Eastman AC vs E

[FatFingerCharli]

I have been looking for the differences between the Eastman AC and E series. The Eastman website comes back as having an out dated security certificate and I have been unable to locate the info from other sites.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you,
Fat Finger Charli

[E-OM]

The E series is the Traditional series with dreds, OMs and parlors of sitka or adirondack over mahogany or rosewood.

The AC series has various top and back combos I think they are all grand concert in size and they might all have cutaways although in the past the ACs were available without the cut away.

They eliminated some models a few years ago. You can find one-offs and prototypes from time to time.

[Batmitestar]

Howdy friends. Not here to be difficult, though I’d consider the AC series pretty much paying homage to Taylor’s -14 or -24 size. More like grand auditorium.

I’ve had one AC and a handful of Es. The AC was good. The Es are great.

Plus a pretty wide spectrum of tonewoods and a couple finishes.

Hopefully the web cert thingy is remedied soon.

Cheers to all.

[brancher]

Also there’s the Eastman Guitar Fans forum, some knowledgeable folks over there.

[FingahPickah]

I have three all solid Eastmans

AC108CE-LTD - Adi top/Sapele B&S - Body is very close to a Taylor Grand Concert design

E2OM-CD - Cedar top/Sapele B&S - 24.9" scale OM - Similar to Martin 000-28 design

ED2 - Cedar top/Sapele B&S - Traditional dreadnought design

[phydaux]

You can consider the E series to be reverse engineered Martins - dreads, OM, and parlor style bodies, solid mahogany or rosewood back & sides, and various flavors of solid spruce tops. They don't sound exactly like a Martin

My AC422CE is auditorium size, and regularly gets mistaken as a Taylor by other Taylor owners.

[Blackmore Fan]

Originally Posted by E-OM

The AC series has various top and back combos I think they are all grand concert in size and they might all have cutaways although in the past the ACs were available without the cut away.

My AC320 is a dreadnought and doesn't have a cutaway. I've seen a Sweetwater video and another highly produced commercial video of that same model.

[Matthjs]

I have an AC520. It is a dreadnought with solid mahogany back and sides and an engelman spruce top. It has forward shifted X bracing. The ac series covers more than just the grand concert models.

[Pura Vida]

Eastman began as a classical instrument company. Then, they expanded into archtop guitars (whose models all begin with AR). From there, they began making acoustic flattop guitars (whose models all began with AC).

About a dozen years ago, they re-aligned their Traditional series, which are mostly similar to Martin's dread, 000 (OM), 00, and 0 (parlor) sizes. But it also includes their slope shoulder dread (SS), which is similar shape to a Gibson J-45. They make open pore, standard, torrified, and antique varnish finishes of different models.

As part of this move, they discontinued several redundant AC models. Now, the AC lineup is mostly GA body styles, and like Taylor, the model numbers mostly differentiate by wood combinations, although they also have some tiers: AC122/AC222 are more entry level and open pore, AC322/AC422 are standard, AC522/AC622/AC722 were redesigned last year (sound port, arm bevel, inlays), and AC822/AC922 are premium models.

Inexplicably, the AC630 Jumbo is still in the AC lineup (you think it would move with the slope dread into the Traditional series), and they have a few LTD models in other sizes.

Most AC models come with built-in electronics, and the 2022 GA redesigned models come with bolt-on necks, while the Traditional series retain the dovetail neck design.

It gets confusing when we throw the old AC models into the mix b/c everything was an AC back then. Hope this helps!

[FatFingerCharli]

Thank you to one and all for clearing this up for me and most likely saving me hours of searching and going down numerous rabbit holes.

[llew]

Originally Posted by Matthjs

I have an AC520. It is a dreadnought with solid mahogany back and sides and an engelman spruce top. It has forward shifted X bracing. The ac series covers more than just the grand concert models.

I had one of those some years ago and it was a great guitar. But the "AC" models no longer include the dreads...at least not that I've seen. The new mahogany dreads would be either a E6D or E10D. With or without a thermo-cured top. ("TC" designation)

Not sure why the "AC-630BD" (their take off on the SJ-200 Gibson) would still be in the AC classification. Better suited on the "E" side IMO.