The DE Retro Plus is heavily inspired by the look and feel of a vintage D-28 without the hefty price-tag!
Martin’s Road Series has traditionally been about giving players access to the Martin experience at a more approachable price. But with the 2026 lineup, Martin has taken the series in an interesting direction by splitting it into Modern and Retro models.
The guitar I’m looking at here is the Martin DE Retro Plus Granadillo, and honestly, I didn’t expect it to impress me as much as it did.
This isn’t a vintage Martin D-28, and I’m not going to pretend it is. But after spending several weeks with it, I kept getting flashes of that broken-in D-28 feeling – from the appearance to the tone and overall character.
And that’s particularly impressive considering this is a Road Series guitar.
What Is the Martin DE Retro Plus Granadillo?
The DE Retro Plus Granadillo sits at the top of Martin’s Retro Road Series. The Retro models are designed around a more traditional Martin aesthetic, with vintage-inspired aging and specifications intended to give players the familiar feel of older Martins without paying vintage-Martin prices.
The 2026 Road Series is divided into two main directions:
- Modern Series – a more contemporary approach, including single-cut models.
- Retro Series – traditional full-body guitars with vintage-inspired styling and specifications.
The Retro Plus models are the higher-end versions of the Retro Series. They add upgraded tonewoods, scalloped bracing, ebony appointments, and other features that make them feel considerably more premium than previous Road Series instruments.
The DE Retro Plus Granadillo is built in Martin’s Mexico facility and uses Granadillo for the back and sides, paired with an aged torrefied spruce top.
Granadillo is a Mexican tonewood that has a lot in common visually and tonally with rosewood, and on this guitar it gives the instrument a particularly premium appearance.
Key Features and Specifications
Some of the notable features of the DE Retro Plus Granadillo include:
- Dreadnought-style full-body construction
- Granadillo back and sides
- Aged torrefied spruce top
- Scalloped bracing
- Ebony appointments
- Performing Artist neck
- High Performance Taper
- LR Baggs electronics
- Vintage-inspired appearance
- Built in Martin’s Mexico facility
The combination of the torrefied spruce top, scalloped bracing, and upgraded tonewoods is a big part of what makes this guitar feel different from the Road Series guitars I’ve experienced in the past.
Vintage D-28 Inspiration
If you’ve seen this guitar, you probably understand immediately what Martin was going for.
The DE Retro Plus is heavily inspired by the look and feel of a vintage D-28.
I compared it directly with my 2026 D-28, and the two guitars are remarkably similar in overall shape and size. They’re also very close in weight, although the Retro Plus felt slightly heavier to me.
There are some obvious differences.
My D-28 is made in America and has a standard, non-torrefied spruce top. The Retro Plus is made in Mexico and uses the aged torrefied spruce top.
The binding is also different. The Retro Plus uses a brighter white binding, while my D-28 has more of a cream-colored appearance.
The ebony fretboards are another interesting difference. The Retro Plus has some really cool streaking through the ebony, whereas the D-28’s ebony is darker and more consistent.
Both guitars use the same basic inlay pattern with the larger dots progressing toward smaller dots, and both use identical Grover tuners.
One major difference, of course, is electronics. The standard D-28 doesn’t come with them, while the Retro Plus includes LR Baggs electronics.
Sound and Performance
This is where the Retro Plus really surprised me.
Right out of the box, without making any adjustments, the guitar sounded remarkably full and broken-in.
That’s probably the biggest compliment I can give it.
I wasn’t expecting a Road Series guitar to have this much character. It has a big, full sound that gave me some of the same impressions I get from an older D-28.
For my sound demonstration, I used a LUIT LCT540S microphone and also ran the guitar’s electronics through an LR Baggs Venue DI.
The Venue made a noticeable difference compared with simply plugging the guitar directly into a system, and it provided a great way to capture the amplified character of the guitar.
I also compared the Retro Plus directly against my D-28.
And yes, I can hear a difference between them.
But the interesting thing is how close the overall experience can feel.
The Retro Plus doesn’t magically turn into a vintage D-28. However, it does capture a lot of the warm, traditional Martin character that I think players are looking for when they buy a guitar like this.
Playability
The Retro Plus also felt different from my D-28 in terms of playability.
The Performing Artist neck and High Performance Taper give the guitar a modern feel while the overall instrument still looks and sounds decidedly traditional.
That combination is one of the things I like most about the Retro Plus concept.
You’re getting the vintage-inspired appearance and tone, but you don’t have to give up modern playability.
Build Quality and Usability
The guitar feels like a significant step up from what I traditionally think of when I hear “Road Series.”
The upgraded tonewoods, scalloped bracing, ebony appointments, torrefied top, and overall construction give it a much more premium character.
And despite the lower price compared with an American-made D-28, it doesn’t feel like a cheap imitation of a more expensive Martin.
That’s important.
The guitar also makes a lot of sense as a working instrument. Having LR Baggs electronics already installed means you can take it directly to a gig without needing to add an aftermarket pickup system.
Pricing
At the time of my review, a standard Martin D-28 was selling for roughly $3,200-$3,400, depending on the retailer.
The DE Retro Plus Granadillo was around $2,000, with the possibility of finding it for less during a sale.
That puts roughly $1,500 between these two guitars.
And that price difference changes how I think about the Retro Plus.
If I’m taking a guitar on the road, I don’t necessarily want to put my more expensive American-made D-28 through the abuse of touring if I don’t have to.
I’d be much more comfortable bringing the Retro Plus to a gig, throwing it in the car, and letting it become a working guitar while keeping the D-28 safely in the studio.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Excellent, full-sounding acoustic tone
- Torrefied spruce top gives it a broken-in character
- Vintage-inspired Martin aesthetic
- Granadillo back and sides look premium
- Modern, comfortable playability
- LR Baggs electronics included
- Scalloped bracing
- Significantly less expensive than a standard D-28
- Feels much more premium than previous Road Series guitars
Cons
- It doesn’t replace the full D-28 experience
- Made in Mexico rather than the USA
- Slightly heavier than my D-28
- The tonal difference compared with a D-28 is noticeable
Who Is the Martin DE Retro Plus Granadillo For?
I think this guitar is particularly well suited for someone who wants classic Martin character without spending D-28 money.
It’s also a great option for someone who wants a guitar that looks and feels broken-in without actually buying a vintage instrument.
And for a gigging musician, there’s a really compelling argument here.
You get the traditional dreadnought experience, modern playability, built-in electronics, and a price that makes the guitar a little easier to take out into the world.
If you’re chasing that warm, classic Martin feeling but don’t want to spend $3,000-plus, this is a guitar I’d seriously consider.
Who Should Skip It?
If what you’re really after is the full legendary D-28 experience, I’d still recommend the D-28.
The Retro Plus gets surprisingly close in some respects, but it isn’t a replacement for the American-made instrument.
For me, the D-28 remains the guitar I’d choose if I could only have one.
But that doesn’t make the Retro Plus a bad alternative. In fact, I think Martin has found a pretty compelling reason for these two guitars to coexist.
Final Verdict
After several weeks with the Martin DE Retro Plus Granadillo, I came away genuinely impressed.
This doesn’t feel like a cheap imitation of a higher-end Martin. Instead, I think Martin has figured out what a lot of players actually want from a more affordable guitar: something familiar.
Not futuristic.
Not overly modern.
A guitar that looks like it has been played for decades and sounds like it has some history behind it.
The torrefied spruce top, Granadillo back and sides, scalloped bracing, ebony appointments, and vintage-inspired design all work together surprisingly well.
Does it replace my D-28? No.
But would I take the Retro Plus on tour and leave the D-28 in the studio?
Absolutely.
At around $2,000, the DE Retro Plus Granadillo offers a lot of what makes a Martin dreadnought appealing while giving you modern playability and electronics at a considerably lower price.
For players chasing that classic Martin look, sound, and feel without paying vintage or Standard Series prices, I think Martin really nailed the magic with this one.
Ready to Get One?
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