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  #1  
Old 01-07-2021, 07:10 AM
gabethebabe gabethebabe is offline
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Default Alvarez MF60OM vs Eastman e1om

I'm looking at two solid wood orchestra guitars.
Alvarez - African mahogany back and sides, Sitka spruce top, Pau ferro fretboard. Gloss finish. Hand scalloped forward bracing.
Eastman - sapele back and sides, Sitka top, ebony fretboard, open pore finish, hand scalloped normal bracing.

I'd love to try these guitars, however the 5 nearest music shops don't stock either. I leaned towards the Eastman as I like matte finishes and forward bracing can sound boomy, but didn't know if mahogany b&s was more important. But I was looking for opinions on either brand if anybody owns these guitars?
Thanks in advance

Last edited by Kerbie; 01-07-2021 at 07:31 AM.
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  #2  
Old 01-07-2021, 08:16 AM
llew llew is offline
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I have no problem with Sapele as a back and side tone wood. I own the dread E2D which is Cedar/Sapele instead of Sitka/Sapele and it a great guitar. I have not played the E1OM or E2OM.
I have also played the dreadnought model (MD60BG) of the Alvarez OM you're inquiring about. It's also a fine guitar and I'm not sure the difference in mahogany and sapele is huge but others here may chime in who are more into the subtle nuances than I am.
I don't see how you could go wrong with either? I own four Eastman's and believe they are a great value. Best of luck with your search!
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Old 01-07-2021, 08:32 AM
gabethebabe gabethebabe is offline
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Thanks very much for the fast reply, I'm glad you are enjoying your Eastmans!
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Old 01-07-2021, 08:43 AM
davidbeinct davidbeinct is offline
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Could you swing ordering them both from internet dealers with generous return policies, eg GC 45 days? If you can I’d do that. Otherwise owning one of each my Eastman has slightly better tone and build quality than my Alvarez, but not enough difference to make up for other factors like ergonomics, if one feels better to play for you.
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Old 01-07-2021, 09:24 AM
Ralph124C41 Ralph124C41 is offline
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Just a note, African mahogany is not American mahogany ... and it is not sapele. I think African mahogany would be closer to sapele than a "true" mahogany. And if that is so, then maybe the two differences are not that dramatic.

Does either guitar come with a free case or gig bag? I think the Eastman comes with a padded gig bag. I don't know if that makes much different.
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Old 01-07-2021, 09:58 AM
BlueStarfish BlueStarfish is offline
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I picked up one of the Alvarez MF60OM’s last summer and am very pleased with it. I posted a review earlier, you should be able to find it if you search. Still pleased these many months later. A great 00018-style guitar, and even more so considering the bargain price.

I haven’t tried the Eastman so can’t compare. I know Eastman has lots of fans too.
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Old 01-07-2021, 10:28 AM
gabethebabe gabethebabe is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by davidbeinct View Post
Could you swing ordering them both from internet dealers with generous return policies, eg GC 45 days? If you can I’d do that. Otherwise owning one of each my Eastman has slightly better tone and build quality than my Alvarez, but not enough difference to make up for other factors like ergonomics, if one feels better to play for you.
I could try that, that's a great Idea I will look around. I will have to wait for andertons to stick the Alvarez but that's not too long it's the start of February.
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Old 01-07-2021, 10:30 AM
gabethebabe gabethebabe is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ralph124C41 View Post
Just a note, African mahogany is not American mahogany ... and it is not sapele. I think African mahogany would be closer to sapele than a "true" mahogany. And if that is so, then maybe the two differences are not that dramatic.

Does either guitar come with a free case or gig bag? I think the Eastman comes with a padded gig bag. I don't know if that makes much different.
I have looked into the mahogany thing, most people suggest African mahogany as closer to Honduran to than sapele but don't see it as a huge difference either way. Eastman has gig bag but the Alvarez is £50 cheaper so I could get a hard case for that price.
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Old 01-07-2021, 10:31 AM
gabethebabe gabethebabe is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BlueStarfish View Post
I picked up one of the Alvarez MF60OM’s last summer and am very pleased with it. I posted a review earlier, you should be able to find it if you search. Still pleased these many months later. A great 00018-style guitar, and even more so considering the bargain price.

I haven’t tried the Eastman so can’t compare. I know Eastman has lots of fans too.
Amazing I will have a nosey thank you
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Old 01-07-2021, 11:14 AM
Nick84 Nick84 is offline
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I have the E2OM and it is a fantastic guitar. I’ve played and E1OM and it was very nice also. I just found I preferred the cedar top by a lot
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