Eastman Guitars: Reflections of an Eastman Owner, Four Years In

[Charmed Life Picks]

Originally Posted by Lillis

I bought a 2019 E20 00 12 fret a couple of weeks ago. It’s exceeding my expectations for full sound and tone. I love the size and the beefy neck. Just put JP pure nickel on it today,not too hard adjusting to stringing the slot head. I think between this and my Breedlove my gas might be satisfied until I can play better

My friend, with all due respect, you are deluded. GAS cannot be defeated by humans. It requires the divine.

scott memmer

[Lillis]

[QUOTE=Charmed Life Picks;6184037]My friend, with all due respect, you are deluded. GAS cannot be defeated by humans. It requires the divine.

scott memmer[/QU

I've since realized I was delusional! I need to keep myself in check

[Charmed Life Picks]

[QUOTE=Lillis;6184114]

Originally Posted by Charmed Life Picks

My friend, with all due respect, you are deluded. GAS cannot be defeated by humans. It requires the divine.

scott memmer[/QU

I've since realized I was delusional! I need to keep myself in check

We need a 12-Step program -- soon!

[Angiodan]

Or maybe a 12 guitar program!

[Charmed Life Picks]

Originally Posted by Angiodan

Or maybe a 12 guitar program!

Angio: You are not helping.

[Westy]

Originally Posted by Charmed Life Picks

BTW, I had never heard of Eastman till about five years ago, when I joined this forum. It turned out a good buddy of mine was selling a really clean used one. Wow wow wow. A good Eastman is, in my book, as good as any Taylor, Martin or Collings out there.

scott memmer

I havn't posted here for quite a while but the thread title caught my eye and loved your version of The Dutchman.

I can echo your opinion of Eastman guitars in general in that I bought my E20d after I went to buy a D28 and picked up the Eastman just to try it out and left with it instead.

I bought a used E20p Parlor about 5 years ago and sold it last year for double what I paid for it such is their reputation now.

Cheers

[MidfieldGeneral]

I sold my Eastman E20D last month. I had it for four years, rarely played it because it never appealed to me. I could see it was a good guitar but it didn't feel right. I was happy when I sold it.

[Charmed Life Picks]

Originally Posted by Westy

I havn't posted here for quite a while but the thread title caught my eye and loved your version of The Dutchman.

I can echo your opinion of Eastman guitars in general in that I bought my E20d after I went to buy a D28 and picked up the Eastman just to try it out and left with it instead.

I bought a used E20p Parlor about 5 years ago and sold it last year for double what I paid for it such is their reputation now.

Cheers

Westy, thanks for the kind words. My version of "The Dutchman" is most similar to Steve Goodman's, whom I saw perform it many moons ago.

I just had that Eastman E-10SS in the vid get a tune-up from my luthier. Really dialed in. My buddy, who is a big Gibson flattop fan, was VERY impressed when he played the Eastie.

Thanks Again,
Scott

[vintage40s]

Originally Posted by Westy

... I bought a used E20p Parlor about 5 years ago and sold it last year for double what I paid for it such is their reputation now.

I bought a new Yamaha CSF solid mahogany "compact folk" last winter. It was a good, the very best travel guitar, but not a full guitar in finger space and sound quality compared to my D-35 and E20-OM. So it was sold.

Then I bought a used rosewood Larrivee parlor online. A beautiful guitar but it sounded like dead wood. So unpleasant that it was sold in a week.

Then I bought a used Eastman E20P parlor, and it has a high quality sound, relatable to the D-35 and E20-OM. It's a keeper. But the string spacing is more for finger style the flat picking.

So the star of my guitars is that Eastman E20-OM that I bought last winter. Almost the sound of the D-35, but closer is form to the compact the E20-P, with super action and playability, and a string spacing that's right for both flat picking and finger style. In short the E20-OM is best of everything in one guitar.

[UncleJesse]

Originally Posted by vintage40s

I bought a new Yamaha CSF solid mahogany "compact folk" last winter. It was a good, the very best travel guitar, but not a full guitar in finger space and sound quality compared to my D-35 and E20-OM. So it was sold.

Then I bought a used rosewood Larrivee parlor online. A beautiful guitar but it sounded like dead wood. So unpleasant that it was sold in a week.

Then I bought a used Eastman E20P parlor, and it has a high quality sound, relatable to the D-35 and E20-OM. It's a keeper. But the string spacing is more for finger style the flat picking.

So the star of my guitars is that Eastman E20-OM that I bought last winter. Almost the sound of the D-35, but closer is form to the compact the E20-P, with super action and playability, and a string spacing that's right for both flat picking and finger style. In short the E20-OM is best of everything in one guitar.

I really like my E20OM-TC but I only wish Eastman would make a true OM (25.4" scale). That's what I need right now. I want the smaller body, long-scale combination!

[vintage40s]

Originally Posted by UncleJesse

I really like my E20OM-TC but I only wish Eastman would make a true OM (25.4" scale). That's what I need right now. I want the smaller body, long-scale combination!

My Eastman E20-OM measures about 24-1/4 " from nut to saddle. My Martin D-35 is about 25-3/4". But both have 14 frets and I had not noticed that the E20-OM was shorter until you mentioned it, causing me to measure.

Why is that extra inch of such importance that you need it?

[Charmed Life Picks]

Originally Posted by vintage40s

I bought a new Yamaha CSF solid mahogany "compact folk" last winter. It was a good, the very best travel guitar, but not a full guitar in finger space and sound quality compared to my D-35 and E20-OM. So it was sold.

Then I bought a used rosewood Larrivee parlor online. A beautiful guitar but it sounded like dead wood. So unpleasant that it was sold in a week.

Then I bought a used Eastman E20P parlor, and it has a high quality sound, relatable to the D-35 and E20-OM. It's a keeper. But the string spacing is more for finger style the flat picking.

So the star of my guitars is that Eastman E20-OM that I bought last winter. Almost the sound of the D-35, but closer is form to the compact the E20-P, with super action and playability, and a string spacing that's right for both flat picking and finger style. In short the E20-OM is best of everything in one guitar.

Vintage, sounds great. Always a pleasure when you finally fine THE ONE.

sm

[Charmed Life Picks]

A lot of discussion of Eastmans on the board right now. In case you haven't seen this thread, it's been going for a couple years now.

If you're new to Eastman or have never played one, a lot of great discussion in this thread.

Enjoy.
Scott

[jpricewood]

Originally Posted by Charmed Life Picks

A lot of discussion of Eastmans on the board right now. In case you haven't seen this thread, it's been going for a couple years now.

If you're new to Eastman or have never played one, a lot of great discussion in this thread.

Enjoy.
Scott

Does anyone think Eastman’s reputation will soon reach the same level as Martin, Gibson and Taylor? Their reputation has definitely blown past the other Chinese makers within the past few years.

[charles Tauber]

Originally Posted by jpricewood

Does anyone think Eastman’s reputation will soon reach the same level as Martin, Gibson and Taylor?

I think you've omitted the most relevant comparison: Yamaha.

Yamaha makes many different types of musical instruments, as Eastman does. One division of Eastman Music Company is its guitar division. This is a different business model than Martin, Gibson or Taylor, who focus exclusively on guitars.

Yamaha makes some very good quality instruments across a wide variety of instruments, as, seemingly, does Eastman. Yamaha appears to engage in a fair bit of research regarding instrument design. I've not heard of Eastman doing much such research - they appear to be largely copies of older instruments by other companies, offered at a lower price than the originals.

In partial answer to your question, consider that if Eastman guitars sold for the same price as the Gibsons, Martins and others that they copy, would you pay the same amount of money for them? Obviously, some would, some wouldn't. If one gets the "same" guitar for less money, for many, it is a "no-brainer" to buy the less expensive one. How much of lower price is what fuels Eastman's current popularity? How much does selling price contribute to the perceived value of luxury goods? (If you could buy a Rolex for the price of a Timex, would the Rolex brand still represent the pinnacle of luxury watches?)


Martin and Taylor are at different ends of the manufacturing spectrum. Martin's marketing is towards "tradition" and "handcrafted". Taylor's marketing is towards "innovation" and consistency achieved through automation (e.g. CNC). I don't know what Gibson's value-added proposition is.

Eastman guitars appear to be aimed at "tradition" and "handcrafted".

Their reputation has definitely blown past the other Chinese makers within the past few years.

Just out of curiosity, who are the other Chinese guitar manufacturers? Yamaha, and many others, have instruments made in China, although they are not Chinese companies.