Played my Eastman in preference to a high dollar custom guitar today

[kizz]

I have experienced that too, but i guess you will sit down some day with your Kopp that sounds like heaven and think "ahhh okay, this is it...what was i thinking "
In my experience guitars have good and bad days, is it the guitars, my brain/mood, strings... i don´t know :-)

[Wade Hampton]

Oh, of the two, the Kopp is the superior guitar, no question about it, the strings had just gotten murky-sounding since I'd played it last.

Which is why it puzzles me that so many players will let their string changing slide. What, you're willing to spend multiple thousands of dollars (or Euros) on a fine instrument but can't afford a fresh set of strings?

I find that odd.


Wade Hampton Miller

[Wade Hampton]

Originally Posted by davenumber2

The E1ss is a limited edition that retailed for $799. Even more amazing at that price.

I think that was street price rather than list - I think list price was around eleven hundred.


whm

[DownUpDave]

I can relate because funny enough my Taylor GS mini has really been scratching my itch lately. A few weeks ago I changed the strings to DR Rare mediums and I seem to have found a great match. Maybe my situation is the opposite of yours.......the new strings are making it sound great

[dnf777]

I think on any given day, my preferences may change, without rhyme or reason. I will say that an Eastman import PCH-dread I recently got new for under $500 will EASILY work into the fold as a “go-to” guitar. Flawless construction and finish, and plays as (almost) well as any of them.

[lowrider]

Wade, I mostly agree with you about fresh strings, but my Martin J-17 has strings that are now 10 weeks old and I'm liking the ''dead'' string sound. I probably won't change them until they are totally dead.

My OM-18 is another one. I save a set of strings that come off another guitar at 6 weeks and put them when it's strings are totally gone. Last time it was almost 10 months.

[abelville]

Originally Posted by lowrider

Wade, I mostly agree with you about fresh strings, but my Martin J-17 has strings that are now 10 weeks old and I'm liking the ''dead'' string sound. I probably won't change them until they are totally dead.

My OM-18 is another one. I save a set of strings that come off another guitar at 6 weeks and put them when it's strings are totally gone. Last time it was almost 10 months.

I find I like my Gibsons and Martin's tone with almost dead strings as well. I had the opportunity to play some Eastmans a while back and they do sound and feel like the real high dollar guits for sure. Glad you are enjoying blessing the folks at worship with that Eastman.

[mawmow]

I used to be a Taylor guy since I bought my first solid woods in 2006, a 510.

Then I got a 712, a GS-5, a 512, and now own a 412ce and a 322 in iddition to my 510.

In the meanwhile, got used Gibson J-100 and Guild F-30.
Now own a Gibson L-OO TV and a Guild F-30 Aragon.
Also a Larrivee OM-09 and Martins OOO-18 and OODB.

I named all these to say that the Eastman AC-122ce
(my first cutaway I needed to study scales) I own
has nothing to be shy besides those solid woods.

I was blown away by that video montage of alternate
playing of a 500 series Taylor and an Eastman...

[TBman]

There are times when I will pick my Guild to play and over the course of an hour or so become accustomed to the tone and lose myself in it. I'll put new strings on it and it will sound even better.

Its only when I take out my Avalon or other higher level guitar and play them side by side do I hear the depth of tone difference.

[Rosewood99]

I’ve owned a couple of Eastman’s. Fine guitars but I wouldn’t put them on the level of my Gibson, Martin, or Lowden.

[AndrewG]

Just goes to show that 'more expensive' doesn't always equal 'better', irrespective of who builds the things, or where.

[lowrider]

Eastmans are not very popular around NYC, so I haven't tried many. The first ones I tried didn't do anything for me, but they were trade-ins at Alto in Middletown so I guess they didn't do anything for their owners either.

Then I played two new ones at Music Zoo that again I wasn't very impressed with. But then, a few months later, I tried one of the Eastman J-45 copies and it was better than any Gibson in the store that day.

[whvick]

Originally Posted by Wade Hampton

Anyway, I’m interested in hearing about your experiences along this line.


Wade Hampton Miller

I ran a thread on 4/18 along same line. “Is your most expensive guitar your favorite?” You may want to check the responses to compare to what you get here.
(So glad you are feeling better)

[whvick]

I have a Taylor 414 and an inexpensive Indonesian OM. Like your experience, I find myself leaning to the one with newer strings.
I am anxious to get my Eastman OO10 12 fret back from luthier and I think it will become my favorite.

[Mr. Bill]

Wade, change your strings! Come back to your senses! Just kidding of course.