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Last night I bought a used PCH3-GACE-CLA in near mint condition for $400. The laminate flame maple back and sides are gorgeous to look at. It sounds like a solid wood guitar and feels and plays just like my DT30-GACE. The tone is not nearly as complex or rich as the double top but the PCH3 sounds better than any laminate guitar I have played before and has plenty of sustain. I have owned a bunch of laminates; several Breedloves, an S. Yairi and too many Yamahas to count. For anyone on a budget or professionals playing out, it is a great all-around guitar.
"The perfect guitar for every player is the next one."
"Many can make guitars scream but few can coax one to sing."
"Music is emotion."
In order of how much I like 'em;
1. Martin J40 (1995 standard braced)
2. Gibson J-45 Standard slope shoulder
3. Eastman DT30GACE
4. Eastman E10D-TC
5. Eastman E40OM-SB
6. Breedlove Performance Custom Focus Maple Concert
7. Eastman PCH3-GACE-CLA
8. Plus nine more guitars, a uke and a box of harmonicas.
*Truth is that, with the exception of the J40, which can't be beat, my favorite is typically the one I am playing.
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Location: Asheville, NC
Posts: 1,612
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Location: Cincinnati, OH
Pictures?
Best, Steve
6 string acoustics: 2018 Eastman E10D (Red Spruce/Mahogany); 2021 Eastman E6D-TC (Alpine Spruce/Mahogany); 2021 AC522CE - GB (European Spruce/Mahogany)
Electric guitar: 1964 Guild Starfire V semi-hollow electric
Acoustic Bass: Epiphone El Capitan 5 String Acoustic/Electric Fretless (Year ?)
Website: http://www.stephenleigh.com
YouTube: sleighwriter
Posts: 54
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Joined: Mar 2022
I guess I'd better take some photos. Except for one night during the past three weeks, I have played the PCH3 exclusively. I am absolutely blown away by the tone coming out of this laminate guitar. You can see by my list that I own legitimate solid wood guitars and the PCH3 keeps up with them.
I replaced the plastic bridge pins with bone, added an armrest and replaced the 15:1 tuners with 21:1 Gotoh tuners, which are smooth as butter. Other than that, no modifications. The guitar originally had dead strings on it so the purchase was a leap of faith based on YouTube videos I'd watched. When I brought it home I only had a pack of 80/20 Eliixirs, so I installed those. They sounded better than dead but were too bright. It turns out this is a bright sounding guitar. When I changed the tuners, I installed D'Addario XS coated phosphor bronze which helped tamed the tone. (In case anyone missed the announcement, Taylor guitars are shipping with D'Addario XS instead of Elixirs now. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-dPpPuc4RE ) They're a couple dollars cheaper and sound and feel just as good to me.
Anyway, back to the PCH3, the neck feels almost the same as my double top with the difference being slightly higher strings on the PCH3. Both guitars weigh about the same. As with all Eastman I have owned, the intonation is great clear up to the 20th fret. The PCH3 has scalloped bracing. The finish is as nice as any Eastman I have owned. I plugged it in and the Fishman pickup system sounds very nice. You can play delicately or bang away on it and the tone holds up. I would highly recommend this for a stage guitar. Interesting headstock. At first glance it looks like the logo is wood inlay but now I'm thinking that Eastman might be glueing a photo film negative over bare wood to get that effect. I'm not positive so don't quote me on that.
"The perfect guitar for every player is the next one."
"Many can make guitars scream but few can coax one to sing."
"Music is emotion."
In order of how much I like 'em;
1. Martin J40 (1995 standard braced)
2. Gibson J-45 Standard slope shoulder
3. Eastman DT30GACE
4. Eastman E10D-TC
5. Eastman E40OM-SB
6. Breedlove Performance Custom Focus Maple Concert
7. Eastman PCH3-GACE-CLA
8. Plus nine more guitars, a uke and a box of harmonicas.
*Truth is that, with the exception of the J40, which can't be beat, my favorite is typically the one I am playing.
Posts: 107
Threads: 10
Joined: Feb 2020
Congrats and enjoy, GB!
TC, bone & PCH
(Now that the PCH's have gone to bone nut and saddle and TC tops, i'm wondering how much tonal difference there is between E8 OM and the PCH2-OM. (Pretty good deal on one, regionally close, but too far to try it in person...)
Any direct experience with this new iteration of PCH2 ? How does Eastman do with laminate rosewood? close to solid rw? etc..
"Laminate" can mean a lot of different things in terms of materials and processes, yes?)
all best,
eastman ar403ce
eastman ac222ce-ov
taylor 322 12 fret
recording king, series 11-000
recording king ro-328
godin exit 22
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Location: Cincinnati, OH
I always thought that Seagulls had a decent-sounding laminate using cherry wood.
Best, Steve
6 string acoustics: 2018 Eastman E10D (Red Spruce/Mahogany); 2021 Eastman E6D-TC (Alpine Spruce/Mahogany); 2021 AC522CE - GB (European Spruce/Mahogany)
Electric guitar: 1964 Guild Starfire V semi-hollow electric
Acoustic Bass: Epiphone El Capitan 5 String Acoustic/Electric Fretless (Year ?)
Website: http://www.stephenleigh.com
YouTube: sleighwriter
Posts: 54
Threads: 6
Joined: Mar 2022
(07-11-2023, 04:07 PM)sleigh Wrote: Pictures?
Enclosed are photos.
Attached Files
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Downloads: 56
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Downloads: 70
"The perfect guitar for every player is the next one."
"Many can make guitars scream but few can coax one to sing."
"Music is emotion."
In order of how much I like 'em;
1. Martin J40 (1995 standard braced)
2. Gibson J-45 Standard slope shoulder
3. Eastman DT30GACE
4. Eastman E10D-TC
5. Eastman E40OM-SB
6. Breedlove Performance Custom Focus Maple Concert
7. Eastman PCH3-GACE-CLA
8. Plus nine more guitars, a uke and a box of harmonicas.
*Truth is that, with the exception of the J40, which can't be beat, my favorite is typically the one I am playing.
Posts: 1,998
Threads: 186
Joined: Apr 2018
Yep - stunning!
Alan
''Bad company done got me here …'' - Rev Gary Davis
Posts: 1,612
Threads: 42
Joined: Mar 2019
Location: Cincinnati, OH
What a stunning back on that!
Best, Steve
6 string acoustics: 2018 Eastman E10D (Red Spruce/Mahogany); 2021 Eastman E6D-TC (Alpine Spruce/Mahogany); 2021 AC522CE - GB (European Spruce/Mahogany)
Electric guitar: 1964 Guild Starfire V semi-hollow electric
Acoustic Bass: Epiphone El Capitan 5 String Acoustic/Electric Fretless (Year ?)
Website: http://www.stephenleigh.com
YouTube: sleighwriter
Posts: 54
Threads: 6
Joined: Mar 2022
(07-22-2023, 09:17 PM)noah Wrote: Congrats and enjoy, GB!
TC, bone & PCH
(Now that the PCH's have gone to bone nut and saddle and TC tops, i'm wondering how much tonal difference there is between E8 OM and the PCH2-OM. (Pretty good deal on one, regionally close, but too far to try it in person...)
Any direct experience with this new iteration of PCH2 ? How does Eastman do with laminate rosewood? close to solid rw? etc..
"Laminate" can mean a lot of different things in terms of materials and processes, yes?)
all best,
Judging by the Eastman PCH guitars I've tried compared to Yamaha, Takamine, Korean Breedlove and an S. Yairi I've owned, laminate can definitely mean different things with different guitar manufacturers.
I briefly owned an E8OM but sold it because it sounded so close to my E40OM. I would love a chance to compare to a PCH2-OM. My last trip to the music store they had none so to answer your question, no direct experience.
Your mention of TC tops brings up a good point. I've owned three TC guitars E8OM-TC, E10D-TC and E20D-TC and those thermo-cured tops are very impressive. My PCH3-GACE predates TC tops and possibly true-tone finishes as well so I wouldn't take my review as gospel when it comes to newer PCH guitars.
"The perfect guitar for every player is the next one."
"Many can make guitars scream but few can coax one to sing."
"Music is emotion."
In order of how much I like 'em;
1. Martin J40 (1995 standard braced)
2. Gibson J-45 Standard slope shoulder
3. Eastman DT30GACE
4. Eastman E10D-TC
5. Eastman E40OM-SB
6. Breedlove Performance Custom Focus Maple Concert
7. Eastman PCH3-GACE-CLA
8. Plus nine more guitars, a uke and a box of harmonicas.
*Truth is that, with the exception of the J40, which can't be beat, my favorite is typically the one I am playing.
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