Without doubt hands down the Eastman does it for me. Clearer and brighter with better separation thanks to the Adirondack top, and almost certainly better build quality plus loads cheaper. It’s a no brainier!
I have just bought a j45, I considered an Eastman for a while but I never got the chance to try one. I have zero regrets, the gibson is the best acoustic I've ever owned or played
Great battle! They are both great but they have different tones. The Gibson sounds like a Gibson should, dry, balanced and a bit muted. The Eastman has those bell like tones and lots of volume and clarity. I like the Eastman for the money: Also, please let one player play both guitars. That will take these reviews to the next level.
Really liked the Eastman, it had less of the low mid frequency which made the Gibson sound a little muddy (sorry! Love J45's). Still plenty of low end on the Eastman but it was much clearer in my opinion.
Love the J45. It is the first guitar for me that right out, was easy to play and the sound...just so balanced. The best guitar I've ever touched. However the price makes it out of touch for me. So I'm gonna splurge on the Eastman. To bad it doesn't have a pickup but Im never going to play live anyway. Just with friends family and.on my own. It's a beautiful guitar and has a beautiful sound in its own right. Plus it's a 1/3 the price for absolute quality.
I am currently shopping for a mahogany back guitar so naturally these two have my attention. I have to say the J45 is just so special. Pure warmth and so much clarity and balance. Precisely what some prefer in the Eastman is what makes me lean toward the J45. Those bell-like overtones sound great for some songs, fill the room, and tend to impress right away. But if you play and sing you have to acknowledge that all that stuff sometimes competes with your voice, or overwhelms when you go hard at certain chords. The J45 has a sweetness I haven't seen (or heard) matched yet.
The J45 is the perfect storm where all elements come together to achieve the perfect guitar. It has everything it needs. no more. no less. it’s the ONE! It’s the “desert island” guitar. it’s the guitar that can do anything and everything and do it well. It can be loud-quiet, jangly-articulate. Fingerstyle, vocal accompaniment, heavy strumming, alt tunings, slide guitar….ALL THAT! The Sound that you, me, we all have in our head……..of the acoustic guitar…… that’s the J45.
Wasnt looking at the video first minute .Heard the first guitar and really liked it . Turned out it was J45 . Listened to second guitar which was the Eastman and thought it sounded thin . I may be biased because I own a J45 , but love that tone . I havent played the Eastman but im sure the build quality is better than the Gibson . I have a lot of stability issues with the Gibson but nothing comes close to its tone so I'll deal with it . Bought used for 2000 . I also have an Eastman 615 mandolin which is top notch for the money. The fret work is perfect and finish flawless
To my ears, I can't hear any difference in sound or tone. They both sound fantastic! So if you're going to shop these two guitars you have to pick the Eastman because of the very affordable price as compared to the Gibson which will cost you big bucks! The Eastman wins this one.
First off, great review and playing guys! I own an e10ss and I love it. I've played into J45s and I agree the J45 is mellower. I think it's a matter of personal taste on preference as well as the genre of music one plays; however, I don't think that the LR Baggs pickup should be listed as a Gibson advantage when you can now order that as an option through eastman, and a lot of Eastman dealers offer it as an add on luthier option at point of sale. You may spend $400 on it after installation, but you are still spending less than half the cost of a j45 out the door.
Through my monitors the Eastman sounded much more articulate. The J45 sounded boomy by comparison. I'd buy the Eastman even if it were more expensive than the Gibson.
I like the people who comment on tone over shitty laptop speakers. "the X is more mellow, bitter sweet tones of cinnamon rolls in the morning, but the Y is also like when you shit yourself in bed, but in a good way".....
The Eastman wins imo. I like the more detailed sound for finger style etc. The standard Gibson is outclassed by workmanship and materials. You would have to go custom shop to be comparable and the price difference would be even more extreme. The under saddle pickup would be ripped out if I purchased the Gibson. I'd prefer the Eastman e10ss-v with the thin varnish finish. Even if the Gibson standard was reduced to the same price as the Eastman.
The Eastman wins for me. The Gibson had a more bassy overtone which is great for a lot of things but the Eastman has a crispiness that sounded better overall plus you can’t beat an ebony fretboard and that back looked stunning.
I love my 21 year old J45. I also love my Eastman E10 OM. Yeah, I do like the power, and Adi sound of the Eastman slope. But if I had to let go of all my guitars except one, it would be the J45. Other guitars; fun to visit, but J45 is like coming home.
Go guitar shopping - you can’t get mid-level Martins, Gibsons, or Taylor’s for less than $3k new any longer. So, no, I’m not putting a $600 guitar up against the big boys. But the big boys aren’t in the conversation because they’re over $3k. It ain’t 2016 anymore…
Also - highly doubtful that you’ve played an e1ss beside a $2500 Taylor, high-end Epiphones, entry-level Martins. I have. The e1ss edged them out. What does that jerk who has become an internet meme say? “Facts don’t care about your feelings” 😂
bull shhhiiiitttt u dont know me.....Let me tell you something Ive owned easily 100 guitars from 200 dollars to 10k...... I like eastyman very much having played several here in nyc at rudys the necks were thin and horrible.....now its a very good guitar...but any yamha and recording king killed them:)))@@Johnjingleheimerschmidtt
I don’t think a fair judgement can be made. You guys should have a single mic that you sit around that will pic up the way the guitars sound in the room. I believe a lot of the difference you hear on these videos is the way each mic is picking up the sound based on the distance from the guitar and the differences between the way each of you play. I like that you each play but you should eliminate all other variables down to the pick being used.
You're not wrong! We've been trying to perfect that ever since these first video's. I'd like to invite you to watch our new ones to see if they're any better :)
If you don’t care about the logo on the headstock and want to save $$$ Eastman clearly wins. They win over a lot of Chinese made guitars hands down. I think if you were blindfolded most people (including musicians) wouldn’t be able to tell the difference.
Thanks for the video. I played different eastman guitars (I owned a E20D) and not many Gibsons (I'm Martin ....or I used to be ?). I think that the eastman is better manufactured and that it also sounds "better" (balanced, and so one) but .... I prefer the J45 for its temper. Purely subjective. A bit like if the E10SS was too polite.
The reason I own a Les Paul.....Every other is a copy and compared to it....SAME with the J45....And what happens in 20 years if you need a neck reset...GOOD LUCK WITH THAT Eastman..
the neck/head joint cracked on my Gibson Les Paul the other day...just opened the case and found the crack..the famous Gibson smiley face crack...or infamous I should say. Bummed. Love this guitar and always babied it...kept it in the case and no scratches or cracks anywhere...except now around the neck/head. I love the J45 but the things I read about Gibson have made me less of a fan of their products. American made isn't always American quality anymore...just look at GM or Chrysler.
Both beautiful guitars have to play each one it’s down to the feel of playing not the sound do better in this review and the Eastman is more hand made than the Gibson
Gibson definitely has the edge on the marketing front and has convinced many that their overpriced products represent value. I find most Ameriscam products to be profit driven rather than quality focused. The J45 is a prime example of an American carpetbagger special. Every J45 I've played sounds a little muddy, the finish marks up easy and really doesn't sound or feel 2 - 3 times better than the solid wood competition from China (I'm a Yamaha L and A series guy). I feel that the Eastman is the better sound, has superior woods and at half the price is overall, the better value.
@@stucarr2912gibsons are great acoustics but they’re definitely not worth the price. I honestly would put the value of this gibson j45 at $1500. It sounds like a $1500 guitar, anything more than that is absurd. Like buying a $300 hamburger just for the name. People buy Gibsons but they’re getting ripped off cos there’s no value in it and when they try to sell them good luck, they pay $3k originally and expect $2700 or $2600 even, they usually don’t sell them until it drops to $2200 or $2100 and at that they still stay on the listing a while longer. That’s an $800 to $900 drop. Now take an overseas made epiphone that costs $750, it will usually sell at around $500, $400 depending on the condition. Now, who takes the biggest loss?
Sad to read the usual jingoistic comments about 'cheap Chinese' etc etc. After trying 3 xJ45 and sent them all back (rubbish workmanship) I settled on a E20SS. No contest. Sad - American guitars don't own the market. True, I too would like 'Gibson' on the headstock but based upon the evidence of my eyes, my ears and my fingers (and my wallet), that didn't deserve to happen.
Exactly Stephen! It's like we all forgot what happenend to Fender in the 80's when they started letting the Japanese build their guitars. Americans aren't always the best... ;)
Never played an eastman site seen before. I ordered one from a texas guitar store,and it is fantastic. They guitar is beautiful,but the hand applied varnish looks mared somewhat,but who cares,the playability,and sonic qualities are more than outstanding. The dsrk gibson style sunburst is truly captivating.
The new Eastman E20SS sounds even more resonant.... I like it more than both of those! I find the modern j45's to be to be really lacking and resonance.... I'm not impressed with them... I like the really old vintage ones...the newer Eastman version comes pretty close
Strum them hard! That will separate the stayers from the players. J45's just keep on giving the harder you play. Most copies start to choke up. Will the Eastman stand up to that challenge?
@@thefellowshipofacoustics So you'd say it's definately good bang for the buck then, if you can't budget for the j45? I heard the new Epi inspired by Gibson '45 next to a j45 and it was way off. Sounded ok on its own, but when hearing the j45 straight after, it was game ove.
@@brin57 Yeaa the Epiphone's are tricky... Electrics are pretty good but the cheaper acoustics don't live up. The Eastman is definitely a good contender if you don't want to spend 'Gibson Money'!
If you swapped the badges I'm not sure many people would opt for the real Gibson. On the evidence of this demo the Eastman is the business. With the difference in price you could buy an Epiphone IBG Hummingbird 12 or a nice amplifier. I'm happy with my IBG J-45, it's good enough for me.
Don’t forget the Gibson has Solid South American Mahogany b/s The Eastman and many other more affordable guitars have African Mahogany a different species and has a different sound . Something that is never mentioned in these videos.
African Mahogany has a different sound than real Honduran Mahogany. It can be nice & sweet, but it remains different. So, I'm afraid that if you want to get the J-45 sound, you'll need a J-45. However, for the money? I dunno. I have a Guild with African Mahogany back & sides. It has an interesting rather unique & pretty sound. But it sounds absolutely nothing like a D-18, for instance.
Play both at the same time and see which one stands out. I have the 2020 j-45. I played it and the martin d-18. I have two rosewood martins and wanted a mahogany body dreadnaught. Side by side the j-45 sounded better to my ears and most definitely played better. I didn't have the Eastman to compare with but I think in the long run the j-45 will hold it's value better than the Eastman. I had a blue ridge br-140 that sounded and played just as good as the j-45 but I couldn't sell it for what it was worth because it was a blue ridge. You also have to look at that also.
And the Adirondack top eventually opens up and then it sounds magical. Mine took about 1.5 years and I changed to non-coated Daddario bluegrass strings and Tusq presentation pins. Mine was an older prototype with large block MOP inlays and I supplied my own firestripe pickguard
I'd much rather have a Tusq nut, so the guitar would stay in tune. As for the saddle, either is fine. But the Tusq nut is much less likely to fail to release a string pinched in a nut slot after being plucked. Every time a string gets caught, that string goes out of tune.
If there were 5000 people in an audience and the head stocks were both hidden, not one of them would know the difference in sound between the two. None. Both look nice and sound nice. Guitar companies like Gibson will roll the guitar player for money. The audience?? ...They could care less what you play, or what you pay. They care how you play and how you deliver the song.
Could tell immediately which was the J45 .Not saying the Eastman is a bad guitar .Just differant . Sounded closer to a Taylor to me . I have a Eastman mandolin which is beautifully crafted at fraction of price of American made mandolins but will never sound like one . Does its own thing very good just like there guitars . I also play a J45, ES335 and LesPaul
Well those brands do offer entry level models at affordable prices, where Gibson doesn’t really have that. Their cheapest model is still over $1600 USD. While MSRP is listed higher, I bought my Taylor 114e for $500 new. Also Gibson has had massive quality control issues for a while now, which doesn’t go well with premium prices. I dream of owning a J-45 and have now played 6 different ones. And only 2 of those were worth buying. the other 4 just didn’t play as good and sounded dead. Someday I’ll pay to own a Gibson j-45 (and hopefully an sj-200) but there is no way I’d buy one without playing it first.
The J45 has that thing I can only describe as honk, more open sounding.The Eastman has a beautiful tone, but it’s missing the “vibe”. Could be the Adi top on the Eastman.
I Have the eastman and its way more superior to the j45 when you hear Martin and Gibson guitars you have to understand that sound was mass marketed almost every pop or folk singer was given free guitars to imbed those guitar sounds into popular culture and everyone is looking for that sound the sound of there youth . They know that those who are now well in there later years have a few quid so they price the guitars to those who have it and not so much to the youth its all mass marketing. Eastman is killing it in quality so give them a look before spending over 3k on a acoustic guitar
Eastman is really setting the bar high for impressive price/quality ratio. And yes, they could even compete with models above their price range! Always worth to check them out :)
The J45 has more punch, the Eastman seems to have a little more clarity, maybe even complexity. I think, as a Gibson fan, I would still go for the Eastman in this case. Would do the Banner J45 sound a little bit better than the Gibson. But if I needed a guitar with more punch (I already have an SJ200) I would go for the Gibson
It's not a cheap copy, it's a good copy. I own Eastmans...But of course, when the moment is right I prefer to replace them by american brands. Certainly now...china rules too much of the world
I don't think it's a cheap copy, and I don't see how the nationality of the people working on something would alter the tone or quality. Gibson is nothing more than a trademark: it's marketing. It has switched owners, factories, states, workers, contruction techniques and ethics. The only consistent thing about it is the headstock. Not to bash Gibson (I own several, some of their guitars are excellent), but the assumption that guitars made in Asia suck is outdated and unfounded. The assumption that American made equals good quality is also outdated and unfounded. And I like how you refer to Gibson as if it's a good employer...it's not. Again, Gibson was great. Still makes some great guitars, but don't act like it's a superior guitar when it really isn't. Construction quality and wood quality on these are equal. The Eastman is just built like a banner (making it brighter and lighter) and the Gibson is more modern.
Seriously Kowalski? Yeah, I remember about 40 years ago when Chinese meant "cheap", but you obviously haven't had a chance to compare the quality of workmanship or note the pride and commitment of highly skilled Chinese luthiers; or European when it comes to that. I ordered a Custom Shop Gibson in 2015 and recieved a guitar with glue globs, rough braces, nut groves that caused the strings to bind and many other imperfections. At the price, this just shouldn't happen!! Never a problem with Martin, and my experience checking out/playing Eastman guitars is closer to the Martin experience. It's about pride in the work you do and producing quality and fair value - not country of origin. Maybe the J-45 became an icon when quality standards were high - up to 1955, but from there until more recently the quality was very poor. More recently, well, quality comes and goes. When you're considering that kind of expendature, there are better musical instruments from European and Chinese shops for a lot less. American shops are quickly pricing themselves out of the market among real working musicians. New icons are on the rise.
agreed ! the import copies just do Not have the critical preferential & sought after tone playability workmanship and original styling of American domestic acoustics ! I've owned over sixty high end domestic steel strings (US/CDN/(EU)) and the off shore stuff does not stack up as in the same category , most critically the tone ; the domestic high end builds excel in Every Important aspect !! I'm Not saying the better off shore builds are particularly bad in anyway ; but it is also just Not the same level of build and tone ; you get what you pay for ; if you wanna pay for cheap labour and costly shipping and copied original designs , you get a cheaper built copied instrument that is always worth less ¡
cripes ! 😣 YYY even bother to try and compare an off shore made import steel string guitar to a domestic American made acoustic guitar 😕 Hands down America made steel strings are the best instruments on the planet ; anything else is just a wannabe copy that can only seek to approach key critical elements of a great acoustic guitar ¡
Your comment completely misses corresponding comments and conversation (the whole point of the video). As evidences in the comments, there is plenty good reasons to compare because many people (even Gibson fans) say they like the Eastman just as much, if not better than the Gibson. Note, Eastman buys same wood supplies as Collings in US and handcraft their instruments by certified Luthiers in China. They've done everything right in my book.
Yes, well... I suppose if we overlook the spotty quality of Gibson guitars since 1955, the overbuilt and ahh, rather transient nature of Guild through multiple owners, we are left with Martin, Santa Cruz, Collings and Bourgeois plus a host of individual luthiers - all make wonderful, but rather expensive instruments that are beyond what most working musicians can afford. There is something great about Eastman providing a high-quality, luthier-built instrument from the same tonewoods as its American competitors. A couple of European builders accomplish the same thing for a more affordable price - one of many "critical elements" they do just as well, and sometimes a bit better. I saw recently that after a long search, Dana Bourgeois selected Eastman to build guitars under his name, so they must be doing something right.
@@davidscotbrown3241 I just read about their collaboration. I could never afford a Dana Bourgeois guitar, but if their collaboration produces some cheaper alternatives I'm all in on that.
Without doubt hands down the Eastman does it for me. Clearer and brighter with better separation thanks to the Adirondack top, and almost certainly better build quality plus loads cheaper. It’s a no brainier!
The Eastman is is projecting and resonating far better.
Silly..
I have just bought a j45, I considered an Eastman for a while but I never got the chance to try one. I have zero regrets, the gibson is the best acoustic I've ever owned or played
Great battle! They are both great but they have different tones. The Gibson sounds like a Gibson should, dry, balanced and a bit muted. The Eastman has those bell like tones and lots of volume and clarity. I like the Eastman for the money: Also, please let one player play both guitars. That will take these reviews to the next level.
Really liked the Eastman, it had less of the low mid frequency which made the Gibson sound a little muddy (sorry! Love J45's). Still plenty of low end on the Eastman but it was much clearer in my opinion.
Thanks for sharing Stephen! I think that's quite correct, the Eastman sounds a bit more bright.
Love the J45. It is the first guitar for me that right out, was easy to play and the sound...just so balanced. The best guitar I've ever touched. However the price makes it out of touch for me.
So I'm gonna splurge on the Eastman. To bad it doesn't have a pickup but Im never going to play live anyway. Just with friends family and.on my own. It's a beautiful guitar and has a beautiful sound in its own right. Plus it's a 1/3 the price for absolute quality.
I am currently shopping for a mahogany back guitar so naturally these two have my attention. I have to say the J45 is just so special. Pure warmth and so much clarity and balance. Precisely what some prefer in the Eastman is what makes me lean toward the J45. Those bell-like overtones sound great for some songs, fill the room, and tend to impress right away. But if you play and sing you have to acknowledge that all that stuff sometimes competes with your voice, or overwhelms when you go hard at certain chords. The J45 has a sweetness I haven't seen (or heard) matched yet.
Great point Geona! We often sell the J45 here in the store as the perfect singers guitar, exactly for that reason ;)
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The J45 is the perfect storm where all elements come together to achieve the perfect guitar. It has everything it needs. no more. no less. it’s the ONE! It’s the “desert island” guitar. it’s the guitar that can do anything and everything and do it well.
It can be loud-quiet, jangly-articulate. Fingerstyle, vocal accompaniment, heavy strumming, alt tunings, slide guitar….ALL THAT! The Sound that you, me, we all have in our head……..of the acoustic guitar…… that’s the J45.
I own both of these guitars and so should you, both are awesome!
That's a great tip, we totally agree! 😉
Wasnt looking at the video first minute .Heard the first guitar and really liked it . Turned out it was J45 . Listened to second guitar which was the Eastman and thought it sounded thin . I may be biased because I own a J45 , but love that tone . I havent played the Eastman but im sure the build quality is better than the Gibson . I have a lot of stability issues with the Gibson but nothing comes close to its tone so I'll deal with it . Bought used for 2000 . I also have an Eastman 615 mandolin which is top notch for the money. The fret work is perfect and finish flawless
To my ears, I can't hear any difference in sound or tone. They both sound fantastic! So if you're going to shop these two guitars you have to pick the Eastman because of the very affordable price as compared to the Gibson which will cost you big bucks! The Eastman wins this one.
Sunburst finish sounded the best.
Both sound balanced to me. The Gibson is more muted and less punchy. Also comments I agree, switch players and lay into them.
First off, great review and playing guys! I own an e10ss and I love it. I've played into J45s and I agree the J45 is mellower. I think it's a matter of personal taste on preference as well as the genre of music one plays; however, I don't think that the LR Baggs pickup should be listed as a Gibson advantage when you can now order that as an option through eastman, and a lot of Eastman dealers offer it as an add on luthier option at point of sale. You may spend $400 on it after installation, but you are still spending less than half the cost of a j45 out the door.
That's a fair point Michael, thanks for commenting and sharing!
Through my monitors the Eastman sounded much more articulate. The J45 sounded boomy by comparison. I'd buy the Eastman even if it were more expensive than the Gibson.
I like the people who comment on tone over shitty laptop speakers. "the X is more mellow, bitter sweet tones of cinnamon rolls in the morning, but the Y is also like when you shit yourself in bed, but in a good way".....
I got the Eastman yesterday it blew my mind fantastic guitar best alternative if you do not want to spent Gibson money
The Eastman wins imo. I like the more detailed sound for finger style etc. The standard Gibson is outclassed by workmanship and materials. You would have to go custom shop to be comparable and the price difference would be even more extreme. The under saddle pickup would be ripped out if I purchased the Gibson. I'd prefer the Eastman e10ss-v with the thin varnish finish. Even if the Gibson standard was reduced to the same price as the Eastman.
The Eastman wins for me. The Gibson had a more bassy overtone which is great for a lot of things but the Eastman has a crispiness that sounded better overall plus you can’t beat an ebony fretboard and that back looked stunning.
Let one player play the two guitars.
Good point, strumming styles could differentiate tone as much as actual woods, bracing, etc.
I love my 21 year old J45. I also love my Eastman E10 OM. Yeah, I do like the power, and Adi sound of the Eastman slope. But if I had to let go of all my guitars except one, it would be the J45. Other guitars; fun to visit, but J45 is like coming home.
Definitely a more C&W cowboy twang to the Gibson... but for a more modern approach to sitting around a camp fire ... the Eastwood takes the plaudits.
My Eastman e1ss at sub-$600 plays and sounds as good as any sub-$3k guitar I’ve played. It’s wild.
cmon!!!!!
Go guitar shopping - you can’t get mid-level Martins, Gibsons, or Taylor’s for less than $3k new any longer.
So, no, I’m not putting a $600 guitar up against the big boys. But the big boys aren’t in the conversation because they’re over $3k.
It ain’t 2016 anymore…
Also - highly doubtful that you’ve played an e1ss beside a $2500 Taylor, high-end Epiphones, entry-level Martins. I have. The e1ss edged them out.
What does that jerk who has become an internet meme say? “Facts don’t care about your feelings” 😂
bull shhhiiiitttt u dont know me.....Let me tell you something Ive owned easily 100 guitars from 200 dollars to 10k...... I like eastyman very much having played several here in nyc at rudys the necks were thin and horrible.....now its a very good guitar...but any yamha and recording king killed them:)))@@Johnjingleheimerschmidtt
I don’t think a fair judgement can be made. You guys should have a single mic that you sit around that will pic up the way the guitars sound in the room. I believe a lot of the difference you hear on these videos is the way each mic is picking up the sound based on the distance from the guitar and the differences between the way each of you play. I like that you each play but you should eliminate all other variables down to the pick being used.
You're not wrong! We've been trying to perfect that ever since these first video's. I'd like to invite you to watch our new ones to see if they're any better :)
I might not be impartial beceause I truly love Eastmans - the Eastman has more clarity and projection. Gibson is more ‘oval’ in sound.
Forget the name on the headstock, going after tone, punch, quality of build and just simple value for money... Eastman wins!
Eastman for me . Better clarity and sustain
If you don’t care about the logo on the headstock and want to save $$$ Eastman clearly wins. They win over a lot of Chinese made guitars hands down. I think if you were blindfolded most people (including musicians) wouldn’t be able to tell the difference.
That's a fair point Frankie. Most people do care about the headstock however, understandably so ;) There's more to a brand than just a logo!
Eastman has much more clarity. I had a J45 and it was muddy. Sold it for Blueridge.
Thanks for the video. I played different eastman guitars (I owned a E20D) and not many Gibsons (I'm Martin ....or I used to be ?). I think that the eastman is better manufactured and that it also sounds "better" (balanced, and so one) but .... I prefer the J45 for its temper. Purely subjective. A bit like if the E10SS was too polite.
The reason I own a Les Paul.....Every other is a copy and compared to it....SAME with the J45....And what happens in 20 years if you need a neck reset...GOOD LUCK WITH THAT Eastman..
the neck/head joint cracked on my Gibson Les Paul the other day...just opened the case and found the crack..the famous Gibson smiley face crack...or infamous I should say. Bummed. Love this guitar and always babied it...kept it in the case and no scratches or cracks anywhere...except now around the neck/head.
I love the J45 but the things I read about Gibson have made me less of a fan of their products. American made isn't always American quality anymore...just look at GM or Chrysler.
Just glad Gibson didn’t put those bloody robot tuners on! Lol.
Both beautiful guitars have to play each one it’s down to the feel of playing not the sound do better in this review and the Eastman is more hand made than the Gibson
Gibson definitely has the edge on the marketing front and has convinced many that their overpriced products represent value. I find most Ameriscam products to be profit driven rather than quality focused. The J45 is a prime example of an American carpetbagger special. Every J45 I've played sounds a little muddy, the finish marks up easy and really doesn't sound or feel 2 - 3 times better than the solid wood competition from China (I'm a Yamaha L and A series guy). I feel that the Eastman is the better sound, has superior woods and at half the price is overall, the better value.
My j45 is superb, I admit it is overpriced but it will retain its value and I am drawn to pick it up every day so it was worth it to me.
@@stucarr2912gibsons are great acoustics but they’re definitely not worth the price. I honestly would put the value of this gibson j45 at $1500. It sounds like a $1500 guitar, anything more than that is absurd. Like buying a $300 hamburger just for the name. People buy Gibsons but they’re getting ripped off cos there’s no value in it and when they try to sell them good luck, they pay $3k originally and expect $2700 or $2600 even, they usually don’t sell them until it drops to $2200 or $2100 and at that they still stay on the listing a while longer. That’s an $800 to $900 drop. Now take an overseas made epiphone that costs $750, it will usually sell at around $500, $400 depending on the condition. Now, who takes the biggest loss?
Sad to read the usual jingoistic comments about 'cheap Chinese' etc etc. After trying 3 xJ45 and sent them all back (rubbish workmanship) I settled on a E20SS. No contest. Sad - American guitars don't own the market. True, I too would like 'Gibson' on the headstock but based upon the evidence of my eyes, my ears and my fingers (and my wallet), that didn't deserve to happen.
Exactly Stephen! It's like we all forgot what happenend to Fender in the 80's when they started letting the Japanese build their guitars. Americans aren't always the best... ;)
I can't honestly hear any difference ....I have a E1 D and it's lovely
The Gibson has the magic, the history and I can use it on stage. A dream guitar. Of course I will choose the Gibson and I would love till the day...
Never played an eastman site seen before. I ordered one from a texas guitar store,and it is fantastic. They guitar is beautiful,but the hand applied varnish looks mared somewhat,but who cares,the playability,and sonic qualities are more than outstanding. The dsrk gibson style sunburst is truly captivating.
Great to hear! Eastman really delivers impressive quality and we're huge fans! 😃
The new Eastman E20SS sounds even more resonant.... I like it more than both of those! I find the modern j45's to be to be really lacking and resonance.... I'm not impressed with them... I like the really old vintage ones...the newer Eastman version comes pretty close
Eastman is making great guitars these days, but of course, nothing surpasses the vintage ones... 😉
Strum them hard! That will separate the stayers from the players. J45's just keep on giving the harder you play. Most copies start to choke up. Will the Eastman stand up to that challenge?
It does stand up quite a bit, but it doesn't have that Gibson compression those workhorses are known for.
@@thefellowshipofacoustics Yeah. It's hard to define it to some else, but if you've played them, you know what it is.
@@thefellowshipofacoustics So you'd say it's definately good bang for the buck then, if you can't budget for the j45? I heard the new Epi inspired by Gibson '45 next to a j45 and it was way off. Sounded ok on its own, but when hearing the j45 straight after, it was game ove.
@@brin57 Yeaa the Epiphone's are tricky... Electrics are pretty good but the cheaper acoustics don't live up. The Eastman is definitely a good contender if you don't want to spend 'Gibson Money'!
The adirondack top on the Eastman would have more headroom than the Sitka top on the J45. I think in this case the Gibson would choke out first.
The Gibson is Bob Dylan, the Eastman is Tommy Emmanuel.
Country must be J45, Jazzy prefer E10ss
That Eastman takes this one. The boom of a D-18 yet retaining that resonant balanced chime that is reminiscent of that epic folk rock acoustic vibe.
The G J45 is balanced not overbearing designed for the songwriter. The Eastman amplifies sound its loud.
j45 vintage vs santa cruz southern jumbo and a 00028 vs collings om2h plz :)
Martin 00028? ;)
The Fellowship of Acoustics exactly the reimagined one
I'll take the E10 SS and the cash left over< I'll buy the E20SS
If you swapped the badges I'm not sure many people would opt for the real Gibson. On the evidence of this demo the Eastman is the business. With the difference in price you could buy an Epiphone IBG Hummingbird 12 or a nice amplifier. I'm happy with my IBG J-45, it's good enough for me.
Don’t forget the Gibson has Solid South American Mahogany b/s
The Eastman and many other more affordable guitars have African Mahogany a different species and has a different sound .
Something that is never mentioned in these videos.
Yeah and the Eastman has an adi top and ebony fingerboard, bridge. You have to go custom shop to get that at Gibson and pay minimum 4k.
African Mahogany has a different sound than real Honduran Mahogany. It can be nice & sweet, but it remains different. So, I'm afraid that if you want to get the J-45 sound, you'll need a J-45. However, for the money?
I dunno. I have a Guild with African Mahogany back & sides. It has an interesting rather unique & pretty sound.
But it sounds absolutely nothing like a D-18, for instance.
i like the one with six strings
You're a simple man Bill, something I can admire ;)
@@thefellowshipofacoustics I call it like I see it bro. :)
0:57 and 1:29 if you want to compare strummed chords
Play both at the same time and see which one stands out. I have the 2020 j-45. I played it and the martin d-18. I have two rosewood martins and wanted a mahogany body dreadnaught. Side by side the j-45 sounded better to my ears and most definitely played better. I didn't have the Eastman to compare with but I think in the long run the j-45 will hold it's value better than the Eastman. I had a blue ridge br-140 that sounded and played just as good as the j-45 but I couldn't sell it for what it was worth because it was a blue ridge. You also have to look at that also.
The Eastman sounds good, but the Gibson has more depth (as usual)
♪Take it ea〜〜sy ♫
Eastman 🏆Adirondack spruce,bone nut saddle 👍
And the Adirondack top eventually opens up and then it sounds magical. Mine took about 1.5 years and I changed to non-coated Daddario bluegrass strings and Tusq presentation pins. Mine was an older prototype with large block MOP inlays and I supplied my own firestripe pickguard
I'd much rather have a Tusq nut, so the guitar would stay in tune. As for the saddle, either is fine. But the Tusq nut is much less likely to fail to release a string pinched in a nut slot after being plucked. Every time a string gets caught, that string goes out of tune.
If there were 5000 people in an audience and the head stocks were both hidden, not one of them would know the difference in sound between the two. None. Both look nice and sound nice. Guitar companies like Gibson will roll the guitar player for money. The audience?? ...They could care less what you play, or what you pay. They care how you play and how you deliver the song.
Could tell immediately which was the J45 .Not saying the Eastman is a bad guitar .Just differant . Sounded closer to a Taylor to me . I have a Eastman mandolin which is beautifully crafted at fraction of price of American made mandolins but will never sound like one . Does its own thing very good just like there guitars . I also play a J45, ES335 and LesPaul
Not sure why everyone talks about how overpriced Gibson's are...have you looked at Martin, Taylor, etc?
Well those brands do offer entry level models at affordable prices, where Gibson doesn’t really have that. Their cheapest model is still over $1600 USD. While MSRP is listed higher, I bought my Taylor 114e for $500 new.
Also Gibson has had massive quality control issues for a while now, which doesn’t go well with premium prices. I dream of owning a J-45 and have now played 6 different ones. And only 2 of those were worth buying. the other 4 just didn’t play as good and sounded dead. Someday I’ll pay to own a Gibson j-45 (and hopefully an sj-200) but there is no way I’d buy one without playing it first.
The mid is going down on the east mannn oops ( pun intended but it’s not harsh to my ears)
I wish i could afford a 30’s J45.
Gibson j45 it's has a sustain a little depth than eastman e10ss .
But if I had eastman e10ss,I would be very satisfied.
Is it just me or how come the voices are so loud and clear and I am struggling to hear the guitars?
Noisegate
The Gibson sounds muddy and thuddy, I'd prefer the balanced rich tone of the Eastman.
The J45 has that thing I can only describe as honk, more open sounding.The Eastman has a beautiful tone, but it’s missing the “vibe”.
Could be the Adi top on the Eastman.
Not a fair comparison. Different players, and mics look differently placed as well. All that aside the Eastman sounds better
I Have the eastman and its way more superior to the j45 when you hear Martin and Gibson guitars you have to understand that sound was mass marketed almost every pop or folk singer was given free guitars to imbed those guitar sounds into popular culture and everyone is looking for that sound the sound of there youth . They know that those who are now well in there later years have a few quid so they price the guitars to those who have it and not so much to the youth its all mass marketing. Eastman is killing it in quality so give them a look before spending over 3k on a acoustic guitar
Eastman is really setting the bar high for impressive price/quality ratio. And yes, they could even compete with models above their price range! Always worth to check them out :)
I think the guy with the Gibson is biased and can’t get past the name Gibson on his guitar. He doesn’t want to believe the Eastman could sound as good
I'd happily agree with you if I didn't know Coen better ;) There are fair points to be made for the Gibson!
The J45 has more punch, the Eastman seems to have a little more clarity, maybe even complexity.
I think, as a Gibson fan, I would still go for the Eastman in this case. Would do the Banner J45 sound a little bit better than the Gibson.
But if I needed a guitar with more punch (I already have an SJ200) I would go for the Gibson
Good one Laurens! Thanks for sharing :)
Sounds like the same guitar to me
Then Eastman sure is doing something right!
Gibson wins. I wish they didn’t.
Eastman poor man's gibson.
Gibson's 'poor man's guitar' became a legend... 😉
pffffft
Chinese, cheap copy vs. american icon. 🇺🇸
It's not a cheap copy, it's a good copy. I own Eastmans...But of course, when the moment is right I prefer to replace them by american brands. Certainly now...china rules too much of the world
I don't think it's a cheap copy, and I don't see how the nationality of the people working on something would alter the tone or quality.
Gibson is nothing more than a trademark: it's marketing. It has switched owners, factories, states, workers, contruction techniques and ethics. The only consistent thing about it is the headstock.
Not to bash Gibson (I own several, some of their guitars are excellent), but the assumption that guitars made in Asia suck is outdated and unfounded. The assumption that American made equals good quality is also outdated and unfounded. And I like how you refer to Gibson as if it's a good employer...it's not.
Again, Gibson was great. Still makes some great guitars, but don't act like it's a superior guitar when it really isn't. Construction quality and wood quality on these are equal. The Eastman is just built like a banner (making it brighter and lighter) and the Gibson is more modern.
Seriously Kowalski? Yeah, I remember about 40 years ago when Chinese meant "cheap", but you obviously haven't had a chance to compare the quality of workmanship or note the pride and commitment of highly skilled Chinese luthiers; or European when it comes to that. I ordered a Custom Shop Gibson in 2015 and recieved a guitar with glue globs, rough braces, nut groves that caused the strings to bind and many other imperfections. At the price, this just shouldn't happen!! Never a problem with Martin, and my experience checking out/playing Eastman guitars is closer to the Martin experience. It's about pride in the work you do and producing quality and fair value - not country of origin. Maybe the J-45 became an icon when quality standards were high - up to 1955, but from there until more recently the quality was very poor. More recently, well, quality comes and goes. When you're considering that kind of expendature, there are better musical instruments from European and Chinese shops for a lot less. American shops are quickly pricing themselves out of the market among real working musicians. New icons are on the rise.
agreed ! the import copies just do Not have the critical preferential & sought after tone playability workmanship and original styling of American domestic acoustics !
I've owned over sixty high end domestic steel strings (US/CDN/(EU)) and the off shore stuff does not stack up as in the same category , most critically the tone ; the domestic high end builds excel in Every Important aspect !!
I'm Not saying the better off shore builds are particularly bad in anyway ; but it is also just Not the same level of build and tone ; you get what you pay for ; if you wanna pay for cheap labour and costly shipping and copied original designs , you get a cheaper built copied instrument that is always worth less ¡
as TFOA are based in Holland and cater mainly for Europeans whether American workers have a job or not is of little concern.
cripes ! 😣 YYY even bother to try and compare an off shore made import steel string guitar to a domestic American made acoustic guitar 😕
Hands down America made steel strings are the best instruments on the planet ; anything else is just a wannabe copy that can only seek to approach key critical elements of a great acoustic guitar ¡
Your comment completely misses corresponding comments and conversation (the whole point of the video). As evidences in the comments, there is plenty good reasons to compare because many people (even Gibson fans) say they like the Eastman just as much, if not better than the Gibson. Note, Eastman buys same wood supplies as Collings in US and handcraft their instruments by certified Luthiers in China. They've done everything right in my book.
Yes, well... I suppose if we overlook the spotty quality of Gibson guitars since 1955, the overbuilt and ahh, rather transient nature of Guild through multiple owners, we are left with Martin, Santa Cruz, Collings and Bourgeois plus a host of individual luthiers - all make wonderful, but rather expensive instruments that are beyond what most working musicians can afford. There is something great about Eastman providing a high-quality, luthier-built instrument from the same tonewoods as its American competitors. A couple of European builders accomplish the same thing for a more affordable price - one of many "critical elements" they do just as well, and sometimes a bit better. I saw recently that after a long search, Dana Bourgeois selected Eastman to build guitars under his name, so they must be doing something right.
@@davidscotbrown3241 I just read about their collaboration. I could never afford a Dana Bourgeois guitar, but if their collaboration produces some cheaper alternatives I'm all in on that.