Eastman E20D VS E20D-MR-TC VS Bourgeois Touchstone | Blind Comparison

[@CarolDailey]

I picked the Eastman MR-TC as my first choice (I liked the note clarity), followed by the Bourgeois, then the Eastman E20D. You guys play great!

[@robinowens9661]

Don’t let the nay sayers get to you Jeremy. Talk, talk, talk… all guitar, all the time. Love the reviews. You guys are my go-to guitar reviewers.

[@WoodworkerDan]

My favorite is the E20D, which kind of surprised me. I played the blind test several times, and each time I played it the E20D sounded better.

[@darrelljordan3470]

I love what you guys do!! You guys don’t hold nothing back, and are truly open about everything that you guys sell. You fellas are the best!!!🎉

[@AcousticShoppe]

Thanks so much!

[@robertsteinberger]

I would have really liked to also hear the regular E20D TC in that comparison.

[@jasperjoppegeers8448]

Well, i really enjoyed this comparison, but no thermo cured for me. I loooooove the standard E20D!

[@mrdogmoon]

I think I like the Eastman D-20 sounded great. Great review!

[@stevenshockley4237]

I get comments saying "stop talking and play" but that's the opposite of the point of these videos. Keep going and doing you!

[@gottaflylee5521]

Well done, that is about as close as it gets. You can't go wrong with any of them

[@AcousticShoppe]

Very true!

[@saintless]

I was surprised, because I ended up liking the Bourgeois best with the regular E20D a very close second. I heard the most difference in the MR-TC (which I didn't like). First time I've guessed wrong for one of your blind tests. Shame, I love the look of the Madagascar but the sound, at least with an Eastman build, just isn't for me (too bright). I really liked the Bourgeois as it was leaning more towards a mahogany sort of sound where it's warm and has clarity. I guess I like warm, woody, and punchy but not that "sparkle."

[@AcousticShoppe]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

[@saintless]

@@AcousticShoppe The funny thing is, three weeks removed and listening again (same headphones) I actually prefer the MR-TC as it has a fuller sound... this time the Bourgeois is the close second. Funny how our ears want a different flavor on a different day. I suppose this is why we end up with a closet full of guitars. lol Thanks again!

[@championincharge]

Just got the MR-TC and I’m obsessed with it. Easily the most magical instrument I have ever played 😍 Oddly enough I preferred A in the blind test, so recordings are what they are and like y’all said best herd/played in person

[@carole8312]

That Bourgeois is fantastic! Thanks for the shootout!!!

[@texhaines9957]

John just confirmed my choice of an Eastman OM MR TC followed by a Bourgeois aged Adirondack top and Mahogany back and sides 12-fret. I know, not in this comparison. It fits my voice nicely. Thanks John and Jeremy

[@AcousticShoppe]

Those are some great choices, Tex!

[@ManchurianCounterweight]

In the blind test I liked the Bourgeois best, then the 20DTC, then the MR, interesting. Love the show, you guys are entertaining as well as talented players, and lots of fun to watch.

[@AcousticShoppe]

Nice, thanks for watching!

I dig these comparisons. In my listening. 1-Bourgeois. A very pleasant thicker sound. 2-Eastman E20D-MR-TC. Great robust/high frequencies! 3-E20D. A good engaging listen!

[@mitzioden4926]

I like the Eastman E20D-MR-TC the best. It has a full open sound like old Martin's have. The Bourgoius next, and the Eastman 20D last.

[@jazzup13]

Love your reviews! 👍👍👍 Loved the blind challenge and was surprised I liked the Eastman Madagascan rosewood the most! 😮

[@ronnieedwards5550]

These guys are great, they're good musicians and they know what they're talking about. I've bought from them they're great when it comes to that also.

[@davidedie1518]

I picked C the MR-TC as well, but they all sounded very close to my untrained ear. The best advice given was to play the guitar yourself. I find that if you sit down, try a few out, the right one will let you know as you play.

[@AcousticShoppe]

Absolutely!

[@fourocker]

I went through this process recently and ended up with an Eastman E6SS-TC, couldn't put it down, has a huge amount of Mahogany midrange punch/snarl, I'm gradually getting used to how loud it is, really shows up any mistakes you make too lol 😂

[@thomasmorse4042]

Played Eastman 20D, 20D TC, 16SS and then a used 20D TC. Could not put down the used 20D TC. Can't exactly pin down the difference but that one guitar is now mine.

[@LordAahzz]

So close! The E20D was my preference, with theTouchstone in 3rd...but I'd be thrilled with any of them.

[@AcousticShoppe]

Very very true, they are all pretty stellar!

[@IamWadeHeineman]

I've never seen you guys until 2 days ago - youtube prompted you. Regarding "how much time spent playong", I've complained about that regarding other guitar reviews while I'm watching them alone. I think people want to see more playing on reviews, so you might retain more viewers if you insert a minute of a song into the video-setting up a cutaway, or just intersperse more playing. Having said that. you guys are entertaining and give good info. I've been watching guitar reviews for 2-3 years. I like to hear how they all sound.

[@stugordon7371]

thanks guys,love these shows,very informative-great playing too

[@AcousticShoppe]

Thanks so much!

[@arthurleblanc7272]

Your mic placement has improved noticeably in the past week or so! Nice pickin'!!

[@mesimeriaris]

The Bourgeois is the most precise and defined ( typical Bourgeois tone) , the Madagascar Eastman mory beefy in the midrange, the indian eastman more scooped . I like the E20D a little more.

[@davidarnold6376]

One thing that I don't get is the Adi tops vs the Sitka tops...I often subjectively prefer the non-torrified Sitka over the torrified adi hype. Eastman makes great products!

[@dlor99]

Please do same comparison with the 3 correlating OMs!

[@marcusandrew9172]

Great reviews as always. Give Gruene guitars a try. Their DG-30 is a cannon. All handmade In San Antonio Texas. For 2600 dollars they are on par with bourgeois Collings and Santa Cruz for a fraction of the cost.

[@AcousticShoppe]

Thanks for the recommendation, we'll look into them!

[@ramspencer5492]

I guessed them right! I liked both 2 & 3 quite a bit... 2 was the most balanced and just a little more articulate... 3 had a really nice big,, rich resonance... Making up for a bit more of a dip in the mids... With it's character. W was so smooth and resident throughout the frequency spectrum.

[@andreguitars]

love the discussion and details guys. keep itbup

[@crockerstephenson4931]

Love that Eastman

[@timtaylor7867]

i picked during the blind section, C then A and B last for some strange reason the highs sound muted on the Bourgois after listening a few more times the most balanced to me was A. E20D

[@victoresarey4036]

Amazing, I'd love to trade my e20d for that bourgeois 😍

[@TheLaserr]

I played out the other day and it was amazing. The voicing on the top gives it so much more sound projection and clarity it’s awesome. Def needs to be worked in though since it’s not thermo cured.

[@JPcares]

My ears told me right away that B was the Bourgeois. There was no question in my mind.

[@jmsamborski]

Well I have solid musical hearing. I knew the 3 guitars blind by disliking A all together, preferring B by a lot, and thinking C was a better version of A. That meant A and C had to be the two Eastmans, with the C being the cured. Ended up dead on correct.

[@FunsongsMusicByPeterRahill]

Not a true blind comparison: John's eyes are wide open, and only Jeremy's wearing glasses.

[@newffee]

E20D is the clearest and most balanced

[@vechap]

Eastman (Either)... Mostly because of the price! They all sound really good, just slightly different.

[@billdedrick1914]

The Eastman E20D-MR-TC was the winner here to my ear...The Bourgeois was 2nd and E20D was 3rd.

[@jotwee63]

+1

[@peterabbey1539]

I would need high quality headphones to consistently pick out the differences between the three. They all sound good.

[@BillBurnette]

To my old ears there isn’t a nickel’s worth of difference between the three. I used to be a die-hard “buy American” guy, but Eastman has changed that for me. I love my E10D!

[@cliffdykes1171]

Great playing and great discussion

[@ianshadrick1414]

Thank you, this is awesome! Would love to see the Touchtone and MR against your view of a comparable Breedlove.

[@ViktorAlvar]

E20D clear winner. Alot closer after listening through studio monitors, however I'm not sure about the tone of the madagascar eastman.

[@dividedwords]

My ears said, from least-preferred to most: 3. E20D; 2: Bourgeois; 1: E20D-MR-TC. That one has a sweet articulate-ness that really grabs me. But they're all wonderful.

[@AcousticShoppe]

Nice, thanks for sharing!

[@steveyarbrough2300]

You guys are incredible! Loved this.

[@24avenged24]

You guys really like to point out the "lifetime warranty" of Eastman but outside of maybe covering the cost to have a dealer do the work what value does a lifetime warranty from an overseas company really have?

[@TheJimmyCBrady]

In our experience, they will get covered warranty work done and paid for or replace the instrument if that is the preferred outcome. All handled from their US headquarters in Pomona, CA.

[@daw162]

It'd be a little more interesting to see this comparison against one of the full-rate bourgeois. Years ago, I had a bourgeois slope D and then someone suggested i get an eastman varnish finish mahogany guitar because they're "just as good" or 99% as good. They weren't close and I sold the eastman after not long. I found two 905 archtop eastmans after that for about $1300 each used (odd considering how good they are). One turned out to be damaged and a large corporate music chain failed to either notice or mention it. I still have the other one. The second is the best sounding archtop I've ever heard. The first was good, but the one I kept is a step above. No guarantee my memory of bourgeois is still like the same company, if you know what I mean. I don't know how it's run now and I bought that guitar 17 years ago. I could've just had a dud of a varnish eastman flat top acoustic, but at that time, you wouldn't find a dud bourgeois.

[@daw162]

my opinion as a builder and woodworker - I've hand worked both indian rosewood (which can be highly variable in color and feel, and a different animal if it has some age) and madagascar and a hundred other things. I wouldn't pay extra for madagascar rosewood unless I heard two guitars in person and the madagascar rosewood is stronger. I have my doubts about much tonal difference from the back wood, but that doesn't mean the rest of the guitar is built the same, either. Departures from indian rosewood often sound a little different, but sometimes too fundamental and not better. Good indian rosewood is *really good* wood.

[@AcousticShoppe]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, David! Also, if you're interested, we did compare a Lewiston built Bourgeois VS the Touchstone Series one: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aYKWf6d9m5yijdU

[@daw162]

@@AcousticShoppe Thanks, i'll go look. Been out of the loop on the boutique makers for a decade or so and wasn't sure what these were, but I get it now - sort of a cooperative effort. Not that I believe that a guitar has to be really expensive to sound good or even be an absolute cannon. If the variation in materials is going to be accounted for, it does take some discretion and actual human attention - at the top level of the hand carved eastman archtop guitars, especially the ones with the wood held back for naturals, the attention is seemingly the same to me as it is anywhere else.

[@AcousticShoppe]

@@daw162 We totally agree with that sentiment, David. Eastman is truly known for their archtops & hand-carving skilled workmanship. We're huge fans!

[@acousticaddiction7719]

I own the e20d and I got the blind test all wrong. I thought it went touchstone, Madagascar, e20d. Just goes to show that the e20d holds its own.

[@AcousticShoppe]

It seriously can!

[@JubileeValence]

"C". A & B sounded like dead ringers. C popped out another decibel or 2 lol. And rang like a bell! (Shhh!) Cheers! (Really dynamic with the added drone on all 3 = OOOMPHH!!!!)

[@vyvynylification]

Funny! E20 MR-TC > E20d > bourgeois. The complete opposite of what I wanted

[@bennyblanko3]

Nice playing, and they all sound good to me! I bought a E20 ss varnish off you guys, and that thing is a cannon now that it has opened up, and been hammered on by my brother and me. Just amazing! I also got an E10 om tc off you guys, and that thing is great too. Awesome tone and all around great guitar. The eastmans really sound good once they are played a bunch and dry out by the wood stove ... heh heh. Gota keep them away from that wood stove - don't want them cracking.

[@AcousticShoppe]

That's awesome, glad you're liking the Eastman's!

[@RSNflatpickn]

Well I have to say I missed it on all 3 but after getting home and listening on my system the Madi was the best over all for me that kinda isn't what I thought it would be I really thought the other 2 where really close and I understand they are going thru the mic thats how I heard it on this end

[@sidweazel2883]

E20D for me

[@WysteriaGuitar]

Yep, C for sure...

[@steveyarbrough2300]

Here’s a question: I love Eastmans and own several, including one that I bought from you guys. I’m always struck, though, by how heavy they feel compared to the other guitars I own. Does the Touchstone feel more like a Bourgeois when you pick it up, or does it feel more like an Eastman? I’ve always been struck by how light Dana’s guitars feel.

[@AcousticShoppe]

To us, the Touchstones feel a little heavier than an Eastman E20D, mainly because of the bolt-on neck. You can also feel a different weight distribution due to the bolt-on neck. Hope this helps!

[@TheJewellian]

wow, great channel and knowledge

[@turrafirmaguitarchannel]

Thankyou I have been waiting for a direct comparison with the Touchstone and Eastmans!! I picked guitarA as the e20d but got the other 2 the other way round. I thought the e20 Madagascar sounded the best, but they were all close. What are your thoughts on how new all these guitars are and how much better will they sound in 3 months, 6 months and a year? Also, is the Bourgeois the same dimensions exactly as the Eastmans? Is the Bourgeois more balanced due to shallower body, or narrower bouts? Last question, is the combined bridge/saddle height of the guitars roughly the same? I have seen Eastmans with very low bridges in past few years. Love your channel 💖

[@AcousticShoppe]

Here's some answers via John: 1. All guitars will just sound better & better over time! 2. The Touchstones are not exactly the same dimensions as Eastman's but they are similar. 3. The bridge/saddle height should be about the same. Thanks for watching!

[@cfmartin568]

I think the regular e20 and the mr in dread are really similar. But the OM mr is in a whole different category. It’s much better than the Indian. ???

[@cacklin1]

Would you do a shootout with the Squairer Fender acoustic guitars?

[@AcousticShoppe]

We're not Fender dealers so probably not, but we have included Fender in some of our beginner guitar comparisons, it's just not really feasible for us to try and get those models in.

[@jdstan9650]

First of all, I love all guitars and have owned a Martin, 3 Gibsons, 3 Taylors, and 2 Eastmans. You can make one guitar look like a copy of another guitar...this is what Eastman does, but they do NOT sound like the guitars they are copying...oh sorry, marketing term "inspired by". Martins sound like Martins. Gibsons sound like Gibsons. Taylors sound like Taylors. Eastmans sound like Eastmans.

[@MrFuckwit999]

I liked C best, then A then B. Not what I expected! Great playing as always. I just wonder if the MR will ever make it to the UK, or did you greedy folk snap them all up?

[@AcousticShoppe]

We're sure some of them will be over there!

[@janfrombelgium5410]

For me... The Bourgeois is not even close to the Eastmans. Especially the E20D... It just sound better, fuller, LOUDER and much more sparkly. However in the blind test, the other Eastman came out the best 🤔👀 Anyway in my opinion, there go's the Bourgeois. 👋 Greeting from far away Belgium! 🇧🇪✌️

[@reckonimokie123]

Question on guitars: what was the small guitar that Marty Robins played on stage? It was very small. Thx.

[@AcousticShoppe]

We believe it was a Martin 5-18, according to Gorge Gruhn!

[@johnhicks7057]

Well, I came back to listen to this video and as usual y’all did a good job. What are the strings that are on the guitars? 12’s or 13’s. Great demo PS have y’all done a comparison with the touchstone OM and Eastman Om?

[@AcousticShoppe]

It's hard to say but I believe these should all have light strings. We have not done a comparison with the OMs, but if we have the models you're looking for in stock, we can always send you tone demos directly, give us a call or email!

[@billdedrick1914]

The Bourgeois does not have a 1-22/32" nut width which is 1-11/16", it has a 1-23/32" nut width

[@AcousticShoppe]

Oops, we must have misspoke!

[@akfisher7138]

C was my fave. The second one was a bit mushy.

[@mikereynolds3294]

Headphones and 3 listens later my ears say. #1 is C #2 is A #3 is B

[@billdedrick1914]

Where is the link to your visit to Bourgeois in Lewiston, Maine

[@AcousticShoppe]

Here is the link: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bouwhYiJorZnaqs For future reference, if you click on the "i" icon in the top right of the video, that will show the videos we have mentioned in the review! It will also appear at the very end of the video, hope this helps!

[@victoresarey4036]

So do these bourgeois have the bolt on neck or?

[@AcousticShoppe]

The Touchstone series use bolt-on necks.

[@victoresarey4036]

@@AcousticShoppe I have an opportunity to trade my 1992 d28 and another guitar for one of the bourgeois rosewood touchtones, do you think this would be a wise trade?

[@stevecox4534]

Can you tell me what make/model of microphones you use on your vids? Thanks!

[@AcousticShoppe]

We use Ear Trumpet Labs mics & these would be the Edwina models!

[@Saladzingers]

I tried a couple of Eastmans recently, on the back of all the rave reviews they get. Honestly, was not that impressed 😕 The fit and finish are all great, but they both sounded a bit lacklustre, just not exciting or lively. I’m sure better ones exist but I wouldn’t buy without playing.

[@elsizzle2000]

I can same about expensive Martins. Only 1 out of 10 ive played sound WOW. Most sound basic. I've played a bunch of Eastmans sound meh and recently played one that wowed me which why I will be getting one or two (TCl) models. You have to play a few to get the tone you want. No two of the same brand/ model sound alike man!

[@7thfrettin163]

What about the woods on a 59 gibson j 50? What's the closest guitar to that sound?

[@AcousticShoppe]

In the Eastman world, an E6SS-TC might be the closest thing. It is a Slope Shoulder dread with Mahogany and Sitka. Hopefully that helps!

[@7thfrettin163]

@@AcousticShoppe helps alot thank you.

[@andronikostheophilos]

IF you decide you want to purchase an Eastman Dreadnought, and you live in Missouri, go to Banjo Ben's General Store in Exeter, MO vs these gentlemen in Springfield, MO. You will get a great setup at Banjo Ben's General Store, and they are Bluegrass oriented.

[@AcousticShoppe]

We love Banjo Ben and all the folks at The General Store, Jake was just here at The Acoustic Shoppe yesterday. Not sure that after winning an IBMA (International Bluegrass Music) award and multiple SPBGMA awards, touring internationally as a Bluegrass band for over 30 years, we would be less "Bluegrass oriented", but we believe you can't go wrong either way! We also go to great lengths to make sure every instrument we ship is inspected and set up to manufactures specs before it leaves our shop.

[@demolitionwilliams7419]

What song is he playing? I'm dying to learn it

[@AcousticShoppe]

That would be "Whiskey Before Breakfast", get to pickin'! 😄

[@barryspurlock3048]

The tunners on it work better than my grovers.

[@mickymillersson4376]

The E20D has a more bell like tone, I might say more musical. Maybe just my ear taking precedence over my ego.

[@maskedmurider]

John sounds like Charlie Day

[@eduardoramirez6877]

Is not the guitar is the player.👍

[@jed1166]

Ok… I’ll take one of these, and you get a $199 Fender dreadnought with laminated back and sides. If the guitar didn’t matter, nobody would build a good one, right?

[@coolhandluke2310]

They sound the same to me. 😂😂😂

[@berkeleybernie]

The Eastmans are very good for their price point.

[@bjgile3]

nope they all sound the same on the recording with studio speakers not worth the price difference sorry!!

[@maplebones]

If I had to choose between two comparable guitars, I'd choose the one with a bolt on neck, but I wouldn't buy any of these obese blimps.

[@robertsteinberger]

How about same amount of talking, even more playing?