Hey! I've been a lurker here for quite a while, and I finally decided to make a post since I recorded a video with my newest guitar (the AC222CE). I've been an Eastman player / artist for a while (https://www.eastmanguitars.com/the_vaudevillains) -- I own an 810CE archtop, a T58, an E20OM and now the AC222CE. Can't say enough good things about them. Anyway, I look forward to posting here more and hope you enjoy the video! 

After much research of this and another forum, I have ordered a 40 OM natural from Ted at LA Guitars. Him and his wife are very pleasant to talk with and easy to do business with.

I did tell him that because of EGF members, he was the first contact in my quest for a new Eastman. His price for the guitar was very reasonable and I saw no reason to pursue other dealers.

Payment was sent via certified check with expected delivery to LA Guitars on Thursday, 08-06-2020, so I hope for delivery next week some time.

I was undecided between the 20 OM-TC and the 40. I will be 72 on my next birthday and my skills are limited along with an uneducated ear and probably couldn’t tell the difference between TC and non TC! With that said, I wanted a nice looking, great sounding, quality built guitar and decided on the 40! Maybe my ears will “open up” along with the guitar!

I would like to thank EGF members for sharing their knowledge and experience with those of us new to Eastman.

It does have some finish issues but some may overlook that. No affiliation.

Eastman E10OOss/v Varnish Burst

https://reverb.com/item/35002706-eastman...nish-burst

I enjoyed this as much as Tommy and Billy - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q04ufkj6...Y&index=24

Am I right in seeing that Eastman changed their cases recently?  At least for the E10D. 

I have a 2018 E20SS and 2019 E10OOSS/v, and I am very happy with the hardshell case they shipped with.  It's all black, silver hardware, nice and understated look.  The inside has thick plush grey cushioning.  I really like those cases!  They feel solid, seem to offer good padding, and don't look outrageous. 

I just picked up a new E10D, and it came with a different case.  The hardware is "gold" and there's bright yellow/gold stitching across the top and bottom.  The interior has this pseudo fancy harder foam based padding, which is thinner.  There's not much travel, maybe half an inch, before the padding compresses and the hard structure of the case is hit.  Seems like a major downgrade to me, and it looks like crap.  To me it screams fake fancy.  
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vjiA94E...sp=sharing

Maybe my opinions are off, and others like it?   Does anyone have this new case?  The E10D is from 9/2019.  From looking on Reverb, most the E10Ds have the old case.  I found one from 2020 with the new case, so thinking they switched recently.  Or is the case type an option the dealer orders?

Thanks

A week or two ago, I decided to sell my Blueridge BR-240A.  It was a fine guitar and was opening up nicely, but the forward shifted bracing and BR's Martin-esque voice weren't a good match for my playing style.  Also, given the current state of guitar inventory, I knew that I could get my money back and maybe turn a decent profit.

My goal was to replace the BR-240A with a Mahogany/Spruce OM, which is a missing puzzle piece of my acoustic guitar collection (perhaps the last missing piece).  I nearly purchased a 10yo BR-163A (w/ LR Baggs M-1), but the seller was totally shady.  I inquired about several used Eastman E10OM-TC models, but the used asking prices were close to new from an online dealer (see my separate thread).  So, I decided to go with a new guitar again.

I reached out to Ted at LA Guitar Sales about availability.  Recently, I referred two other forum members, who purchased new E6OM and E10OM-TC models, so I wanted to see when backfill inventory might arrive, as well as the new E6OM-TC (announced at Winter NAMM 2020).  Like most guitar makers, Eastman's inventory is constrained, so all three models are currently backordered, especially the TC models.

I asked Ted to check out the E10OM that was still in stock.  We were both surprised and delighted to discover that this guitar had a stunning bearclaw top, which wasn't visible in the online photos (and missed from the intake notes, when the guitar arrived).  Ted sent me some photos from his phone, and I knew that this guitar was something special.  And when Ted confirmed it sounded as good as it looked, we quickly closed on the sale.

The guitar arrived yesterday (one day late; typical for COVID life), but not without incident.  The outer box was heavily damaged, including two large punctures on each side of the box.  The UPS driver tried to "dump and run" this guitar on my front patio (signature required?  guess not!).  I took photos of the box and unpacking, and thankfully, LA Guitar Sales did a stellar job with packaging, so there was no internal damage (the case has a small ding, and LA Guitar Sales offered to replace it, if I want).  Shame on UPS for treating my guitar box like a football!

Aesthetically, the guitar is beautiful.  The Adi (Red Spruce) top is uniform in color and grain, but laid over it is a faint bearclaw throughout (slightly more prevalent on the treble side).  The overall build quality is excellent with a nice Mahogany back, sides, and neck.  Similar to my newly acquired E6D, the stain color leans more towards orange and gold than red, which gives it a more traditional, vintage vibe.  The ebony is black with possibly some faint streaks on the board, and the edges are completed with tortoise style binding.  The inside build is clean and consistent with my other Eastman guitars.

The build is light overall, and when strummed, it vibrates throughout the body.  Single notes ring out clearly (bell-like), and chords are "focused" (probably an effect of it being a new Adi top).  Mids are expectedly strong for a Mahogany OM/000 guitar.  I'm sure the sound will evolve over time, just like my other Eastman Adi top guitars.  I played it against my 2017 E20OM-SB (Rosewood/Adi), and the volume is comparable (the E20 is way more open after 3+ years).

This is an exceptional guitar, especially with the unique bearclaw Adi top.  Although I would have liked to have tried a TC model, I have absolutely no regrets with selecting this amazing instrument and enjoying its tonal journey over the weeks, months, and years.  This closes a sonic gap I've had in my acoustic guitar collection, so even though I have some redundancy, all of my bases are now covered.  I'm mostly a dread player, but these Eastman OM guitars are wonderful alternatives to the bulky dreads, and they're as versatile as they are comfortable.  This may prove useful for me in later years, and my 15yo daughter refers to these guitars as "the perfect size."

Finally, I highly recommend LA Guitar Sales for their continued partnership and outstanding customer service.  Ted was great on the front end, helping me select this guitar, and Helene was incredibly responsive with the delivery issue.  I've purchased several guitars from them, and they go the extra mile for me every time.

Obligatory NGD photos.



































Some inside photos:












Fragile - handle with care:

I was wondering whether anyone has played one of Martin's slope shouldered dreads - DSS-17 WS or BS. Any experience to share?

Hope to order a new OM probably from Ted at LA Guitars in the next week or so. With that said, I know that even new guitars would be better if professionally setup. My question is can this be done at LA Guitars prior to shipment? The thought of waiting for the new guitar, then driving a 4 hour round trip to a reliable luthier for a setup (after waiting how many days for an opening) I find unbearable. But, if it can’t be done, it is what it is! Any thoughts are appreciated!

Sorry if this has been covered, but what do people use in terms of cleaner, polish, wax, etc. on the antique varnish finish. I just picked up a black SB59/v and the only thing I've been brave enough to try so far is some of my Music Nomad Detailer which worked out OK just to get clean off a bit of store dust. I'm used to giving my guitars the works with cleaner, polish and wax but I'm hesitant with the varnish. I couldn't find any care instructions on Eastman's website. Thanks.

Seems a tad pricey.

https://www.guitarcenter.com/Used/Eastma...-Guitar.gc