Debate with friend about my recent Eastman purchase

[Charmed Life Picks]

There are still some out there who still say, "Eastman guitars are okay for the money."

Many of you Eastie fans have heard and seen this vid before. For those who have not, this is what an Eastman sounds like when perfectly set up, properly mic'd, and played with a high-end pick. Thanks for letting me share....

[Red_Label]

The China debate has been settled. I've owned a lot of guitars, and the Chinese ones are competitive, if not better than those made in Spain and America in some cases. I sold all three of my Spanish Espana series Cordoba flamencos because I
preferred the Chinese Luthier series Cordobas. People who dismiss Chinese guitars need to get with the program and they demonstrate that they haven't had any hands-on experience with them. This isn't the 1980s anymore, where Chinese crafted instruments were cheap trash. There's a reason that most American companies have contracted Chinese factories for their budget lines, and it's not just because they work cheaply. It's also because they're doing better and better work as well.

[SpruceTop]

Originally Posted by Zeo828

HI

I recently purchased an Eastman E10000ss/V Which is there take on a Gibson L-00, with the tiger stripe pickguard etc.

It has Antique Varnish, Solid Adirondack Spruce Top, Solid Mahogany Back/Sides, Rosewood Fingerboard, Ebony Bridge/Bridge Pins, Bone Nut/Saddle, Antique Nickel Tuners.

I like the thing.

But a friend of mine said that he would never pay $1000 for a guitar made in China.

But in my opinion I see it as a guitar that is well made, all solid wood etc....
You are paying for a high quality guitar that happens to be made in China. Not a cheap stratocaster made in China, made to be affordable and cheap.

That's my take on it. It's the quality, not where it is made.

Ask him if he'd pay $2500 for the same guitar if it was Made In U.S.A.?

[Charmed Life Picks]

Originally Posted by SpruceTop

Ask him if he'd pay $2500 for the same guitar if it was Made In U.S.A.?

Ken, for me, yes.

sm

[Charmed Life Picks]

Originally Posted by Red_Label

The China debate has been settled. I've owned a lot of guitars, and the Chinese ones are competitive, if not better than those made in Spain and America in some cases. I sold all three of my Spanish Espana series Cordoba flamencos because I
preferred the Chinese Luthier series Cordobas. People who dismiss Chinese guitars need to get with the program and they demonstrate that they haven't had any hands-on experience with them. This isn't the 1980s anymore, where Chinese crafted instruments were cheap trash. There's a reason that most American companies have contracted Chinese factories for their budget lines, and it's not just because they work cheaply. It's also because they're doing better and better work as well.

I got a lower end Cordoba that I'm not thrilled with, but I bought it used off CL, so buyer beware.

sm

[TonewoodDan]

Over the past 56 years, I’ve owned four Martins (1963 D-18, 1073 D-28, 2004 000-28EC, 2018 000-28) and two Eastmans (2015 E8 OM, 2017 E20 OOSS). They are all fabulous guitars. I like the fact that the Martins were made in the USA, but that doesn’t make them better than the Eastmans simply by virtue of the factory’s ZIP code.

[rokdog49]

Originally Posted by Pura Vida

Yeah, I've wanted to get one of those limited run E15-SS. I've heard nothing but great things about them. Bigger than a 00, but smaller than an OM. Last time I checked, Ted at LA Guitar Sales still had a couple of them left.

Those two are Rosewood.
The Mahogany's are all gone...dang it!

[Pura Vida]

Right. I think there was a limited amount of E5SS, which were made at the same time. I've seen 1-2 of them pop up for sale, but both models seems to be keepers by those who were fortunate to get one. Ted personally owns an E15SS, and I've come close a couple of times to taking one of these last ones.

[guitar george]

Originally Posted by Charmed Life Picks

Many of you Eastie fans have heard and seen this vid before. For those who have not, this is what an Eastman sounds like when perfectly set up, properly mic'd, and played with a high-end pick

Well that's almost like cheating, Scott, if you play with a guitar that is perfectly set up, properly mic'd and played with a high-end pick. How can anyone compete against that?

[Charmed Life Picks]

Originally Posted by guitar george

Well that's almost like cheating, Scott, if you play with a guitar that is perfectly set up, properly mic'd and played with a high-end pick. How can anyone compete against that?

But, see, that's the idea, George. I DON'T want anyone to compete.

Truth be known: I have been a tone chaser for more than forty years, George. To this day, I STILL don't own an electric. So I guess I've been obsessed about the reproduction of wooden tone for as long as I can remember. It has really gotten under my skin. I discovered genuine TS picks at twenty, and in fact bought out the last few from McCabes when CITES kicked in. Just been obsessed.

Funny story on tone chasers. Jackson Browne is known as one of the worst (in a good way) and is particularly obsessed with wooden tone during sound check. My favorite way of seeing him "these days" is solo, cuz he has no set list and someone can just yell out a song and he'll say, "Yeah, I can do that," and run to the piano.

Anyway, I saw him in a solo show a few years ago in Bakersfield and talked to the guys on the board during intermission. I asked them about sound check, and they said, "Yeah, we call it the matinee."

So there you are. And I'm almost as bad.

scott memmer