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Post by Ragtop on Nov 5, 2020 16:42:12 GMT -5
It's Eastman's take on the venerable HD-28, and it just arrived. I've only played it for 20 minutes and am blown away.
I had heard rave reviews about the "TC," the thermo-cured top. It's adirondack that's had the resins and sugars baked out of it so that it sounds like a 25-year old guitar. Looks like one too. And the "20" in Eastman-speak means rosewood. Solid, and it looks very nice. Mahogany neck (nice volute!), tortoise p/g, ebony bridge and fingerboard. Decent open-back tuners.
How they can put all that together for $1650 is a mystery. Super nice case too.
It plays a bit stiff, but it's brand-new. But the tone is glorious, dark and woody; been a few years since I've had a rosewood dread, nice to have one in the herd again.
Been a few years since I've had a brand-new guitar too; 1974, to be exact. I usually prefer a guitar that's been around the block a few times. But these just came out, and I was curious, so I bought it. They are scarce, flying off the shelves. Actually, I traded the maple Taylor that I wrote about in another thread right here. That was a great guitar, but this one is more my style.
I'll give a week or two to settle in to my dry climate, and then have it set up, the action is a bit high. Might as well have a K&K thrown in it at the same time.
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Post by LTB on Nov 7, 2020 6:36:13 GMT -5
Very nice Ragtop. I looked up photos of it and curious how they were able to make it so much like the Martin HD-28 without issues from Martin?
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Post by Ragtop on Nov 8, 2020 6:17:06 GMT -5
Good question, LTB, but it's been happening for a long time. I had an Alvarez-Yairi, built in 1976, that was also a near-dead ringer for the HD-28.
This Eastman has a chunkier neck than the Yairi had.
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Post by langford on Nov 8, 2020 21:16:03 GMT -5
Congrats, RT. Please keep posting as you get to know this guitar. I'd like to hear more.
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Post by LTB on Nov 9, 2020 2:47:58 GMT -5
Good question, LTB, but it's been happening for a long time. I had an Alvarez-Yairi, built in 1976, that was also a near-dead ringer for the HD-28. Years ago Takamine made the F-349 that was copy of Martin's D-18 I believe. I have the one we bought my mom for Christmas 1979. They called the "Martin Lawsuit". I don't know if they were actually sued but Takamine stopped making them within 2 years or so. It is a decent copy but I am sure it is not as good as it's true counterpart. |
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Post by Ragtop on Nov 9, 2020 9:58:38 GMT -5
langford, I've done a bit of work on it. The factory strings were really stiff, so I pulled them off. The action was "new Martin high," so I took a little bit off the bottom of the saddle. I then strung it up with a set of Elixir Light P/Bs, and it played much better. But I thought it could be better, so I tightened the truss rod about 1/4 turn and BINGO- that did the trick. The volume increased noticeably, and it now plays just about perfect for me. The action could still go lower, though. But I now have 3 dreads, and would like to have 2 dreads and a small-bodied 12-fretter. I threw together a quick Craigslist ad to see if anybody is interested in a trade. Link below, with photos. I've had a couple of offers already. denver.craigslist.org/msg/d/buena-vista-eastman-e20d-tc-new/7227702030.html |
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Post by LTB on Nov 9, 2020 20:06:05 GMT -5
So you are selling the new guitar you just bought?
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Post by Ragtop on Nov 10, 2020 6:35:54 GMT -5
LTB, I traded for it. The used guitar market right now is absolutely flooded with nice guitars, medium and high end. Lots of trading going on. The problem, as I've discovered, is that when I trade I rarely get exactly what I want. I had a nice OM-18V that didn't sell, and it turned out to be not what I wanted, so I traded it for a nice Taylor. The Taylor didn't sell, so I traded it for this Eastman. Now I've got a guy interested in the Eastman who wants to trade for an Eastman parlor, which is what I wanted in the first place.
Crazy? Yes. My wife thinks I'm nuts. But I've got to own some very nice guitars, if only for a few weeks. And they are all better guitars when they leave here than when they got here. And I've kept my number at three, which is good; I don't have a bunch of guitars stacked up in my little music room.
My problem is that I live in the High Rockies, where the nearest guitar store is 125 miles away, so it's an all-day thing for me to play before I buy. And the only nice guitars on Craigslist up here are usually mine. And I've learned that about 90% of the nice guitars are back east, invariably. Asheville seems to be Ground Zero for the good stuff.
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Post by LTB on Nov 10, 2020 15:51:33 GMT -5
Crazy? Yes. My wife thinks I'm nuts. My problem is that I live in the High Rockies, where the nearest guitar store is 125 miles away, so it's an all-day thing for me to play before I buy. My wife thinks I am crazy too. I understand your dilemma and need to do things they way you do. |
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Post by Lefty Rev on Nov 11, 2020 11:23:23 GMT -5
Ragtop,
So what happened to the Custom CEO-7 (with Mahogany top?) that you had?
Did the neck - or something else - cause you to move it along?
That was a GORGEOUS little guitar...glad it wasn't a lefty!
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Post by Ragtop on Nov 12, 2020 4:50:51 GMT -5
You know what, mikey, that WAS a gorgeous little guitar. I sold it in a fit of downsizing, that and my Goodall. Both went to good homes.
I would like to have another little slot head, but not that high end. Something like an Eastman E20PSB. Or a small Guild. Nothing too expensive.
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Post by Lefty Rev on Nov 13, 2020 12:08:37 GMT -5
I would like to have another little slot head, but not that high end. Something like an Eastman E20PSB. Or a small Guild. Nothing too expensive. Not sure exactly what you're looking for - but the Martin 000-15sm is not expensive (and they're out there used), but is very balanced, w/o losing low end or volume. I'm still wondering why I sold mine! www.martinguitar.com/guitars/15-series/000-15sm/If you want one with a Sitka top, the 000-17sm is another lower cost option (discontinued, so you'd have to find used): www.martinguitar.com/guitars/discontinued-guitars/000-17sm/ |
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Post by Ragtop on Nov 14, 2020 8:39:15 GMT -5
I know that guys really like the -15 series. I like a gloss finish, though.
There are a few Takamines on GC Used that look pretty good. The koa 407 and the same in spruce, the 417. Foureen fret slot heads. I might make a few calls today.
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