Head to head
Gibson J-45 Special, Satin Vintage Sunburst vs C. F. Martin & Co. D-28
The verdict
The Gibson J-45 Special, Satin Vintage Sunburst comes out ahead overall — 80 to 68 on our estimated score.
Estimated from specs & owner reviews — a starting point, not a substitute for playing both.
Gibson J-45 Special, Satin Vintage Sunburst wins on
- Better build (96 vs 84)
- Better playability (75 vs 64)
- Better sound (68 vs 60)
- Better value (77 vs 57)
- Lower price ($1,999 vs $2,800)
C. F. Martin & Co. D-28 wins on
No standout advantage.
Scorecard
| Metric | J-45 Special, Satin Vintage Sunburst | D-28 |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 80 | 68 |
| Build | 96 | 84 |
| Playability | 75 | 64 |
| Sound | 68 | 60 |
| Value | 77 | 57 |
Full specifications
| Spec | J-45 Special, Satin Vintage Sunburst | D-28 |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Gibson | C. F. Martin & Co. |
| Type | Acoustic | Acoustic |
| Years | — | 1931 |
| Country | US | US |
| Body wood | Solid Mahogany | East Indian Rosewood |
| Neck wood | Utile | Mahogany |
| Fretboard | Rosewood | Ebony |
| Strings | 6 | 6 |
| Frets | 20 | 20 |
| Scale | 24.75" | 25.4" |
| Pickups | LR Baggs Element Bronze | None |
| Rating | — | — |
| Price | $1,999 | $2,800 – $3,400 |
| Back | Solid Mahogany | — |
| Binding | Single-ply Cream, Top and Back | — |
| Body Finish | Satin Nitrocellulose Lacquer | — |
| Body shape | J-45 | Dreadnought |
| Body Styles | Round Shoulder | — |
| Bracing | Traditional Scalloped X-bracing | — |
| Bridge | Traditional Belly Up; Rosewood | — |
| Bridge Pins | TUSQ | — |
| Case | Premium Soft Shell | — |
| Controls | Soundhole Mounted Volume | — |
| Fretboard inlay | Mother-of-Pearl Dot | — |
| Fretboard radius | 304.8mm / 12.0in | — |
| Fret Count | 20 | — |
| Headstock Inlay | Gibson Logo in Gold Silkscreen | — |
| Joint | Compound Dovetail Neck-to-body Joint; Hot Hide Glue | — |
| Model | MCRS45SPCVS | — |
| Nut | TUSQ | — |
| Nut width | 43.82mm / 1.73in | — |
| Output Jack | 1/4" Endpin | — |
| Pickguard | Teardrop; Tortoise | — |
| Preamp | LR Baggs Element Bronze | — |
| Profile | SlimTaper | — |
| Saddle Material | TUSQ | — |
| Scale length | 628.65mm / 24.75in | — |
| Side | Solid Mahogany | — |
| String gauges | .012, .016, .024, .032, .042, .053 | — |
| Top wood | Solid Sitka Spruce | Sitka Spruce |
| Truss rod | Adjustable | — |
| Truss Rod Cover | 2-ply Black | — |
| Tuner Plating | Nickel | — |
| Tuners | Grover Rotomatic | — |
| Under Saddle Pickup | LR Baggs Element Bronze | — |
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