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Hi, I met a friend today who has one of those 2 fret "ltd" Eastmans with a pyramid bridge which has split - unrepairably according to a local luthier/repairer.

Has anybody any thoughts about how/what/where he might get one as a replacement?

Thanks in advance

Andy

I am wondering what the best Eastman guitar would be for traveling a lot in a car, and for occasional outdoor use, where temperature and humidity may not be well controlled and the guitar might get beat up a little more than in a studio.  I guess some might refer to this as a "campfire guitar," although I don't think I would ever be playing around an actual campfire. 

For this purpose, I would prioritize durability over tone.

I prefer the cutaway style.  Would a PCH model with laminate sides/back be superior to a lower end all-wood model like the AC-122CE or AC-222CE?  Or does it even matter?  Regardless of model, I would definitely be using a hard case.

Would appreciate opinions.

Thanks!
CJ

I tried using one that I had from my electrics but it didn't feel quite right. Are there ones for acoustics?

A few weeks ago, I noticed that the E6 and E8 non-TC models disappeared from the Eastman website.  When I emailed Eastman about Truetone on my Alpine TC guitars, they confirmed the standard Sitka models were discontinued about two months ago, mostly due to supply chain issues.

Likewise, the Alpine guitars are a limited run, due to this Sitka shortage, and once the supply of Alpine Spruce is consumed, the TC models will revert back to TC with Sitka.  They hope to bring back the standard Sitka models sometime in the future, but my guess would be not before the Alpine is gone and they have enough Sitka to fully support their TC Sitka demand.

I thought I'd share this, in case anyone is looking for Sitka (or wondering if they will keep making Alpine).

The late, great John Martyn:-

https://youtu.be/MUQoUCVWl4k

his album Solid Air is a classic! The title track Solid Air was dedicated to his friend the equally talented Nick Drake who sadly died 18 months after the release of this album.

Here's Nick Drake's Five Leaves Left :- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igRWatCyp98

This is an interesting neck, alot of figuring going on.

Hello all! I thought that I would consult with you Eastman experts about an AC-420 that I have seen for sale on Facebook Marketplace. The seller says that it is in mint condition "only played once", etc. They are asking $1100 which seems wildly over-priced to me. So what do you think a fair price would be? I'm thinking somewhere in the $400 to $500 range. any thoughts would be appreciated.

Ray

I've been looking at this guitar on the site of dealer friendly to lefties.  I passed over it a million times, more interested as I was in the 335 types.  I solved that with a good Casino.  

But, as they say in bad books and movies, something was missing in my (guitar) life, and this guitar fills the gap. I'm still learning to eq it, getting to know the stock pickup.  I'm the first to swap pickups if the guitar doesn't sing. I'm not sure that I want any other sound than the stock on this one. Why goof around with something that sounds great the way it is?

In short, I've always been a fan of the looks of Eastmans--aren't the headstocks perfect--no rip of a Gibson, not big and awkward looking as on a familiar brand's jazz axes, just a grand but not gawdy headstock.  And on this model, the lack of fret inlays adds to that "uptown Sat'd'y night vibe."  

I could go on.  I appreciate the add on the forum.  I'm mainly a guitarist and bass player into rock, jazz, a bit of funk, and classical.  One day I'll listen to Sex Pistols, the next to Ella and Stravinsky.  

A couple months ago, I picked up an E6D-TC, which was made with a Swiss Alpine Spruce top, rather than the normal Sitka Spruce top.  I've heard different stories about these guitars --- originally only 30 made, possibly due to Sitka shortages from wood suppliers, possibly Dana Bourgeois suggesting Eastman try making guitars with Alpine Spruce.  Whatever the reason, my TC is outstanding, so I decided to look for its Rosewood sibling (which seem to be much more difficult to find).

The search was interesting, but I ended up finding one at Sky Guitars in TX (whom I recognized from other forum members' positive reviews).  I'm not sure if Erik is a one-person operation or just very busy, but our calls got interrupted a couple of times.  But on the third call, he asked about my playing style and said he would set the guitar up and ship same day.  My initial apprehension faded to satisfaction, when I saw the shipping notification that night.

The package delivered on Thursday.  UPS left the "signature required" box leaning on a pillar next to my front door, so thankfully, I was home and expecting the delivery.  The guitar was double-boxed with the original Eastman box inside and the "made for guitar" bubble on each case end.  Inside the case, the guitar was shipped with a Boveda humidity pack and holder.

The E8D-TC is built extremely well.  The top has even color and grain with just the slightest inward curve at the lower bout, and plenty of silky cross-grain.  The body is a darker stain Rosewood, which looks fantastic, and the Ebony board and bridge are jet black.  Peaking inside, the bracing is as clean as the fit and finish on the outside.  Eastman has also improved their pickguards, which are no longer a mandatory replacement (although I'll probably swap them out for Holter Pickguards).

The setup is absolutely perfect, so kudos to Erik at Sky Guitars for doing such a great job, especially on such short notice to ship same day.  The neck is very full, and I can feel its weight in my hand.  It's very comfortable to hold and play, and although I haven't measured it, the nut and string spacing seem spot-on.

The first thing I did was change the strings, replacing the stock D'Add EXP/XT strings with my go-to GHS PB lights.  Obviously, the guitar is a little bright with the new strings, but I can tell that it's going to be a monster.  The tone is dry (thanks to the TC) and incredibly clear, all the way up and down the board.  Really nice low end, shimmering highs, but even the mids aren't buried, which is typical of the Eastman sound.  Wonderful overtones and sustain.  I don't know if there's any truth in Moon Spruce, but after owning two guitars with them, they're a fabulous choice.

I've been playing it alongside my other Eastman dreads, not to "rank" it, but rather to compare what I'm hearing vs. the other guitars.  It has more headroom than my E8D with a gentler warmth that I actually prefer to Sitka, but it's not as complex as my E40D.  It also compares very well to its sibling, E6D-TC (Alpine), although there are obvious differences between the sound coloring between Mahogany and Rosewood.

Finally, there's been talk about Eastman switching from Nitro to Trutone.  I have an email to Eastman, hoping to clarify which is on these two new guitars.  I tend to focus more on what I'm hearing than what I'm seeing, and if it's Trutone, I can't really tell the difference, so maybe it's still Nitro.

I am super excited to have this pair.  The E6D-TC (Alpine) has already become one of my favorites to play and likely my favorite Mahogany dread I've owned.  So, I'm hopeful that this E8D-TC (Alpine) will find a similar place, albeit in a more competitive field (since I have more Rosewood guitars).

Obligatory NGD photos below.