I’m new to this forum, but I’ve been lurking for quite a while. I use the same name on Acoustic Guitar Forum, where I’ve been a member since 2016. My home is in Southern CT, where I’ve been an active member of the local music scene. 

My first experience with Eastman guitars came 3 years ago when I picked up an E6OM-Ltd as my gigging guitar. I replaced the stock LR Baggs Element with a JJB soundboard pickup.

Around a year later, a friend came to town and fell in love with it, so I sold it to him and picked up a Rainsong CH-OM to replace it. While I liked the Rainsong and really appreciated the fact that I could play outside without tuning issues no matter what the humidity was, I had a bad case of seller’s remorse pretty much as soon as I sold the E6OM.

This week, my friend let me know that he really can’t play guitar any more due to hand issues, so the E6OM will be on its way back home this week. Can’t wait. The Rainsong will go up for sale once the E6OM settles in.

I also decided to get into the electric world and picked up an Eastman T184MX-LS (Lil Smokey) to scratch that itch.

So in my quest to find an Eastman slope shoulder I found a E10SS/V that was listed as mint with zero issues on reverb.  It was a very good price and the seller had a great reputation so I jumped on it thinking I'd finally hit pay dirt.  I received it yesterday, let it rest until today and opened it this morning and as the french would say 'le sigh'.  The finish on the sides was wrinkled / sticky / hazy.  I've attached a few pics.  Its quite the contrast from the smooth and beautiful back and other parts of the sides.  I reach out to the seller saying that this is obviously not mint and he's trying to tell me that this is how the Eastman antique process works.  

Can folks out there with a E10SS/V let me know if the finish on theirs looks like the one in the pics???  I've seen several E10SS/Vs for sale as B-Stock with similar issues so I'm pretty sure that's the case here.  I'm just trying to double check if what's falling on me is actually rain or is the seller is p@@ing on me.

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Ordered one online & was delivered this past Tuesday.
Talk about a light weight cannon.
Solid sitka top, solid mahogany back/sides.
Fishman Sonitone pickup.
Some type of very thin water based satin finish that may be resistant to "Shining Up" where your arm rests on the top.
Very pleased with this guitar. For what you get the price is incredible. I was even able to use a 10% off code, no tax & free shipping.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zi0kyWmVXNM&t=65s

I’ve owned two stunning Eastman electrics, T486 and a T486B. I ended up selling both as I was chasing other guitars. Turns out I couldn’t stop thinking about them so I went for another Eastman thinline.  I really wanted to try a small body Eastman thinline so today I bought a T184MX-CS through Reverb. It should be here in a week. It will join my other electrics and my stunning Eastman E20D-TC.

Incoming T184

Hello folks,

picked up used e6d from Dave’s guitars for a great price.  Still had the plastic on the pick guard.  Took it to Down Home Guitars for a set up and an installation of a strap button on the neck.  I am a newb but have caught the bug and play everyday. If I don’t force myself to sit in my practice seat I develop bad posture and bad technique.  So to aid in the posture and to avoid cheating by looking over the neck, I have started practicing while standing. Hence the strap.

Here is the rub. I put a new strap on the guitar and the rear strap button came out of the hole.  It doesn’t look like there is any damage and thought maybe it is supposed to Do that to avoid damage to the lower bout.  Is this normal? Or did I get a defective guitar?  I took the strap off and it seems fine but I am thinking this isn’t by design. Thoughts?

Hey there,

I recently discovered a brand called Cort on Reverb. Does anyone have any experience with these? The specs on their gold series is really nice. All solid, and they have torrified tops. Very nice inlays on the bridge, fretboard, and headstock. Gold Grover open back tuners.

I did a little research, and I guess Cort is one of the largest guitar manufacturers in the world. They make their own branded guitars, and also manufacturer a bunch for brands like Squire and Ibanez. I did read some negativity regarding how they have terrible working conditions for their laborers.

I reached out to a few reverb sellers and they all had nothing but positive things to say about the Gold series. I also talked with YouTuber, and he had like 3 if them and spoke highly of them.

Here are a few I was looking at:

Cort GOLDA8LB Gold Series Auditorium Solid 6-String Acoustic-Electric Guitar w/Deluxe Soft Side Case https://reverb.com/item/18800405-cort-go...t=18800405

Cort D6 Gold 2020 Natural https://reverb.com/item/35813653-cort-d6...t=35813653

Cort GOLD08LB-U Orchestra https://reverb.com/item/26593825-cort-go...t=26593825

So I wasn't planning on buying an electric guitar, but I happened to be browsing Reverb and stumbled across this T386 for a good price.  I then made an offer that was low enough I thought there was no way it would be accepted, but it was!  Both exciting and terrifying because I knew I was going to have to sell a few things.  The price was low enough that I actually got worried that I'd been scammed (which happened once and was awful).  But I received it and it is incredible.

It was produced in March, and looks completely brand new and flawless.  So I basically got a brand new guitar for a low used price.  I have a feeling it was a COVID purchase that needed to be sold.

Now having an Eastman electric in addition to an E10 OM and E10 P, I am uncertain as to whether I am more impressed with the acoustics or electrics.  I love the classic finish, and the grain is breathtaking.  The fretboard has a very subtle streak in it, which looks amazing.  Also, the older headstock was fine, but I very much prefer the new smaller one.

I like the pickups (Kent Armstongs) as they are very PAF and I don't play any high gain stuff so the output is just right.  the only change I may make is to add a bigsby.  It's a winner in every way.

Thanks for reading!

Of all the acoustic guitar manufacturers, for my hands, Eastman consistently makes the best neck profiles. I don't know why the trend of just about every maker out there is to go so thin these days. It seems like each new rendition gets thinner than the last with each "new and improved" rendition. A recent bout with tendonitis has pretty much ruled out 90% of off the rack guitars for me. I have no idea why they make them like that. I'm just thankful that Eastman has figured out that sweet spot of not too thin, not to fat and just the right shoulder. If I were to commission a custom build, I'd take my E20-OM to the builder and tell him/her to copy that neck, but just make the string spacing and fretboard a tad wider.

I'm looking forward to soon joining the Eastman family.  While figuring out what I want to get, I was wondering about the Eastman new guitar warranty.

I currently own a Martin and a Waterloo, two American companies.  While I hope I never need to use their warranties, I know worst case I can get service from an authorized service center or the factory.

How does Eastman handle warranty issues, and where do they get resolved?  Are there a network of U.S. based authorized service centers?

Anyone ever use the Eastman warranty?

thanks for any insight you can share,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C274kLswyAo

Quite thorough IHMO