What are Eastman's three best acoustic guitars?

[Shishigashira]

I was going to ask about Eastmans best acoustic but thought better of it. So what are their three best acoustics?

Eastman's best? This one is pretty easy for me since the E8D seems to be the forum's favorite. Not sure what it is but everyone seems to love their Sitka/Rosewood combo in dread size. Some special sauce in that one.

If I had to add two more I'd say the E2D since I actually own it and love it. The cedar sapele combination seems perfect and the price point is ridiculous. E1D is a contender too.

And if I had to pick one more, it would be the E10SS/V. The slope shoulder is pretty fantastic but that varnish finish is quite unique and seems to take it over the top.

What do others think?

[L-Man]

I have played and spent some time with their
OM: 1, 8, 10, 20-TC, 40
D8
AC: 222, 322, 422, 722, 822

I own the 8OM and have owned the 20OM-TC. Planned on buying a 40OM but ended up keeping the 8OM, I like the Sitka with rosewood. The adi-mahogany of the 10OM sounds incredible - like a larger guitar, but the voice is a bit deeper than I was looking for in an Orchestra Model. The 8OM is both bright and warm.

I'm a fingerstyle guitarist, I don't really like dreadnoughts, except for my Martin HD-28. It's quite special. But the 8D sounded really good for a dreadnought.

In the Grand Auditorium, I owned a 222CE-OV, my first Eastman. Sold it and got a 322 mahogany which I like better. The 822 is certainly better ... but I really like the character of the Sitka/mahogany ... warm basses with a pleasant mix of darkness and brashness to the trebles.

If I could own more guitars I would get:

* a 10OM for the deep bass and incredible dynamic range in an OM
* a 40OM for the brilliance, power, and sheer beauty of wood, workmanship, inlays
* an AC822CE for the big Grand Auditorium sound ... the new model with the sound port sounds awesome, and the arm rest is really comfortable

Too many choices, not enough money!

[L-Man]

I would add that probably their best D and OM would be the 40 ... I have played the E40OM and it is bigger and more responsive, and finally more colourful than any of the other OMs. I expect the E40D would be the same.

And the AC822 is the best of their grand auditorium models.

There you have it. The three most expensive models are likely the best ones.

[Shishigashira]

I have played and spent some time with their
OM: 1, 8, 10, 20-TC, 40
D8
AC: 222, 322, 422, 722, 822

I own the 8OM and have owned the 20OM-TC. Planned on buying a 40OM but ended up keeping the 8OM, I like the Sitka with rosewood. The adi-mahogany of the 10OM sounds incredible - like a larger guitar, but the voice is a bit deeper than I was looking for in an Orchestra Model. The 8OM is both bright and warm.

I'm a fingerstyle guitarist, I don't really like dreadnoughts, except for my Martin HD-28. It's quite special. But the 8D sounded really good for a dreadnought.

In the Grand Auditorium, I owned a 222CE-OV, my first Eastman. Sold it and got a 322 mahogany which I like better. The 822 is certainly better ... but I really like the character of the Sitka/mahogany ... warm basses with a pleasant mix of darkness and brashness to the trebles.

If I could own more guitars I would get:

* a 10OM for the deep bass and incredible dynamic range in an OM
* a 40OM for the brilliance, power, and sheer beauty of wood, workmanship, inlays
* an AC822CE for the big Grand Auditorium sound ... the new model with the sound port sounds awesome, and the arm rest is really comfortable

Too many choices, not enough money!

Nice!  Wish I had more access to Eastman guitars to play them all.  Seems like they have so many wonderful instruments.  I guess I'm wondering which of these are starting to distinguish themselves more than others.  Whenever I hear of Martin guitars, folks will point to the D18 and the D28 (or HD28) as their signature instruments.  I was exploring whether there was an emerging consensus on Eastman's best, without defaulting to their most expensive.

[sleigh]

Given the scarcity of Eastmans on the ground locally, I don't have a wide range of experience with personally having handled and heard much of the Eastman line --- I'd absolutely defer to Brian (Pura Vida) and his awesome collection for that. But I think we need to define terms for this topic. What does "best model" mean? Best what? Best sounding? Best looking? Best built? Best value? Using any of those could yield a different answer (not to mention that they're all subjective; what sounds best to me might not sound best to anyone else. It's like asking "what's the best model of car"—you're never going to get a consensus on that. 

But... The E8 in its various iterations does seem to be very well-regarded here and for good reasons. I am certainly impressed by my E8D... but I'm as equally impressed (for different reasons) by my E10D. If I were forced to choose between the two, my inclination might be to go for the E10D. Maybe. Hope I never have to make that choice!

The jury's still out for the new E20D—and may be for a few years until that Adi top opens up fully. And there are still a dozen or more models of Eastmans I'd love to try. I keep looking at the AC622CE with the sound port and arm rest, and salivating...

[jeepnstein]

I have yet to play a dud.  That's not to say all them them belong in the lofty comparison space of a Bourgeois, Collins, Cotten, or certain Martins but a good one will pull that comparison.  

I recently had my AC420 in a well-known local luthier's shop for a setup.  He'd never seen an Eastman guitar in person before.  Several of his mandolin playing clients have them, though.  In his very Eastern Kentucky way he wouldn't come out and say it but he acknowledged it was a heck of a guitar.  Then I told him what the going price for one.  He just grinned and said he could build me a better one.  But not at that price.  

He said it was obviously hand built and pointed out a couple of things that he considered "problems".  His biggest gripes were the over set neck and the slight hump in the fretboard where it met the body.  He was also not loving the fret wire just as a point of finding a few nits to pick.  Not that any of that had any bearing on the final setup he produced.  I play .13's and you'd be hard pressed to notice.  His work is that good.  And the guitar roars.  

So what is their best guitar?  Who knows?  That's like arguing over Ginger versus Mary Ann.

[eastmanschool]

I recently had my AC420 in a well-known local luthier's shop for a setup.  He'd never seen an Eastman guitar in person before.  Several of his mandolin playing clients have them, though.  In his very Eastern Kentucky way he wouldn't come out and say it but he acknowledged it was a heck of a guitar.  Then I told him what the going price for one.  He just grinned and said he could build me a better one.  But not at that price.  

He said it was obviously hand built and pointed out a couple of things that he considered "problems".  His biggest gripes were the over set neck and the slight hump in the fretboard where it met the body.  He was also not loving the fret wire just as a point of finding a few nits to pick.  Not that any of that had any bearing on the final setup he produced.  I play .13's and you'd be hard pressed to notice.  His work is that good.  And the guitar roars.  

So what is their best guitar?  Who knows?  That's like arguing over Ginger versus Mary Ann.

Hope I'm not hijacking the thread by saying, I've had the same experience taking Eastmans in for setups, etc. The grudging admiration, the head shake at the sticker price, and, unfortunately, the same (correctable) issues. Call them nits if you like.

However, hadn't heard the one about the "over set neck." What does that mean?

[jeepnstein]

I recently had my AC420 in a well-known local luthier's shop for a setup.  He'd never seen an Eastman guitar in person before.  Several of his mandolin playing clients have them, though.  In his very Eastern Kentucky way he wouldn't come out and say it but he acknowledged it was a heck of a guitar.  Then I told him what the going price for one.  He just grinned and said he could build me a better one.  But not at that price.  

He said it was obviously hand built and pointed out a couple of things that he considered "problems".  His biggest gripes were the over set neck and the slight hump in the fretboard where it met the body.  He was also not loving the fret wire just as a point of finding a few nits to pick.  Not that any of that had any bearing on the final setup he produced.  I play .13's and you'd be hard pressed to notice.  His work is that good.  And the guitar roars.  

So what is their best guitar?  Who knows?  That's like arguing over Ginger versus Mary Ann.

Hope I'm not hijacking the thread by saying, I've had the same experience taking Eastmans in for setups, etc. The grudging admiration, the head shake at the sticker price, and, unfortunately, the same (correctable) issues. Call them nits if you like.

However, hadn't heard the one about the "over set neck." What does that mean? 

He said the neck was set in a way that makes you have to have an excessively tall saddle.  I took it to mean the neck was too deeply seated in the dovetail but it was more of a comment made in passing.  The guitar does have a very tall saddle.  It was also not tight in the slot, which was more of a problem.  If you would have looked at it you could easily say the saddle is "too tall" and went down the wrong rabbit hole.  I really didn't bother to ask too much because there is now way, no how, am I ever paying to have the neck reset on an AC420.  

His last words to me were "Don't change anything on it.  That'll be my job from here on."  Geometry ain't my thing.

[Rad]

I recently had my AC420 in a well-known local luthier's shop for a setup.  He'd never seen an Eastman guitar in person before.  Several of his mandolin playing clients have them, though.  In his very Eastern Kentucky way he wouldn't come out and say it but he acknowledged it was a heck of a guitar.  Then I told him what the going price for one.  He just grinned and said he could build me a better one.  But not at that price.  

He said it was obviously hand built and pointed out a couple of things that he considered "problems".  His biggest gripes were the over set neck and the slight hump in the fretboard where it met the body.  He was also not loving the fret wire just as a point of finding a few nits to pick.  Not that any of that had any bearing on the final setup he produced.  I play .13's and you'd be hard pressed to notice.  His work is that good.  And the guitar roars.  

So what is their best guitar?  Who knows?  That's like arguing over Ginger versus Mary Ann.

Hope I'm not hijacking the thread by saying, I've had the same experience taking Eastmans in for setups, etc. The grudging admiration, the head shake at the sticker price, and, unfortunately, the same (correctable) issues. Call them nits if you like.

However, hadn't heard the one about the "over set neck." What does that mean?   

He said the neck was set in a way that makes you have to have an excessively tall saddle.  I took it to mean the neck was too deeply seated in the dovetail but it was more of a comment made in passing.  The guitar does have a very tall saddle.  It was also not tight in the slot, which was more of a problem.  If you would have looked at it you could easily say the saddle is "too tall" and went down the wrong rabbit hole.  I really didn't bother to ask too much because there is now way, no how, am I ever paying to have the neck reset on an AC420.  

His last words to me were "Don't change anything on it.  That'll be my job from here on."  Geometry ain't my thing.  

My E20D-TC

No fretboard hump in regards to the  frets, they are are dead level. The only reason the saddle was to tall was because the action was to high.  After I sanded down the saddle base to get the action height I wanted the saddle could not be any more perfect in regards to it’s height.

[Airborne]

I have only played two Eastmans and own them both. They were purchased new, unseen, and unplayed from online dealers.

The first is the e40 OM natural which I take to be their “top of the line”, and the PCH-3 Koa OM which I assume could be considered the lower rung of their guitars.

The PCH was purchased to mimic the specs of the 40 and to be my RV/camping guitar.

Both are fine guitars and are played daily. If I had my way, I’m sure I could find many more Eastman models that would be the “best” for me. In fact, I think I could be quite happy with one of each model!