I was surprised at what I would say was a significant difference in the two sounds. The Eastman definitely has a more pronounced top end, but the Auden has a far more harmonious tone and sounds an almost 3 dimensional sound. Oddly enough it is similar to a Taylor vs Martin play off. I would be happy with either but I would definitely have the Auden given a choice and a wad of cash.
That was exactly my reaction. More balance and coherence to the Auden, which I was not expecting to hear. Unfortunately, I can't find any way to hear and play an Auden here in California - it's tough enough finding a high-end Eastman to play.
Hello Richard! My observations; the Arden upper bout looks a less deep ( front to back) than the Eastman. Sound wise, I think it boils down to what sound you prefer. To me the sound from the Arden reminds me of the acoustic guitar in the Eagles song Take it Easy, where the Eastman sound more like David Gilmore’s acoustic in Pigs on the Wing. Both great sounds, just different.
What lovely guitars. I’m struggling to see why folks would buy from the big grands theses days when you get such quality at great prices from elsewhere. Open mind needed!
Absolutely. Martin and Taylor et al are not cheap yet they give their guitars away to artists who can more than afford them. I’d much rather support the likes of these or Furch, Dowina etc. AND they seem to be made with just as much love and care AND they sound amazing Great vid btw, Richard
I initially disagree with this guy about his opinion on Taylors but after playing a few Eastmans and Furchs they are somewhat lacking in comparison if you also consider the price. These days it is hard to find truly bad guitars but some are better than others at the price. Also highly recommend anything Godin makes (aka Seagull, Art & Lutherie, La Patrie, Norman) for a basic, cheap but excellent acoustic. Love this guy for his opinioned honesty.
I, personally, find mahogany 6 strings generally sound 'dull' compared to rosewood, and don't cut through the mix either live or when recording. Now the Eastman sounds like it has much more 'life' than 'normal' mahogany 6 strings.
Richard, how were these guitars recorded for this video? I don't see a microphone, and at one point near the end of the video, you appear to unplug the Auden guitar. The Eastman doesn't appear to be plugged in. I would expect there to be drastic differences in tone if one guitar is miked and the other is recorded by it's pickup. Can you comment? Thanks.
Really Like the Auden Austin. On acoustics I was never happy with Barr chords on an acoustic. A lot of acoustics always sound good in the first position or open chords after that)
☑️ I absolutely just love good Mahogany acoustic guitars for their dry sparkle and balanced woody tones 💙 plus esthetically figured mahogany looks better than good Rosewood _when I was guitar novice my younger years I thought Rosewood was the best thing to get just because they generally were more money using higher model numbers for same build ; but I've proven that assumption holds little water for the most part ; and I found solid experienced pro players like Jackson Browne have personally been shown to agree ‼️💙 😊
Was hoping we'd get to hear them plugged in - would love to know just how good that Brad Clark pickup is - and do you think your friend Doug would do a 45mm version of the Austin?
Isolation appears to be treating you well. Looking like the garden is the place to be in sunny England..😀🌞 Auden takes it for me on aesthetics. Both sound sweet.. 👍🇦🇺
Richards Guitars All good in Sydney Richard. Isolation is not as extreme as some parts of the world but the impact is significant nonetheless. Loving your content and particularly the lessons over recent weeks. Lots of guitars that I would love to own but you will appreciate shipping to Australia is an expensive challenge when you add exchange rates into the mix. Take care and all the best to the family (including the rabbit). 👍🇦🇺
Hi Richard I was looking at picking up a used Eastman Ac720ce. There's very little information about them out there I was wondering what you think about them? I know it's Sitka/Rosewood with electronics. FYI I do like to strum
Do you have any experience with the D'Angelico Premier Lafayette Dreadnought acoustic/electric? I had to sell my Washburn years ago to make rent and just started playing again. It's on sale for $299. I can't find any reviews online that tell me anything about the guitar. That's the very top of my budget. Is it worth it? Thanks for your time. I am enjoying your channel.
I'd take the Auden personally, the retro vintage tuners along with the exquisite binding & the satin finish on the neck makes it the winner for me😉 Great video as usual Richard👍
Auden sounded amazing Richard! I agree both guitars are way better than the popular expensive brands. I play a Taylor which is so average compared to both of your guitars!
Hello Richard, To try and get the best sound possible I put my headphones on to watch this video, I thought both sounded fantastic. Choosing either wouldn’t be easy! Personally if I did though possibly the Audin, while both looked brilliant the red mahogany looked a bit richer on the backside, at least it appeared from this view 😀, also the satin finish on the necks does feel a bit better too, all preferences, there is no correct answer, one’s more beautiful than the next!
Thanks for the info on tone Richard. I'm planning on building an acoustic, and, settling on the type of wood and body type has been a challenge. After watching your video I'm settled on an Italian Spruce / Alpine Spruce top and a auditorium size mahogany body. The next challenge is developing the skill to voice the top. Once again thank you.
I have an Auden Chester and love it. I like the satin neck over a gloss neck and the electronics are amazing. I am biased a little, but it would be the Auden for me.
Do they come with the same strings. That makes a huge difference in tone. I have a bright guitar and if I want a more bluesy sound I change my strings and my pic.
Hi Richard, It could be just aesthetics - one luthier uses clear plastic (heavy micron) adhesive to maintain the clean look of the top, or, possibly its tone related. Arguably, anything added to the top will affect the resonance of the top, whether its the depth of the finish, the type of glue used to secure the bridge (pliable when dry vs hard/brittle), or in this case a stiff plastic pick guard. To my ear I'd doubt I pick the difference., however, top shelve luthiers certainly give these points serious consideration, when chasing perfection/art.
Hi Richard! It's Jon from Richard's guitars - all Auden guitars come without pickguards fitted as standard BUT they do come with a clear pickguard in the case - so if you prefer a pickguard then there is an option! Hope this helps Jon
I like the Auden more but I attribute the tone difference to the Engelmann top on the Eastman. Engelmann has its own sparkle, maybe more detail in the tone, which might be perfect for some things. That said, for strumming or all-round playing, I think the normal sitka or Adirondack guitars are more well rounded. But, more important than anything... thank you for doing these kinds of comparisons! They genuinely help hear the differences and indeed, the personalities, of the various guitars. Well done!
I would go for the Eastman. There is more "life" in this one. But the Auden also sound great, overall more balanced. The looks of the Eastman tickles my fancy also more, if that's the right expression? Great video comparison Richard. P.s. @Richard Guitars. Maybe it would be an idea to put the audio, from your original video, on your website or something like Google Drive. In this way your customer can hear the differences between the two ghuitars better. RU-vid audio is compressed to it's limits.
Based on aesthetics alone, the Eastman wins all day in my eyes. The wood looks like it's on fire and the binding up the next following onto the head is beautiful. However the high end is really muted compared to the Auden which just sings while keeping the low end available too. Just my take. Granted, I'd be happy with both!
As an Eastman owner, you’d think I wanted the Eastman to sound better, but I preferred the look of the Auden and wanted it to sound the best, but I thing the sound of the Eastman sounds better to my ear
I'm a huge fan of Eastman guitars but I have to say, out of these two ( both excellent ) the Auden would be my personal preference. It just has a bit more pleasing tone. Great comparison video Richard. I guess it just comes down to which particular voicing we prefer.
