Eastman E1D...

[llew]

Originally Posted by Bob from Brooklyn

There's an E1D package available here on the AGF for a very attractive price.

https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...d.php?t=675408

That is a good deal!

[llew]

Originally Posted by DownUpDave

First off congratulations on the E1D. I am very curious about your opinion on the E2D vs E1D. Ian Meadows on You Tube does great videos and said the E2 was the best $500 guitar he has ever played. I listened to both and the spruce sounded like spruce and the cedar like cedar, just wondering about your first hand experience

First...I also like Ian Meadows reviews. And he a fine player. You nailed it...the spruce sounds like spruce and the cedar sounds like cedar. Both are great guitars IMO. Different in their voicing but not by a really wide margin. I say that not having the E2D on hand to play them side by side. Lots of folks will tell you the E2D will break up when strummed hard due to the cedar top. I never had that happen and I can get pretty heavy handed at times. The Cedar has a softer or rounder presentation than the Sitka top. I believe both guitars are way better than their price point would dictate. But you have to like a satin finish with minimal appointments. Haven't played the OM versions of either guitar but I can't imagine a better option for an all solid tone wood guitar in this range...OM or dread? If you're considering one the only advice I could give you is try to play both if you can and then decide. Not a wrong choice to be made IMO?

[DownUpDave]

Originally Posted by llew

First...I also like Ian Meadows reviews. And he a fine player. You nailed it...the spruce sounds like spruce and the cedar sounds like cedar. Both are great guitars IMO. Different in their voicing but not by a really wide margin. I say that not having the E2D on hand to play them side by side. Lots of folks will tell you the E2D will break up when strummed hard due to the cedar top. I never had that happen and I can get pretty heavy handed at times. The Cedar has a softer or rounder presentation than the Sitka top. I believe both guitars are way better than their price point would dictate. But you have to like a satin finish with minimal appointments. Haven't played the OM versions of either guitar but I can't imagine a better option for an all solid tone wood guitar in this range...OM or dread? If you're considering one the only advice I could give you is try to play both if you can and then decide. Not a wrong choice to be made IMO?

Thanks for the excellent answer. I am glad you mentioned the cedar not braking up when strummed aggressively. I have a Taylor 512 (cedar/mahogany) and it stands up to firm strumming very well.

[campacj]

My apologies for lateness, but I only recently purchased an Eastman E1D. I have always been grateful to Eastman for making great guitars for 1/3 the cost of an M or T. While it may require a good, professional set up, the E1D is an astounding value. No other maker offers so much for so little except MAYBE Recording King with their all-solid tonewood RD-328 or RD-342 and they actually cost noticeably more. I have played for over 50 years and I have not seen a better value from anyone. The specs are very impressive. For those who can't afford $3000 for a guitar, or might be looking for a quality beach or camping guitar, I strongly suggest checking out the Eastman E1D.

[BlueBowman]

Originally Posted by llew

You won't be sorry...had the E2D-Cedar top. Fine guitar but gifted it to a friend who has now paid it forward to another friend. And so it goes...or should at least?

I must've missed this the first time around, Jim. My apologies.

I ended up buying the E2D and the E2OM. The cedar-topped Eastmans have proved to be my favorites. Bracing in both is very similar, and the cleanliness and fine tuning of the bracing...man, I can't imagine a CNC doing that, so I'm heavily inclined to accept the "handcrafted" part (at least on the bracing). It's very impressive on a guitar in this price range.

The E2D is extremely balanced. Perhaps the most balanced dread I've ever played (a nice counterpart to my other dread, which is bass-biased). The sound is focused, and I find the trebles stay "true" all the way up the neck (something you don't find on every dread). I think this is the cedar at play. Also a surprisingly responsive guitar and pretty good volume. The E2D is great for finger style IMO.

The E2OM is my favorite of the two (a matter of taste). It's body is smaller than your typical OM (oh so comfy), but man is it resonant and responsive! Sounds good all over the fretboard, but shines in the lower midrange. Again, great for finger style. No guitar is without its faults, so my one criticism of my E2OM is it can get a little unfocused if played too hard. This can be used to great effect with some styles of music, but might not work for everyone. The E2D stays focused at all volumes, perhaps aided by the larger air mass?

Both guitars played like "butter" from the start. Haven't had to set-up either one, which is uncommon in my world. If Eastman offered a higher-end cedar guitar, I would jump all over it.

[Jaxon]

i bought my first Eastman E2-OM new in 2017. Never had it setup but not being impressed with the tone and playability I didn't think at the time a setup would work enough magic so I returned it and got their E10-OM and it was much better, few changes I'd like better but no use in nit-picking, it is what it is






want no c or no e, pure acoustic