Gibson L-00 vs Eastman E10SS

Comparing the classic Gibson L-00 (2021 Production) and it's Eastman counterpart, the E10-00SS.
Gibson L-00
Strumming 0:01 Flatpicking 3:52 Fingerpicking 6:40 Fingerpicking2 9:04 Capo 11:31
Eastman E10 00SS
Strumming 1:55 Flatpicking 5:16 Fingerpicking 7:52 Fingerpicking2 10:16 Capo 12:30
Both guitars have mahogany back and sides, the Gibson's top is Sitka Spruce, and the Eastman's top is Adirondack Spruce.
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[@E.Fudd56]

Not being able to play the Eastman locally I took a chance and ordered one earlier today. Subsequently ran across this video and after listening with a good set of headphones I'm confident that I made a good decision, the Eastman sounds fantastic. Thanks for posting the video, superb playing and excellent presentation.

[@4jrbirdman]

Hey. how did your Eastman work out?

[@gibby6904]

@@4jrbirdman I'm curious toi!

[@BlackCatBonz]

I have the L-00. Before I purchased it, I played a D28, J-45, Hummingbird, Taylor 500 series 12 fret, Larrivee. The L-00 just had a character the others lacked... and I walked in thinking I was getting a D28. One of the things I have noticed is the L-00 sounds a certain way to the person playing it and different when you're standing 10 feet in front of it when someone else is playing it. It does not have the bass of a J45 or D28, but it projects in the mids and is perfect for accompanying voice.

[@gibby6904]

I'm a Gibson guy but have to go with the Eastman on this one....sounds great and I love the look.....probably would love the price too!

[@anthonyb2334]

I am thrilled to see and hear this video. I have BOTH these guitars. Why, you may ask? My Gibson was in the shop for 5 months waiting to be fixed. I found the Eastman during this period and couldn’t resist. I have had a very hard time saying which I liked better. So after playing both for a while I couldn’t really tell if there was a difference in sound. The necks feel different to me ( not sure of the radius specs) but as far as sound, too close to call. Now, after hearing this through headphones, I think I like the Eastman just a touch more. Hard to sell the Gibson, but…… Thanks again

[@paulward9936]

anthony b, WHich neck do you prefer? The Eastman or the Gibson?

[@anthonyb2334]

@@paulward9936 I think I prefer the neck on the Gibson, BUT that may be because when I got the Gibson back from 5 months in the shop with a bridge reset and awesome set up ( best I’ve had) it played very easy. Most of the Eastmans have a good, easy to play neck. I have another Eastman (000 body) that sounds wonderful, supposedly has the same neck radius, but feels a little chunkier to me. Differences in guitars I suppose

[@acoustically9201]

5 months to get it fixed....just interested what happened? I'm about to put one in for a neck reset and you've got me twitchy.

[@anthonyb2334]

@@acoustically9201 5 months to get fixed at a local repair shop, not through Gibson. The guitar was great but SOMEHOW, Gibson installed a saddle that was slightly loose. ( Too thin). It caused the bridge to crack. At least that is what the shop believed. I had to have bridge replaced. I think the shop forgot about me. I kept calling every 3 weeks like they instructed. Although they did a good job I won’t use them again. Communication wasn’t so good.

[@fourocker]

The midrange texture from the Eastman is excellent while the trebles from the Gibson are a touch sweeter.

[@kylecravens8052]

I have an Eastman OM 10 (Mahogany) Thermo Cured. One thing I've found is they have a very direct upper mid range but are a bit more muted in the lows/lower mid. If you listen to both guitars here, you can hear more clarity across the whole frequency range in the Gibson. However, the Eastman has a special quality that is really nice. I love the price point and look, too. Like many, I'd be happy with either guitar! In some ways...the Gibson sounds more vintage/warm while Eastman sounds more modern/crisp

[@jeffreynorris3987]

I also think the Eastman has a very pronounced upper-mid presentation. I actually think it's present in many of their models, both acoustic and electric. This makes no sense -- what about manufacture should make it that way? I guess there is an Eastman sound, and there is a Gibson sound.

[@bleedingear1952]

Eastman Guitar was the better sounding guitar to me on all styles. I am looking to Purchase a sloped shoulder E20ss as a durable Gig pig and retiring my current Maton TE3 (as most gigs i play are pretty rowdy and i would hate to see my old trusty get sat on or fallen into) I have been researching Eastman Guitars of all models and pretty much every comparison or review i have seen leads to Eastman making consistently exceptional guitars for a good price range. Thanks for the video :)

[@Stevewatson3]

I can say with huge admiration the eastmans are phenomenal! And don’t charge stupid money.

[@LottimusMaximus]

The Eastman is an L-00 look alike with Modern voicing. It’s beautiful, but you’ll only get Gibson L-00 sound out of a Gibson L-00. That hollow, semi-water logged thing is part of the sound of traditional Blues.

[@ianmeadows6351]

Gibson L-00 Strumming 0:01 Flatpicking 3:52 Fingerpicking 6:40 Fingerpicking2 9:04 Capo 11:31 Eastman E10 00SS Strumming 1:55 Flatpicking 5:16 Fingerpicking 7:52 Fingerpicking2 10:16 Capo 12:30

[@JohannesLabusch]

Slight edge to the Eastman, but the true star here is the KSM32. What a princess of a mic that is. Beats LDC mics twice its price, with ease.

[@chrisatkins6153]

Honestly I was blown away by the Eastman. Also, I used to have those Vandersteen speakers :)

[@dogiego]

Great comparison. Appreciate your videos. I would also love to hear you play, and your reaction to, a Guild D-20 (if you can find one).

[@wt42ds]

Love your videos and playing Ian! Great comparison.

[@gregm9506]

Great comparison and beautiful playing. Looks aside, they really are very different guitars. I've owned both an E10SS and J45 and it was very similar to this. The Eastman's are great guitars at any price but really are fantastic value. They sound bigger than their Gibson counterparts but the Gibson's are phenomenal recording guitars. The Eastman in this video while sounding great would probably require much more eq in a recording situation. It's boomier with a lot of overtones. The Gibson in this video has much better balance across all strings.

[@rodolphep0nthus555]

Great comparison! I have to say that the Eastman rings better, clearer, and more overtoned. The Gibson is darker and less open. As a matter of fact the Eastman sounds exactly as if it had a fresh set of strings whereas the Gibson dead strings? This is a very important aspect when comparing guitars. Do they have the same set of strings, and new? If not the comparison is biased

[@jimmy5634]

The Gibson sounds the way it does because it’s intended to sound that way. It’s not a strummer it’s a blues box. The Eastman is a powerful little strummer. I owned one.

[@williammcdonald452]

Thanks so much, Ian!

[@slowbluesaquarius3186]

Ho Ian and thanks for your “mission”! Very helpful. The Eastman in this video is the old standard adi top or the new thermo cured adi?

[@andrewwalsh531]

Idk really, they both sound great....were I to have to decide which to own it would come down to playability & feel. That's something that can't de determined by watching a video. But you did a great job, this was one of the best 1V1 videos I've seen in a long time.....thank you!

[@vicjohnson5047]

The Gibson sounds tinny and boxy.

[@ronlight7013]

Just to add another voice from the peanut gallery, I have an Epiphone EL-00 Pro that I upgraded with GraphTech nut, saddle and bridge pins, and which now has aged for seven years. It has a woody Gibson-like voice, is very playable, and at its price point is satisfying in every way. This year I bought the Eastman model, and at half the price of a Gibson, really defines its own market niche. In the video demo I can hear how the Eastman has more chime and is less "bluesy" than the Gibson, making each guitar model very much its own thing. In my experience, the Eastman doesn't play as easily as a Gibson (or, in my case, the Epiphone), and that's a bit of a mountain to climb.

[@cm6534]

My l-00 plays like an electric. I haven't found another acoustic that is easier to play. Not looking too hard though

[@sambleach]

I love the bass of the Eastman, sounds damn good!

[@williambayh1574]

The Eastman sounds like what I'm looking for; solid wood guitar, hard shell case, bone Nut and Bridge for much less than the L-00. I can't find any clarity about the sides and back being solid Mahogany in the L-00. Could the tone difference be Sapele vs Mahogany sides and back or Construction differences? Hmm

[@Big.E]

That Eastman is wonderful

[@shaneroberts9466]

Both sound great and very similar. I have an Eastman so I can attest to their builds, and I have tried this Gibson model at a local shop. In this case I would probably buy the Gibson unless I needed to stick to a lower price and the Eastman would be fine.

[@furysfancy]

Both sound great! Would like to know what strings you are using on both....? Do you find that one is easier to play than the other?

[@aquaboneus]

Both sound wonderful- I definitely prefer the neck on the Gibson L00 compared to the Eastman E10-00 SS I played ... thanks for sharing!

[@carlbowden4712]

Thanks for this comparison, you may have sold me on the Eastman

[@jimsaint2072]

Is just me or does Eastman blow away the Gibson

[@hogopogo7616]

It's just you.

[@jaylee3925]

it's you and me.

[@chrisisthedude1]

Definitely. The tone is so much richer.

[@eugene_blommaert]

I think the Eastman resonates more and therefore sounds warmer. Or maybe it's just the low end that projects more. Both sounds fantastic to my ear.

[@drothberg3]

It depends what you like. I prefer the Gibson. The Eastman has too many overtones and too much richness for my taste.

[@robmiller3464]

Love the L-00. Difficult to hear bass notes on either while Travis picking. Natural thumb on bass notes suppresses articulation and volume in my opinion. Great playing though and nice comparison.

[@ronlight7013]

BTW, I see where Gibson has brought down the price of the 00 to match that of a Martin CEO-7. Now we got ourselves a real race! (Some people think that tonally the Eastman fits right in the middle.)

[@laverne456]

May the Circle be unbroken!!! That was sweet!!!

[@LPKJFHIS]

My goodness this is a good example of an Eastman. The Gibson wasn’t bad, but this Eastman has it beat by a mile for me

[@SteveCothern]

Thx Ian for your wonderful playing as well as a great standard style applied against these two guitars. B/c of your performance and the quality of these instruments I hafta say I was swayed into either of the two camps based upon a particular phrase. Either of these guitars are amazing. Having said that, I must give my own personal nod to the Gibson. There's just some additional separation between the mids and the top end that to me seals the deal. Thanks again for this demo.

[@SiggyMe]

Not trying to be too picky except the video is mislabeled with respect to the Eastman E10ss and of course you corrected in the info section. I thought at first that doesn't look or sound like a Eastman dred 😂😂😂😂 so all good got my eyes and mind straight. Well the Gibson even used cost twice as much as the Eastman. I have an Gibson 1964 Lg-1, ladder brace. Your demos are the best! Thanks!

[@russellr1509]

To my ear the Gibson sounds more defined especially on the bass , the Eastman is a little muddier. Both fine sounding guitars .

[@itslikethesamebutdifferent8020]

The Eastman E10SS I’ve seen in other videos look like a Gibson J45. This one looks a bit like the L-00. Are there two different E10SS models?

[@cr9822]

2 different sized guitars. The E10ss is a slope shoulder dred modeled after the J-45, while the one in this video is an E10-00ss (so an 00 sized guitar) modeled after the L-00.

[@itslikethesamebutdifferent8020]

@@cr9822 oh ok i see, they are different models. Cool, thx for the info.

[@andrewzender3595]

That doesn’t look like an E10SS, which is a slope shoulder dread like a J-45. This looks like the E10OM.

[@enonknives5449]

To me, the Eastman sounded a little muted compared to the Gibson, but they both sounded great. I would be happy with either one.

[@Nikoo033]

Interesting I thought the same…but for the Gibson 😅 (I was using headphones).

[@enonknives5449]

@@Nikoo033 -- I wasn't using headphones. Might have changed the answer.

[@JJPsyc]

Fyi, that is not an Eastman E10SS.

[@jimo1294]

This should have Gibson looking over their shoulder trying to figure out to get their quality up and price down. The Eastman just sounded better to me and I'm not particular about certain brand names on a headstock like so many are.

[@BaktaBak3]

That Eastman sounds more like a Martin CEO - 7 to my ears.

[@tylersteele5775]

Love the Eastman overtones but you lose the clarity in the low mids the Gibson has.

[@005bruns]

Eastman ☺

[@charlesfellows8130]

You can't beat an eastman for value.

[@cm6534]

The Gibson sounds more like a Gibson. I have an l-00 but I wouldn't mind having that Eastman as well.

[@nicholascowie5944]

I have no doubt, the Eastman has exactly the tone I'd want. Pure bluesy and at what? £1400. However whether you'd rather not buy Chinese is another question.

[@justinhicks3783]

Interesting!!

[@BlindTom61]

The compression on these recordings is ridiculous.

[@mattcottrell3336]

Gibson had more natural sustain. They both sounf great. This should sell allt of eastman guitars. I still lrefer the Gibson though...

[@aprendeguitarra8146]

Eastman the winer

[@Kawartha65]

Eastman….not even a question. And the money you’ll save….!

[@michaelaugust9021]

Gibsons to me sound like cardboard when you Capo. The Eastman sounds the same just capo'd. Which is the way it should be

[@powbobs]

The Gibson sounds amazing.

[@kradookproject287]

foe me-eastman

[@01blaval]

Eastman is almost half the price. Think about that…

[@john927]

Gibson depth of tone wins this battle

[@colmpower5197]

Gibson just got nuked .

[@eastman566]

Even a virtuoso will tell you the Gibson ain't that good and not worth the money.

[@OdedChen-hg2jz]

The J45 is worth the money

[@regwatson6420]

Eastman wins

[@neusprach]

Gibson is a joke.

[@amirrezarezaie]

Gibson sounded like 500 dollars guitar compared to the Eastman.

[@markstaggs7342]

Its close my pick would be the one that played and felt the best,Both sound very close and pretty dang good.

[@John-wr6yo]

I have the walnut ,red spruce top,slotted headstock oo model. The finish is pure shit ,but it plays and sounds like a four thousand dollar guitar.