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

[mickthemiller]

Originally Posted by Charmed Life Picks

When I joined AGF about five years ago, I began to hear about Eastman guitars. Like anything, at first I was skeptical. But I continued to hear such marvelous buzz that at the end of 2015 I acquired my first Eastie, an E-10SS, which is their J-45 clone, Adi over Hog. I was so fortunate to buy it from a gent here on AGF who has since become a good friend.

For three years now he has been begging me to sell it back to me. No dice. It's with me for life and, Keith, you ain't in my will.

A number of you have seen this and commented about how incredible this guitar sounds. I like the purity of performing solo without a pickup. I have some of the best pickups on the market in my guitars, and none of them sound as good live as an $100 SM-58

So here is me playing a solo version of Michael Smith's legendary song, "The Dutchman."



Thanks to all of the knowledgeable members who have such a dramatic impact on my life in music. I am eternally grateful.

Would love to hear from other Eastie owners, new or old, or from those considering acquiring their first Eastman.

thanks,
scott memmer

Scott I first found out about Eastman guitars here. It was a post from someone who had used some loaned Eastmans for something and he just raved about them. That E10ss sounds far better than the E20ss I once owned. Beautiful tone.

[mickthemiller]

Originally Posted by Charmed Life Picks

"Every time you sell a guitar, an angel gets her wings."

Then I've singlehandedly formed a squardon

[Pura Vida]

Scott, in about two weeks, you should create a new thread, entitled "Eastman Guitars: Reflections of an Eastman Owner, Five Years In."

[shakespearouac]

wait! there's more!! —
The color and grain of the mahogany neck, back & sides on my 2014 E10ss = the most gorgeous mahogany i've ever seen on ANY guitar.
others' thoughts?
thoughts on the rosewood models' appearance?

[mouks]

Originally Posted by shakespearouac

wait! there's more!! —
The color and grain of the mahogany neck, back & sides on my 2014 E10ss = the most gorgeous mahogany i've ever seen on ANY guitar.
others' thoughts?
thoughts on the rosewood models' appearance?

I agree, the mahogany of my AC522 is absolutely gorgeous!

[Charmed Life Picks]

Originally Posted by mickthemiller

Scott I first found out about Eastman guitars here. It was a post from someone who had used some loaned Eastmans for something and he just raved about them. That E10ss sounds far better than the E20ss I once owned. Beautiful tone.

Mick, as I've gotten older, I find myself more drawn to hog than rw. I like the balance and accuracy of it. Somes like chocolate, and somes like vanilla.

Anyway, that guitar cost me $850 used and as you can hear it easy walks step by step with, say, a J-45 or a D-18.

Take Care, Mick,
Scott

[Charmed Life Picks]

Originally Posted by Pura Vida

Scott, in about two weeks, you should create a new thread, entitled "Eastman Guitars: Reflections of an Eastman Owner, Five Years In."

Huh, you think so? How about if I just change the subject line of this one, Brian? I like the larger, longer threads. What say you?

sm

[Zissou Intern]

Originally Posted by Pura Vida

LTD models are difficult to keep in stock, ha!

Maybe Scott meant the E10SS, which is what he legally stole from Zissou Intern. Keith is holding out hopes for a Smeckman in 2021.

One of these years, Brian, I will wake up on NAMM morning and my Christmas dreams will come true... an Eastman 12 fret, deep body, slope shoulder, with full profile neck. The Smeckman IS coming!

But in the mean time, Scott, we could use PayPal F&F if you want to send my 10SS home to me.

[UncleJesse]

Originally Posted by Zissou Intern

One of these years, Brian, I will wake up on NAMM morning and my Christmas dreams will come true... an Eastman 12 fret, deep body, slope shoulder, with full profile neck. The Smeckman IS coming!

But in the mean time, Scott, we could use PayPal F&F if you want to send my 10SS home to me.

You'll have to fight me for the first one

[jdto]

Originally Posted by Zissou Intern

One of these years, Brian, I will wake up on NAMM morning and my Christmas dreams will come true... an Eastman 12 fret, deep body, slope shoulder, with full profile neck. The Smeckman IS coming!

But in the mean time, Scott, we could use PayPal F&F if you want to send my 10SS home to me.

I truly wish Eastman made a fuller neck profile for the E10SS. I had an E10SS that sounded marvellous, but the neck was just too small for my liking.

I’d love to see a limited run E10SS-type with Southern Jumbo-style appointments and a full neck. The E30SS?

[cc132]

This brand is new to me, but I'm a little confused to see so much enthusiasm about Chinese (I assume) factory guitars, some of which have $2,000+ price tags. What gives?

I'm sure they're lovely instruments, but I can't wrap my head around spending Martin Standard Series money on one.

[Springbok]

Big Eastman fan here, both electric and acoustic. Own an E10SS, E40OM, and soon a Romeo-SC. Biggest issue currently is stock and availability which is terrible for everyone I suppose.

E10SS is a keeper, especially at £1k. The E40OM is great too but thinking of buying a Goodall CJ or Froggy M!

[Springbok]

Originally Posted by cc132

This brand is new to me, but I'm a little confused to see so much enthusiasm about Chinese (I assume) factory guitars, some of which have $2,000+ price tags. What gives?

I'm sure they're lovely instruments, but I can't wrap my head around spending Martin Standard Series money on one.

I sold a reimagined 000-28 for my E40OM. It’s just a better instrument in both build and tone for less £. They’re also all hand built. That said, I find their dreads to be generally worse than Martin’s, and about equal to Gibson’s offerings.

[jdto]

Originally Posted by cc132

This brand is new to me, but I'm a little confused to see so much enthusiasm about Chinese (I assume) factory guitars, some of which have $2,000+ price tags. What gives?

I'm sure they're lovely instruments, but I can't wrap my head around spending Martin Standard Series money on one.

They are handmade instruments with a very high standard of quality and craftsmanship, easily the equal of anything made using similar techniques in your country. They are not “factory guitars”.

[cc132]

Originally Posted by Springbok

I sold a reimagined 000-28 for my E40OM. It’s just a better instrument in both build and tone for less £. They’re also all hand built. That said, I find their dreads to be generally worse than Martin’s, and about equal to Gibson’s offerings.

Right on. I'm glad to hear that you found something that works for you.

I guess some of my skepticism stems from that fact that, over the years, I've seen so many Chinese manufacturers get hyped up as the latest, greatest alternative to American-built guitars. Blueridge, Recording King, Epiphone Masterbilt, Silver Creek, and more recently Farida all come to mind - guitars that folks swear up and down are every bit as good as Martins and Collings, accompanied by an endless stream of anecdotes about how so-and-so luthier or accomplished player played one and couldn't believe how much better it was than their Pre-War dreadnought.

I've yet to see one of these brands have real staying power that matched their original hype. There's a guy on our local Craigslist trying to move a $1,500 Blueridge, and I'm not envious of him. I've also learned my lesson about hoarding bargain guitars over the years - they're easy to accumulate, but usually not easy to get out of. The hardest I've ever been burned financially was on "cheap" guitars.

I'm not trying to yuck anyone's yum, this is just my personal experience after years of guitar buying. I'm sure that Eastmans are perfectly serviceable instruments, and I hope I'm dead wrong and that 30 years from now, people are coveting early, Pre-War (whichever war comes next) models, but I still can't imagine spending multiple-thousands on one.