The E10D is an incredible guitar. I like it so much that I bought 2 (3 if you count the tc version). They sound quite different from each other, but each one sounds spectacular. Playability is first-rate, too. It's crazy how great they are for the money.
In fact, the E10D is so great to my ears and hands that it's hard for me to imagine how a Preston Thompson or Boucher could be better. I'm anxious to try those upper boutique models to hear and feel what they have to offer, and I hope they're clearly better than an E10D, but my goodness that's a high bar.
Caution! The Eastman E10D is a seriously dangerous gateway guitar. I bought mine in 2011; the first of my 13 Eastmans. E10D, E10OM, E10SS/v, E20SS, AC508M, AC522, AC822CE-FF, AR372CE, T59/v, SB59/v, Romeo LA, T184MX, T185MX.
I'm seriously considering buying and hoarding these Eastman acoustics as well as the Eastman electric guitars as an investment. I think they will do better than gold or the S&P.
Just got myself an e10d tc and wow. What a guitar. Its truly the best sounding guitar ive owned, mainly played a 98 takamine santa fe cedar/mahogany and whilst that remains a beautifully balanced guitar tonally the eastman sounds like a step up in every tonal area. It has much more low end but its tight and balances perfectly accross the mids and highs with excellent attack. Im absolutely blown away by the quality of its tone and resonance, not just for the price either. Thanks for introducing me to eastman guitars fellas. All the best from the uk 👍
I gave you guys some flak early on but I love you now and yes, every video you make is the best and the next one is even better. I even watch you unboxing the Eastmans.
We really appreciate that! We totally respect that our content and our opinions aren't for everyone, but it's really cool to hear that you decided to stick around! Thanks for supporting the channel!
I bought a 2009 E-10P Parlor from a nice guy last week. It’s a Monster Parlor Guitar. A tiny cannon. I’ve been picking bluegrass on the little 12 fret box, and it pretty amazing🇺🇸
I hope you're right about the E10D being Eastman's best guitar because I have an E10D-TC. Yep, they can also be had with thermo-cured tops taking years out of waiting for the top to open up. I bought an E20D-TC the same week so I could A/B with rosewood and decide which one to keep. All my guitars except a maple OM are rosewood because I believed that to be the ultimate tone wood. It turned out I liked the mahogany so much more than the rosewood. I admire your honesty when comparing to a Martin. Most reviewers say Eastman makes great entry level guitars for those who are becoming more advanced players then they follow up by referring to more expensive USA built guitars without specifically naming the brand. Many players get hung up on the fact dreads were designed for volume, so they they just play them loud and never discover what the E10D is truly capable of. Get yourself in a quiet room and try some slow delicate picking. The tones in that E10D will blow you away. It is incredibly versatile. Believe it or not, there are plenty of overtones to be found. It's not a one trick pony.
I bought one used from Reverb because I needed a dread for a recording project and being mainly a finger picker I didn’t have one. I was and still am totally blown away by this guitar! The tone and workmanship is unbelievable- especially at this price point. My only beef with it is the 12” radius fretboard. I much prefer a flatter radius like a 16”.
The E10D looks pretty good.. However, I always thought that guitars sounded a bit better without that heavy gloss finish. Be great if they the E10D would come out in a satin finish, natural color and have NO pick up and no electronics.. Looking at the dreadnought line up from Eastman, be nice if they offered more mid range dreadnoughts in a SATIN FINISH in natural color, no pick up and no electronics - and maybe with a Solid Thermo-Cure Spruce and maybe solid mahogany sides and back. I will keep looking.. Hopefully, Eastman will come out with something like this soon.
I have to agree with the Mahogany reasoning, I just picked up the E6SS-TC and it really sounds very much like this, so much midrange snarl and punch with good clear bass, it's so balanced and rich, I love it, bought it in preference to much more expensive guitars because it fit the sound I wanted.
Great playing / great demo .Now in negotiation for an Eastman 10 D. Was thinking originally about the E 20 SS/V but this changes my thinking ! ....Can I ask what strings are on this E10 D you are playing ? And thanks for the excellent demo. Rosewood back/sides is definitely not the be and end all.
I have an E10- SS WOW! THE SOUND I'VE ALWAYS WANTED! - Sold my other guitars, including a Gibson. Regardless of price, it's a huge winner. "I will stack up my E10D against anybody," John said. I totally agree. Except my E10SS is just a little better!
OK, my little criticism of the Eastman design; they are quite heavy to pick up and also conservatively braced, i.e. the bracing is not forward shifted. They have beautiful tone and they open up beautifully but they are not as 'room filling' as a really lightly built forward braced guitar. The impression I get is the sound is coming out of the box rather than just emanating into the room - that said it is a beautiful sound! I am just saying this because I am a big fan and I am looking forward to the tweaks and refinements that Eastman will be making as they learn from Bourgeois.
Having grown up with Yamahas, I hadn't even noticed but since you mentioned it, I picked up my E40OM last night and have to admit it is fairly heavy. I had a nice light Martin OM-21 and I could feel the vibration through my chest and right down my left arm. I don't get that from either of my Eastman OMs but can't argue with how fantastic they sound. I also agree that forward braced guitars sound great. Heavy bass seems to be an American thing while other countries favor balance. Forward shifting emphasizes bass while placing less emphasis on high-mid and treble resulting in diminished balance. It would be interesting to compare two Martins, one with standard and one with forward shifted bracing with a decibel meter to see if there really is an increase in bass volume or if less high-mid and treble just makes the bass seem louder by comparison. About Bourgeois. Thanks to the Eastman/Bourgeois collaboration, I am sure that Dana is learning from Eastman as well. for example, the E40OM has a clear coat inside the guitar. Imagine the increased stability such a coating provides the touring musician traveling between humid/dry, hot/cold environments. For strength, Eastman laminates a ring of cross-grain spruce to the inner side of the sound hole which gives an illusion their tops are twice as thick. All four of my Eastman guitars have that feature.
I’ve owned 7 Eastman’s but I’ve yet to buy a E-10-D the closest thing to it was a E-10-SS, I’m now down to a E-8-D SB and my old Martin D-15. I’ll probably buy a E-10-D when I find one with the aged top and it will have to be in either sunburst or solid black.
I thought you guys said in a recent video that the Eastmans are now coming with the torrified tops. So today I see this. Is it old stock they are trying to move. Please explain.
At the moment, the E6 and E8 Series have both been confirmed that they will be TC going into the future, same thing for the PCH Series. The E10 & E20 Series & some other series have the option for tops to be TC or not. Hope this helps! Also within those series we have been seeing some guitars that are not TC as they make the switch!
In all fairness to the Martin, does the Eastman sport the same strings when you say the Eastman projects better? It has more bottom end? Some strings may not be as loud or thumpy but simply deliver better tone. Strings are an acoustics way of modifying tone the way pickups modify a souls body, it can be HUGE! ALL guitar comparisons should have the same exact strings to level the playing field be the comparison is done. Recently (last 5-6 months) l have purchased 3 Martins, the first an Ovangkol D-16 then a D12-1 and last month l pulled a serious trigger on a 1996 HD28.. The HD came with old string that were crazy loud, a cannon to say the least, l bought the Martin Ti core strings and installed them, they did not project like the previous unknown set but they are warm and have such an incredible tone, they sound broke in, stay in tune at a mind blowing level. I'm not saying l believe Martin is better..may or may not be depending on who you ask.. but l am saying strings can be a huge factor, the Martin Lifespan 2.0 strings are much much louder than their Ti cores, it makes a guitar two totally different guitars! Make it standard on comparisons that the strings are the same. Thanks for your vids!!
Is there a cutoff in Eastman's range where the Bourgeois changes aren't implemented? I'd love to know if their lower end guitars have thinner braces and finish.
😯 I bet Jeremy was slapping you in his mind when you said it was better than his D18GE. Bahahahahha!!! Hey wait, I own a D18GE. 🙃 Just kidding. I'm sure the Eastman is great. They make some good mandos too. I personally love mahoghany guitars. I always though they had more low end, lol.
I tend to agree about mahogany, and I also have pr am getting a Rosewood and Koa backed guitars. Depends on what I'm singing _/ doing. Thanks John and Jeremy
@@mrtravoiceburges If you're asking for specific measurements, we're not too sure the ones on this exact E10D, but we do take measurements on our online listings. Here is a link to an E10D we have in stock at the moment: www.theacousticshoppe.com/shop/c/p/Eastman-E10D-SB-Sunburst-Dreadnought-Adirondack-SpruceMahogany-2077-x67116557.htm . The measurements are in the pictures, if it helps you could also compare the measurements of E20's/ Eastman's of the same body shape. They are all going to be very very similar.
Go to a Bluegrass Jam and you won't see much except D18s and D28s from my limited experience... Martin owns the Bluegrass flatpicking genre and that's just the way it is... A few D35s... Your talents are not best realized selling guitars or lie in other areas such as performing in my opinion.
We do try to include just strumming at the end of our tone samples now, but you can always send us an email and if we have that model in stock, we can send tone samples directly to you. Note that the standard E10D has been discontinued and we will only see the TC version from now on.
Doesn't matter. We're all humans inhabiting the same single World. Excellent craftsmanship is something to be admired no matter where the craftsmen live. Competition is good. If we're lucky, Eastman's quality and prices will convince Martin to up their game and lower their prices. We can hope anyway.
*Made in china by qualified luthiers with a care and attention to detail rarely seen in any products nowdays. I can't speak highly enough of Eastman instruments, I own several myself including the E10D.
I like Eastman and have owned them myself. It’s sad we have become dependent on other countries for everything here in the USA. Nothing wrong with the products. China pretty much owns us now. 😂 Everything comes across the pond now. If you can get it. I own a Northfield mandolin. Half of that made out of the states.
My wife and I were on vacation in August and stopped by your shop for the first time. I walked out with an E10D. I absolutely love it!
You mean when no one was looking?
@@danielgannon9502😂
@@danielgannon9502
The E10D is an incredible guitar. I like it so much that I bought 2 (3 if you count the tc version). They sound quite different from each other, but each one sounds spectacular. Playability is first-rate, too. It's crazy how great they are for the money.
In fact, the E10D is so great to my ears and hands that it's hard for me to imagine how a Preston Thompson or Boucher could be better. I'm anxious to try those upper boutique models to hear and feel what they have to offer, and I hope they're clearly better than an E10D, but my goodness that's a high bar.
That's awesome!
The best value acoustic guitar made today. I love mine. I own Boucher, Martin, and Yair also. This guitar stands right there with them.
Caution! The Eastman E10D is a seriously dangerous gateway guitar. I bought mine in 2011; the first of my 13 Eastmans. E10D, E10OM, E10SS/v, E20SS, AC508M, AC522, AC822CE-FF, AR372CE, T59/v, SB59/v, Romeo LA, T184MX, T185MX.
What a collection, that's awesome!
Wow, and I thought I got carried away with four. Looks like you still have room for a double top in your collection...
Amazing I can understand it I have the T59V now I want every other thin line they make !😢
How do you like your e10d vs e10om?
I'm seriously considering buying and hoarding these Eastman acoustics as well as the Eastman electric guitars as an investment. I think they will do better than gold or the S&P.
Well-explained, contextual assessment, and no hype…thanks for such a useful review!
Thanks for the feedback!
I have an E10D that is 6 years old. Is it comparable to the one you are playing? I love mine and it’s a lefty!
Just got myself an e10d tc and wow. What a guitar. Its truly the best sounding guitar ive owned, mainly played a 98 takamine santa fe cedar/mahogany and whilst that remains a beautifully balanced guitar tonally the eastman sounds like a step up in every tonal area. It has much more low end but its tight and balances perfectly accross the mids and highs with excellent attack. Im absolutely blown away by the quality of its tone and resonance, not just for the price either. Thanks for introducing me to eastman guitars fellas. All the best from the uk 👍
Thanks for sharing your experience! Glad you’re loving the E10D-TC as much as we do!
Absolutely agree about the E10. Made me let go of my 1970 Martin D-18.
I gave you guys some flak early on but I love you now and yes, every video you make is the best and the next one is even better. I even watch you unboxing the Eastmans.
We really appreciate that! We totally respect that our content and our opinions aren't for everyone, but it's really cool to hear that you decided to stick around! Thanks for supporting the channel!
Still my favorite guitar out of many I have owned. I did also buy it from The Acoustic Shoppe… so thank you so much.
That's awesome!
I bought a 2009 E-10P Parlor from a nice guy last week. It’s a Monster Parlor Guitar. A tiny cannon. I’ve been picking bluegrass on the little 12 fret box, and it pretty amazing🇺🇸
6th fan LIKE; 39th viewing. Sounds as good as my D1-GT (reminds me, mine needs new strings)...:0) Merry Christmas, Doods.
I hope you're right about the E10D being Eastman's best guitar because I have an E10D-TC. Yep, they can also be had with thermo-cured tops taking years out of waiting for the top to open up. I bought an E20D-TC the same week so I could A/B with rosewood and decide which one to keep. All my guitars except a maple OM are rosewood because I believed that to be the ultimate tone wood. It turned out I liked the mahogany so much more than the rosewood.
I admire your honesty when comparing to a Martin. Most reviewers say Eastman makes great entry level guitars for those who are becoming more advanced players then they follow up by referring to more expensive USA built guitars without specifically naming the brand.
Many players get hung up on the fact dreads were designed for volume, so they they just play them loud and never discover what the E10D is truly capable of. Get yourself in a quiet room and try some slow delicate picking. The tones in that E10D will blow you away. It is incredibly versatile. Believe it or not, there are plenty of overtones to be found. It's not a one trick pony.
I bought one used from Reverb because I needed a dread for a recording project and being mainly a finger picker I didn’t have one. I was and still am totally blown away by this guitar! The tone and workmanship is unbelievable- especially at this price point. My only beef with it is the 12” radius fretboard. I much prefer a flatter radius like a 16”.
That’s not even beef…. That’s just a personal spec you enjoy
Absolutely the best value in a dreadnought! Unbelievable really…
Desperately need a E10D vs E20D vs E10SS vs E20SS vid lads! Thanks from England.
We could put it on our list!
The E10D looks pretty good.. However, I always thought that guitars sounded a bit better without that heavy gloss finish. Be great if they the E10D would come out in a satin finish, natural color and have NO pick up and no electronics.. Looking at the dreadnought line up from Eastman, be nice if they offered more mid range dreadnoughts in a SATIN FINISH in natural color, no pick up and no electronics - and maybe with a Solid Thermo-Cure Spruce and maybe solid mahogany sides and back. I will keep looking.. Hopefully, Eastman will come out with something like this soon.
That would be a great option, you never know - maybe one day!
I have to agree with the Mahogany reasoning, I just picked up the E6SS-TC and it really sounds very much like this, so much midrange snarl and punch with good clear bass, it's so balanced and rich, I love it, bought it in preference to much more expensive guitars because it fit the sound I wanted.
Great playing / great demo .Now in negotiation for an Eastman 10 D. Was thinking originally about the E 20 SS/V but this changes my thinking ! ....Can I ask what strings are on this E10 D you are playing ? And thanks for the excellent demo. Rosewood back/sides is definitely not the be and end all.
I agree, you should have one of each! Personally l think mahogany should be your first choice, it's simply is a more traditional tone.
I have an E10- SS WOW! THE SOUND I'VE ALWAYS WANTED! - Sold my other guitars, including a Gibson. Regardless of price, it's a huge winner. "I will stack up my E10D against anybody," John said. I totally agree. Except my E10SS is just a little better!
OK, my little criticism of the Eastman design; they are quite heavy to pick up and also conservatively braced, i.e. the bracing is not forward shifted. They have beautiful tone and they open up beautifully but they are not as 'room filling' as a really lightly built forward braced guitar. The impression I get is the sound is coming out of the box rather than just emanating into the room - that said it is a beautiful sound! I am just saying this because I am a big fan and I am looking forward to the tweaks and refinements that Eastman will be making as they learn from Bourgeois.
Having grown up with Yamahas, I hadn't even noticed but since you mentioned it, I picked up my E40OM last night and have to admit it is fairly heavy. I had a nice light Martin OM-21 and I could feel the vibration through my chest and right down my left arm. I don't get that from either of my Eastman OMs but can't argue with how fantastic they sound. I also agree that forward braced guitars sound great. Heavy bass seems to be an American thing while other countries favor balance. Forward shifting emphasizes bass while placing less emphasis on high-mid and treble resulting in diminished balance. It would be interesting to compare two Martins, one with standard and one with forward shifted bracing with a decibel meter to see if there really is an increase in bass volume or if less high-mid and treble just makes the bass seem louder by comparison. About Bourgeois. Thanks to the Eastman/Bourgeois collaboration, I am sure that Dana is learning from Eastman as well. for example, the E40OM has a clear coat inside the guitar. Imagine the increased stability such a coating provides the touring musician traveling between humid/dry, hot/cold environments. For strength, Eastman laminates a ring of cross-grain spruce to the inner side of the sound hole which gives an illusion their tops are twice as thick. All four of my Eastman guitars have that feature.
I’ve owned 7 Eastman’s but I’ve yet to buy a E-10-D the closest thing to it was a E-10-SS, I’m now down to a E-8-D SB and my old Martin D-15. I’ll probably buy a E-10-D when I find one with the aged top and it will have to be in either sunburst or solid black.
Eastman just released E10Ds available in a thermo cured top in a sunburst!
I thought you guys said in a recent video that the Eastmans are now coming with the torrified tops. So today I see this. Is it old stock they are trying to move. Please explain.
At the moment, the E6 and E8 Series have both been confirmed that they will be TC going into the future, same thing for the PCH Series. The E10 & E20 Series & some other series have the option for tops to be TC or not. Hope this helps! Also within those series we have been seeing some guitars that are not TC as they make the switch!
@@AcousticShoppe Thanks that E10D will be my next guitar!!!
In all fairness to the Martin, does the Eastman sport the same strings when you say the Eastman projects better? It has more bottom end? Some strings may not be as loud or thumpy but simply deliver better tone. Strings are an acoustics way of modifying tone the way pickups modify a souls body, it can be HUGE! ALL guitar comparisons should have the same exact strings to level the playing field be the comparison is done. Recently (last 5-6 months) l have purchased 3 Martins, the first an Ovangkol D-16 then a D12-1 and last month l pulled a serious trigger on a 1996 HD28.. The HD came with old string that were crazy loud, a cannon to say the least, l bought the Martin Ti core strings and installed them, they did not project like the previous unknown set but they are warm and have such an incredible tone, they sound broke in, stay in tune at a mind blowing level. I'm not saying l believe Martin is better..may or may not be depending on who you ask.. but l am saying strings can be a huge factor, the Martin Lifespan 2.0 strings are much much louder than their Ti cores, it makes a guitar two totally different guitars! Make it standard on comparisons that the strings are the same. Thanks for your vids!!
Guys, a great video would be comparing e10D with e10SS and maby throw in e20D.
Is there a cutoff in Eastman's range where the Bourgeois changes aren't implemented? I'd love to know if their lower end guitars have thinner braces and finish.
There is not! Across all of their models, Eastman is refining their bracing & finish with techniques they've learned.
@@AcousticShoppe That's so awesome. Might need to replace the E2CD that I sold.
Great version of John Hardy.
and thats my favourite looking mando
😯 I bet Jeremy was slapping you in his mind when you said it was better than his D18GE. Bahahahahha!!! Hey wait, I own a D18GE. 🙃 Just kidding. I'm sure the Eastman is great. They make some good mandos too. I personally love mahoghany guitars. I always though they had more low end, lol.
That guitar sounds better than the Boucher, Bourgeois, but not the D-18.
I played a D-18GE and it was one that resonated with the player. 🤔
I tend to agree about mahogany, and I also have pr am getting a Rosewood and Koa backed guitars. Depends on what I'm singing _/ doing. Thanks John and Jeremy
What's the action like?
Eastman's are always set up very very well!
@@AcousticShoppe lol okay let me ask it like this how high off the fretboard are the strings?
@@mrtravoiceburges If you're asking for specific measurements, we're not too sure the ones on this exact E10D, but we do take measurements on our online listings. Here is a link to an E10D we have in stock at the moment: www.theacousticshoppe.com/shop/c/p/Eastman-E10D-SB-Sunburst-Dreadnought-Adirondack-SpruceMahogany-2077-x67116557.htm . The measurements are in the pictures, if it helps you could also compare the measurements of E20's/ Eastman's of the same body shape. They are all going to be very very similar.
love that guitar
Sounds good.
Isn’t the GE a Sitka top?
Adirondack 😊
Al Gore invented the Internet... and later those sweet sweet Al Gore rhythms.
Is it a tc ??
Not in this video, no.
Go to a Bluegrass Jam and you won't see much except D18s and D28s from my limited experience... Martin owns the Bluegrass flatpicking genre and that's just the way it is... A few D35s... Your talents are not best realized selling guitars or lie in other areas such as performing in my opinion.
Yet to see a review where they aren't shredding bluegrass licks, can anyone just strum a few chords?
We do try to include just strumming at the end of our tone samples now, but you can always send us an email and if we have that model in stock, we can send tone samples directly to you. Note that the standard E10D has been discontinued and we will only see the TC version from now on.
Made in China!
As is the electronic device you typed that on. Probably the shoes you’re wearing and most of the parts in the car you drive.
@@johnchapman4232 Sad but true
Doesn't matter. We're all humans inhabiting the same single World. Excellent craftsmanship is something to be admired no matter where the craftsmen live. Competition is good. If we're lucky, Eastman's quality and prices will convince Martin to up their game and lower their prices. We can hope anyway.
*Made in china by qualified luthiers with a care and attention to detail rarely seen in any products nowdays. I can't speak highly enough of Eastman instruments, I own several myself including the E10D.
I like Eastman and have owned them myself. It’s sad we have become dependent on other countries for everything here in the USA. Nothing wrong with the products. China pretty much owns us now. 😂 Everything comes across the pond now. If you can get it. I own a Northfield mandolin. Half of that made out of the states.