WOW. I’ve been a Martin player for years. Found this video looking for Larrivee content. But found that I really enjoyed the Eastman most out of the 3. Thank you!
Glad you found it useful. Eastman makes some fantastic instruments. Not saying one is better than the other because that's all up for individual preferences, but I do absolutely believe that Eastman deserves to be in the same class as these. I believe that does come out in this video. Thanks for watching!
3 great guitars , all 3 sounding very good, each with his own character. I was pretty surprised by the Eastman; I have a Martin & a Larrivee but I put Eastman on my list. Very nice video, shows what it have to show
I'm glad you were surprised by the performance of the Eastman. If you can find some Eastmans in your area, I highly recommend giving them a try. They are making some magnificent instruments that rival many of the top builders. Many of their dreads come with Adirondack tops, which I really do love.
I know this is a year ago but what the hell. I just spent three weeks trying out various acoustics (no Larry) and boiled it down to an Eastman E8D-TC and a Martin HD-28. I kept going back and forth. The cost wasn't an issue and I ended up settling for the Eastman. Although the sound is always my number one priority, it shares the same bed with playability. For me at least the Eastman felt like a hand made instrument whilst the Martin felt like a cookie cutter and to be absolutely sure I actually had three HD-28s lined up (the shop only had two Eastman E8s) and two E8s. The Eastmans felt, played and sounded like two different guitars, the three Martins felt exactly the same. This was quite a surprise to me. I hadn't bought a new guitar in a very long time and the last time I did, each and every Martin I played felt different. This was back in the 70s (I'm no expert) but Martins just seemed different back then. In fact: they felt more like the Eastmans do today. I just wonder what these Eastmans will feel and sound like after a few years have been clocked up.
That's an interesting choice you made given that cost was no consideration. I wouldn't criticize you if you went either way, but I think you made a good choice. I ended up selling all three of my Martin HD-28s that I had, not because they weren't great, but because I felt like the Eastman E8D-TC was excellent. Not saying it's better, but it's just different. Full disclosure, I sold all three of these guitars (including the Eastman), but I have the Eastman E40D-SB which is just a marvelous instrument and more than meets my needs. I'm not going to lie, I'm a big fan of Eastman. They make a spectacular instrument and for the very reasons you mentioned. Thanks for watching and the comment.
Larrivee has a very compressed sound, the Martin is very even sounding which I personally find boring. I love the clarity of the Eastman and honestly, for the money difference a monumentally better value than the other two.
Nice video comparison! If budget is not a problem, then definitely it will be the Martin. It has its distinct sound that is very sought after with the Martin. But for the value & price, it will be the Eastman. For me, it sounds so close to Martin. I've got an Eastman E8D-TC as well, but with the Alpine Spruce top. It plays and sounds very beautiful as well. 👍
I have not heard one of the Alpine Spruce Tops. Would love to hear one of those sometime. I agree with your assessment. I enjoy both of them and happy to be able to play them both.
Eastman and Martin were very close and I think I actually preferred the Eastman. The depth of the notes and nice balance stood out to me. The larivee was definitely 3rd to my ears. Sounded more tinny to me.
I notice they are from different years. A couple extra years to open up can make a big difference. Also, I wonder what strings are used on each? If the strings are not the same, there is no fair comparison possible in my opinion.
I disagree each company chooses the best strings for their guitar. It’s never going to be a fair comparison because every guitar is different. Shit playing 5 different d-28s from the same year they’ll all be different
I feel the Eastman is too modern. The Larry is punchy. The 28 ties it all together and layered it with sweet boominess and slight harmonics on the high end. Beautiful. My thoughts are the Martin hands down. Thanks for posting this.
Yeah no doubt you described everything that the Martin does well. That forward shifted bracing does give it that boom. I feel like it’s pretty close though. They all have things they do well. Thanks for watching!
Couldn't agree more about Eastmans. They weren't really on my radar until the first HD-28 I bought two years ago when the guy was selling to buy an Eastman. I couldn't understand it at the time, but I am starting to learn why. Like you, right now my Eastmans are getting all my playtime. I usually only bring my Martins out of their cases for a while on weekends.
Glad you liked it! The HD-28 has scalloped bracing (D-28 does not), which allows the top to vibrate more freely, for bigger bass. The D-28 is more balanced, but not as big as low end as HD-28. I like the big bass, but some don't. I guess it depends on what you're playing or your playstyle or preference. Thanks for watching!
Do they all have the same set of strings? Martins are standard strung with mediums, Eastman & Larrivee with lights. Mediums have less 'zing' and a more 'solid' sound. Anyway, these are 3 great guitars
I'm still a novice player so I've stayed clear of mediums, but you are correct. Every expert I know on the subject says Martin dreads need (and deserve) medium strings. It might be time to let it loose. Yes, these are three really good dreads and honestly can't go wrong with any of them. Going to be difficult to part with them (if I end up selling). Thanks for watching and the comments.
I have the reimagined? HD-28 have kept the factory action setup,is this the case with all three,if not,have you noticed any difference in sustain by lowering? they all sound good,but the HD-28 for,tho my Larrivee L custom is not better just different kind of exponential rumble
I know the conventional wisdom is that the higher the action, the more sustain and volume you get. That may be so, but I can't deal with a guitar with high action. I like my action somewhere around 2/64 or 3/64 on the third fret. Anything much higher, and I'm a buzz machine. I just can't consistently fret a high action. I had all three of these guitars set to my preferred action and all had great sustain and tone. All played amazingly.
I've never played a Larrivee and know nothing about them. I know the Eastman is designed for and comes with light gauge strings whereas the Martin comes with medium gauge. Even so, the Eastman has plenty of punch. I bought an E8D (not TC) about 8 months ago. It was the last non-TC I could find within an hour drive of me. Built in 2022. I have more expensive Martins and Taylors, but I play the Eastman more than those.
I ended up selling all three of these, but honestly you can't go wrong with any of them. If I had to pick one, the Martin HD-28 is probably my favorite dreadnaught. I ended up getting another HD-28 recently that just floored me. If you're on a budget, the Eastman can be had for signficantly less than the others and it's phenomenal. Play em all and go with what your ears tell you.
I thought the Eastman was too bright and not enough bass resonance. The Larrivee had more bass and warmth. The Martin had all those overtones and trebles I’d take the Larrivee as well it’s cheaper than the Martin but seems more balanced.
Probably a controversial opinion, but #1 is Eastman, #2 is Larivee, and #3 is Martin. Martins are really just not for me. They sound muddy and thin to my ears. I try to play one every time I see one, hoping I’ll finally understand the hype, and I’ve been disappointed every time. Each one has had that same muddy sound. Sorry lol.
I assume the string gauge and age was the same, and none of them had coated strings? The Larrivee has the classic dreadnought scoop; lots of lows and highs but not a lot of mids. This makes them sound great in the room when playing by yourself, but tough to record well. It also sounds a bit stiff, like it might still be breaking-in...is it a new guitar? The Martin has a ton of mids, which surprised me. Great, warm sounding guitar, very versatile. My favourite of the three. And as it ages, it is going to sound better and better. The Eastman sort of sat in the middle; not quite as brilliant as the Larrivee but not as mid-focused as the Martin. I'd be curious to know how much playing time that has had, because it sounds totally broken-in; that thermo-curing process really works. They are such impressive instruments for the dough!
Hey robq, thanks for watching and for the comments. So both the Larrivee and the Eastman are recently purchased and have the strings that they had. I can tell they're either Elixirs or D'Addario EJ16s. Yes, this does make a difference in sound, but I think it works for the sake of this comparison. The HD-28 has Elixir PB lights (I installed them myself). So yes, the Larrivee is a 2019 and felt like it had barely been out of the case, so it's far from being broken in. The feel of this guitar is amazing. The neck plays quick and the wood binding is just a magnificent touch. It has a really "woody" tone to my ears as I play. Agree about the Martin. It already sounds and plays spectacularly and you are correct that it should only get better as it opens up. It's a treat to play it as during the winter months with low humidity, it was kept in the case and only played sparingly on weekends. The Eastman is a 2019 and I agree wholly that the thermo-curing definitely adds to its sweet tone. I've really become a fan of Eastmans and have trial-purchased several that I'm evaluating now, including two slope shoulders (perhaps another comparison video is in order).
@@Xenovid I'd be curious to hear that Martin without coated strings. I am a huge Elixir convert on all my electrics but on acoustic I find they shave off a little sparkle. So I won't use them on any acoustic guitar that I care about. I have a very similar Larrivee dread, with RW back and sides. Nice guitar. Took it a while to break-in.
@@Xenovid In my experience strings have a huge effect on the sound of acoustics - and some age pretty rapidly. I believe an ideal comparison scenario would be to use fresh stings of the same brand on all guitars and do the recording 3-5 days after putting them on. Also coated vs uncoated is a huge difference, especially in the higher tone area. That is why I do not like coated on acoustics at all.
Great video. Very noticeable differences. I was impressed with the bell like highs of the Larivee. I thought the Eastman didn't sound as good when strummed with a pick,at least compared to the Larivee, but otherwise it was outstanding! Overall I would choose the Martin. It was well balanced and warm. One thing to consider is that with the baked top,the Eastman is about as good as it ever will be and the other two will only improve over the years. I must ask,why 3 spruce and rosewood dreadnought? They are all fine and fill the same hole in a guitar line-up. In my opinion.
Must have been nice to be able to afford guitar lessons. Some of us have to just figure out things on our own. I'll work on improving my posture, but I certainly never claim to be anything than someone that enjoys being around and playing guitars.
@@Xenovid Ah, well, it was really just my mom's friend who gave me five or six lessons total. But seriously, as you get older this kind of posture will just result in a lot of pain. As for myself, my posture is pretty good but I get repetitive stress problems in my arm from work. Had to switch from a dreadnaught to a OOO body to put less stress on my arm.
![[안방1열 풀캠4K] 베이비몬스터 'DRIP' (BABYMONSTER FullCam)│@SBS Inkigayo 241110](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/AQ4RIghEvUs/mqdefault.jpg)
WOW. I’ve been a Martin player for years. Found this video looking for Larrivee content. But found that I really enjoyed the Eastman most out of the 3. Thank you!
Glad you found it useful. Eastman makes some fantastic instruments. Not saying one is better than the other because that's all up for individual preferences, but I do absolutely believe that Eastman deserves to be in the same class as these. I believe that does come out in this video. Thanks for watching!
3 great guitars , all 3 sounding very good, each with his own character. I was pretty surprised by the Eastman; I have a Martin & a Larrivee but I put Eastman on my list. Very nice video, shows what it have to show
I'm glad you were surprised by the performance of the Eastman. If you can find some Eastmans in your area, I highly recommend giving them a try. They are making some magnificent instruments that rival many of the top builders. Many of their dreads come with Adirondack tops, which I really do love.
I know this is a year ago but what the hell. I just spent three weeks trying out various acoustics (no Larry) and boiled it down to an Eastman E8D-TC and a Martin HD-28. I kept going back and forth. The cost wasn't an issue and I ended up settling for the Eastman. Although the sound is always my number one priority, it shares the same bed with playability. For me at least the Eastman felt like a hand made instrument whilst the Martin felt like a cookie cutter and to be absolutely sure I actually had three HD-28s lined up (the shop only had two Eastman E8s) and two E8s. The Eastmans felt, played and sounded like two different guitars, the three Martins felt exactly the same. This was quite a surprise to me. I hadn't bought a new guitar in a very long time and the last time I did, each and every Martin I played felt different. This was back in the 70s (I'm no expert) but Martins just seemed different back then. In fact: they felt more like the Eastmans do today.
I just wonder what these Eastmans will feel and sound like after a few years have been clocked up.
That's an interesting choice you made given that cost was no consideration. I wouldn't criticize you if you went either way, but I think you made a good choice. I ended up selling all three of my Martin HD-28s that I had, not because they weren't great, but because I felt like the Eastman E8D-TC was excellent. Not saying it's better, but it's just different. Full disclosure, I sold all three of these guitars (including the Eastman), but I have the Eastman E40D-SB which is just a marvelous instrument and more than meets my needs. I'm not going to lie, I'm a big fan of Eastman. They make a spectacular instrument and for the very reasons you mentioned. Thanks for watching and the comment.
They all have different strengths imo. All three sound very good.
Larrivee has a very compressed sound, the Martin is very even sounding which I personally find boring. I love the clarity of the Eastman and honestly, for the money difference a monumentally better value than the other two.
Nice video comparison! If budget is not a problem, then definitely it will be the Martin. It has its distinct sound that is very sought after with the Martin. But for the value & price, it will be the Eastman. For me, it sounds so close to Martin. I've got an Eastman E8D-TC as well, but with the Alpine Spruce top. It plays and sounds very beautiful as well. 👍
I have not heard one of the Alpine Spruce Tops. Would love to hear one of those sometime. I agree with your assessment. I enjoy both of them and happy to be able to play them both.
#1 Martin, #2 Eastman, #3 Larivee
Eastman was really close to the Martin!
What did you like about the Eastman?
I've got HD-28 and I love it, but for me in this video Eastman is the winner.
Overall Martin, after Larrivee and Eastman
1- Eastman 2-Martin 3-(very far from the other two) Larrivee
Interesting. Thanks for watching and the comment. What made the Eastman stand out for you? And adversely, what didn't you like about the Larrivee?
Eastman and Martin were very close and I think I actually preferred the Eastman. The depth of the notes and nice balance stood out to me. The larivee was definitely 3rd to my ears. Sounded more tinny to me.
The Eastman definitely holds its own in this comparison.
I notice they are from different years. A couple extra years to open up can make a big difference. Also, I wonder what strings are used on each? If the strings are not the same, there is no fair comparison possible in my opinion.
I disagree each company chooses the best strings for their guitar. It’s never going to be a fair comparison because every guitar is different. Shit playing 5 different d-28s from the same year they’ll all be different
I feel the Eastman is too modern. The Larry is punchy. The 28 ties it all together and layered it with sweet boominess and slight harmonics on the high end. Beautiful. My thoughts are the Martin hands down. Thanks for posting this.
Yeah no doubt you described everything that the Martin does well. That forward shifted bracing does give it that boom. I feel like it’s pretty close though. They all have things they do well. Thanks for watching!
Eastman sounded better feel wise on the neck if satin finish be good. The Eastman rings like a bell really beautiful for percussive guitar to use
I am super impressed with Eastman guitars. My Eastman's get more PT than my Martins. I don't have a Larry and don't plan on getting one.
Couldn't agree more about Eastmans. They weren't really on my radar until the first HD-28 I bought two years ago when the guy was selling to buy an Eastman. I couldn't understand it at the time, but I am starting to learn why. Like you, right now my Eastmans are getting all my playtime. I usually only bring my Martins out of their cases for a while on weekends.
1. Martin 2. Eastman 3. Larivee
Nice shootout. Very different voices. Martin if I had to choose one. Overall good balance and lots of mid punch for cutting through
Glad you enjoyed it
Great video! What are your thoughts on the Martin HD-28 vs D-28?
Glad you liked it! The HD-28 has scalloped bracing (D-28 does not), which allows the top to vibrate more freely, for bigger bass. The D-28 is more balanced, but not as big as low end as HD-28. I like the big bass, but some don't. I guess it depends on what you're playing or your playstyle or preference. Thanks for watching!
@@Xenovid have you ever considered or tried our the D28A 1937 or 1941 by any chance? Be interested to hear your thoughts on those.
Do they all have the same set of strings? Martins are standard strung with mediums, Eastman & Larrivee with lights. Mediums have less 'zing' and a more 'solid' sound. Anyway, these are 3 great guitars
I'm still a novice player so I've stayed clear of mediums, but you are correct. Every expert I know on the subject says Martin dreads need (and deserve) medium strings. It might be time to let it loose.
Yes, these are three really good dreads and honestly can't go wrong with any of them. Going to be difficult to part with them (if I end up selling).
Thanks for watching and the comments.
I have the reimagined? HD-28 have kept the factory action setup,is this the case with all three,if not,have you noticed any difference in sustain by lowering? they all sound good,but the HD-28 for,tho my Larrivee L custom is not better just different kind of exponential rumble
I know the conventional wisdom is that the higher the action, the more sustain and volume you get. That may be so, but I can't deal with a guitar with high action. I like my action somewhere around 2/64 or 3/64 on the third fret. Anything much higher, and I'm a buzz machine. I just can't consistently fret a high action. I had all three of these guitars set to my preferred action and all had great sustain and tone. All played amazingly.
I've never played a Larrivee and know nothing about them. I know the Eastman is designed for and comes with light gauge strings whereas the Martin comes with medium gauge. Even so, the Eastman has plenty of punch. I bought an E8D (not TC) about 8 months ago. It was the last non-TC I could find within an hour drive of me. Built in 2022. I have more expensive Martins and Taylors, but I play the Eastman more than those.
Currently looking looking at all 3 of these models. How do they all conpare in person? Do you have a favourite?
I ended up selling all three of these, but honestly you can't go wrong with any of them. If I had to pick one, the Martin HD-28 is probably my favorite dreadnaught. I ended up getting another HD-28 recently that just floored me. If you're on a budget, the Eastman can be had for signficantly less than the others and it's phenomenal. Play em all and go with what your ears tell you.
I thought the Eastman was too bright and not enough bass resonance. The Larrivee had more bass and warmth. The Martin had all those overtones and trebles I’d take the Larrivee as well it’s cheaper than the Martin but seems more balanced.
Eastman!
Are these all using the same strings? I love my Larrivee OM44R but the Martin blows the Larrivee away in this one.
Eastman sounded the best.
I own Martin but but but surprise for my ears 1-Eastman, 2- Martin. Very very Close. Larrivee miss powerful and medium.
I mean, I can't argue....Martin HD-28 is the standard for a reason, but I agree, the Eastman is simply great bang for the buck.
Probably a controversial opinion, but #1 is Eastman, #2 is Larivee, and #3 is Martin. Martins are really just not for me. They sound muddy and thin to my ears. I try to play one every time I see one, hoping I’ll finally understand the hype, and I’ve been disappointed every time. Each one has had that same muddy sound. Sorry lol.
😂ты просто глухой
The Martin is the clear winner
That’s funny, I thought it was the clear loser
@@goodknight37Find a good ear doctor.
Gotta go Eastman
Sorry the Larrivee is incredible
I assume the string gauge and age was the same, and none of them had coated strings?
The Larrivee has the classic dreadnought scoop; lots of lows and highs but not a lot of mids. This makes them sound great in the room when playing by yourself, but tough to record well. It also sounds a bit stiff, like it might still be breaking-in...is it a new guitar?
The Martin has a ton of mids, which surprised me. Great, warm sounding guitar, very versatile. My favourite of the three. And as it ages, it is going to sound better and better.
The Eastman sort of sat in the middle; not quite as brilliant as the Larrivee but not as mid-focused as the Martin. I'd be curious to know how much playing time that has had, because it sounds totally broken-in; that thermo-curing process really works. They are such impressive instruments for the dough!
Hey robq, thanks for watching and for the comments. So both the Larrivee and the Eastman are recently purchased and have the strings that they had. I can tell they're either Elixirs or D'Addario EJ16s. Yes, this does make a difference in sound, but I think it works for the sake of this comparison. The HD-28 has Elixir PB lights (I installed them myself).
So yes, the Larrivee is a 2019 and felt like it had barely been out of the case, so it's far from being broken in. The feel of this guitar is amazing. The neck plays quick and the wood binding is just a magnificent touch. It has a really "woody" tone to my ears as I play.
Agree about the Martin. It already sounds and plays spectacularly and you are correct that it should only get better as it opens up. It's a treat to play it as during the winter months with low humidity, it was kept in the case and only played sparingly on weekends.
The Eastman is a 2019 and I agree wholly that the thermo-curing definitely adds to its sweet tone. I've really become a fan of Eastmans and have trial-purchased several that I'm evaluating now, including two slope shoulders (perhaps another comparison video is in order).
@@Xenovid I'd be curious to hear that Martin without coated strings. I am a huge Elixir convert on all my electrics but on acoustic I find they shave off a little sparkle. So I won't use them on any acoustic guitar that I care about.
I have a very similar Larrivee dread, with RW back and sides. Nice guitar. Took it a while to break-in.
@@Xenovid In my experience strings have a huge effect on the sound of acoustics - and some age pretty rapidly. I believe an ideal comparison scenario would be to use fresh stings of the same brand on all guitars and do the recording 3-5 days after putting them on.
Also coated vs uncoated is a huge difference, especially in the higher tone area. That is why I do not like coated on acoustics at all.
Great video. Very noticeable differences. I was impressed with the bell like highs of the Larivee. I thought the Eastman didn't sound as good when strummed with a pick,at least compared to the Larivee, but otherwise it was outstanding! Overall I would choose the Martin. It was well balanced and warm. One thing to consider is that with the baked top,the Eastman is about as good as it ever will be and the other two will only improve over the years.
I must ask,why 3 spruce and rosewood dreadnought? They are all fine and fill the same hole in a guitar line-up. In my opinion.
Martin, Larrivee close behind (very close), then Eastman
May be biased but Martin hands down.
to my ear Martin>eastman > larrivee
Eastman Larrivee Martin in that order. Martin muffled, Larrivee a little to much high end punch ! IMHO
Clearly Martin is the winner.
It's just that good? What was it that stood out for you?
@@Xenovid clarity for me
Larrivee sounded muted to me. Lacked complexity of the other two.
He was sitting further back for the Larrivee if you look, it is literally quieter as he is further away from the mic unfortunately
This is why my guitar teacher always warned me about posture while playing, haha.
Must have been nice to be able to afford guitar lessons. Some of us have to just figure out things on our own. I'll work on improving my posture, but I certainly never claim to be anything than someone that enjoys being around and playing guitars.
@@Xenovid Ah, well, it was really just my mom's friend who gave me five or six lessons total.
But seriously, as you get older this kind of posture will just result in a lot of pain. As for myself, my posture is pretty good but I get repetitive stress problems in my arm from work. Had to switch from a dreadnaught to a OOO body to put less stress on my arm.
First strum on the Martin HD-28 is enough to say it is better than Eastman by far.