Eastman is the Guild of Chinese made guitars!

[tjmangum]

On my way to California for my son's college graduation, I stopped by a Guitar Center and picked up another Eastman guitar. I got a AC 412 CE, which is an OM sized cutaway with a pickup. Used, this was less than 6 bills. Amazing price, to me, for a solid wood, nicely made guitar. Made me think, "Gee, is this the sweet spot? Great guitars for an affordable price? Just like Guild!" Any other Eastman fans out there?
T

 

[davismanLV]

I've never held one or played one myself, but I've only heard rave reviews. I've heard they're an amazing value and great guitars. You seem to think so.....

 

[chazmo]

Eastman is bigger than just guitars. They've got brasswinds too. They've got deals with some very premier makers in the US. In fact, they recently took over Haynes flutes, which is what all the pros use.

Interesting discussion of their history on http://www.eastmanguitars.com/about-us/

 

[BigPete]

My oldest daughter is a violin player. Eastman makes some of the best beginner to intermediate violins out there. At their price point I don't think any of the European makers' instruments are as good.

I played a Eastman semi-hollowbody electric last year that I probably should have bought. Nicer to play than an ES-335 and much cheaper. I would have swapped out the pickups and had a killer guitar.

 

[fretless]

i have a good friend who just bought an Eastman. pretty much an Advanced Jumbo ish. Sunburst, Adi top Rosewood b&s, scalloped bracing. a really, really nice guitar. i'm just on an a Made in USA trip right now and don't plan to change.

 

[Warner_21]

Some folks think that "Guild GAD is the Guild of Chinese Guitars!" :laughing:

Here is some Eastman vs GAD talk from AGF (I don't own either one, your mileage may vary)
http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=315230

 

[Scratch]

Having briefly owned a couple GADs; I'd strongly consider the Eastman in the 400 to 800 range if I, again, explored overseas offerings. Very impressive sounding guitars for the $, indeed.

 

[Just_Guild]

They are very well respected in the jazz community.

 

[ladytexan]

Eastman guitars (and other instruments) are very respected and get very high ratings. I have looked at getting the Eastman E10P parlor ($1000 range). As Scratch said, Eastman is a great buy.

 

[bassmyf]

http://www.littletobywalker.com/2012-eastman-ac-522-grand-auditorium.html

Speaking of Eastmans, I see our own Toby Walker has a nice AC522 for sale. Tempted....

 

[killdeer43]

Nice clip, Toni. Who's the player? :cupcake:

Curious Joe

 

[ladytexan]

Nice clip, Toni. Who's the player? :cupcake:

Curious Joe

According to the video, the guitarist is Cok Van Vuuren. From the Netherlands and is lead guitar for the band, Ocobar.

 

[killdeer43]

According to the video, the guitarist is Cok Van Vuuren. From the Netherlands and is lead guitar for the band, Ocobar.

Thanks!

Joe

 

[Bill Ashton]

bassmyf, Toby is a great guy, if you are considering a guitar he is offering I would expect no worries...

 

[Aristera]

I had a chance to play some Eastman models at Bonamassa Music in Utica, NY last year. They were nice sounding guitars and the build quality was solid.

 

[spiderman]

As you can see from my signature, I have one. It was my first steel string. Its a one off, has the treble back as EIR and the bass back is mahogany. Nice sound, and was very reasonable considering it has a built in pickup also. Its on loan to my daughter who always picked it to play when she came to visit. Kind of odd because she hates cutaways. I have played numbers of them since the local dealer is one of the early Eastman dealers. Quality is first rate, and they sound good.In my opinion Eastman and GADs are the pick of the PacRim guitars. Eastman also makes very nice archtops which are much more reasonable than others, not surprised that jazz musicians like them. The only ones i don't care for are the parlors, but I don't care for 0 size guitars by any makers, just personal preference.

Harmony H-173 bought in 1960 (retired), Alvarez AC60S 2008, Eastman AC320ce 2009 "Hybrid", Guild D25M 1974 (all mahogany, archback), Martin Grand J35E 2009, Martin D12-20 1970, Martin OM-21 2009, Martin 00-15M Custom (full body gloss, wide neck) 2011, Martin 00-15M Custom (12 fret, wide neck, solid peghead) 2012, Voyage-air VAOM-06 2010
"One chord is plenty, two and you're pushing it, three is jazz"
Lou Reed

 

[johnnywrongnote]

I have an E10D Eastman and a Martin D18GE, very similar guitars. Both have red spruce tops, ebony bridge and fingerboard, etc. I would say the Martin is slightly louder and a better bluegrass guitar. The Eastman has a beautiful evenly balanced tone and more sustain. Plus, the Eastman has a very comfortable neck and works very well for fingerstyle with bare fingers, it's very easy to play. It sounds very good with light guage strings, which are standard equipment. I use these two guitars in live gigs, the Martin for flatpicking and the Eastman for open tuning fingerstyle. Ironically, from a distance they look like twins!

John

 

[guildman63]

I bought an Eastman AR810CE a while back, and while it sounded quite nice and was a very affordable carved archtop at less than $2500, the finish quality was something I could not get over, so I returned it. The biggest issue to me were the numerous hairline cracks in the binding throughout the entire guitar, and many were palpable as well as visual. While in the short term they were not an issue I couldn't help but wonder how the binding would react 10 years down the road. That was too bad, because the guitar did sound good, and I love the violin type finish. Not sure if it was technically a burst, but it was sweet looking. It worked out well because Guild announced plans for the American Patriarch X-500 soon after that, so I would have had to sell it anyway to take care of my inevitable purchase that can be seen to the left and below. :laughing:

 

[PhilD]

This be the case that Eastman's and GAD's are here to stay and are good guitars, American guitar manufacturers will have to focus on more expensive, higher quality guitars. I would expect that is what is shaping up for Guild. Focus on the high end here and leave everything else to China. Just my view, ladies and gents. The days of high quality Guilds like the 2011 F50 (basically new and beautiful from Musicians Friend) I just bought for $1375 are going to be history in short order.

Phil D

 

[Yoko Oh No]

i have a friend who sold her three martins and bought and eastman...she say's it's a better guitar than any of her martins in terms of sound and playability