My New Eastman E-20DL

[William2]

I bought this instrument about a month ago. I thought for a last instrument I should get something different and that was going to be a different top wood. I went with Adirondack. I was considering mahogany but thought it might limit me dynamically. I chose Eastman because unlike any American maker they don't charge you an arm and a leg to get an Adirondack top. I play the instrument every day to get used to it and break it in. But after a month, I'm beginning to think I made a mistake. It is a very powerful instrument, with great sustain, and I do like that snap you can get when plucking an Adi top. But I have to say I'm just not getting attached to this sound. I find the sound a bit too much with a bass register that too easily overwhelms the treble causing a lack of clarity in the melodic lines in the treble. And I don't find the sound pretty like my Larrivee's. My dealer was impressed by the Eastman's sustain but measuring it against my 2020 Larrivee D-40R with a moon spruce top, The Larrivee easily matches the Eastman. And as much as I've tried to appreciate the gloss finish, when I look at all my instrument together, I still prefer the satin finish. I'll give this some more time, but this may not stay. And then Gibson comes out with this new Century collection after I bought this. I think now I should have just bought an affordable short scale instrument to counter all my long scale instruments. Oh well.

[Silence Dogood]

Tough spot.  I've had high hopes to bond with a guitar before and it didn't happen.  It's not like buying a screwdriver or pocketknife you don't quite love.  Guitar is a different thing. 

Years ago I had an early Eastman mandolin that was good but not great.  I played it for a long time, and it was what I learned how to play mandolin on, but I never really loved it.  It had a nice, decent tone, but it was the plain vanilla ice cream of mandolins: nothing stood out, nothing memorable -- just a decent mandolin to get the job done.  I got a Collings later and never played the Eastman again (sold now).

I'm curious about it being your "last instrument."  Why the last?  Maybe that fact alone is putting so much pressure on the situation that it'll be near impossible to find something that fits the bill? 

I turned 50 a couple years back and decided I'd get my last guitar and just keep the ones I have for the rest of my life, however long that will be.  The idea was kind of romantic and gallant in my own mind, but in reality it turned out to be underwhelming.  I did get the guitar (a nice hollowbody Guild electric), but I made too much out of the whole endeavor and it ended up kind of stressful.  Then there was the whole "Well, that's it!" aspect.  I ditched the project and ended up buying another electric guitar the same year! 
I've not bought a new acoustic guitar in well over 20 years, though.  Very happy with my one Larrivee.

[Queequeg]

I've lost count of how many "last" guitars I've bought. 

[teh]

Sorry you haven't been able to bond with your new guitar. I too, prefer a satin finish over gloss. I've read that Adirondack sometimes takes a while to break in and it may require a stronger attack to drive the top. I don't know if either of those statements are accurate but I have always been drawn to Sitka Spruce. I have three Sitka topped Martins and one Sitka topped Larrivee. Ironically, I also have two mahogany topped and one Moonwood Spruce topped Larrivee. One of my Martins (000 Custom) and three of my Larrivees (12 string, Forum VI, 00-24*) were purchased sight unseen and paid for without being played in advance.

* Note: The Larrivee 24 series comes standard with an Adirondack Spruce top. Since I was ordering a smaller 00 body for fingerstyle and blues, I knew I wanted a mahogany top and the Larrivee team agreed to make one for me. They also installed an Anthem SL pickup and shipped it in an Archtop case. No regrets on my decision. Jr. told me to play it for a month before I changed the strings or tweaked the setup. Sound advice that I followed. ,

Sometimes I appear to be an impulse buyer but I've only sold one guitar in over 50 years of playing.  In April, I walked into Alamo Music Center and played a bunch of guitars including a Larrivee Jumbo, several Martins including a 000-17, some Taylors, an Eastman and some Furches. I narrowed it down to three guitars but I came back two days later and walked out with a Furch. This 14 fret guitar has a Grand Auditorium body, an Englemann Spruce top, rosewood back and sides, Venetian cutaway and an open pore (satin) finish. I love the tone, workmanship and playability of this guitar. The guitar also has a soft V neck. Candidly, I prefer the necks profiles on my Larrivees and Martins but I did get a great deal on the Furch. I paid $100 more for the Furch than a similar Eastman listed for and it will be a great road trip guitar.

[StringPicker6]

A friend once forwarded me a quote from an experienced guitar trader on the AGF forum: "Based on my experience, whenever there is any doubt, there is no doubt. It's not a keeper."

 It's hard to force yourself to bond with an instrument. It seems like it needs to be love at first sight.

[William2]

Well, I've decided this instrument is a keeper. I spent the last two days just playing this one and it has and does what I want. I'm glad I have an Adirondack top. I think some days your ears hear things differently and then I always think should? I have gone American made? And I'm sure I'll get used to the gloss finish. At my age I'm not going to spend a fortune on a guitar to get a tone wood I want. The legacy thing doesn't apply here. Maybe If I was young. This instrument is a piano to me. Capable of producing beautiful sounds and nice colors. I came across this video comparing a Gibson J-45 against an Eastman version of the J-45. Both have Adi tops. What's the Gibson sell for, maybe $4000 against $1800. I actually wanted this Eastman J-45. it had everything I wanted. a short scale, Adi top, and a large body. But I went with Dave's suggestion. Anyway, this is a keeper.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNYzjExzC30&t=319s