Yep! Owned and sold a 53 Gold top I wrestled with for 20 years. I have 3 Eastmans now and they are impeccable. Vintage guitars have no secret sauce or sound any better than a well made new guitar. It's mostly bragging rights. The USA mystique died a long time ago. A good guitar is a good guitar wherever it's made. Enjoy your Eastman's everyone!
They are made in CHINA! 🚫Cheap / exploratory labour and god knows where they get their woods. They don't play by fair regulatory standards and get rewarded with our money while copying an American classic. Support western manufacturers!
Ha! Bought a T59 on a deal. Then within 2 months grabbed an SB59 and the Romeo Varnish with Bigsby. I can't believe how good these guitars are even next to Core PRSs I've owned...Never mind the 3k range Gibs. I pity Fender when they decide to make an SSS double cut.
I bought a 1983 LP Studio from an elderly woman who's husband passed (she sold it for cheap) - it is production #7 according to SN. Alpine white with natural fade and all! I ONLY bought it because it was a great price and as you say for "bragging rights." Its not the best guitar I have for sure, actually my newer Epiphone LP plays better.
As a big Gibson fan (and PRS fan) I bought my first Eastman (Juliet bv) and I'm so impressed. This feels so different then all the other "cookie cutter" CNC-made imports. It has mojo. It's obviously handcrafted. I'm afraid I'm going to end up owning every model Eastman makes. They are that good.
Long time GIbson owner here, I've got a 2 year old Eastman T-484 / ES-339 equivalent. IT came with SD Jazz and 59 pickups. Neck was spot on.... the dealer was unboxing it when I walked in the door. Fret work - very nice. ried it and bought it. Nice, very nice. The neck is closer to a thin taper rather than a thicker Gibson neck, and that's what sold the guitar to me.
I know Eastman make quality guitars, but I personally don't really like that they use SD pickups. Not that SD pickups are bad, I think they're a great choice as stock pickups on a mid tier guitar, but if I'm buying a high end guitar, I want something more unique. I like that the one in the review has custom Lollars. I say the same thing about Heritage, they should use their pickups on all their guitars not just the custom shop. I know it's easy to swap pickups, so it's not a deal breaker, I just wish they used a more unique pickups.
@@ChrisEck13 Yes, I would be expecting higher quality / unique pickups. I was talking to the local dealer and he told me they use pickups from several comapnies ..Seymour Duncan, BareKnucle, Lollar, and another one I cant recall. However, I've used the Jazz and 59's in other guitarss and am very familiar with them ... As for Lollar's, Iive only had occassional experince with their humbuckers - which Eastman puts in some of their guitars. The only Lollar set I own n is a P-90 other pickups. Best way to describe them is uptown while Gibson P90's are south side.
Phillip I always highly value your guitar reviews. Thank you! You should put out a tablature of your guitar evaluation improvs. They are tasty and I'd like to learn them. This Eastman guitar has wonderfully rich sound.
Thanks again for another great review! I was considering a Heritage H150 but you now have me reconsidering. This guitar looks and sounds every bit as good as any Gibson Les Paul I have I will be making a trip to Sweetwater to check this guitar out! Keep up the great work and Merry Christmas to you and your family!
I have a local Eastman dealer and I happened to walk in while he was unboxing and setting up 4 new SB59 Eastmans. I wanted the varnish, or I wanted the tobacco burst, but after playing every one of them, I bought a Goldburst model because it blew me away. I don't even dream about Custom shop Les Paul's anymore. The neck is perfect for me, the neck set is ideal, 1 piece body, 8.0 lbs. Dude!
I found a used Maybach Lester honey-pie for the same price as my used SB59 Eastman with their antique varnish finish. Maybach is like a Gibson VOS for half the price, incredible finish and German made pickups are the best sounding humbuckers I've played. I'd recommend looking at Maybach before Eastman, real nitro thin finishes, the best sounding pickups, made to original specs.
@@pharmerdavid1432 It's really tough to find a Maybach in the U.S. I think Gibson has sued them out of our country for now (but I also think Gibson will ultimately lose that battle, even if it takes 20 more years of litigation). Our Maybach equivalent is Heritage, the old Gibson factory in Kalamazoo. I own an Eastman and a Heritage. The Heritage H-150 Standard is as good as a Gibson NOS Custom Shop Les Paul (though it won't have the lighter woods; pickups are the easiest thing to change if you don't like the stock Seymour Duncans). And the Eastman is as good as a Murphy Lab LP for 1/4 the money.
Congrats Tonefish, 8 pound Les Paul with NO weight relief, most excellent. I looked at both the Eastman and Maybach, both are exceptional values, I don't believe you can go wrong with any of the Eastman guitars. What I was looking for is a '54 Goldtop Les Paul style guitar, to my total surprise I found a Dealer in Japan that had ordered a small run of '54 Goldtop instruments from the Tokai Custom Shop (Yeah, I didn't know Tokai had a Japan Custom Shop). Anyway, I am shocked at the Tokai's high quality build and materials, I would recommend to anyone looking for a LP Style guitar to also consider a Japan made Tokai. Love what I was seeing with this Eastman, their hollow body electrics are also high on my want list.
They are made in CHINA! 🚫Cheap / exploratory labour and god knows where they get their woods. They don't play by fair regulatory standards and get rewarded with our money while copying an American classic. Support western manufacturers!
I have a 2016 SB59 nitro finish Goldburat that has a unique top and I love it. I added a poker chip and made a pickguard for it as I prefer that aesthetic and it looks super cool. I've bought and sold a couple Gibsons since I've owned this, and it's just better in every regard. I love the history and the idea of Gibson but this one keeps beating them out.....badly.
Thanks Phil, great review it looks and sounds exactly like I've heard before. Eastman's have a fabulous reputation and the price is amazing, have a great day. PEACE AND LOVE TO EVERYONE ❤❤.
I definitely enjoy the TV finish better than their Antique Varnish. Having owned a few, I think if you’re comparing it to a Gibson USA standard, it’s really hard to beat. Versus a custom shop though, idk there was still something about the Gibson custom shops that spoke to me more.
I have an AV, and used to have a Truetone gloss before. Would love t try the TV finish. What is it about the TV that you prefer over the AV ?? And yeah, I had a Gibson CS and the Wastman SB59/v at the same time. both by far have been my favorite SC guitars Ive had. Sold the Gibson cos im good with just 1 SC guitar (chose the gibson cos was too much money to hav in 1 guitar and the eastman made me as as happy as the gibson) and never had regrets selling it. But I do agree a good CS has something unique, so does the Eastman. Its down to personal preferences at the end.
Eastmans are made in CHINA. Cheap / exploratory labour and god knows where they get their woods. They don't play by fair regulatory standards and get rewarded with our money while copying an American classic. There's no values or integrity in this. You could also find a luthier to hand built you the guitar of your dreams and support his growth. In my country - Portugal - a luthier can make a Les Paul type guitar with all that you want (woods, bindings, inlays, electronics, neck shape, weight, etc) for 2000€.
My Eastman SB 59/V is the best LP I have ever played, and I have played a lot... It is light, plays amazingly well, and sounds killer plugged in. You can't go wrong.
Good deep dive here.I played this model a couple of years ago at a shop. A very nice guitar in fact I was surprised how competitive it was with the 2 brands you mentioned. I suspect the ebony fingerboard might give the guitar some more tonal snap which is a good thing IMO. For me modern production Les Pauls are often too Mid heavy or dark sounding. Lollar makes excellent PU's in my experience.
They are made in CHINA! 🚫Cheap / exploratory labour and god knows where they get their woods. They don't play by fair regulatory standards and get rewarded with our money while copying an American classic. Support western manufacturers!
I have always said, " Not where it is made, but how it is made." I have pissed off many people saying that. Simply don't care . You have proved my point.
They are made in CHINA! 🚫Cheap / exploratory labour and god knows where they get their woods. They don't play by fair regulatory standards and get rewarded with our money while copying an American classic. Support western manufacturers!
I can absolutely confirm that. I have sold 4 Gibsons (2 of them Custom Shop models) and 2 Collings since discovering Eastman, and it was not for budget reasons. Pickups are better, the ebony fretboards are better, Jescar fretwire is better, one piece body and one piece neck is by now Murphy Lab (rhymes with money grab) territory, and to find a Les Paul that weighs as little as an Eastman (or Maybach for that matter) you have to do some serious hunting.
I recently got in a Maybach Lester and I absolutely love that guitar. I got to pick out pretty much every spec on it and now I have an LPC type guitar in a super badass black/blue burst that would have costed me 6-7k to do M2M from Gibson for around the price of a US standard
Thanks for sharing this. I love my Eastman, but sometimes I wonder if I would love a Gibson Custom Shop even more. The money has kept me away, so I appreciate your insight. Like Phil says, I'm just not comfortable holding or playing an instrument that costs a year's worth of car payments. Unfortunately, if I ever want an LP Custom-style guitar, you're sorta stuck with Gibson Custom Shop (or Epiphone's collaboration), and I refuse to buy an Epiphone or Gibson sight unseen, and no store ever has a Gibson LP Custom in stock in my area, and Epiphone's $1300 LP Custom has been out of stock since the second they came out.
Eastman was smart creating a logo and brand name that would meld with western mentality and not seam Chinese made … Tokai has been building 5A level guitars and custom shop guitars that are dollar for dollar Gibson and fender crushers …
@@bobbyarthur-yf3yfin the Western world, Tokai is a Hungarian dessert wine. I realize most people don't even know about that, but for a wine love like me, I can't take a guitar seriously named after a dessert wine. For the whiskey and beer crowd, it'd be like a guitar company named "Whistlepig" or "Imperial Stout."
@@revolead was ok for SRV and ZZ top , from my experience in the guitar world Tokai guitars are appreciated by actual players not brand chasers and I say that still owning my les paul standard and 57 reissue strat I purchased in 94 amongst other fender and gibson in my collection … I have four tokais 2 custom shop level with 5A Canadian maple tops … any serious player can’t deny the quality of build and playability as well as tone
I have the Eastman gold top , these guitars are brilliant , play great & sound great the quality is top class electrics & hardware also top class for about $1,000 less than a Les Paul standard , I am a Gibson fan I have a lot of Les Pauls , juniors , SGs Flying V but the quality can be shocking & inconsistent even when they can still sound great you pay a lot for that "Gibson " name .
After playing for a little more than 50 years, I got my first Eastman just a couple of weeks ago. I've heard people rave about them, so I had to get one. No dealers anywhere near me, so I bought it from a dealer online. Well I'll tell ya, I opened it up and I was shocked at how nice this guitar is. The figured wood, the perfection of the fretboard, nut and saddle, the finish on it. It just blows me away. Are there nicer or better ones out there? Yes, but you gotta look to find them and when you do, be ready to shell out 3 or 4x more money.
They are made in CHINA! 🚫Cheap / exploratory labour and god knows where they get their woods. They don't play by fair regulatory standards and get rewarded with our money while copying an American classic. Support western manufacturers!
Yes! So happy to see this review as it reaffirmed my thought exactly. I own the sb56 goldtop with Lollar p90s and it's absolutely amazing. No it's not a Gibson, but it ticks all the boxes for me. I picked mine up as an open box deal for $1,400 and couldn't be happier. Bonus the neck even has some figuring and it weighs 8lbs dead on. Eastman really has some great craftsmanship. Would love to see you review one of the Jr models like the SB55 or SB55 DC sometime??! Thanks
Japanese guitars have been blowing away most of the Gibsons for a few decades now. My first good guitar was a Burny Les Paul. When I finally got to play a Gibson Les Paul after a few years, I was seriously disappointed. This was back in the mid to late 1980s.
@@HipsterNgariman It's proof that the Chinese are not just content to mass manufacture the lower end instruments for the big brands and offer pot luck backstreet rip-offs. I hate to say it, but the Chinese have every sector of US and European manufacturing in their sights. Things like this ought to be a wake up call for Gibson and their notoriously poor quality control. Somehow I don't think they will take the threat seriously though...
I bought an Eastman Romeo. It had fret buzz unevenly in several places. The vendor agreed to replace it. The replacement had similar issues. I took it to an authorized dealer who fixed the areas that I had identified, but I realized that it still had issues in other areas, up around the 12th to 14th fret. I took it to a local luthier who fixed that but I quickly discovered that it had fret buzz around the 1st and 2nd frets. I finally contacted Eastman directly and to their credit after some negotiation, they agreed to take it back. Then I bought a Gibson ES-335 which is perfect and I love it.
Great story! Eastmans are made in CHINA. Cheap / exploratory labour and god knows where they get their woods. They don't play by fair regulatory standards and get rewarded with our money while copying an American classic. There's no values or integrity in this. You could also tell the luthier to hand built you the guitar of your dreams and support his growth. In my country - Portugal - a luthier can make a Les Paul type guitar with all that you want (woods, bindings, inlays, electronics, neck shape, weight, etc) for 2000€.
Great rundown! Just ordered a T59/tv. Was slightly concerned about the new Trutone formula but I've read it isn't sticky.... Certainly looks the business. Nice to be able to try out a Gib style guitar without spending the dollars and hunting for a "good one".....
The most important thing to me is the feel of the neck, the electronics are easily replaced and I never would keep Gibson tonal pots, Always go with 500k pots, dual humbuckers with a splitter. Dont think I will own another guitar with less than 24 frets.
Hey Phill, I picked up the very last Bullfighter LP style (D-120-red) from amazon & yeah, it does not have all the bells & whistles, but for $150. There is no way I can go wrong. It plays fantastically. Low action & the sky is the limit. But, yeah,,, @ tue end of the day, it's Chinese made. It's fantastic though!
Bought mine from a mom and pop store. I walked in while they were unboxing it.... and tried it though a combo, a Carr with 112, that the owner kept at the counter for customers check their guitars and try anothing on the wall.... Hly Sht! It was awesome.
They are made in CHINA! 🚫Cheap / exploratory labour and god knows where they get their woods. They don't play by fair regulatory standards and get rewarded with our money while copying an American classic. Support western manufacturers!
I got an Eastman 335 type body but with a resonator cone. Good quality. Up until the 1980's one had to buy a Fender, Gibson, Mosrite, Epiphone, PRS or Gretsch to get a good electric guitar but that's not the case anymore.
No one ever talks about the treble pickup being so far away from the bridge in all the non-Gibson LPs. Even Epiphones have a greater gap than a Les Paul... It has to have an effect on the sound!
I've got two Eastmans; a SB59 that's just under 8.5lbs and a SB55 that's under 7. It came with SD59's and I went with one of their custom shop/Skinner burst paf's. The neck is why I kept it though, similar dimensions, mine is a very soft V.
I have owned an sb 59 gb for 2 years now. The only guitar that has come close to it in bang for buck for me is an fgn ncls10 r. So I bought it as well. Both are absolute keepers for me.
Great informative show and being a Brit 🇬🇧 i love you use both imperial and metric measurements, so helpful. Great guitars definitely sleeper collector guitars, but guess Gibson heritage will always win . Not sure about the finish , much prefer Gibson Nitro if honest
This was exactly me about 5 years ago. I went in to Maple Street guitars in Atlanta Georgia to buy a Les Paul custom, and walked out with an eastman. I spent $1,800 as opposed to obnoxious money; and I love it to this day.🎉
I was one of the many that pestered you about Eastman, thank you for doing this. I doubt I'll ever be in a position to afford one but I love seeing and hearing quality instruments like this. Top quality components and beautifully crafted, so who cares if it's made in China when it's this good? Unfortunately, some are so stuck in their ways with regards to Gibson USA guitars, yet this is the equal of a Murphy Lab Gibson for so much less. Obviously they are becoming more well known and so their prices are slowly rising. However, if I had the money I would buy this exact model in a heartbeat. Thanks again Phil for all your work in bringing us reviews that we can trust and appreciate.
@@LucasHaneman I had a T486 and a T64. Both were excellent, but the T486 was a bit heavy and the T64 didn't have easy access to the upper frets. I also have an SB55DC that I like a lot. Both the T184 and the SB55 are around 6 lbs. They are easier on my old back.
Eastman's high-end electrics and acoustics are, IMO, as fine as the high-praise comments, and Phillip's review, say they are. Eastman has a longstanding history of building orchestral string instruments, but is newer to the guitar world, and while they began, understandably enough, with vintage copies and less expensive production, they have taken the long view and built up an organization that embodies v ision and skill and a commitment to quality that is extraordinary. I own an Eastman AC622CE acoustic, which is an instrument of Eastman's own design, and it is meticulously made and plays and sounds utterly fantastic. You can see the care and skill involved in making it, and the incredibly well-sourced raw materials. They're running a great shop in Beijing and in CA, and these great guitars leave you wanting to say thanks to the craftspeople who executed key parts of the build so wonderfully well. I feel the same way about Collings. Gibson? Not really. There are way too many clumsily-nibbed or in other ways uninspired instruments making it through Gibson QC to credit them with the commitment to excellence of Collings or Eastman.
I played one of these once..it was used priced at $1,050. I was extremely impressed! The feel, the fretboard , the action. The pickups. Everything was Way better than any Gibson les paul
Our local music shop carried their acoustics and I loved them. Just never bought one. The owner sold the store and they quit carrying them just before I found out about the sb59/v. But I wanted one and kept my eye out. Then I noticed people were talking about them and the prices were going up. So I went on a search and found a great used one. Same color as yours. Mine is older and has the antiquity pickups. I absolutely love it. I also have 4 PRs 594’s. They compliment each other beautifully. I bought all my core 594’s used and saved a good chunk of change. But I still paid much less for the Eastman. And it easily hangs with them. Love it.
I have an Eastman E8OM acoustic and Oh Man…don’t sleep on those! I went in to buy a Martin and came out with the Eastman because it was so much better. I only paid 1000 British pounds (maybe 1450 USD or so at the time. Mental.
That control cavity was super interesting. It has the shape of a 50's LP, but you could see the step down lines left by the CNC router bit in the eyebrow marks that would be left by the router coming in and doing that secondary bevel route on the bottom of the cavity. Would have loved to see if it had the widow's peak by the neck pickup volume pot, but the wire coming in from the neck pickup blocked it from view if it was there. I dunno if I'm a nerd or what, lol, but as a builder myself, I just find those little details to be really neat.
They are made in CHINA! 🚫Cheap / exploratory labour and god knows where they get their woods. They don't play by fair regulatory standards and get rewarded with our money while copying an American classic. Support western manufacturers! Good luck to you as a luthier in a world people are not conscious that money is also their vote. No values or integrity, people don't care.
It's actually really simple math. Chinese unit labour costs are about 25-40 per cent of US labour costs, that explains why you can get a hand made guitar made in China that much cheaper. It's that simple. If you want to support China, buy Chinese products. If you want to support American worker, buy a product that is made in US.
Eastmans are made in CHINA. Cheap / exploratory labour and god knows where they get their woods. They don't play by fair regulatory standards and get rewarded with our money while copying an American classic. There's no values or integrity in this. You could also find a luthier to hand built you the guitar of your dreams and support his growth. In my country - Portugal - a luthier can make a Les Paul type guitar with all that you want (woods, bindings, inlays, electronics, neck shape, weight, etc) for 2000€.
I bought a used Eastman T59/V (335 clone) almost a year ago. I bought it for the pickups (Seymour Duncan Antiquity Humbucker) as I'd been playing single coils (Tele) I wanted something different. I'm very happy with it, sounds great, looks great. It cost less than 1300 euro. Definitely would buy another one. Do you really think it's at Collings level though? I'm looking at a Collings 290 and it 4500 used. Maybe I should save some money.
Definitely Agile go under the radar! I have an AL 3010 that i redid all electronics. I have an Eastman SB59 Gold Top, that i love, but find myself actually going back to the Agile, but i do have Bryan Williams 73 Msg "Pageybuckers' in it, and that might be the difference. Although i do prefer the weight of the Eastman! Oh, i have 7 Agiles in total, they are just great guitars! Hard to find good lefties!
I'm no Gibson/LP player. But what I am getting here is that if you're an LP player and you are far more interested in the quality, tone and feel of an LP style axe, look hard at this Eastman. If you're looking for investment and a super expensive case queen, stay with Gibson. Good on Eastman!
They are not cheap. But compared to a premium American guitar brand, they cost 1/3 to 1/2 less for top dollar quality and sound. This is especially noticeable in the acoustic models, where sound and materials are everything. My E10D costs about half what a D-18 would, but the sound and quality are very comparable, and wrt some specs, superior.
Phil, I’d keep this one if I were you!!! Love the varnish finish. I’d buy this over a Les Paul. Because I think they’re better quality, from all the positive reviews I’ve seen. Sure it’d be nice to support an American company, but the quality of Gibson’s are very hit and miss. I know Gibson’s hold their value very well, probably better than any other brand. But I don’t sell my guitars, so the resale value doesn’t really matter to me.
I'm not a "10 top" guy, but when I walk into a store, I'm always suprised at how many expensive guitars have 2-piece caps where the two sides don't match. Might as well put on a hang tag that says we don't give a damn.
man, that Eastman looks and sounds amazing Phil! for my 68th birthday I got the Eastman Gold Top with Lollar P-90's in it and it is glorious! Everyone needs to get an Eastman in their hands and check it out
I spent almost a year shopping for the perfect custom shop R9, and own the best of the best. Then, I ordered an Eastman SB59 off the rack and it is better than the Gibson by every comparison. I especially love the ebony boards versus the rosewood.
@@fadlyhans82 They are absolutely not better. I have both. If you're talking about value, the Eastman is lightyears better. Overall, the Gibson Custom shop is much better.
Thank you for the info. I was thinking about checking that brand out now. I definitely have to, but I’m curious what is that blue guitar behind you to your left if you or anybody else could let me know😊
Well Phil, i'm a sinestral, and have both an Eastman SB59 Gold Top, which are rare as hens teeth, not made anymore, and an Eastman T486 in classic finish. The 59 has the Seymour Duncan 59's and so does the 486. Love them both. Finally got the 59 dialled in after a lot of frustrating effort, but well worth it. The 486 has been great right from the get go. I'm a fan of overwrap so both are, gotta say i bought these when prices were a lot different. One thing though, i have an Agile 3010 LP clone, and changed all electronics out, CTS, emerson pio's, and the stars of the show, Bryan Williams '73 Msg "Pageybuckers". Those pick ups are outstanding. The neck was so easy to set, cleaned up the fretwork myself, and i would say i prefer this even over the Eastman. Sadly Eastman are now pricing themselves out of most peoples reach. Oh, one thing you failed to mention, all Eastman are Hand made, no CNC, all traditional luthier made. Anyway, thanks for all the AWESOME info and reviews.
Hi Phil, Great video! Do you know if the guitar you reviewed had been Plek’d?. Looking at buying an SB59/v and wondering if it’s worth the extra expense…. ?? Thanks!! Adrian.
I guess I just don't understand why you wouldn't get a Gibson LP Standard for about the same money. Why buy a guitar from China vs USA made? Even if its made well overseas. Anyways not hating Phillip. Love your videos and perspective. Thanks for the content!
I apologize if it wasn't clear, These are for players that like the top tier level Gibsons, Novo's, Collings that want the feel and sound at a more obtainable price point.
I Very nearly went for an Eastman T486 having just had some bad faults from Epiphone (3 in a row!!) and an Ibanez. In the end though, I decided to tick one off my bucket list and got a Gibson 335 instead.
I've owned a limited edition Eastman acoustic gifted from my Uncle on my 30th. It's absolutely beautiful and plays wonderfully. I suggest trying them out if you're able!
I wouldn't say my Eastman is better than a custom shop.... but it's just as good, possibly better than my gibson 60's standard.... the lollar pickups in it are awesome!
I really wanted a Gibson. In the uk a les paul std was around £2300. Eastman sb59 £1700 but often around £1400 on Offer. I couldn't justify paying more for the Gibson, and the eastman is amazing. I have USA Seymour Duncans in mine, and it doesn't sound identical to a Les Paul but amazing guitar and the goldburst colour is a showstopper. This guitar felt like my guitar in less than a week. Some guitars take me months to feel at home. I really still want a guitar with Gibson on the headstock, but it will be a jnr or v.
I have two Eastman’s one jazz style and one of the Les Paul style. Both are fantastic. I was going to buy a Les Paul but I came across the Eastman. The Eastman was much better.
As someone in the market to spend $5-6k on a guitar (but would rather spend $3k) this is a strong contender now! The allure of the custom shop from either Gibson or Fender is very tempting though. Im also considering a Suhr or a Kiesel. I will probably narrow it down to Kiesel, Eastman or Fender CS. 1st world problems for sure, but this will likely be my last guitar purchase and I want it to be spot on!
Yep! Owned and sold a 53 Gold top I wrestled with for 20 years. I have 3 Eastmans now and they are impeccable. Vintage guitars have no secret sauce or sound any better than a well made new guitar. It's mostly bragging rights. The USA mystique died a long time ago. A good guitar is a good guitar wherever it's made. Enjoy your Eastman's everyone!
They are made in CHINA! 🚫Cheap / exploratory labour and god knows where they get their woods. They don't play by fair regulatory standards and get rewarded with our money while copying an American classic. Support western manufacturers!
Ha! Bought a T59 on a deal. Then within 2 months grabbed an SB59 and the Romeo Varnish with Bigsby. I can't believe how good these guitars are even next to Core PRSs I've owned...Never mind the 3k range Gibs. I pity Fender when they decide to make an SSS double cut.
I bought a 1983 LP Studio from an elderly woman who's husband passed (she sold it for cheap) - it is production #7 according to SN. Alpine white with natural fade and all! I ONLY bought it because it was a great price and as you say for "bragging rights." Its not the best guitar I have for sure, actually my newer Epiphone LP plays better.
As a big Gibson fan (and PRS fan) I bought my first Eastman (Juliet bv) and I'm so impressed. This feels so different then all the other "cookie cutter" CNC-made imports. It has mojo. It's obviously handcrafted. I'm afraid I'm going to end up owning every model Eastman makes. They are that good.
Long time GIbson owner here, I've got a 2 year old Eastman T-484 / ES-339 equivalent. IT came with SD Jazz and 59 pickups. Neck was spot on.... the dealer was unboxing it when I walked in the door. Fret work - very nice. ried it and bought it. Nice, very nice. The neck is closer to a thin taper rather than a thicker Gibson neck, and that's what sold the guitar to me.
I know Eastman make quality guitars, but I personally don't really like that they use SD pickups. Not that SD pickups are bad, I think they're a great choice as stock pickups on a mid tier guitar, but if I'm buying a high end guitar, I want something more unique. I like that the one in the review has custom Lollars. I say the same thing about Heritage, they should use their pickups on all their guitars not just the custom shop. I know it's easy to swap pickups, so it's not a deal breaker, I just wish they used a more unique pickups.
@@ChrisEck13 SD pickups are by far the most bland of the major manufacturers. dimarzio air classics and paf anniversary pickups are far better.
@@ChrisEck13 Yes, I would be expecting higher quality / unique pickups. I was talking to the local dealer and he told me they use pickups from several comapnies ..Seymour Duncan, BareKnucle, Lollar, and another one I cant recall.
However, I've used the Jazz and 59's in other guitarss and am very familiar with them ... As for Lollar's, Iive only had occassional experince with their humbuckers - which Eastman puts in some of their guitars. The only Lollar set I own n is a P-90 other pickups. Best way to describe them is uptown while Gibson P90's are south side.
@westernrider100 I like that comparison, I think I'm more of a southside kind of player though lol.
@@adamp8765 The Norton blows the JB out of the water.
Phillip I always highly value your guitar reviews. Thank you! You should put out a tablature of your guitar evaluation improvs. They are tasty and I'd like to learn them. This Eastman guitar has wonderfully rich sound.
Thanks again for another great review! I was considering a Heritage H150 but you now have me reconsidering. This guitar looks and sounds every bit as good as any Gibson Les Paul I have I will be making a trip to Sweetwater to check this guitar out! Keep up the great work and Merry Christmas to you and your family!
Thanks!
Thank you
Thank you, that is very kind of you. All the Best
Phil
I have a local Eastman dealer and I happened to walk in while he was unboxing and setting up 4 new SB59 Eastmans. I wanted the varnish, or I wanted the tobacco burst, but after playing every one of them, I bought a Goldburst model because it blew me away. I don't even dream about Custom shop Les Paul's anymore. The neck is perfect for me, the neck set is ideal, 1 piece body, 8.0 lbs. Dude!
I found a used Maybach Lester honey-pie for the same price as my used SB59 Eastman with their antique varnish finish. Maybach is like a Gibson VOS for half the price, incredible finish and German made pickups are the best sounding humbuckers I've played. I'd recommend looking at Maybach before Eastman, real nitro thin finishes, the best sounding pickups, made to original specs.
@@pharmerdavid1432 It's really tough to find a Maybach in the U.S. I think Gibson has sued them out of our country for now (but I also think Gibson will ultimately lose that battle, even if it takes 20 more years of litigation).
Our Maybach equivalent is Heritage, the old Gibson factory in Kalamazoo. I own an Eastman and a Heritage. The Heritage H-150 Standard is as good as a Gibson NOS Custom Shop Les Paul (though it won't have the lighter woods; pickups are the easiest thing to change if you don't like the stock Seymour Duncans). And the Eastman is as good as a Murphy Lab LP for 1/4 the money.
Congrats Tonefish, 8 pound Les Paul with NO weight relief, most excellent.
I looked at both the Eastman and Maybach, both are exceptional values, I don't believe you can go wrong with any of the Eastman guitars.
What I was looking for is a '54 Goldtop Les Paul style guitar, to my total surprise I found a Dealer in Japan that had ordered a small run of '54 Goldtop instruments from the Tokai Custom Shop (Yeah, I didn't know Tokai had a Japan Custom Shop).
Anyway, I am shocked at the Tokai's high quality build and materials, I would recommend to anyone looking for a LP Style guitar to also consider a Japan made Tokai.
Love what I was seeing with this Eastman, their hollow body electrics are also high on my want list.
They are made in CHINA! 🚫Cheap / exploratory labour and god knows where they get their woods. They don't play by fair regulatory standards and get rewarded with our money while copying an American classic. Support western manufacturers!
I have a 2016 SB59 nitro finish Goldburat that has a unique top and I love it. I added a poker chip and made a pickguard for it as I prefer that aesthetic and it looks super cool.
I've bought and sold a couple Gibsons since I've owned this, and it's just better in every regard. I love the history and the idea of Gibson but this one keeps beating them out.....badly.
Thanks Phil, great review it looks and sounds exactly like I've heard before. Eastman's have a fabulous reputation and the price is amazing, have a great day. PEACE AND LOVE TO EVERYONE ❤❤.
I guess since Eastman asked you to review it they would have made sure it was spot on as far as frets go.
I definitely enjoy the TV finish better than their Antique Varnish.
Having owned a few, I think if you’re comparing it to a Gibson USA standard, it’s really hard to beat. Versus a custom shop though, idk there was still something about the Gibson custom shops that spoke to me more.
I have an AV, and used to have a Truetone gloss before. Would love t try the TV finish. What is it about the TV that you prefer over the AV ??
And yeah, I had a Gibson CS and the Wastman SB59/v at the same time. both by far have been my favorite SC guitars Ive had. Sold the Gibson cos im good with just 1 SC guitar (chose the gibson cos was too much money to hav in 1 guitar and the eastman made me as as happy as the gibson) and never had regrets selling it. But I do agree a good CS has something unique, so does the Eastman. Its down to personal preferences at the end.
Eastmans are made in CHINA. Cheap / exploratory labour and god knows where they get their woods. They don't play by fair regulatory standards and get rewarded with our money while copying an American classic. There's no values or integrity in this. You could also find a luthier to hand built you the guitar of your dreams and support his growth. In my country - Portugal - a luthier can make a Les Paul type guitar with all that you want (woods, bindings, inlays, electronics, neck shape, weight, etc) for 2000€.
My Eastman SB 59/V is the best LP I have ever played, and I have played a lot... It is light, plays amazingly well, and sounds killer plugged in. You can't go wrong.
Good deep dive here.I played this model a couple of years ago at a shop. A very nice guitar in fact I was surprised how competitive it was with the 2 brands you mentioned. I suspect the ebony fingerboard might give the guitar some more tonal snap which is a good thing IMO. For me modern production Les Pauls are often too Mid heavy or dark sounding. Lollar makes excellent PU's in my experience.
My Eastman SB59 is the best Les Paul I’ve ever played….by a mile! 7.6 Lbs. Super flame. Super resonant. Lollars are the best PAFs I’ve ever heard too.
They are made in CHINA! 🚫Cheap / exploratory labour and god knows where they get their woods. They don't play by fair regulatory standards and get rewarded with our money while copying an American classic. Support western manufacturers!
Great review! I've had a few eastmans and they are classy, quality instruments.
I have always said, " Not where it is made, but how it is made." I have pissed off many people saying that. Simply don't care . You have proved my point.
My thoughts exactly
They are made in CHINA! 🚫Cheap / exploratory labour and god knows where they get their woods. They don't play by fair regulatory standards and get rewarded with our money while copying an American classic. Support western manufacturers!
I can absolutely confirm that. I have sold 4 Gibsons (2 of them Custom Shop models) and 2 Collings since discovering Eastman, and it was not for budget reasons. Pickups are better, the ebony fretboards are better, Jescar fretwire is better, one piece body and one piece neck is by now Murphy Lab (rhymes with money grab) territory, and to find a Les Paul that weighs as little as an Eastman (or Maybach for that matter) you have to do some serious hunting.
I recently got in a Maybach Lester and I absolutely love that guitar. I got to pick out pretty much every spec on it and now I have an LPC type guitar in a super badass black/blue burst that would have costed me 6-7k to do M2M from Gibson for around the price of a US standard
Thanks for sharing this. I love my Eastman, but sometimes I wonder if I would love a Gibson Custom Shop even more. The money has kept me away, so I appreciate your insight. Like Phil says, I'm just not comfortable holding or playing an instrument that costs a year's worth of car payments.
Unfortunately, if I ever want an LP Custom-style guitar, you're sorta stuck with Gibson Custom Shop (or Epiphone's collaboration), and I refuse to buy an Epiphone or Gibson sight unseen, and no store ever has a Gibson LP Custom in stock in my area, and Epiphone's $1300 LP Custom has been out of stock since the second they came out.
Eastman was smart creating a logo and brand name that would meld with western mentality and not seam Chinese made … Tokai has been building 5A level guitars and custom shop guitars that are dollar for dollar Gibson and fender crushers …
@@bobbyarthur-yf3yfin the Western world, Tokai is a Hungarian dessert wine. I realize most people don't even know about that, but for a wine love like me, I can't take a guitar seriously named after a dessert wine. For the whiskey and beer crowd, it'd be like a guitar company named "Whistlepig" or "Imperial Stout."
@@revolead was ok for SRV and ZZ top , from my experience in the guitar world Tokai guitars are appreciated by actual players not brand chasers and I say that still owning my les paul standard and 57 reissue strat I purchased in 94 amongst other fender and gibson in my collection … I have four tokais 2 custom shop level with 5A Canadian maple tops … any serious player can’t deny the quality of build and playability as well as tone
I have the Eastman gold top , these guitars are brilliant , play great & sound great the quality is top class electrics & hardware also top class for about $1,000 less than a Les Paul standard , I am a Gibson fan I have a lot of Les Pauls , juniors , SGs Flying V but the quality can be shocking & inconsistent even when they can still sound great you pay a lot for that "Gibson " name .
After playing for a little more than 50 years, I got my first Eastman just a couple of weeks ago. I've heard people rave about them, so I had to get one. No dealers anywhere near me, so I bought it from a dealer online. Well I'll tell ya, I opened it up and I was shocked at how nice this guitar is. The figured wood, the perfection of the fretboard, nut and saddle, the finish on it. It just blows me away. Are there nicer or better ones out there? Yes, but you gotta look to find them and when you do, be ready to shell out 3 or 4x more money.
Nice!!! What model you went for? And I agree with everything you say.
They are made in CHINA! 🚫Cheap / exploratory labour and god knows where they get their woods. They don't play by fair regulatory standards and get rewarded with our money while copying an American classic. Support western manufacturers!
Yes! So happy to see this review as it reaffirmed my thought exactly. I own the sb56 goldtop with Lollar p90s and it's absolutely amazing. No it's not a Gibson, but it ticks all the boxes for me. I picked mine up as an open box deal for $1,400 and couldn't be happier. Bonus the neck even has some figuring and it weighs 8lbs dead on. Eastman really has some great craftsmanship. Would love to see you review one of the Jr models like the SB55 or SB55 DC sometime??! Thanks
Sheeeeeeeesh! What a gorgeous machine.
Pretty stark example of the idea that anything not made in the US being junk is totally absurd.
Japanese guitars have been blowing away most of the Gibsons for a few decades now. My first good guitar was a Burny Les Paul. When I finally got to play a Gibson Les Paul after a few years, I was seriously disappointed. This was back in the mid to late 1980s.
@@MichaelSorensen-bl3ec It's made in china
@@HipsterNgariman And your point is…..?
@@MichaelSorensen-bl3ec my friend has a Burney and it's so nice.
@@HipsterNgariman
It's proof that the Chinese are not just content to mass manufacture the lower end instruments for the big brands and offer pot luck backstreet rip-offs.
I hate to say it, but the Chinese have every sector of US and European manufacturing in their sights.
Things like this ought to be a wake up call for Gibson and their notoriously poor quality control.
Somehow I don't think they will take the threat seriously though...
I bought an Eastman Romeo. It had fret buzz unevenly in several places. The vendor agreed to replace it. The replacement had similar issues. I took it to an authorized dealer who fixed the areas that I had identified, but I realized that it still had issues in other areas, up around the 12th to 14th fret. I took it to a local luthier who fixed that but I quickly discovered that it had fret buzz around the 1st and 2nd frets. I finally contacted Eastman directly and to their credit after some negotiation, they agreed to take it back. Then I bought a Gibson ES-335 which is perfect and I love it.
Great story! Eastmans are made in CHINA. Cheap / exploratory labour and god knows where they get their woods. They don't play by fair regulatory standards and get rewarded with our money while copying an American classic. There's no values or integrity in this. You could also tell the luthier to hand built you the guitar of your dreams and support his growth. In my country - Portugal - a luthier can make a Les Paul type guitar with all that you want (woods, bindings, inlays, electronics, neck shape, weight, etc) for 2000€.
Great rundown! Just ordered a T59/tv. Was slightly concerned about the new Trutone formula but I've read it isn't sticky.... Certainly looks the business. Nice to be able to try out a Gib style guitar without spending the dollars and hunting for a "good one".....
The most important thing to me is the feel of the neck, the electronics are easily replaced and I never would keep Gibson tonal pots, Always go with 500k pots, dual humbuckers with a splitter. Dont think I will own another guitar with less than 24 frets.
Hey Phill, I picked up the very last Bullfighter LP style (D-120-red) from amazon & yeah, it does not have all the bells & whistles, but for $150. There is no way I can go wrong. It plays fantastically. Low action & the sky is the limit. But, yeah,,, @ tue end of the day, it's Chinese made. It's fantastic though!
Hi Guitar 🎸 Guy nice video 📹 and workmanship sounds good
We sold Eastman's in a mom and pop shop in Victoria Canada and they were always well received
I'm in Victoria, which shop was yours?
@@zizzinpuss oh its long closed. Larsen Music
@@Bigboybooya666 I remember it well:)
Bought mine from a mom and pop store. I walked in while they were unboxing it.... and tried it though a combo, a Carr with 112, that the owner kept at the counter for customers check their guitars and try anothing on the wall.... Hly Sht! It was awesome.
They are made in CHINA! 🚫Cheap / exploratory labour and god knows where they get their woods. They don't play by fair regulatory standards and get rewarded with our money while copying an American classic. Support western manufacturers!
I got an Eastman 335 type body but with a resonator cone. Good quality. Up until the 1980's one had to buy a Fender, Gibson, Mosrite, Epiphone, PRS or Gretsch to get a good electric guitar but that's not the case anymore.
Wonder how this stacks up to a Heritage Guitar. Great video! This is def an alternative.
What is the Stew Mac gauge that measured the height of the fret at minute 2:00? I can't find a link to that one.
That flamed mahogany back…what a great bonus! Great looking guitar 👍
Thanks for the review and great information I always enjoy the videos.
Heritage remain great guitars made in Kzoo. Great alternative to gibby if you're looking for one.
No one ever talks about the treble pickup being so far away from the bridge in all the non-Gibson LPs. Even Epiphones have a greater gap than a Les Paul... It has to have an effect on the sound!
It's sounding like keeper!
Someone remember to ask in 3 or 4 months if he still has this one.
I've got two Eastmans; a SB59 that's just under 8.5lbs and a SB55 that's under 7. It came with SD59's and I went with one of their custom shop/Skinner burst paf's. The neck is why I kept it though, similar dimensions, mine is a very soft V.
I have owned an sb 59 gb for 2 years now. The only guitar that has come close to it in bang for buck for me is an fgn ncls10 r. So I bought it as well. Both are absolute keepers for me.
My Eastman acoustics are awesome. Didn't even know they had an LP type
Great informative show and being a Brit 🇬🇧 i love you use both imperial and metric measurements, so helpful.
Great guitars definitely sleeper collector guitars, but guess Gibson heritage will always win .
Not sure about the finish , much prefer Gibson Nitro if honest
Thank you so much! Your reviews and tips have been Very helpful to me as a guitarist!
This was exactly me about 5 years ago. I went in to Maple Street guitars in Atlanta Georgia to buy a Les Paul custom, and walked out with an eastman. I spent $1,800 as opposed to obnoxious money; and I love it to this day.🎉
Lovely guitar
i am disappointed that more guitars don't have the thumb scratchers. never had the problem!
Wow. The EQ on that sits right a the point where all you need is an EQ pedal to have be and all-in-one guitar to for any gig.
I was one of the many that pestered you about Eastman, thank you for doing this. I doubt I'll ever be in a position to afford one but I love seeing and hearing quality instruments like this. Top quality components and beautifully crafted, so who cares if it's made in China when it's this good? Unfortunately, some are so stuck in their ways with regards to Gibson USA guitars, yet this is the equal of a Murphy Lab Gibson for so much less. Obviously they are becoming more well known and so their prices are slowly rising. However, if I had the money I would buy this exact model in a heartbeat. Thanks again Phil for all your work in bringing us reviews that we can trust and appreciate.
looks and sounds really good. I'm impressed! 🙂
Thanks for the video. Great sounding guitar!!
Thanks Phillip! Another GREAT review and demo.
My T184MX is one of my favorite guitars. I play it more than my Gibson or Gretsch.
I have a t185mx, and I agree, one of my favourite guitars for 12 years now
@@LucasHaneman I had a T486 and a T64. Both were excellent, but the T486 was a bit heavy and the T64 didn't have easy access to the upper frets. I also have an SB55DC that I like a lot. Both the T184 and the SB55 are around 6 lbs. They are easier on my old back.
not cheap but very great sounding guitar for sure
in case before i forget for the podcast tomorrow
????is it headstock break prone like the Gibson?
Eastman's high-end electrics and acoustics are, IMO, as fine as the high-praise comments, and Phillip's review, say they are. Eastman has a longstanding history of building orchestral string instruments, but is newer to the guitar world, and while they began, understandably enough, with vintage copies and less expensive production, they have taken the long view and built up an organization that embodies v ision and skill and a commitment to quality that is extraordinary. I own an Eastman AC622CE acoustic, which is an instrument of Eastman's own design, and it is meticulously made and plays and sounds utterly fantastic. You can see the care and skill involved in making it, and the incredibly well-sourced raw materials. They're running a great shop in Beijing and in CA, and these great guitars leave you wanting to say thanks to the craftspeople who executed key parts of the build so wonderfully well. I feel the same way about Collings. Gibson? Not really. There are way too many clumsily-nibbed or in other ways uninspired instruments making it through Gibson QC to credit them with the commitment to excellence of Collings or Eastman.
I played one of these once..it was used priced at $1,050.
I was extremely impressed! The feel, the fretboard , the action. The pickups. Everything was Way better than any Gibson les paul
Our local music shop carried their acoustics and I loved them. Just never bought one. The owner sold the store and they quit carrying them just before I found out about the sb59/v. But I wanted one and kept my eye out. Then I noticed people were talking about them and the prices were going up. So I went on a search and found a great used one. Same color as yours. Mine is older and has the antiquity pickups. I absolutely love it. I also have 4 PRs 594’s. They compliment each other beautifully. I bought all my core 594’s used and saved a good chunk of change. But I still paid much less for the Eastman. And it easily hangs with them. Love it.
Thats not bad! I have a BcRich Dagger I would LOVE to see you review 3:)
I have an Eastman E8OM acoustic and Oh Man…don’t sleep on those! I went in to buy a Martin and came out with the Eastman because it was so much better. I only paid 1000 British pounds (maybe 1450 USD or so at the time. Mental.
My friend has an Eastman.. nice guitar, reminds me a lot of the heritage stuff..
That control cavity was super interesting. It has the shape of a 50's LP, but you could see the step down lines left by the CNC router bit in the eyebrow marks that would be left by the router coming in and doing that secondary bevel route on the bottom of the cavity. Would have loved to see if it had the widow's peak by the neck pickup volume pot, but the wire coming in from the neck pickup blocked it from view if it was there. I dunno if I'm a nerd or what, lol, but as a builder myself, I just find those little details to be really neat.
They are made in CHINA! 🚫Cheap / exploratory labour and god knows where they get their woods. They don't play by fair regulatory standards and get rewarded with our money while copying an American classic. Support western manufacturers! Good luck to you as a luthier in a world people are not conscious that money is also their vote. No values or integrity, people don't care.
It's actually really simple math. Chinese unit labour costs are about 25-40 per cent of US labour costs, that explains why you can get a hand made guitar made in China that much cheaper. It's that simple. If you want to support China, buy Chinese products. If you want to support American worker, buy a product that is made in US.
Yay! Glad you got around to trying Eastman out Phil. Great video!
Eastmans are made in CHINA. Cheap / exploratory labour and god knows where they get their woods. They don't play by fair regulatory standards and get rewarded with our money while copying an American classic. There's no values or integrity in this. You could also find a luthier to hand built you the guitar of your dreams and support his growth. In my country - Portugal - a luthier can make a Les Paul type guitar with all that you want (woods, bindings, inlays, electronics, neck shape, weight, etc) for 2000€.
I bought a used Eastman T59/V (335 clone) almost a year ago. I bought it for the pickups (Seymour Duncan Antiquity Humbucker) as I'd been playing single coils (Tele) I wanted something different. I'm very happy with it, sounds great, looks great. It cost less than 1300 euro. Definitely would buy another one. Do you really think it's at Collings level though? I'm looking at a Collings 290 and it 4500 used. Maybe I should save some money.
I hope you do an in-depth review of AGILE AL-3200MCC neck-thru with coil-split pickups.. I love it as much as any of the 5 real Gibby's I have owned.
Definitely Agile go under the radar! I have an AL 3010 that i redid all electronics. I have an Eastman SB59 Gold Top, that i love, but find myself actually going back to the Agile, but i do have Bryan Williams 73 Msg "Pageybuckers' in it, and that might be the difference. Although i do prefer the weight of the Eastman! Oh, i have 7 Agiles in total, they are just great guitars! Hard to find good lefties!
I’ve had an Eastman Orchestra model acoustic for about 8 years, and it’s my favourite instrument. I’d put it up against any Martin guitar
Have you done a video on the Yamaha SA2000? You do a great job on your reviews. Thank You
I'm no Gibson/LP player. But what I am getting here is that if you're an LP player and you are far more interested in the quality, tone and feel of an LP style axe, look hard at this Eastman. If you're looking for investment and a super expensive case queen, stay with Gibson. Good on Eastman!
They are not cheap. But compared to a premium American guitar brand, they cost 1/3 to 1/2 less for top dollar quality and sound. This is especially noticeable in the acoustic models, where sound and materials are everything. My E10D costs about half what a D-18 would, but the sound and quality are very comparable, and wrt some specs, superior.
Good to see Eastman getting some love. I want one after watching this but I already have three LP style guitars. Help
Phil, I’d keep this one if I were you!!! Love the varnish finish. I’d buy this over a Les Paul. Because I think they’re better quality, from all the positive reviews I’ve seen. Sure it’d be nice to support an American company, but the quality of Gibson’s are very hit and miss. I know Gibson’s hold their value very well, probably better than any other brand. But I don’t sell my guitars, so the resale value doesn’t really matter to me.
The 335 59v is a wonderful guitar .with the Seymour Duncan Antiquities pickups I sldidnt want to put it down
I'm not a "10 top" guy, but when I walk into a store, I'm always suprised at how many expensive guitars have 2-piece caps where the two sides don't match. Might as well put on a hang tag that says we don't give a damn.
Thanks for this, I've owned 2 Eastman's, regret selling one of them.
Gotta love Eastmans. Great quality. And they put Gibson to shame with the pointy inlays - the one thing that drives me made about more modern Gibsons!
Owned a gold top version for a while. Nice guitar but really didn’t like the neck heel.
man, that Eastman looks and sounds amazing Phil!
for my 68th birthday I got the Eastman Gold Top with Lollar P-90's in it and it is glorious!
Everyone needs to get an Eastman in their hands and check it out
I've got an Eastman SB59v, but my next guitar purchase will be an SB56 like you have.
@14:40 Phil shredds 🤘
Love my Eastman jazz guitar
had both....if you want a medium sound get the eastman, if you want an XL sound it's Gibson
I spent almost a year shopping for the perfect custom shop R9, and own the best of the best. Then, I ordered an Eastman SB59 off the rack and it is better than the Gibson by every comparison. I especially love the ebony boards versus the rosewood.
I know it’s just a RUclips video, but the tone is fantastic. Much better than any RUclips sample I’ve heard from ANY guitar in that category.
I have one of these , it's better then my Gibson custom shop that's 6 thousand dollars plus
Really ?
Better than a Gibson custom shop? How could that be? In what aspect was it better?
Gibson is a branding joke.
What did you pay for yours ? I was thinking of getting one are they affordable ?
@@fadlyhans82 They are absolutely not better. I have both. If you're talking about value, the Eastman is lightyears better. Overall, the Gibson Custom shop is much better.
Thank you for the info. I was thinking about checking that brand out now. I definitely have to, but I’m curious what is that blue guitar behind you to your left if you or anybody else could let me know😊
Well Phil, i'm a sinestral, and have both an Eastman SB59 Gold Top, which are rare as hens teeth, not made anymore, and an Eastman T486 in classic finish. The 59 has the Seymour Duncan 59's and so does the 486. Love them both. Finally got the 59 dialled in after a lot of frustrating effort, but well worth it. The 486 has been great right from the get go. I'm a fan of overwrap so both are, gotta say i bought these when prices were a lot different. One thing though, i have an Agile 3010 LP clone, and changed all electronics out, CTS, emerson pio's, and the stars of the show, Bryan Williams '73 Msg "Pageybuckers". Those pick ups are outstanding. The neck was so easy to set, cleaned up the fretwork myself, and i would say i prefer this even over the Eastman. Sadly Eastman are now pricing themselves out of most peoples reach. Oh, one thing you failed to mention, all Eastman are Hand made, no CNC, all traditional luthier made. Anyway, thanks for all the AWESOME info and reviews.
Hi Phil,
Great video!
Do you know if the guitar you reviewed had been Plek’d?.
Looking at buying an SB59/v and wondering if it’s worth the extra expense…. ??
Thanks!!
Adrian.
Those Imperials…are they the low wind or the high wind or the standard? Anyone know? They sounded killer and I want them.
Hello. What are the pickup heights measurements (treble and bass) as shipped ?
I guess I just don't understand why you wouldn't get a Gibson LP Standard for about the same money. Why buy a guitar from China vs USA made? Even if its made well overseas.
Anyways not hating Phillip. Love your videos and perspective. Thanks for the content!
Doesnt make the slightly sense to get this 2k china guitar. Im pretty sure you can get an used gibson for little over 1k in the US.
I apologize if it wasn't clear, These are for players that like the top tier level Gibsons, Novo's, Collings that want the feel and sound at a more obtainable price point.
the SB 55DC is amazing! Lp Jr DC.
I Very nearly went for an Eastman T486 having just had some bad faults from Epiphone (3 in a row!!) and an Ibanez.
In the end though, I decided to tick one off my bucket list and got a Gibson 335 instead.
Eastman is good, in my opinion
Does it have the long neck tenon as standard on these models, can anyone chip in? Lovely guitar and fabulous review by Phil. Cheers from Oz 😊😊😊
It’s gorgeous and sounds fantastic.
I've owned a limited edition Eastman acoustic gifted from my Uncle on my 30th. It's absolutely beautiful and plays wonderfully. I suggest trying them out if you're able!
Great piece. Lots of quality for the money. Better than gibson....probably and for less $$$$
I wouldn't say my Eastman is better than a custom shop.... but it's just as good, possibly better than my gibson 60's standard.... the lollar pickups in it are awesome!
I really wanted a Gibson. In the uk a les paul std was around £2300. Eastman sb59 £1700 but often around £1400 on Offer. I couldn't justify paying more for the Gibson, and the eastman is amazing. I have USA Seymour Duncans in mine, and it doesn't sound identical to a Les Paul but amazing guitar and the goldburst colour is a showstopper.
This guitar felt like my guitar in less than a week. Some guitars take me months to feel at home.
I really still want a guitar with Gibson on the headstock, but it will be a jnr or v.
Hi Phil, I bought a Firefly 338 for around $200. STUNNING! Shalom/gw
Hey @Phillip McKnight , are you going to review that Ibanez semi hollow guitar behind you eventually ? Would love to see it !
Guess I'm sticking to my Epiphone Les Paul Standard 60s model.
I have two Eastman’s one jazz style and one of the Les Paul style. Both are fantastic. I was going to buy a Les Paul but I came across the Eastman. The Eastman was much better.
As someone in the market to spend $5-6k on a guitar (but would rather spend $3k) this is a strong contender now! The allure of the custom shop from either Gibson or Fender is very tempting though. Im also considering a Suhr or a Kiesel. I will probably narrow it down to Kiesel, Eastman or Fender CS. 1st world problems for sure, but this will likely be my last guitar purchase and I want it to be spot on!
Kiesel for me..I have 2 older Carvin guitars also.