Wow! What a great comparison video. This is very interesting, we normally hear the guitars just through the amp. I enjoyed that, thank you very much. The Eastman is a beautiful guitar for sure!!
When I went looking for a good archtop a decade or so ago, I had all the big names on my list. But after trying a bunch, I ended up buying an Eastman, even though I'd never heard of the company before. It just sounded so great. I ended up scratching it the first day I owned it! Doh! But as the Japanese say, "wabi sabi."
Ups! Scratching your new guitar is never a good feeling... but that means you were using it, I think it would be worse if no one is playing it and keeping layers and layers of dust
Hi Adrian, I think your video would be much better if you switched to flat wound strings. They not only provide better tone, but you also avoid the finger slide sounds. Otherwise, nice playing!
Thanks Rich for sharing! I've used flat wounds strings and they're great but not for me... I made another video comparing those two types of strings. Here it is: ruclips.net/video/76mEeaZTUks/видео.html
It’s a fair comparison, as they all have their electronics mounted into the top (as opposed to floating). And yes, the Eastman has the most ‘open’ and full sound acoustically. Beautiful.
Thanks! I'm very curious about that "open and beautiful sound" of the Eastman, so I was thinking of making another video comparing the acoustic differences between an all-laminated wood archtop and an all-solid one with similar specs to isolate that thing.
Excellent comparison and review. With the same musical example played every possible way on three very nice guitars, it's easy to get a sense of the strengths and characteristics of each one. The fact that you play very well is refreshing. So many equpment videos feature players with very limited skills. I wish all videos could be this comprehensive and, most importantly, useful. Well done and very nice playing.
Depends on the gig really. I love the sounds of all of them. For different things. In a loud band, the Ibanez wins though, it is not going to squeal. They others will, and relatively quickly. I have first hand experience with all the above. And I'm talking jazz combo, trumpet, gtr, bass, drums. These are all great guitars though.
I agree! Probably the most feedback sensitive of the three is the Eastman but if there are people like Peter Bernstein, who uses a 17” archtop with a single pickup, who can make it work, I'd like to think it's possible. Thanks for sharing Jon!
Nice comparison, indeed. The Eastman hands-down was the best sounding of the three, followed by the Ibanez and the Hofner a distant third. You're a decent player and kudos to you as you can do these types of comparisons with ease. You need to expand your comparisons beyond just these three. I own a Gibson ES-175 but often want to "upgrade". A "Baseline" instrument would be a Gibson L-5 CES. It's the "Granddaddy" of all modern jazz archtops. Other comparisons would be offerings from Heritage (their Golden Eagle or Super Eagle come to mind) and perhaps a Benedetto, like their 16-B favored by awesome lady jazz guitarist Jocelyn Gould. Food for thought... 🙂🙂
I really feel that the Eastman 805 is in a higher class than the others in your presentation. But that's mainly because I play older Swing, which sounds way better with an acoustic archtop tone. I owned an 805 for several years, and (of course) wish I still had it! I wound up playing it 95% of the time, in Western Swing bands, Straight ahead Swing bands, and even a couple of Blues bands! (Even though I had about 19 different guitars at the time!). The Eastman is truly a professional grade instrument! I had several other Eastman guitars, and found them all to be wonderful guitars! UPDATE: I traded for another Eastman AR805CE! I have owned, and performed with several New York Epiphones (Triumph Regent, Broadway, & Zephyr Deluxe Regent), Gibson L-5's & Super 400's, along with several others, and if I could only have one archtop, it would be without question, the AR805CE. Note: I give more weight to the ACOUSTIC qualities than electric.
@@adrianmolinamusic like the tru-gloss finish. It has a nice smell and sounds woody. And yes the price is right for what we are getting. A hand carved solid wood arch top. That would cost a small fortune if it was made by a small American boutique guitar shop. 10k+? Probably the only awkward thing is the tail piece. I would have used either an ornate bell brass tail piece or something completely made out of ebony. Ebony over brass ok. It is good enough for the money.
Thanks so much for this! Since the Eastman only had the one pickup, the comparison would've been a little better if you had lined them up by pickup, instead of going through the different settings on each guitar. In any case, the Eastman was indeed great, but it was nice to be reminded how fantastic sounding those mini humbuckers are. They're so often overlooked and not often found on guitars, but they really hit that sweet spot for me. Do you have another with a Charlie Christian pickup? If so, which do you prefer: CC or mini HB?
You're welcome, Shawn. I think I'm probably going to line them up a different way for next time. I don't actually have any guitars with Charlie Christian pickups but, if I have to choose, I'll go with a nice pair of bright humbuckers.
I love the amount of good guitars used that are better for metal then the 7+ string guitars used by modern metal guitarists like Tosin Abasi or scalloped or multi scale fret guitars used by shredders like Yngwie Malmsteem or solid bodies used by every metal guitarist except for a few
Was impressed with the hofner presidential but the Eastman was warm responsive great tone acoustically and amp . Eastman wins hands down , it has that true l6 vibe
The Ibanez is the cheapest of the three but it has the more all around sound. The Hofner has a great electric sound in all 3 position. But the acoustic is kinda muddy The Eastman has the best mix sound. And the clear winner But the thing is, all three sounds amazing. All are just a matter of preference.
I totally agree on that! it's just a matter of preference. Each of those guitars has a different yet interesting personality. thanks for sharing Bryan!
I’m not a jazz player, but the Eastman surprised me at how good it sounded. The Ibanez surprised me at how bad it sounded. The Hofner wins hands down though.
I totally agree, maybe it is due to the types of wood... I was thinking of making another video comparing the acoustic differences between a fully laminated wood archtop and a fully solid one with similar specs to isolate that thing.
Great comparison. I have to agree, the Eastman had the nicest tone to my ears.
Thanks! this woody tone has a lot of personality, doesn't it?
Wow! What a great comparison video. This is very interesting, we normally hear the guitars just through the amp. I enjoyed that, thank you very much. The Eastman is a beautiful guitar for sure!!
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks Daren!
I really like this demo! The difference is very clear.
Thank you!
When I went looking for a good archtop a decade or so ago, I had all the big names on my list. But after trying a bunch, I ended up buying an Eastman, even though I'd never heard of the company before. It just sounded so great. I ended up scratching it the first day I owned it! Doh! But as the Japanese say, "wabi sabi."
Ups! Scratching your new guitar is never a good feeling... but that means you were using it, I think it would be worse if no one is playing it and keeping layers and layers of dust
I've never had a scratch in a guitar that compromised the tone!!
The only way to keep from scratching a guitar is to not play it!
Hi Adrian, I think your video would be much better if you switched to flat wound strings. They not only provide better tone, but you also avoid the finger slide sounds. Otherwise, nice playing!
Thanks Rich for sharing! I've used flat wounds strings and they're great but not for me... I made another video comparing those two types of strings. Here it is: ruclips.net/video/76mEeaZTUks/видео.html
...I disagree, flat strings don't sound better, their articulation is worse than roundwound.
La Eastman es una verdadera maravilla, en mi opinión es la más redonda y equilibrada de las tres. Enhorabuena!
Gracias! Sí, la verdad es que el Eastman sobresalía bastante en comparación con las otras dos.
I agree with the Eastman quality and sound. I have an Eastman 810CE, a Heritage 525 and a Peerless Renaissance Custom.
Eastman quality, sound and also very important the price, isn't it? By the way, nice collection of guitars you have!
Thanks for the comparison. I agree the Eastman has that ringing clarity of a wood top and is really balanced and focused
You´re welcome Joseph! I love that Eastman guitar.
It’s a fair comparison, as they all have their electronics mounted into the top (as opposed to floating). And yes, the Eastman has the most ‘open’ and full sound acoustically. Beautiful.
Thanks! I'm very curious about that "open and beautiful sound" of the Eastman, so I was thinking of making another video comparing the acoustic differences between an all-laminated wood archtop and an all-solid one with similar specs to isolate that thing.
I appreciate the depth of your reviews and found the info & opinions helpful!
Glad you like them! Thanks for sharing Kimball!
Excellent comparison and review. With the same musical example played every possible way on three very nice guitars, it's easy to get a sense of the strengths and characteristics of each one. The fact that you play very well is refreshing. So many equpment videos feature players with very limited skills. I wish all videos could be this comprehensive and, most importantly, useful. Well done and very nice playing.
I'm glad you found it useful and enjoyed it! Thank you for sharing 😊
Thanks for the information.
You´re welcome!
I have a Godin 5th Avenue Kingpin 2, great guitar. Also have a Grestch G2420 Streamline (though it's not an arch top) @@adrianmolinamusic
I love the Höfner ❤️
I really understand you Torben, this guitar has some magic!
Excellent demo.
All three were good. If pressed, I’d go for the Ibanez.
Thanks Martin! It's a really nice choice
Depends on the gig really. I love the sounds of all of them. For different things. In a loud band, the Ibanez wins though, it is not going to squeal. They others will, and relatively quickly. I have first hand experience with all the above. And I'm talking jazz combo, trumpet, gtr, bass, drums. These are all great guitars though.
I agree! Probably the most feedback sensitive of the three is the Eastman but if there are people like Peter Bernstein, who uses a 17” archtop with a single pickup, who can make it work, I'd like to think it's possible. Thanks for sharing Jon!
I am an Ibanez player but the Eastman sounds good
This Eastman has some magic, right?
This Ibanez model lacks a solid top.
Nice comparison, indeed. The Eastman hands-down was the best sounding of the three, followed by the Ibanez and the Hofner a distant third. You're a decent player and kudos to you as you can do these types of comparisons with ease.
You need to expand your comparisons beyond just these three. I own a Gibson ES-175 but often want to "upgrade". A "Baseline" instrument would be a Gibson L-5 CES. It's the "Granddaddy" of all modern jazz archtops. Other comparisons would be offerings from Heritage (their Golden Eagle or Super Eagle come to mind) and perhaps a Benedetto, like their 16-B favored by awesome lady jazz guitarist Jocelyn Gould.
Food for thought... 🙂🙂
Thanks for sharing Ken! I would consider it if I have the opportunity to be around those amazing guitars you mentioned.
Great Video Just what i was after.👌
I´m glad you liked it Paul! Thanks for sharing 😊
I really feel that the Eastman 805 is in a higher class than the others in your presentation. But that's mainly because I play older Swing, which sounds way better with an acoustic archtop tone.
I owned an 805 for several years, and (of course) wish I still had it! I wound up playing it 95% of the time, in Western Swing bands, Straight ahead Swing bands, and even a couple of Blues bands! (Even though I had about 19 different guitars at the time!).
The Eastman is truly a professional grade instrument! I had several other Eastman guitars, and found them all to be wonderful guitars!
UPDATE: I traded for another Eastman AR805CE!
I have owned, and performed with several New York Epiphones (Triumph Regent, Broadway, & Zephyr Deluxe Regent), Gibson L-5's & Super 400's, along with several others, and if I could only have one archtop, it would be without question, the AR805CE.
Note: I give more weight to the ACOUSTIC qualities than electric.
Thanks for sharing your passion for Eastman guitars! I totally agree, they are very good and for a good price.
Got a Eastman ar805ce. Feeling pretty good about it. Warm and deep sounding and clarity
It´s a really nice guitar for that price! Congrats for your Eastman Gerald!
@@adrianmolinamusic like the tru-gloss finish. It has a nice smell and sounds woody. And yes the price is right for what we are getting. A hand carved solid wood arch top. That would cost a small fortune if it was made by a small American boutique guitar shop. 10k+? Probably the only awkward thing is the tail piece. I would have used either an ornate bell brass tail piece or something completely made out of ebony. Ebony over brass ok. It is good enough for the money.
Thanks @@adrianmolinamusic
Immediately the Hofner sounds way better than the Ibanez. The eastman of course sounds great but out of these three i'd go with number 2.
Good choice! The Hofner is the most special of the three. It has a unique voice and character.
@@adrianmolinamusic I change that now. The Eastman is the best
Thanks a lot for the video! How do you EQ the guitars when pluging-in the eletric ones?
You´re welcome! I kept the EQ flat for all sound samples.
Would have been nice to see the back of the instrument and hear the tone control.
I would keep this in mind for next time. Thanks for sharing!
In your hands, they all sound great, but the Hofner really caught my ear!
Thank you very much! I agree, the Hofner is the most special one.
Is the Hofner vintage?
Thanks so much for this! Since the Eastman only had the one pickup, the comparison would've been a little better if you had lined them up by pickup, instead of going through the different settings on each guitar. In any case, the Eastman was indeed great, but it was nice to be reminded how fantastic sounding those mini humbuckers are. They're so often overlooked and not often found on guitars, but they really hit that sweet spot for me. Do you have another with a Charlie Christian pickup? If so, which do you prefer: CC or mini HB?
You're welcome, Shawn. I think I'm probably going to line them up a different way for next time. I don't actually have any guitars with Charlie Christian pickups but, if I have to choose, I'll go with a nice pair of bright humbuckers.
I love the amount of good guitars used that are better for metal then the 7+ string guitars used by modern metal guitarists like Tosin Abasi or scalloped or multi scale fret guitars used by shredders like Yngwie Malmsteem or solid bodies used by every metal guitarist except for a few
It's the Eastman! sounds wonderful...
Thanks Freddy!
My preferences go to Ibanez for electric, and Eastman for acoustic. I play an Ibanez AF95 and Eastman AC372.
Cool choice!
I agree with your decided winner but the width of the Eastman at the nut makes it more difficult to play. Just my 2 cents worth. ( Eastman 1 3/4” nut)
I’ve played classical for a while and love the east man’s nut width
And that's actually one (of many) reasons that I LOVED my Eastman AR805CE. I dislike narrow fretboards!
What’s the song he plays?
This is a simple arrangement I made of the tune “Alone Together”.
Was impressed with the hofner presidential but the Eastman was warm responsive great tone acoustically and amp . Eastman wins hands down , it has that true l6 vibe
I totally agree Laurence
The Ibanez is the cheapest of the three but it has the more all around sound.
The Hofner has a great electric sound in all 3 position. But the acoustic is kinda muddy
The Eastman has the best mix sound. And the clear winner
But the thing is, all three sounds amazing. All are just a matter of preference.
I totally agree on that! it's just a matter of preference. Each of those guitars has a different yet interesting personality. thanks for sharing Bryan!
definitely Eastman.... But Right Hand picking Technique Significantly contribute Tone Production (IMHO)... thanks for sharing
I totally agree.
The most important, the player 😊
I couldn't agree more Bernard
Hofner is it!
Magical guitar! Thanks for sharing Andreas!
Waw eastman very good
I agree, it's an amazing jazz box!
The Hofner sounds the best acoustically!
This Hofner has a sound slightly closer to a flat top which gives us a really interesting acoustic sound compared to the other archtops in this video.
I’m not a jazz player, but the Eastman surprised me at how good it sounded. The Ibanez surprised me at how bad it sounded. The Hofner wins hands down though.
This Hofner guitar definitely has some magic in it.
Eastman is the absolute winner 😊
eastman is the winner hands down
I totally agree, maybe it is due to the types of wood... I was thinking of making another video comparing the acoustic differences between a fully laminated wood archtop and a fully solid one with similar specs to isolate that thing.
Deffinately the eastman
I totally agree
The Eastman wins by far
I agree! The Eastman is an excellent guitar. Thanks for sharing Dave!
You’re so talented, but I hate jazz so much
Jazz probably doesn’t like you either lol