It is finally here!!!

[Singularity]

Absolutely beautiful! What is that finish like in real life? I haven't seen one.

The finish is stunning in IRL. This was one of the things I was unsure, and slightly concerned, about to be honest. All the pictures that I saw on the internet showed the transition from the lighter shade in the middle to the darker shade around the edges to appear quite harsh, which to me looked cheap and something I did not like. In addition, the colour appears quite bright orangy-yellow. But in reality this is not the case. The transition from light to dark is very well blended and gradual, and the colour is absolutely gorgeous. So I was very pleased when I took it out of the box and saw it in the flesh.
 

The AC series is fantastic, IMO. I have an AC622CE and after a long playing life on Martins, Collings, and Gibson I was stunned to find that there was a guitar with such a remarkable and distinctive voice new on the scene. I think Eastman clobbered Taylor in that respect, and for my purposes the Eastman is superior to the "big three" because it offers qualities of a dreadnought, jumbo, and even small-bodied guitar combined in a remarkable balance and without compromise. As others have said, that's a heck of a first new guitar -- and it will serve you beautifully and without compromise. I just love the voice of the AC series. It's modern and present and beautiful without being unusual or quirky at all. Congratulations on your guitar. Treat it well.

Thanks mate, appreciate it! Means a lot coming from a seasoned player and I certainly am very pleased to have picked this one

[Meathead]

What a great guitar!  Congratulations... years of enjoyment ahead with an acoustic of that quality.  I love the AC series as well.  Enjoy!

[Pura Vida]

Congrats, Singularity.  What a first guitar!  Enjoy every note.  My only advice would be to take it to a luthier to have it setup.  A quality guitar + a proper setup is a recipe for years or success with your instrument.

[Guzzi Fan]

Very nice "starter" guitar!     I am sure that it will be easier to learn on a high quality guitar like this one, as compared to a lot of budget options.

Enjoy!

Rod

[Singularity]

What a great guitar!  Congratulations... years of enjoyment ahead with an acoustic of that quality.  I love the AC series as well.  Enjoy!

Thanks mate, appreciate it.

Congrats, Singularity.  What a first guitar!  Enjoy every note.  My only advice would be to take it to a luthier to have it setup.  A quality guitar + a proper setup is a recipe for years or success with your instrument.

Thanks mate! Yeah couldn’t be happier. Luckily it came all set up from the store along with new strings. My cheeky 3-year-old decided that it was funny to play with the tuning knobs and twisted them willy nilly. And now I’m sure it’s out of tune but being new, I can’t tell.

I have watched a couple of videos yesterday and for now have got the Fender Tune app to tune it. Apparently it’s pretty good so let’s see. May end up buying the actual guitar tuner. Any recommendation would be great. I’ve also come to know that the strings need changing often so that’s gonna be another challenge in a few months

[TomC]

To start with you can get a tuner app downloaded to your phone. They are free. Try Fender Tune

[Pura Vida]

Changing strings isn't difficult, so you'll be fine. There are videos online, and repetition will make it easier each time.

For starting out, I'd recommend a tuner, a decent string winder, a soft cloth (or two) to wipe down your guitar and strings (your strings will last longer, if you wipe them down after each playing session), string cutters, and a capo.

[roycarver2706]

Great looking guitar. Enjoy the journey of learning. These days, there is a trove of resources on the web to learn and be entertained in the process!