With a faithful replica of the Martin 000-28EC Eric Clapton Vintage Sunburst designed especially for Eric Clapton, which the blues legend used for his legendary MTV unplugged performance in 1992, the traditional manufacturer Martin presents its Custom Signature Series, which not only looks amazingly similar to the original, but also conveys the unique sound. A number of selected specifications, such as the Modified V-neck profile, the Fine Herringbone binding made of Grained Ivoroid and the Vintage Sunburst finish, make the difference between the Custom-Signature Series and the traditional Standard Series. Other highlights include the Awabi signature inlay on the 20th fret and the certificate inside the soundhole, which includes the handwritten serial number and the signatures of Clapton and Christian Frederick Martin IV. The Martin 000-28EC Eric Clapton Vintage Sunburst comes with a sturdy ply hardshell case and a warranty card.
In order to create an expressive tone enriched with distinct mid and treble frequencies, the manufacturer uses a tightly grained Sitka spruce top, which, due to its fine structure, brings out every single tone in a clear and defined way. A wafer-thin lacquer and a Scalloped-X-Bracing promote the strong vibration behaviour of the wood and allow a direct and easy response with a perfect sound development. The material dyed with a vintage sunburst gives the impression at first sight that this is an instrument that has been played for years and gives it a very aesthetic touch, which is further emphasized 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-colored top wood creates an overall picture rich in contrast, which forms a successful transition to the other materials used.
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 registers, 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 size to produce a very direct and balanced sound. Split by a zig-zag back-strip and bordered by fine multi-stripe bindings, the symmetry of the opened back is particularly evident and allows the listener a deep insight into the exciting grain of the high-quality tropical wood.
Unlike the standard series, the Martin 000-28EC Eric Clapton Vintage Sunburst comes with a solid mahogany neck, which is equipped with a Modified V-Profile, which gives it a much better grip and allows the tones to be picked up cleanly with little effort. In addition, the built-in ebony fingerboard, thanks to a generous saddle width of 44.45 mm, offers enough space for complex techniques and best 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 632 mm scale length, the manufacturer uses a saddle and a compensated bridge inlay made of the finest bone material. With their millimetre-precise workmanship, these inlays demonstrate the enormous craftsmanship behind the entire product. Open nickel tuners are inserted into the typical Martin headstock, which guarantee precise and reliable tuning and give the instrument another venerable touch.