Eastman AC222CE-OV Acoustic Guitar [REVIEW] - Better & Cheaper Than a Taylor?

Hey guys,
Today I am reviewing the Eastman AC222CE-OV, an all solid wood electro-acoustic guitar that is really worth looking out compared to the Taylor entry levels 114ce and 214ce, and for less money!
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GUITARS
Acoustic Guitars: Cole Clark Fat Lady 1AC & Takamine EG355SC
Electric Guitar: Epiphone Les Paul Standard Top Plus Pro:amzn.to/2TOLsqB
CAM A
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Samyang 35mm f1.4 cine: amzn.to/2zH4gjH
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CAM B
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Viltrox Speedbooster: amzn.to/3cTmQmO
Canon 50mm f1.8: amzn.to/3aK0p1S
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AUDIO
Senheiser MKE 600: amzn.to/2WarDtv
Zoom H4n Pro: amzn.to/35bzRFP
Focusrite Scarlett 2i2: amzn.to/35fc6wv

[@RichardsGuitarshop]

Thank you from the UK for highlighting this Eastman guitar. As a passionate Eastman dealer I am always trying to get people to know about the brand - so thank you! So many people are still buying on brand image and marketing which is just the reality of life - but its a joy to see peoples faces when they pick up and Eastman and immediately realise they have a better guitar in their hands and yet saving potentially hundreds of pounds at the same time!!

[@wowyarkan]

Honestly thanks for sharing your expert knowledge with the UK, I was one of those looking for a sub 1k guitar and was going to get a taylor 214ce until I found your store, looking forward to my visit in October.

[@rob1261a]

So current US Prices (New). - Eastman AC222CE - $789, Taylor 114ce - $899, 214ce - $999. But there are many 114 and 214 used for sale (Facebook Marketplace, Reverb) And maybe this is more comparable to the Taylor 314ce (all solid wood, US Made) - $2499, but available used for under $1500. I would probably choose the AC222CE over the Taylor 114ce or 214ce. Not that impressed with them. But if you’re looking for overall value and resale, I just saw a 2019 Mint 314ce for $1200. That’s hard to beat and should maintain its value well.

[@jonwilkin281]

Thank you nico I bought the Eastman model you reviewed.i played many different brands at different price ranges and the Eastman just picked me.i couldn't leave it there.fantastic guitar but I'm yet to plug it into an amp. Keep up the good work!

[@njcranes]

Just got the AC422ce. Looks and feel of a Taylor 414 with Martin OM21 sound. I use to item both. You cannot go wrong with Eastman!

[@jean-micheldupont1150]

Nice review! That's exactly how I ended up buying an AC222, I was looking at reviews of the entry level Taylors and saw a comment about Eastman. After looking at others options as well, I decided to order an AC222CE-OV with the "classic" finish. I was really impressed when I received it, flaweless fit and finish, perfect fretwork, great tone and awesome playability. The ovangkol looks great with some kind of 3d depth. My only concern was that I felt pain after playing for a while due to the lower bout digging into my arm ( it would have been the same with any non-beveled GA ). As I was really impressed with the quality and feel of this guitar I decided to get a new AC522CE with a built-in bevel and this one is just mindblowing in every aspects!

[@NicoSoro]

Thanks for sharing your experience! :) really curious to know how these higher end Eastmans sound and feel like 🤔

[@javigar133]

I have the OM 1, with Classic finish. Really good and versatile, played great out if the box and looks like It costes me twice what I paid. I had cheap Taylor and a Faith, tried others but Eastman cannot be beaten. Btw, the PCH that is laminate b/s for hañf the money is really really good. Strongly recommended

[@kerryettinger8177]

I'm blown away how nice and clear this guitar sounds. Lots of sustain. Fits comfortably on my lap. Easy to play. Really enjoy playing my AC222ce. Lighter foam case. Easy to carry. Great guitar! Better than a Taylor 3 times the price, Could be.LOL

[@mikeconway727]

I just bought one of these used at a guitar show yesterday, and it blew me away! I brought it home and compared it to my Taylor 414, and it sounds and plays almost as good as my Taylor. Sure it doesn't look as flashy as my Taylor, but for the money, its an amazing guitar!

[@rob1261a]

@@mikeconway727 Hi, could you please describe how the body size of the AC222 (grand auditorium) compares to the 414 (grand auditorium). Thanks

[@mikeconway727]

@@rob1261a the body size is almost identical. I’d say that the Eastman has a slightly wider bout but other than that they’re pretty similar. The neck on the Eastman is significantly thicker than the neck on the Taylor

[@borojammin6509]

I live in the USA and just received an AC22CE-OV that took about 17 weeks to arrive from China. Very pleased with the instrument, but be aware the guitar may have some gray areas in the Ovangkol. Eastman tells me this is natural variation in the wood. Doesn't affect the sound or durability, and still looks great.

[@NicoSoro]

Hey Chris! That’s a long time to wait indeed! I hope you’re enjoying the guitar now and thanks for the heads up for the wood variations :)

[@TempoDrift1480]

17 weeks? Damn that like a whole year.

[@cosmicgregg]

I own a AC322 absolutely fantastic guitar, It gets played the most. I have a breedlove which is nice, but I'm always drawn back to my eastman

[@brianrenenielsen923]

😊thanks for a great review. I got the E6D (great but more bulky) and serious consider to part the E6D in favor of this smaller tone-pleaser.. cheers from Denmark 😊

[@CornyChalky]

Nice, I would also consider maybe under this price, bang for the buck: Faith Guitars, and Walden Guitars, Cort, these all make amazing All Solid Wood guitars for around 500$.

[@NicoSoro]

Yes I have tried the Faith Saturn recently, amazing guitar for the price!

[@changestrangers]

A beautiful guitar. I'm in the market for an all-solid wood acoustic and will definitely give Eastman a look.

[@anthonyb2334]

I just sold my Taylor 114CE. I own two Eastman guitars and two Martin's. The Eastman are very well made and sound very good as well. An excellent choice for the money.

[@NicoSoro]

Thanks for the feedback, it's good to hear it from a previous Taylor owner! :)

[@rob1261a]

Very interesting. I’m thinking about selling my Taylor 114e. Purchased used and the action needs some adjustments. But I’m not thrilled with it. I was pretty much sticking to Taylor and Martin, mostly because of resale value. But recently started opening up to others. So far, Guild OM-120, Eastman AC222, E30ME. Let’s not talk about Zager, please.

[@minja38]

I love your Kid Laroi's "Always do" or "Without You" tutorial videos. They sound very similar to the original songs, and that's the type of music I like to write. Should I get this guitar or would AC422 be better? AC222 you play sounds really good, but I wanted to ask you because I can spend a little more. I would really appreciate it if you could give me some advice! Thanks for the amazing tutorial videos btw!

[@udowombacher6584]

Thank you Nico for this great review. I own a AC222 and I love the sound. Just the fishman sonitone is not able to transport the sound of the guitar. I would chance to L.R.Baggs Lyric or Antherm to get the great natural sound over the amp.

[@tubadylan]

Very nice review. You have a new subscriber here! Thank you!

[@NicoSoro]

Thanks for the sub!

[@tubadylan]

I'd really like to see a review of one of the Eastman double-top guitars. They look spectacular!

[@NicoSoro]

Yes same! I'd love to get my hands on one of these

[@DavidCook-vq7iu]

I have this very same guitar, Beautiful to play acoustically. I do have an issue however when playing through the PA because the low E dominates the sound. I will need to take the saddle out and check what's going on.

[@philgood6696]

Hey it's fun to hear some "Telephone" arpeggios ;) La bombe humaine... By the way I'm here because I'm about to buy this model in left handed version...

[@NicoSoro]

Eheh, I actually learned guitar with their songs back 18 years ago, love this band! Hope you enjoy the guitar! It’s such a good quality instrument :)

[@philgood6696]

@@NicoSoro I tell you more soon 'bout the guitar... I visit "Le Gaucher" in Paris in the end of may (next week !) I will be able to test many different brands and models but in terms of quality and budget, this Eastman AC222 seems to fit perfectly :)

[@hkmz455]

Amazing tone. What kind microphone is that please ?

[@sinistar426]

The question comes down to who warranty's these guitar in the U.S.A. when they need work because cheaper doesn't necessarily mean "better" if you cant find a company who stands by their work without sending the instrument overseas to fix it?

[@ellisdimitri]

a beautiful guitar...how can we improve the sound of the sonitone for live shows in you opinion? maybe adding a preamp in the guitar?

[@p.davidhughes5780]

how thick is the neck compared to a taylor

[@PriyankaThakur]

Hi, I am looking at Taylor's grand concert guitar, is there any Eastman guitar in the same body shape size that you know of?

[@sabyx5]

Hi thank you , I will get this AC222! What is Large condenser -pls?

[@massimilianodallemura6925]

Very thank you!! From Italy!! 😊👍👍

[@asskicker917]

I guess you're paying for a 414ce es2 pickup system with it but I still even can't believe how expensive it is when you can purchase this guitar instead

[@NicoSoro]

Yeah it’s always been like this for big brands: you pay more just to get that logo on the headstock ;) but to be fair, a Taylor would probably sell better if you want to part with it down the road

[@asskicker917]

Yeah I don't think I'll ever part with my Eastman's! They can do martin Taylor and Gibson at an affordable price

[@knightlydude777]

Hi! Nice review. What spruce grade is the top? AA or AAA? Or lower?

[@stevenkirkpatrick7258]

I’m curious about what kind of tone wood is Ovankal ? As in is it similar to Mahogany or Rosewood? Never have heard anyone explain this tone wood .

[@khimaros]

It's really close rosewood but with a punchier mid range. I didn't realise just how close until I listened to Lucas Haneman blind test an Eastman AC222ce vs a Taylor 914ce (their top of the line Spruce/Rosewood guitar). I actually felt like the Eastman was the better sounding of the two because of that extra mid range punch. Ovangkol still has a beautiful rich, complex texture to it, just like rosewood.

[@LA-zc9rg]

Never been impressed with Taylor’s anyway.... Furch Larrivee and Eastman are all better options for production type (non boutique) guitars.

[@keithplaskonos3078]

Any opinions on how this would sound high-strung (Nashville )?

[@jankowalski6338]

I had this guitar but it had a gloss neck

[@allosaurusfragilis7782]

Thats a lovely sound. Plugged or not.

[@RolandN]

I bought one a couple of months ago and loving it but mine has less attractive unmatched grain on the back so anyone buying unseen you might want to ask for a photo.

[@NicoSoro]

Hi Roland, thanks for the heads-up! You're the second person who commented on the wood variations, so it's good to know :)

[@smcc2126]

Purchased three different eastman models and there was a flaw each time. Maybe I was extremely unlucky but left a sour taste when it comes to eastman guitars. Spent a bit more a purchased a furch which is probably the best guitar I have ever played. I also had a faith guitar which was far superior to any of the eastman guitars I had.

[@NicoSoro]

Sorry to hear that Stephen! Did you try getting a replacement from them? A also tried a Faith when I bought that Eastman, but it was not as nice but still a very decent instrument

[@smcc2126]

Sorry I meant I replaced the eastman 3 times. I found the faith blood moon neptune to have a better quality finish, more pleasant to look at and equal if not better in sound to the eastman. I do regret selling it but needed funds to buy the guitar of my dreams

[@fourocker]

That's incredibly unlucky, during my long search for a new guitar I tried 3 different model Eastman acoustics and they were all flawless, ended up buying an Eastman E6SS-TC which is fantastic, sounded and played better than a Gibson J45, I love slope shoulder dreadnought and that's what the E6SS-TC is, very versatile.

[@cooperm211]

These are all 1 3/4 inch nut width though, right? I'm really finding it awkward to switch to that and I feel like I'm forced into Taylor (even though I don't really want to be lol)

[@drothberg3]

There are other model Eastman’s that have 1 11/16 nut widths - the SS (their take on the Gibson J45) and the SS-00 (their take on the Gibson L-00).

[@giddyrightonup]

Thank you, this video could not have been better timed, I am looking for exactly this, and have no stores within reasonable distance to try any eastmans. Has anyone got any experience with these, and the other pricier Eastman models? How does the ac222ce stand up against an ac422ce or ac722ce?

[@NicoSoro]

Glad this could help :) I haven’t tried higher end Eastmans unfortunately so I won’t be able to tell you how they compare to the AC222CE. I hope someone will do a comparison, this brand has really impressed me so far!

[@giddyrightonup]

@@NicoSoro Thanks, based on this review I think I will be ordering mine in the morning 👍🏻

[@NicoSoro]

@@giddyrightonup That's awesome! Hope you will enjoy it :)

[@masterhorax]

The 3xx series and higher are amazing. All solid wood and feel like Taylor 7xx series. Worth the money everytime.

[@giddyrightonup]

@@masterhorax I ended up going for an ac322ce, and it really exceeded my expectations. Stunning wood, beautiful sounding, no flaws, rings forever

[@iZno85]

Hi Nico, have you tried the other Eastman guitars to compare with AC222?

[@NicoSoro]

Hey! In the GA style, I only tried the 122 as well when I bought that one, and preferred the sound and playability of the 222 (the action on the 122 was quite high, which is probably why I did not like it as much too...). I also tried one of the dreadnought (must have been the E10D) and it was sounding great but there was no preamp system, did not like the sunburst colour and a bit too pricey for my budget!

[@anonymecinefabrique69]

Hey Nice Eastman, what the string did you get on it? 12/53?

[@NicoSoro]

Hey Xavier :) Yes they are 12/53 (Elixir Nanoweb)

[@ebaybasuki]

I'm guessing this is a low end Eastman. Knowing how much cheaper things are in the US, I'm guessing this would cost around $300-400 there

[@NicoSoro]

Hey! Thanks for watching :) This one is actually around $700 in the US I think. So a bit cheaper than Taylor’s offering (214e/314e) for similar if not better quality.

[@ebaybasuki]

@@NicoSoro ah right, so i misunderstood what you said then. Good to know

[@ruudjonckman3097]

Try a good yamaha ls or ll

[@wjdavey3]

❤️🎵🎶👍🎵🎶🙏❤️😎

[@dkthakur3950]

Price

[@rob1261a]

In US, currently $789 new.

[@yinuoxie4115]

where can I buy it? what website? I

[@NicoSoro]

Hey! You probably will have to find a local music shop or online store from wherever you live :)

[@IndigoJo]

The piezo sounds cheap and nasty. Don't know why manufacturers bother fitting those things.

[@6StringsTheory]

It sounds just like a Martin.

[@BetterWokeThanAsleep2]

There is always a reason when something is too good to be true! Eastman guitars are made in Chinese factories under dreadful conditions for the workers, if you ever saw how they are treated you would never include an Eastman in your review again. Do your own research before buying an instrument because someone paid a price so you can get a bargain.

[@NicoSoro]

Hey Don, can you share the source on these statements? Haven’t seen anything on my end, Cheers,

[@riccardo5281]

@@NicoSoro He couldn't share it 'cause it's bullshit