Taylor has ruled the praise and worship industry for this past decade. During the later part of 2014 we started noticing worship guitarists using acoustic guitars as a support instrument similar to bass. Taylors cut through the mix like no other but with the electric guitar coming to the forefront of worship music acoustic guitarists are seeking guitars that sit within the mix subtly with more bass response. Guitarists such as Joel Houston from Hillsong United and Bear Rinehart from NeedtoBreathe are using the HD28 and we expect Martin Guitars will continue to rise in the P&W industry.
The HD28 is the perfect dreadnought for the worship guitarists. The tone is balanced and can cut through the mix if needed. The build quality on this instrument is next to none and the consistency from guitar to guitar is spot on. We tested ours with an LR Baggs Anthem SL pickup which was a little bit tinny and bright for our tastes. We recommend the Fishman Matrix or LR Baggs M1a Soundhole Pickup if you need to amplify this juggernaut. Be careful while installing your pickup as the white binding where the end pin 1/4 plug goes has a tendency to splinter and rip up without the use of professional luthier tools.
Pros
- Tone: This thing is one of the best we have heard.
- Build Quality: Everything from the next to the bracing is carefully sculpted with precision.
- Playability: I normally hate fat neck guitars but this thing plays like butter.
Cons
- Finish: The Nitrocellulose lacquer allows the wood to breathe and it supports great tone. That being said if sweat is not cleaned off after every use it begins to eat away at the finish.
- Price: Even though this is one of our favorite acoustic guitars the price ($2699 w/o pickup) potentially presents a challenge for most working worship guitarists.
Should You Get One?
If you are looking for a balanced guitar that will sit in the mix subtly yet powerfully. It is also a great guitar for solo worship leaders who rely on a guitar with a full tonal spectrum to fill out the mix. If you are a guitarist that needs to cut through the mix and/or like a brighter sounding guitar stick to a Taylor.