Chris Ayer will be rocking across the USA this summer to support his new CD, Don’t Go Back to Sleep (to be released August 18). Perhaps “rocking” is a strong word; Chris is a singer songwriter in the sensitive, James Taylor mold. Let's just say he'll be “folkin’” across America? Whatever you call it, you can be sure he will have his Martin HD-28 handy.

When did you get your HD-28? What prompted you to pick this guitar?

I got my Martin January 2008. I'd been playing a Gibson J-45 for a few years, and loved it, but wanted to leave that at home and get something I could take on the road, and also record with. I am left-handed, so I find very few guitars in stores that I can try out. I was in Houston and stopped by a local left-handed guitar shop, and pretty much sat there playing different models for 6 hours. I really loved an HD-28 they had, but when I went back later, it was gone. Finally, I found another in New York a couple months later. I really love the sound; it's not quite as thick and low as the Gibson J-45, but still grittier and thicker than the cleaner sound of some Taylors. I liked the balance of sound. . . it felt good strumming and finger-picking.

What stands out about the HD-28? Is there one specific thing you like best about it?

The quality of the sound really stands out for me. It's not a frilly-looking guitar, but the combination of the spruce and rosewood gives it a nice warm sound even through a pick-up, but it's still bright and folky when I want it to be.

Do you use it solo, with a band, or both? Do you find the tone of the instrument is more suited to one or the other?

I use it mostly solo, but it's also the guitar I use with a band. I'll be going out with a band for some of the shows on the tours this summer and fall, and it'll be my main guitar. One of the reasons I like it so much is it's flexibility in different situations; even though I got it mostly for solo performance, I think it works well with the band, too.

How about the pickup? I don't think this comes with one from Martin; have you added one? If so what and why?

Yeah, they don't come with a pickup, so I put in an L.R. Baggs M1 pickup into the soundhole. I use an L.R. Baggs Para Acoustic DI Box as the preamp. I had heard great things about that combo from a few different friends, and wanted something that sounded a little less rubbery than the bridge pickups, and that wasn't as invasive. Sometimes the M1 picks up a little buzz from house lighting systems, but mostly it's pretty great.

Is there anything you do not like or would change about the guitar?

So far it's been great! I made the conscious choice not to get one of the Martins with an on-board electronics console since I liked the sound of these a little better, but sometimes I do wish I had on-board EQ volume and tuner during shows.

Did you look at any other guitars before you picked this one?

I liked the 000 and OM models of Martins, and was thinking I'd get something like that to compliment the J-45 dreadnought sound I had from my Gibson. They were fun to play, and felt kinda bluesy, but a little tinny for some of the sounds I want to make with an acoustic. I also thought about getting a vintage acoustic and replacing the nut and bridge to make it left handed but every guitar shop I went into looked at me like I was a crazy person, so I figured that probably wasn't the way to go right now.