NGD E6D-TC Alpine Spruce

[Mojo Shinn]

Hi,
Brand new EGF member here... 
When I saw this thread and the curiosity about the difference between the Adirondack and Alpine Spruce tops, I felt like I had a story to offer.  I have been shopping for a nice OM for fingerstyle for a while now... and recently stumbled on Eastman. I played a standard (non-torrified) E10 OM that I was ready to buy on the spot... but I went home to sleep on it and it was gone the next day. I find it impossible to buy a guitar (especially an acoustic guitar) without playing it in person... internet shopping is great, but not for guitars... : )

So I ended up going to a shop that had two OMs in stock: An E10OM-tc and an E6OM-tc with the alpine spruce.  I really came in to buy the E10, but the shop owner said I owed it to myself to try the E6 too... Well, it was really close, and there was much to love about both... but I ended up liking the E6 just a bit more... I find it difficult to describe these things, but I will try:

The Adirondack top over mahogany back and sides has a lot of punch and clarity to the notes... as a finger picker, this is what drew me to the Adirondack in the first place... The immediacy and detail in the strings was exceptional.. as was the brightness... but there was also this glassy shimmer that's hard to describe... kind of a really high harmonic on the upper strings... between the shimmer on the top end and the directness of the bass notes, it was a formidable fingerstyle guitar!  Then I tried the Alpine Spruce E6, expecting it to sound like a Sitka top (warmer, rounder, softer attack compared to the Adirondack)... Instead, I found that it was actually pretty close in tone and attack to the Adirondack... Maybe a tiny bit warmer all around... The high end was nice and bright... it didn't have a hard, glassy high end, but definitely a beautiful singing high end that, to me, seemed a little more musical... But it was the bass that sold me. I have played rosewood guitars for most of my life, and only recently changed over to mahogany ... mostly because I find it suits my playing style best and sounds better on my fingernails. But I do miss the bloom of the low end you get with a rosewood guitar. The Adirondack topped OM had plenty of bass, but it was kind of direct and focused ... The Alpine top delivered big round bass notes that, although not quite what you'd find with a rosewood guitar, took several steps in that direction.. with a nice bloom and harmonic to the bass end... I could have come home with either guitar and been thrilled.... but I suppose I found the alpine top more musical, or maybe more balanced... 

Please take these impressions for what they're worth... one person's fleeting perceptions ... and trying to describe how a guitar sounds is as futile as it is impossible. The only way is to play them, and see if they speak to us

[sleigh]

Welcome to EGF, Mojo Shinn! I love your description of the difference you heard between the Adi and the Alpine tops. You're right, it's darn near impossible in words to describe a guitar's sound, but that's well done and I appreciate getting your perspective, especially since I'm another of the members (which seems to be a growing community) that's acquired an Alpine-topped guitar (in my case an E6D-TC). 

Hope you enjoy your stay here, and continue to update us on your guitar journey!

[Pura Vida]

Spot-on comparison, Mojo Shinn!  I've had my E6D-TC (Alpine) for two weeks and completely agree with your assessment.  Hope you stick around and enjoy the forum.

[Tennessee_Jed]

Was in the market for a new guitar and I had determined I wanted an Eastman.  Went and played a few in my price range, and really loved the E6D-TC with Sitka top I played at a local store. So glad I found this thread before I pulled the trigger!  After reading this I decided to search around for a Swiss Alpine top and found a very lightly used one that also had really cool (in my opinion) bear claw markings on the top.  Chatted with the seller for a while and decided to pull the trigger, it arrives next week and I can't wait. 

https://reverb.com/item/54242410-eastman-e6d-tc


From what I have read here the Sitka tops are also great, but I am glad I stumbled on this thread in time to learn about the limited Swiss Alpine run.

Will post when it comes in with some pictures and a review.

[Pura Vida]

Welcome, Jed.  Looking forward to your hands-on thoughts.  Please post a new NGD thread, once it arrives.

PS - I thought this was Tom C, resurrecting his old thread, since I think he just bought another one to replace this one.

[TomC]

Congratulations! I made the mistake of selling mine and the new owner wouldn’t sell it back to me. So I found another and picked it up yesterday.

Hopefully you will like yours as much as I like mine.

[REHII]

I see that the guitar had the Florett card. But that top looks way different than any of the other alpine tops I have seen.
I’m not sure Eastman even knows which serial numbers got alpine.
The way I knew mine was alpine is there was a sticker in the box. I didn’t get a card in my case but was sent one when I asked Eastman for it.
That’s a really great deal on a super nice guitar!

[Pura Vida]

REHII, since the Reverb listing sold, the link shows a Sitka E6D-TC in its place.  The very top-left shows a thumbnail of the original guitar, which appears lighter in color, like the other Alpine TCs.  Hope this helps!