Rich koa character meets a distinctive sloped-shoulder design in the Martin O'ahu HG-28K2, bringing an all-koa voice and striking natural beauty to Martin's Hawaiian-inspired acoustic guitar platform. Its gloss-finished koa top, back and sides deliver strong midrange projection, natural compression and rich overtones, while the unique HG body combines the profile of a smaller sloped-shoulder dreadnought with the depth of a 000 for bold, balanced sound in a comfortable format. A short 24.9" scale and GE Modified Low Oval neck offer a relaxed, approachable feel, complemented by an ebony fingerboard and High-Performance Taper. Bold herringbone, abalone Old Style 18 inlays and vintage-inspired appointments frame the natural beauty of the koa, while an included hardshell case provides protection for storage and travel.
All-Koa Construction Gives the HG Body a Rich, Focused Voice
Solid koa top, back and sides give the HG-28K2 a distinctive tonal foundation with strong midrange presence and harmonic detail. The all-koa construction brings natural compression, clear projection and rich overtones, creating a balanced voice across chords and individual notes. Scalloped 1/4" spruce X-bracing supports the top with a responsive foundation, allowing that character to come through with depth and definition. The HG body combines the outline of a smaller sloped-shoulder dreadnought with the 000's 4-1/8" depth, delivering substantial acoustic presence without the larger feel of a full-size dreadnought.
Short-Scale Neck Offers Relaxed, Comfortable Playability
A select hardwood neck carved to Martin's GE Modified Low Oval profile gives the O'ahu HG-28K2 a comfortable foundation for chords, fingerstyle work and melodic playing. Its short 24.9" scale creates a slightly more relaxed string feel, while the 1.75" bone nut provides comfortable spacing across the ebony fingerboard. Martin's High-Performance Taper supports a consistent feel into higher positions, with 20 total frets and a traditional 14th-fret dovetail neck joint completing the playing platform. A satin neck finish keeps the feel smooth and unobtrusive beneath the fretting hand, complementing the guitar's comfortable HG proportions.
Herringbone and Abalone Details Dress the All-Koa Body
The dramatic natural figuring of koa takes center stage beneath the HG-28K2's gloss finish, surrounded by appointments that draw from classic Martin styling. Bold herringbone top inlay and a Style 28 multi-stripe rosette add intricate detail, while Antique White binding creates a clean border around the body. Abalone Old Style 18 fingerboard inlays, a faux tortoiseshell pickguard and an ebony headplate with a Martin O'ahu script overlay extend the vintage-inspired presentation across the instrument. An ebony Modern Straightline bridge, compensated bone saddle and nickel open-gear tuners with butterbean knobs complete the traditional hardware package, with a fitted hardshell case included.
Martin O'ahu Revisits a Pivotal Era in Steel-String History
The Martin O'ahu Series draws inspiration from the Hawaiian music boom of the 1920s and early '30s, a period when the enormous popularity of Hawaiian guitar helped shape the sound and development of the modern steel-string acoustic. The Martin O'ahu HG-28K2 makes that connection especially vivid through its extensive use of koa, a tonewood deeply associated with Hawaiian instrument making, while its distinctive sloped-shoulder HG body reinterprets that inspiration for today's players. With its rich all-koa voice, comfortable short scale and finely detailed appointments, the O'ahu HG-28K2 looks back to a transformative chapter in guitar history while offering a distinctive acoustic experience entirely its own.