NUGD - Eastman E1D

[uwmcscott]

My GAS as of late has mostly been for acoustics, and even then I have been more just poking around than seeking anything specific. However, along the road I was doing a lot of research on Eastman guitars in general, both electric and acoustic. They are somewhat overlooked I think but have been building high quality stringed instruments for a very long time. I think they also get a bad rap due to being a Chinese company and get lumped in with the "cheap" factor, whether right or wrong.

In any case, I came across some videos of the E1D which is not the entry level Dreadnaught, but the lowest cost all-solid wood model. It has a solid spruce top, solid Sapele back and sides, mahog neck, and Ebony fingerboard, bridge/pins and headstock veneer. Vintage tuners, bone nut and saddle, abalone inlays, pretty much the laundry list of what you'd spec out for a quality Dreadnaught. MSRP is $750, street price around $550. Doesn't seem possible on the surface, and I'll admit I was skeptical as I've been burned on multiple "chibson" builds and firefly misadventures in the past.

I came across a used one on Reverb that appeared to be in almost new condition with a K&K mini pickup system installed and made an offer, the whole package including a gig bag and shipping made it to my door for just a hair over 4 bills. It arrived yesterday afternoon, and after a period to acclimate to our winter temps here in WI I got it out of the bag this AM. I've only had time to tune it up and strum a bit, and it will need new strings, but overall I am literally blown away. All of the woods are beautiful, and it has a really nice satin/vintage finish with open pore back/sides. The ebony board smooth as glass. Top has some really cool figuring and the binding is a tortoise-shell that complements the look nicely. Very nice low action and sounds just like you'd expect a quality dread to sound - mellow and loud. Absolutely stunned by the bang for the buck value here an literally how nice of guitar this is at any price level. Some pRon:

[skydawg]

Welcome to the Eastman Club. I have an E20D-TC. Amazing guitar.

[mickey]

Welcome to the Eastman Club. I have an E20D-TC. Amazing guitar.

Ditto, except I have the E-10OM.
@uwmcscott I agree, Eastman guitars are much better than they often get credit for being.

[redman]

I have heard mucho good things about Eastman guitars but have not had the pleasure of playing one yet. Must be something going around @uwmcscott I've had the acoustic GAS myself lately. in fact I bought another acoustic from GC this morning as well. We should have a thread on gear we've bought or sold or both in the last 12 months.

[BatUtilityBelt]

Congratulations, that looks really nice. I've heard nothing but good from owners about Eastman so far.

[mickey]

I have heard mucho good things about Eastman guitars but have not had the pleasure of playing one yet. Must be something going around @uwmcscott I've had the acoustic GAS myself lately. in fact I bought another acoustic from GC this morning as well. We should have a thread on gear we've bought or sold or both in the last 12 months.

I have a D-28 Martin, N-20 Martin & 000-28 Martin as well as a J-45 Gibson.
I would rate my Eastman E-10 OM the equal of any of those, except for being 1/4 of their co$t (or less.)
They are well worth looking into!

[uwmcscott]

I have a D-28 Martin, N-20 Martin & 000-28 Martin as well as a J-45 Gibson.
I would rate my Eastman E-10 OM the equal of any of those, except for being 1/4 of their co$t (or less.)
They are well worth looking into!

While I don't own any Martins, I have owned higher end Taylors and several Yairi's and I'd definitely put this one in the same league from a build quality/detail perspective. Granted this particular model is an open pore finish on the back and sides to save some $$, but the fretboard and top are equal or better than anything else I own.

[redman]

I have a D-28 Martin, N-20 Martin & 000-28 Martin as well as a J-45 Gibson.
I would rate my Eastman E-10 OM the equal of any of those, except for being 1/4 of their co$t (or less.)
They are well worth looking into!

Those are some great guitars uhh... Mickey what did you say your address was and when are you not going to be at home.

On a serious note IMO the big three Gibson, Martin and Taylor just ain't "keeping up with the Jones" with quality to price. I'm on a Yamaha kick I had a Gibson G-45 one of the 1st run no hole in the upper bout but I came across a MIJ Yamaha A5M ARE it was B stock from AMS because it was a floor model and they discounted it $400 new the G-45 is $200 more than the A5M and not even in the same ballpark as the A5R I sold my Gibson. I then went looking for a new 12-string and came across a used mint condition Yamaha FG 820 12 for $200 new they're $379.99 and just an excellent 12 string plays great sounds great and the build quality is good as well. I have a 15 year old granddaughter I gave her 1st guitar a Epiphone LP last Christmas and started giving her lessons she has stuck with it ands loves it never misses her lessons every Thursday so I wanted to give her an acoustic this year and bought her a Recording King RD-G6 new for $350 I did hit the fret ends a bit because of slight fret sprout but it sounds and plays great. Yesterday in my search for a second acoustic I bought a MIC 2020 Yamaha LL16D handmade solid Engelmann Spruce Top solid Rosewood back and sides Ebony bridge and fretboard for $579 but new they're only $1129. To get a lower price in like a Martin you are going to have to go with MIM or Gibson you have to get a gimmicky hole in the upper bout and Walnut back and sides as well as a sorry build quality don't believe me watch this.

[mickey]

@redman If memory serves, you play backwards, not lefty so don't bother attempting to break in.
Also, stop messing with Yamahas (unless we are talking motorcycles) and go with something a lot better: Eastman guitars.

[redman]

@redman If memory serves, you play backwards, not lefty so don't bother attempting to break in.
Also, stop messing with Yamahas (unless we are talking motorcycles) and go with something a lot better: Eastman guitars.

That's quite possible @mickey I would like to try one there's a store called the Acoustic Corner in Black Mountain a little town 25 or 30 minutes from here that's an Eastman dealer but they never have anything in stock when I check their website. They're also a dealer for Larrivee another brand I want to try but the same thing nothing in stock. Music City is a Recording King dealer and they have stock but mostly in the $350 to $500 range which seem to be great guitars MIC however they can't seem to get the RD-318 (Mahogany) or RD-328 (Rosewood) that's their flagship models when they do get a few their gone so I've not got to try one. I've read where folks
have compared them to both the Martin D-18 and D-28 so who knows because those two guitars sound totally different IMO they go for about $750 new.

My A5M and FG-820 12

[mickey]

Larrivee make great guitars but you can expect to spend over $2000 to buy any Larrivee I have ever seen.
You'll save a lot with an Eastman & get comparable quality.
I paid apx $1300 for my Eastman including a form fitting hard case. At the time I bought it, I could have bought a virtually identical Martin
complete with sunburst for apx $5200 it was a "Heritage Edition" or some such. Made me feel like I had stolen the Eastman.
I still look at the Eastman as one of the best buys in guitars I've ever made, well aside from the ES-335TD I got at a flea market in Chattanooga for
$100. But that is another story.

[OMB]

Eastman makes some solid value guitars that punch above their weight class. The newer Red Label Yammies aren't bad either. And finding a Larivee can be difficult at best.

[tonebender]

Congrats on the new acoustic. Eastman makes good stuff. On Mickey's recommendation a few years back I picked up an Eastman semi hollow. It was very swell made but in the end I could not bond with the neck. The guitar however was fine.

[uwmcscott]

Larrivee make great guitars but you can expect to spend over $2000 to buy any Larrivee I have ever seen.

I was looking at Larrivee too, they do have a similarly spec'd entry level model ( all solid/ebony/etc ) in several body shapes but street price for a new one is about $1500. You can find used ones a bit under 1k if you look hard, but most of them come in around 1100-1200, which is almost 3x what I paid for this one.

You can spend LOTS of $$ with either brand though if you start moving up the chain

[Keithe]

Just ordered an Eastman Lefty E1OM from Wolf Music in Texas. They have a 15% off code , holiday. Being used to MF and Guitar Center codes, I didn't think it would work, but it did. Free shipping also. A handmade, solid wood guitar for $486.43 is pretty hard to beat. Thanks to everyone for the Eastman testimonies.

[uwmcscott]

Just ordered an Eastman Lefty E1OM from Wolf Music in Texas. They have a 15% off code , holiday. Being used to MF and Guitar Center codes, I didn't think it would work, but it did. Free shipping also. A handmade, solid wood guitar for $486.43 is pretty hard to beat. Thanks to everyone for the Eastman testimonies.

Very nice - I just mentioned earlier that i'd probably buy an OM too if one came by for a good price lol. Is the 15% code a public one you'd care to share?

[Keithe]

Holiday. It is on the front page of their website. I saw the guitar listed on ebay and checked went to the website, intending to ask if I could get it cheaper ordering it direct. Saw the code "holiday" and tried it. They have a good rating on ebay. I used paypal so I would have a little protection.

[uwmcscott]

Holiday. It is on the front page of their website. I saw the guitar listed on ebay and checked went to the website, intending to ask if I could get it cheaper ordering it direct. Saw the code "holiday" and tried it. They have a good rating on ebay. I used paypal so I would have a little protection.

Nice, thanks - looks like it works on several items. That AC133 GA Cutaway is exactly what i'd want if I got another...black friday treat?

[mickey]

Congrats on the new acoustic. Eastman makes good stuff. On Mickey's recommendation a few years back I picked up an Eastman semi hollow. It was very swell made but in the end I could not bond with the neck. The guitar however was fine.

Sorry 'bout that Jeff! In my defense I would say that I've only tried Eastman acoustics, never touched one of their electrics.
That is not meant as a put down of their electrics, just that I'm generally much more into acoustics.

[redman]

@uwmcscott I wanted to resurrect this thread as I have bought an Eastman acoustic because of the GAS I had from this thread and a PM I had with @mickey but first things first now that you've had your Eastman a few months do you like it? How does it play, sound, feel in hand?
When I saw the pictures of your guitar, I thought it was gorgeous then @mickey had nothing but good things to say much like the many video and written reviews I have read/watched. I decided on the E10D a solid Mahogany guitar with an Adirondack Spruce top Ebony fretboard and bridge, bone nut and saddle etc.; etc. They run about $1350 new with most used selling for around a grand with a few in the $850 range and some in fair or poor condition around $700. Wednesday morning one popped up on GC in great condition for $649 so I snagged it. Ater shipping and tax it was $720 and it's on the way and can't wait to play it so thank you for posting this thread if I like it better than my LL16 Yamaha then I'll sale the LL16 if not then the Eastman will go back to GC.

This is not the picture of the one I bought but rather a picture of one I swiped off the internet.

[mickey]

My best guess is that (unless UPS or whoever trashes it enroute) you are going to be one happy camper when it arrives!

[Partscaster]

Congrats redman.

[Stoli]

I do not own an Eastman acoustic but I love my T-486 Semi-Hollow. Hope you enjoy and I think you will.

[uwmcscott]

@uwmcscott I wanted to resurrect this thread as I have bought an Eastman acoustic because of the GAS I had from this thread and a PM I had with @mickey but first things first now that you've had your Eastman a few months do you like it? How does it play, sound, feel in hand?
When I saw the pictures of your guitar, I thought it was gorgeous then @mickey had nothing but good things to say much like the many video and written reviews I have read/watched. I decided on the E10D a solid Mahogany guitar with an Adirondack Spruce top Ebony fretboard and bridge, bone nut and saddle etc.; etc. They run about $1350 new with most used selling for around a grand with a few in the $850 range and some in fair or poor condition around $700. Wednesday morning one popped up on GC in great condition for $649 so I snagged it. Ater shipping and tax it was $720 and it's on the way and can't wait to play it so thank you for posting this thread if I like it better than my LL16 Yamaha then I'll sale the LL16 if not then the Eastman will go back to GC.

This is not the picture of the one I bought but rather a picture of one I swiped off the internet.

Awesome, great score. I think the E10 you have on the way is a much more highly finished version of what I have. The E1D I have is all solid wood and ebony board/bridge but has the open pore/satin finish. I actually like that look a lot and for under $400 with electronics it was a heck of a score.

As far as your question about how I like it, it's become my main living room guitar. I am getting used to the slightly wider nut as my other guitars are Yairi and have a bit narrower nut. Overall I would say there is nothing overly remarkable/notable other than it just being a really nice all-around guitar, and for the money and specs no one even comes close. I was back at Dave's in La Crosse over the weekend for the first time in a while and played a few Eastman's and the higher spec models compare very favorably to the others costing many times as much. Fit and finish even on my E1D is top notch.

I currently have my eye on an AC122 CLE, which is the Grand Concert/Cutaway equivalent of the E1D with all solid woods and the open pore finish.

[Spike]

Don’t know I missed this. Beautiful!