped-X-Bracing promote the strong vibration behaviour of the wood and allow for a direct and light attack with a perfect sound development in all ranges. The material coloured with an antique toner immediately gives the impression of an instrument that has been played for years and gives it a very aesthetic touch, which is further emphasised by a Fine-Herringbone-Multi-Stripe rosette and a Fine-Herringbone binding. A tortoise pattern pickguard in combination with the ebony bridge and the light-coloured top wood creates an overall picture rich in contrast, which forms a smooth transition to the other materials used.

East Indian rosewood with a striking grain

For the back and sides of the instrument, the manufacturer uses rosewood with a striking and coarse grain, which enriches the sound with its clear and dynamic bass frequencies. This makes it easy to produce a direct tone, interspersed with a subtle richness and provides a strong foundation for the lower positions, which is especially beneficial for traditional blues picking or fingerstyle. Also with the 000-28EC the combination of the bright frequencies of the Sitka spruce top and the soft saturation of the rosewood body proves to be a good choice, as it allows the relatively small sized guitar to produce a very direct and balanced sound. Split by a zig-zag back-strip and framed by fine multi-stripe bindings, the symmetry of the opened back is particularly evident and allows the observer a deep insight into the exciting grain of the high-quality tropical wood.

A special neck for individual demands

Unlike the Standard Series, the Eric Clapton Edition comes with a solid mahogany neck, which is equipped with a Modified V-profile, giving it a much better grip and allowing the notes to be picked cleanly with little effort. In addition, the ebony fretboard, thanks to the generous 44.45 mm nut width, offers enough space for complex fingerings and excellent access to all 20 frets. The dark wood is decorated with Diamonds-and-Squares abalone inlays, which mark the most important frets and emphasize the value of the even wood with their colorful reflections. To ensure perfect intonation over the entire scale length of 632 mm, the manufacturer uses a nut and a compensated saddle made of the finest bone material. Their millimetre-precise workmanship demonstrates the incredible skill of the craftsmen behind this product. Open nickel tuners are inserted into the typical Martin headstock, guaranteeing precise and reliable tuning and adding another venerable touch to the instrument.

The Martin 000-28ECE Eric Clapton at a glance:

• Custom Signature Edition
• All solid 000-14-Fret design
• Sitka spruce top with Antique Toner
• Scalloped-X-Bracing
• Bottom and sides of East Indian rosewood
• 632 mm scale length
• Mahogany neck with ebony fingerboard
• Modified V-neck profile
• Diamonds and Squares abalone inlays and Awabi signature inlay
• 44.45 mm wide bone nut
• Compensated bone saddle
• Open nickel tuners with butterbean buttons
• L.R. Baggs Anthem pickup system
• Including ply-hardshell case