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Eastman E10D


Glenn F

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Hey all,

 

I've been reading a lot of good things about this guitar. One showed up at a local store, and I went and tried it. I was impressed. I was also offered a deal hard to refuse.

 

What to do, what to do? I swore off Chinese guitars a while back. This guitar is impressive, though.

 

Hmmmm.

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Yeah, I want one of the new D-18s. Ebony fretboard, performance neck, scalloped bracing. More than twice the price of the Eastman. The question for me is: will I still want one of the new D-18s after buying the Eastman?

 

Do bears do their business in the woods?

 

I did sell my D-15 to go towards a D-28 last May. Of the guitars I've sold over the last while (mostly the Pac-Rim gits), I miss the D-15 the most. I can get a J-15 used for a reasonable price. Hmmm.

 

I also tried out a 312. Very loud little guitar, beautiful construction, but it had a shrillness when played with a pick, even with EXPs, which aren't the brightest of coated strings. I guess it would be for fingerpicking, but I have one of the new Martin OM-21s, which is all I need for fingerpicking.

 

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Can you play that Eastman E10D against a current D-18? My local store carries both brands. I was similarly impressed by a hog Eastman dread at that store once upon a time but IIRC the tone was not like a Martin. I would not be hasty. In fact, it sounds to me like you want that D-15M back. If not that, then how about a custom D mahogany at your local GC?

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Unfortunately, the local store doesn't stock Martins. Martin's terms were not to the taste of the place, so they stopped carrying them about 4-5 years ago (when I picked up an 000-M relatively cheaply). I am in Europe, so no GC guitars from them for me. I dunno what to do. A friend on another forum suggested I contact another shop for an even better price, which would be unbelievable if possible. While I miss my D-15 (no 'M' I think it was at least partly Sapele), it isn't a 'must have.' There were times when I found the sound dull, and there were times when I found it glorious. May have depended on humidity, I'm not sure. I do know that I don't have €2,090 for the D-18 right now, unless I want to royally piss off the missus.

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You have me intrigued so I'm going to see if my local shop still has those two models in stock. I have to go there to get a case humidifier and wanted to try out a Taylor 356ce anyway. I'm not sure if the store owner would tolerate me breaking out my Zoom H2 though.

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Well,

 

I don't expect the Eastman to be a 'D-18 Killer.' I expect their sounds are fairly different, despite similar attributes. In my experience, though, only a Martin sounds like a Martin. Right now, I am waiting on a price check. If I get the right price, I'll buy it. If not, I'll pass. It's not like I don't already have a bunch of seriously nice acoustics.

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A new model D-18 will be the winner in the long run -

Thou Eastman's are nice for the money- their not a Martin .

I feel the newer model d-18 is one of the smartest things Martin has ever done -

( besides the introduction of the OM28v -which is my favorite - but I'm buying a lottery ticket

and hoping someday for a new model D-18 ) i also think in the long run the Martin will hold its value better ..

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Can't speak to that specific model, but I bought an Eastman E80M last year and it's a killer instrument. Blows away the two Martin 000-28s I've owned (and I'm a huge Martin fan; my go-to acoustic guitar is my Martin D-41, and I've got a bunch including some pretty high-end models). It's impeccably built, with excellent woods including an Adirondack spruce top vs. the more common Sitka. I also like that it has the 1.75" nut width (standard 000-28s are 1.6875) and a V-neck similar to the Clapton and vintage models. Unreal guitar, think I paid $995. Had to drive an hour and half to a little store in Mechanicsburg, PA to get it.

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Well,

 

I don't expect the Eastman to be a 'D-18 Killer.' I expect their sounds are fairly different, despite similar attributes. In my experience, though, only a Martin sounds like a Martin. Right now, I am waiting on a price check. If I get the right price, I'll buy it. If not, I'll pass. It's not like I don't already have a bunch of seriously nice acoustics.

 

 

With all due respect, I wouldn't be so sure about that, based on my personal experience, YMMV. I've owned a dozen Martins and still have a few, and when it comes to acoustics I pretty much bleed Martin, but the my Eastwood E80M is amazing. I wouldn't sell it for twice what I paid (because I'm pretty sure I couldn't find anything that would match it for that amount).

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Hi Don,

 

Long time! Yes, it is a case of YMMV. I am sure I haven't played as many Martins as you, but I do know that they have a particular sound that I've not heard from any other guitar maker, in my experience. That doesn't mean the Eastmans don't rock on their own merits. However, a few years ago, I tried out an AC412, I think it was, and the neck angle was bad, the frets were like speed bumps, and it sounded completely dead. I returned it and found my little Marty 000-M, which is an astonishing little guitar. In any case, all that I've read about the E10D has been extremely positive, and my limited experience with it backs up the reviews. OTOH, as I stated above, I also tried an AC312, which was very loud, but very shrill when played with a flatpick.

 

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Hi Don,

 

Long time! Yes, it is a case of YMMV. I am sure I haven't played as many Martins as you, but I do know that they have a particular sound that I've not heard from any other guitar maker, in my experience. That doesn't mean the Eastmans don't rock on their own merits. However, a few years ago, I tried out an AC412, I think it was, and the neck angle was bad, the frets were like speed bumps, and it sounded completely dead. I returned it and found my little Marty 000-M, which is an astonishing little guitar. In any case, all that I've read about the E10D has been extremely positive, and my limited experience with it backs up the reviews. OTOH, as I stated above, I also tried an AC312, which was very loud, but very shrill when played with a flatpick.

 

 

Yeah, new Eastmans are nothing like the old ones. Today they're apparently produced in a craftsmen-like setup akin to Martin.

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I try to avoid buying stuff from the PRC. Just my personal preference. I don't intend to change.

 

I didn't join the political forum. Don't intend to. So I won't get into a political discussion about it. It doesn't belong in this forum. But I'm not a target customer for Eastman. I'll leave it at that.

 

I do own a Taiwanese guitar. Yamaha APX6na. Very nice. And obviously I buy Vietnamese and other nations' products. I'm eyeing Guild's MIK Newark Street electrics too. It's between one of those and a MIM Fender. But I rule out MIC from the start.

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I am generally not a fan of buying Chinese stuff, probably for some of the same reasons as Etienne. Yet, it is ubiquitous, and I'll just do my 'Hail-Marys' on this one. The E10D is the real deal, as far as being a very, very good hog/spruce combo is concerned. I played it all afternoon, until my fingers are stinging. WOW.

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I am generally not a fan of buying Chinese stuff' date=' probably for some of the same reasons as Etienne. Yet, it is ubiquitous, and I'll just do my 'Hail-Marys' on this one. The E10D is the real deal, as far as being a very, very good hog/spruce combo is concerned. I played it all afternoon, until my fingers are stinging. WOW.[/quote']

 

 

Not sure what Etienne's objections are to Chinese stuff (I love my Apple products made in China, lol), but he sure like him some Vietnamese guitars! smiley-wink

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If the electronics that I use were made elsewhere, I'd buy them from elsewhere. They are not. One (amongst many) reason why I try to avoid PRC stuff is that the PLA is often a silent partner in enterprises. In effect, buying Chinese goods contributes to its military build-up and therefore its expansionist intentions. That's just the tip of the iceberg.

 

Anywards.

 

The E10D is truly an amazing guitar, at least the one I brought home is. The fit and finish is, afaics, perfect. The neck is a bit chunky, but I don't have a problem with it. There are no dead notes, no buzzing, though the fret ends are ever so slightly sharp. That will be fixed when I give it to my luthier to install a pickguard. While it seems to be modeled after a pre-war Martin, there is a definite Taylor-like shimmer, though the bass is more pronounced than it was on my Taylor 310 (which I sold with my D-15 to get my D-28). Out of the box, I prefer it over the 310, though it remains to be seen how it will fare in the long run. The scalloped bracing allows for clearly projected fingerpicking. It also projects well with gentle flatpicking, and absolutely roars when pushed. It is not a 'good-for-the-money' guitar, it is a damn good guitar. Period. It is, by far, the best acoustic guitar I have played that was made in China, and it rivals my Martins and Lakewoods. I don't say that lightly. I wasn't expecting to get another guitar this year, but this was too good to pass up. The local shop where I bought it had just got it in, so it hadn't been sitting up on the wall for God knows how long.

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Thanks. I would expect some qc issues overall, but then, Martin, Taylor, Gibson, etc., all put out duds. This unit is practically perfect, and I paid €795 for it. I could've gotten it cheaper, but I figured I would give my money to the local shop where I played this one. I would say this guitar could easily compete with guitars in the €1,500 range, possibly higher. I'll have my luthier install the pickguard and do whatever setup needs done after Christmas. I expect he'll very little to do afa fret-dressing, nut/saddle filing go.

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I bought an AR503CE on the spot at a music store because it played and sounded great. After the purchase, I toiled over the fact that it was Chinese made. I did some research on Eastman and found that they were started with a group of master violin makers in China. Also, across every forum everyone who has an Eastman swears by the sound and craftsmanship - including me.

 

Sure they are less expensive because they are made in China, but they are not cheaply made.

 

 

 

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Welp, I tried out a AC422 almost 5 years ago, and it was awful. Completely dead-sounding, frets like speed-bumps, basically DOA. I returned it for a refund and found my little 000-M Marty a week or so later. The Martin was a completely superior guitar. Looking back, I am glad the Eastman was a dud. The E10D, however, is a completely different story. I have yet to see anyone who's played one to not be impressed. Oh, a couple or people here and there have said it 'lacked complexity,' and, true, it doesn't have as many overtones as my rosewood/ovangkol guitars, but it is an amazing guitar, nonetheless.

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