Tools of the trade - Don McLean’s Martin 000-28 (1929)

 

Don McLean and the 1929 000-28.

On all of his early 70's albums and for his live work, Don McLean played a 1929 000-28. It remains one of the greatest guitars I have ever heard. He actually had a1928 as well, but the '29 was the standout. Martin made 48 in 1928 and 82 in 1929. Like all the 000's of this period, they were long scale and braced for steel. Most had no pickguard but many of them sport a later one. In late 1929 Martin offered a pickguard as optional. The guitar in photo 1 is a 1929 with original pickguard. Photo 2 shows him onstage with the guitar. If you want to hear him at his height with the guitar in question, the album to get is "Solo",  Photo 3, from 1973. Here, the guitar is superbly recorded and the sound will blow you away. There is also an old film recorded in Ireland, in which he is playing the guitar. Link below. I have also given a link For Homeless Brother from the "Solo" album as a teaser.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2n_vqwRCI34

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwmxywuopVY