Anyone own or played an Eastman DM1 ?

larryl · February 2019

I have owned Eastman arch top guitars in the past and felt they were great guitars. I know this is subjective,,,I have read various negative comments about asking this question, but non the less I am interested in knowing what was your impression...BTW there are no shops nearby where I can try one out in person and yes I know thats the best thing to do, but still...opinions please for my own amusement. (At 72, I have been playing guitar for 55 years). Thanks in advancd for any input.

Buco · February 2019

@Rob MacKillop has one, he said it's good:

stuology · February 2019

I tried one in a shop. It looks good, plays well, and has the Django/Selmer sound we are all looking for. Build quality is good too. It didn't blow me away, lacks the character and craftsmanship of a high end luthier-made guitar but it's good value for the price. I don't think you will be disappointed if you buy it.

Scoredog · February 2019

I tried one at NAMM and though I was competing with a trombone player next door (there was no competing, the trombone is a lot louder and he did not know I existed) it felt good, sounded fine, I think a good purchase at the price offered. You might want to look at the new Altamria **** models too.

larryl · February 2019

Scoredog,,,thanks for the heads up on Altamria...I looked at their website and looks very interesting to me...they didnt say anything about a US dealer where I could try one out...but I am in no hurry to purchase one...the chase is half the fun...as I am sure you know

Thanks again to all who have posted

larryl · February 2019

oops just noticed they are available thru djangobooks...duhhh...

MichaelHorowitz · February 2019

@larryl Yes, we have all the Altamiras here in stock.

http://www.djangobooks.com/Category/Altamira

If you compare them with the Eastmans, what you'll notice is that the Eastmans are louder (which is a miracle considering the Altamiras are already absolute cannons.) The Altamiras, especially the solid wood models, have more mids and a rounder tone. The Eastmans have that ultra perfect fit and finish that we've come to expect from them whereas the Altamiras have a somewhat rougher build quality, although nothing I would characterize as defective in any way.