Re: Any experience with Eastman Guitars?
I would not put them in the same category as Martin/Taylor/Breedlove/SCGC or Gibson. They are not something I am going to give up my Martins for.
But, I went to a Eastman clinic last year at one of the local guitar shops and came away impressed. They seem to be aiming for a piece of the market where no one else has a strong foothold. I have tried some that sounded very nice, but the woods did not appear to be of the same grade as the American-made guitars I listed above.
When buying any acoustic guitar, you're going to want to look closely at each specific guitar. Consistency is a big issue. You can find killer instruments at budget prices from Ibanez, Yamaha, Takamine, et.al., but you may have to go through 100 of the same model to find that one gem. I have an older Ibanez Artwood, and while it's not as nice or as well made as my Taylor 710CE, it's pretty close in tone. I thought it was an excellent sounding guitar, bought it from a pawnshop. I bought it so I'd have an inexpensive instrument to take into places that I might not want to take one of my more expensive guitars. It has performed well for me, and has a nice sounding Fishman pickup and preamp in it.
And you'll probably have to factor in some setup work and possibly some fret work to get these budget instruments to play well. The top-of-the-line Eastmans seem to address this issue, and many are a step above these other brands. One other point about the Eastmans is that they are fairly new to the market, and I wonder how they will hold up physically, and if they will retain their re-sale value.
I think the HD-28 is an awesome guitar. One of the Martin clinicians I met told me that if he could only have one guitar (and he has something like 28 new and vintage Martins), it would be the HD-28. I have my old '75 D-28 that has been gigged everywhere, and a 2002 D-28 Standard; but my fav is my HD-28V. With the scalloped, forward-shifted bracing, it's a lot more responsive and louder than the other two--and more so than most of the Standard HD-28s I've played. It has different appointments than the HD-28, and it has a different neck carve. It's a terrific guitar and a joy to play.
If you can't swing the money for the HD-28, there are a couple of other Martins to consider. Some of the -16 Series Martins are very nice, but even they can get pricey. The Standard D-28 is a fine instrument, and you might be able to find a newer version used for not much more than the top of-the-line Eastman. These have the standard bracing; they won't have the deep bass of the scalloped models, but they have a nice mid-range punch. They're kind of the Chevy Impala or Toyota Camry of the guitar world: you can spend more, you can spend less; but you'll be getting good value for your money. It's proven, it's trustworthy.
A couple of years ago, Martin did away with their D-18 Standard and the D-18 Vintage and upgraded their basic model. The new D-18 is absolutely one of the best values in any acoustic guitar. They have the new Martin Performing Artist taper neck, and forward-shifted scalloped bracing under a Sitka top. If you haven't played one, you should. I bought a used one a couple of years ago, and I absolutely love it. Blows away my Standard D-18 from 2004, even though it is also a fine guitar that I have enjoyed immensely. I will probably sell the Standard now. This one might have you re-thinking if you really need a rosewood guitar. Consider the D-18E Retro if you need a pickup--more money, but the Fishman F1 AURA+ is amazing.
I'm not sure what the warranty is on the Eastman, but when you buy a new Martin, you get the lifetime warranty--and it's a guitar you'll want to keep for a lifetime. That price differential is just a few pennies a day over that lifetime. But in the end, only you can decide if it's worth it. I bought my first Martin when I was 22--more than forty years ago. I've never regretted it, not for one second, even though I had to scrimp and save to afford it. Eventually I came to accept that I was worth it, that having a fine musical instrument was important to me.
I always tell people to buy a Martin, if for no other reason than your family will be fighting over Grampa's old Martin before they throw the first clump of dirt on your coffin!
Good luck. I really hope you find a guitar that you'll enjoy for years to come.
Bill
