Where is the Eastman History?

[Drak]

Like, back catalogs, websites, etc.
That have some sort of detailed overview of the company's product line history since the 90's.
Models, lines, years of production, Anything that is informative.
So I can begin to piece together the umbrella view history.
Surely something like that must exist?
Even in pieces from different sources?

I'm finding an amazing Near Zero.
And I'm a guitar researcher by nature, I love researching guitar lines and histories.
I've researched dozens of old guitar companies before.
Including German (and other European) archtops.
Maybe it's all on Chinese websites?
Count me Very Curious as to the extreme lack of information out there.

What ya got, get me started somewhere please!
Not Making Sense why there's next to nothing out there.

[AlanSam]

First step - contact Eastman?

[Pura Vida]

I'm the same way, but unfortunately, there's not a ton of historical information out there.  The company founder studied in the States, and in 1992, started the company with making stringed instruments (violins, cellos, etc.).  I read that his parents helped with the startup, and it became a big seller of stringed instruments, especially to the education market.  In that time, they acquired a supply of quality woods (ebony, mahogany, maple), which was used for their instruments.  Eventually, they expanded into other instruments, and aside from Yamaha, Eastman has one of the most diverse orchestral instrument catalogs.  The company began in MD, but about 10-12 years ago, they moved to Pomona, CA.

In the 2000s, they took a natural move into jazz guitars, which employed many of the same building techniques and voicing as their classical instruments.  The archtops were well received and offered up at a fraction of the cost for top names.  Their next step was into acoustic flattops, probably about a dozen years ago.  Similarly, well received, but not without some learning, issues.  Most of the early complaints are around brittle finishes and inconsistent specs.  I recently learned that they stopped acoustic guitar production for a while (maybe two years), while they worked through the issues.  Quality control seems very consistent over the last few years, so they seem to have worked through those early issues.

They continued to make the archtops and some thinline guitars, but a couple of years ago, they jumped into the solid body (LP style) guitars, and these have been hugely successful.  It seems much of their recent efforts have been in expanding this market. In 2017, an Eastman rep told me that they made ~4000 acoustic guitars per year, and I don't think that number has increased much, as they continue to be high demand / low supply (and efforts to make more electric guitars continues).

There are only a few videos out there, but their claim is that guitars continue to be hand crafted.  The same rep told me they didn't own any robotic machinery, and until a few years ago, didn't own a CNC machine.  Their first CNC machine was apparently used to carve out the headstock logos.  They probably use saws for initial cuts, but the rest of the work looks like its all hand-done.  There was one person who did all of the voicing in their master luthier shop, which makes their "40" models, AC630-BD, AC922, and maybe a couple of other models.  It's unclear if they individually voice the other acoustic tops, but while individual guitars can vary, they've developed a consistent Eastman "sound" with clarity, balance, and some high end sparkle.

Most recently, they announced a strategic partnership with Bourgeois guitars.  In a streamed video, Mark H. (Eastman's national sales manager) explained that it's very early stages, but that the partnership would likely create new instruments in the $3000-6000 market, which is between Eastman's ($300-3000) and Bourgeois' ($6000+) existing markets.  There was plenty of unfounded speculation and panic on other boards about this collaboration, but the two companies seem well aligned in how they approach making guitars, so I think it will be a good and interesting alliance.

As for how to find out info....?  I read the Eastman guitar owners Facebook group, email Eastman from time to time, and search through the internet for answers.  In 2017, I attended an Experience Eastman event, and I pelted the sales rep with questions for about two hours straight (see above for examples).  If you see one of those in your area, be sure to check it out.

Hope this helps!

[Pluteus]

Hi All,

I haven't formally introduced myself to the group yet, but I've been lurking for awhile. I'll save a full intro for another post, but I'm writing here to say that I've scrounged around the web in the past and found copies of Eastman catalogs from 2008, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019, as well as an undated spec sheet for a few of their models. I'm happy to provide those to the group, although the file sizes are large for a few of them (>10MB each) and I'm not sure how to upload them to the site.  I can email them directly to an administrator if they want to set up a separate section on the site that can include files like this. 

Also, want to mention that Eastman contracted a line of guitars called Potomac during the time when they were in Maryland. From my recollection there was a laminate back and sides set and a solid back and sides set.  
Model numbers were something likes this:
PVD-18, dreadnought, mahogany, laminate
PVO-18, OM, mahogany, laminate
PVD-28, dreadnought, rosewood, laminate
PVO-28, OM, mahogany, laminate
PVD-18-DLX, dreadnought, mahogany, solid
PVO-18-DLX, OM, mahogany, solid
PVD-28-DLX, dreadnought, rosewood, solid
PVO-28-DLX, OM, rosewood, solid

There's a PVO-28 for sale locally near me ($249 on consignment) that I've played and its a decent sounding guitar.  Their newer PCH series offerings are probably better, however, and for not much more.

[AlanSam]

Pluteus  - nice work! I think you've just nominated yourself as site historian ha ha?

[sleigh]

Wow, Pluteus -- having the old catalogues available for perusal would indeed be helpful to answer questions. Great work!

[Pura Vida]

Welcome, Pluteus.  Please reach out to Meathead (aka Tim), who created this wonderful site.  He's pretty savvy, so hopefully, he can come up with a way to host these documents.

Adding to my posts above, there was a former Eastman employee, who would answer questions on a couple of the other forums (long before this one existed).  There some good info there.  And I chatted with a former employee from the MD days on Facebook, who owns one of the very first Eastman acoustic guitars, which was gifted to him by Qian Ni for his work with the company.  More recently, Mark H. has been doing a great job on that FB group to answer questions, as well as with his road shows.

[Pluteus]

Thanks for the suggestion Pura Vida.  I've sent Tim an email and hopefully we'll be able to make these available soon.  I actually found a few more when searching earlier today.  Will be able to provide 2008, 2012, 2013 (UK), 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019.  I also found a copy of the Mandolin Bros. 2011 catalog, which has a couple of pages devoted to Eastman guitars and mandolins.

[AlanSam]

Would be a great resource - and something which might be expected to grow with further contributions.

[Meathead]

Hi All,

I haven't formally introduced myself to the group yet, but I've been lurking for awhile. I'll save a full intro for another post, but I'm writing here to say that I've scrounged around the web in the past and found copies of Eastman catalogs from 2008, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019, as well as an undated spec sheet for a few of their models. I'm happy to provide those to the group, although the file sizes are large for a few of them (>10MB each) and I'm not sure how to upload them to the site.  I can email them directly to an administrator if they want to set up a separate section on the site that can include files like this. 

Also, want to mention that Eastman contracted a line of guitars called Potomac during the time when they were in Maryland. From my recollection there was a laminate back and sides set and a solid back and sides set.  
Model numbers were something likes this:
PVD-18, dreadnought, mahogany, laminate
PVO-18, OM, mahogany, laminate
PVD-28, dreadnought, rosewood, laminate
PVO-28, OM, mahogany, laminate
PVD-18-DLX, dreadnought, mahogany, solid
PVO-18-DLX, OM, mahogany, solid
PVD-28-DLX, dreadnought, rosewood, solid
PVO-28-DLX, OM, rosewood, solid

There's a PVO-28 for sale locally near me ($249 on consignment) that I've played and its a decent sounding guitar.  Their newer PCH series offerings are probably better, however, and for not much more.

Thanks Pluteus!  That's amazing that you've found copies of prior catalogs.  Let me think about the optimal way to share those... and I'll get back to you!