Eastman E20OOSS/Varnish - How Does the 00 Sound?

We recently reviewed the Eastman E20SS/Varnish… an amazing powerhouse dreadnought. Today we have the 00 version with a smaller body, but equally incredible finish and tone. What do you think?
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[@peterdavenport5882]

Never played an Eastman, but this sounds really nice. I hope to visit you guys someday, I’m down in Sun Valley ID, I think a road trip is looming. 👍

[@jaredcaldera]

This guitar is gorgeous

[@steby123]

Talk about bang for the buck, their quality control is staggering at the price point !!!!

[@Derek-rv3ee]

I haven't played a lot of Eastman's but this is the only one I played that really wowed me, I didn't play the varnish one, but yes, amazing guitar.

[@davelachey8118]

I own various Martins, Taylors, Gibsons, Larrivees, an Eastman E20OM-SB and Eastman T64/V Hollowbody Electric. I enjoy playing all of them but the Eastmans continue to impress me. The specs and build quality at their price points are a great value.

[@John-wr6yo]

I thought the back and sides on this particular model is walnut

[@kamarienedwards1757]

@@John-wr6yoon the e22oo it is

[@JmSmith751]

Love my Eastman. It was stiff at first. So, I put a set of mediums on it for a year to open it up. It sounds amazing!

[@anthonyb2334]

Although I primarily play Martins, I am a big Eastman fan. The ones I’ve owned have been nicely crafted. Not like a Martin, but very nice. I had one of these but with full finish, not the aged varnish they do. Last year I played three guitars for 6 months to compare them. I had this Eastman with Rosewood back and sides, a Gibson L00 studio with Rosewood and a Martin 0015M custom. Boy were they fun to play, pick up and compare. The Eastman was played a lot and maybe having a little more aging, sounded very comparable to the Gibson. Very hard to tell the difference in sound although the Gibson felt better in my hands. Per my wife I had too many guitars. After six months I kept the mellow sound of the Martin but miss the other two. Thank you for another fine video.

[@ianchatfield8135]

What is the music Quinton plays at the end.He should do a slot have found some great music from A.L Gillian welch & steel woods to name two Quinton’s favourite songs c’mon Quinton great taste great guitar work

[@muscle99sav]

I will def own an Eastman at some point.

[@jenseklof2653]

Amazing looks, great sound, thank you for choosing to show this guitar. But why have Eastman chosen not to go for a 1 3/4 nut?

[@davelachey8118]

Check out their OM models which come in a 1 3/4 nut.

[@soofitnsexy]

a lot of their guitars dont!

[@davelachey8118]

@@soofitnsexy Yes and that’s unfortunate as I like several including their SS Dreads but 1 11/16 is too narrow for what I like. I find it interesting they offer 1 3/4 on many electric guitars.

[@soofitnsexy]

@@davelachey8118 ALL MY MARTINS I HAVE 1 AND 3/4 I AM A FINGERSTYLE MASTAHHH

[@akfisher7138]

This one is actually 1 3/4. Every one is despite published spec. The mahogany and other non varnish ones are as mentioned in spec, so if you see this exact model and you like 1 3/4 go for it.

[@BobDorfman]

Please do a comparison with this Eastman and the Martin CEO-7.

[@auramac]

I want the CEO7, and besides, I can get a lefty. Hopefully.

[@jazzcritter]

This guitar sounds alive, very impressed. Could be strummed or finger picked, I’m going on line to check the price and start to save my money. I literally have watched hundreds of these videos and as soon as I heard this I said to myself this is the one!

[@keestoft250]

This was the eastman I wanted out of all of their lines, it's lovely and I was gonna scrimp save and somehow cobble together the cash but, wait for it... no lefties! In fact their whole catalogue only has about 5 lefthanders. I ended up getting the E1OM all solid sitka/sapele OM short scale, which would probably give a Martin 000-18 a good fight. And in the UK it was less than £550.

[@auramac]

Sucks. I'm a lefty, and that keeps me from spending too much money on guitars.

[@martinkleinman2522]

Gorgeous guitar and nice review. Any news on the status of their deal with Dan Bourgeois? Are those guitars going to happen, or did it get back-burnered?

[@audreygiamlayhoon]

They are out there but sold out

[@Simon-df2ku]

i tried an Eastman slope dred recently and it sounded quite nice and played really well. close inspection revealed it wasnt as well made as the slightly cheaper Martin i eventually bought, it was that and the fact that its made in China that ultimately turned me off.

[@jed1166]

Yes, it is built in China, as are ALL Eastmans. Eastman is a Chinese company, not an American or Japanese company building their lower line guitars in China. I have lived in China for 13+ years, and have visited the factory in Beijing. I saw highly skilled craftsmen hand building guitars, mandolins and cellos. Several of the workers I talked to had work there for over a decade, and one for 15 years. These are not “assembly line” guitars… for what you get, Eastmans are probably the best value in all solid wood guitars. Glad you like your Martin! Keep strummin’

[@zamannabijan4689]

Check your iPhone ha ha

[@jasonthielman]

What was not well built on it?

[@jed1166]

@@jasonthielman maybe the name on the headstock?

[@ZongqiDU]

Handmade in China

[@6thwatergateplumber]

What does it mean when no link is under the Buy Now or Specs fields. Is this a tease or do you have it? Not showing up on the alphabetical stock either.

[@audreygiamlayhoon]

Sold out

[@WysteriaGuitar]

I have an E10ooss/v and it's a killer. Would like one of these BUT I do not like the slotted headstock...Make one with a standard headstock and I am there...

[@TheThinker39]

That guitar sounds as good or better than some same-size Martins I've heard. Great.

[@johncrane6673]

My first guitar was an Eastman (AC508CE); wish I still had it. I fell for the mind-set that a guitar costing twice as much must be twice as good. WRONG! Think about it: what would a similar guitar, costing twice as much, advertised to be twice as good, sound like? Do yourself a favor, try an Eastman.

[@daddio307]

I always thought the SS referred to Slope Shoulder, not Slotted Headstock

[@soofitnsexy]

you thought correct!

[@jeffhildreth9244]

@@soofitnsexy Nope... Short Scale in most of the world.

[@soofitnsexy]

@@jeffhildreth9244 nope... it means slope shoulder...

[@MrFrampo56]

@@soofitnsexy Nope , it means short scale.

[@gfblack5307]

Great couch picker, really like the sound.

[@robgerety]

Looks great but why would they build these with such a narrow string spacing? I would buy one in a heartbeat if it was wider.

[@barryhambly7711]

E20 00 standard 14 fret sunburst as apposed to 12 fret E20 00 same speck in woods for both

[@russellmarkley7536]

Huge sound Gor such a small guitar !

[@Randorita]

It has a little bit of low end punch to it. Sounds great! It’s probably the dog hair that is giving it such a nice sound. Everything I have has dog hair on it.

[@neoionunder56]

Dog hair?

[@HighColorado]

Whiskey, beer and cigar smoke... Q.K. Norman McLean said that "In Montana, wasting whiskey was a serious offense!"

[@quintonking9960]

This is very true, but I confess that despite my best efforts to avoid waste, this ironically leads to a higher probability of spillage as the evening progresses - typically because I start to misjudge the approach vector when bringing the bottle up to my face ;)

[@HighColorado]

@@quintonking9960 understood, once again (as my son in Missoula would tell you) I have underestimated Montana... down here in Colorado we are still using glasses and cups!

[@eduardoramirez6877]

You got to love the Eastman.

[@russellmarkley7536]

Price ???

[@audreygiamlayhoon]

How many frets to the body

[@jenseklof2653]

14

[@audreygiamlayhoon]

@@jenseklof2653 thank you !

[@cmakely60]

Sounds like my Martin 0-18

[@fredsings1]

China made or Not, Quinton your runs, licks, picks and strums milk every sweet tone from it!

[@ronlight7013]

Vanish? Is that “varnish” with an Eastern European accent?

[@russellmarkley7536]

Great songs played to sell that guitar !

[@engelbertus1406]

are these made in USA?

[@donlonm]

2k for a Chinese made guitar seems like a tough sell for me.

[@daddio307]

First, this is a beautiful hand-finished and great sounding guitar. I hope we can at least agree there. Second, a comparable Martin with the exact same specs except with only Sitka, not Adi, will set you back $3200. So the Eastman is a tough sell?? Really?? Why do you get the idea that Chinese made guitars are trash? Those days are so long gone.

[@donlonm]

Trash? No not at all. If you’ve ever held an Eastman vs a Martin or Gibson you know the difference. Seems like you got sold on the hand finished. Big deal. It’s not like some robot sprays the others. Chinese products are inferior in every way to American. You shouldn’t support slave labor anyways.

[@HL-OOI]

Try Kepma..😁

[@soofitnsexy]

@@daddio307 i played and like the Eastman! but Martin Blows them away every time...I gladly play extra

[@daddio307]

@@HL-OOI I own a Kepma and it's fantastic

[@jeffhildreth9244]

Gibson L-00 copy with a slot-head.. Incongruous but there is something for everyone at Eastman.

[@andystagger2906]

$1800 bucks made in China… I think I’ll pass ..I’d rather play my Art&Lutherie made in Canada.. or Godin..I paid Under $600 and it’s a sensational guitar.

[@jeremystone2658]

If only you knew about the purchasing parity, friend 🧡

[@hobiecat901]

Hi Guys. One think is Certain, It ain't no Gibson. Not even close.

[@toddwilson468]

Yikes I think it’s a tremendous step up from the L-00 (which is notably more expensive) and competes well with the custom… so I suppose if more pearl is worth a couple grand to you than so be it, but having played both I certainly couldn’t name anything specific better about the more expensive Gibson

[@MrFrampo56]

@@toddwilson468 I agree. I played a Gibson L-00 and was very unimpressed. This guitar is streets ahead.

[@John-wr6yo]

If i am not mistaken it is not indian rosewood,it is walnut back and sides

[@TheAcousticLetter]

Indian Rosewood back and sides on the guitar review in this video.