Thanks! I always look forward to Friday (well Thursday for me as I watch on the website) and getting "stuck in"!!! As I always say Colin, keep 'em coming! Got my coffee and getting ready to watch the bonus unboxing!
@@theguitaristas Doing well Colin! THANKS!!! Getting ready to go back on the ambulance (for the job, NOT as a patient! LMAO) and I cannot wait. Rehab is done and my new plastic/metal/titanium knees feel great! LOL
I think the Eastman wins and the lollar pickup is much better than any modern Gibson pickup and the Eastman is much closer to vintage spec. Love the review mate keep the awesome content coming!
I just bought an Epi SG with the P90's and it is instantly my favorite guitar out if the 6 I own! It sounds even better than my PRS. I can't put it down! So yeah, whatever Epiphone is doing don't stop! And thanks Colin for the advice. It was your video that convinced me to get it.
Always loved Epiphone and glad to see them rising too the top .And i own two 1995 birds eye maple les Paul and a 2010 SG Prophecy with EMG pickups which i don't like that much 81/85 pickups don't have the tone as my Les Paul.
I am fairly new at watching your videos and only about 18 months into playing but I have acquired a few guitars already. I absolutely love your videos and you always put out great information about the stuff you are reviewing and playing. As long as you’re making videos…. I will be watching! And also I do believe that P90 sound is my favorite! Have a great day sir
Another great comparison video. Hard to beat the value for money you get with the Epiphone. My Junior is a 2011 Epiphone project guitar I got used from our local shop. Played it several times and got along well with it. Had cheap tuners, a very hot humbucker and not great wiring. I went for a Generic Korean made alnico 5 humbucker-sized P90, premium wiring from 6 String Supplies, Graphtec nut and vintage style white button tuners. Killer little guitar now.
Not going to argue with you by any means... but there is not so much of this value for the money with musical instruments .. you get what you pay for.. And honestly - I am glad I bought all my gear years ago. They just dont do them that way anymore. Bean counters and stakeholders - the corporate greed won.
I'm usually a cheap guitar guy, and the Epiphone seems like it would be great for doing Billie Joe-type stuff, but I feel that the sound of the Billie Joe wasn't as open and snarly as the Gibson and Eastman, and it seems to me like it's the pickup. Of course, you could buy the Epiphone plus a Gibson p-90 for less than the cost of either of the other two guitars.
Great video Colin😎👍 Lollar gets my vote for most dynamic pup, lending itself to more styles of music. When acquiring my Eastman Uptown 805e... years ago, the vintage French polish was as much of a selling point for me😃😎👍 Just a beautiful finish that ya can't keep yer hands off of😎👍 😎👍❤🖖 Love Brother
i have a 2011 Gibson, bought it second hand on REVERB without seeing it. it is insanely good, my favourite guitar to play out of the many i own, super resonant.
Choosing a guitar, and finding "the one", is personal, very personal. A guitar that's right for you, can be the opposite for someone else *same instrument". How it sounds, how it feels in your hand, how it plays, in your hands, the way it looks, its version, and who made it, all works to determine that right guitar for you. Personally speaking, I do not like single pick up electric guitars, acoustic guitars with some sort of amplifying devise is different. Still, your comparison of these three guitars is still nice. I heard very little difference in them, so I would save the cash, get the Epiphone and invest in a peddle to kick it up a notch, That's just me. ;-)
You should check out a mid 1960s Gibson kalamazoo sg type kg 1 or 2. They can be got in good nick for near 500 us . I have one I like more than its more costly siblings. A poor or working mans Gibson.
For me, the Eastman has the best sound. Also, the most expressive. Glad I am not good enough to play such a guitar. Would be $1500 poorer! Tried one in a guitar shop and it was great.
By pure coincidence I got my Eastman delivered today and then I see this video! 😀 Thanks, great stuff! I got into my head that I should try a single-pickup guitar and can confirm that the Eastman is awesome! Very resonant, great feel and quality. Can’t find anything to complain about really. Although I have only had it for less than a day but first impressions are very positive indeed.
Obviously bias having just picked up the Epiphone. Such a great range of tones. Given the price of the other 2, I could have also walked out the shop with the black Epiphone Les Paul Custom & a considerable amount of change...... only convincing my wife of this being a great deal may have been tricky. The additional acoustic travel guitar was a big enough challenge.
Great review again Colin. I really enjoy and appreciate your honest, interesting and entertaining comparison videos especially. Knowing your preference for P90 loaded guitars, have you seen that Sire are releasing a Larry Carlton single cut/LP with P90s? Might be interesting
I've been considering buying the double cut variant of this from eastman for the last couple of months. Just needed that last push. This seems to have done it. Single pickup stripped down guitars are all you need. No muss no fuss.
Had a very similar scenario with DHL, I bought a BC Rich Legacy Mockingbird guitar from a store in Germany. At the time Australia didn't have these so I paid online and received tracking details. Tracking information went so far to indicate it left Germany, once it left Germany all tracking information ceased. No one could tell me were it was or supply any details, after a couple weeks I received a full refund from the store as the guitar was deemed lost in transit? A couple of months past and out of the blue it turned up, long story short I informed the Store, they offered me a reduction and I paid. Only trouble was I had already spent the refund on something else, I ate beans on toast for a couple of months to recoup the cost of another guitar not budgeted!
I like the Epiphone sunburst better than the Gibson, the Gibson is too yellow! The best looking one from Gibson USA is actually the 2015 death scroll version, it's closer to the original 50's finish and indeed the Custom Shop Version! I like the finish on the Eastman!
I agree with a lot of the views below. I like the way you are down to earth and a normal bloke! Plus I was surprised about your revelation, that you, like me and probably most guitarists? Have the playing in a shop problem. Brilliant and entertaining programme!!
I've been looking for the Eastman double cut SB55 DC, and all of them are well over £1k (not sure about the Lollar pickup for my taste), never had a chance to try it out, but reviews online are generally glowing. Mahogany over the okume would drive me me more towards the purchase tbh.
I got my Gibson Les Paul Jr in 2012 the dark sunburst, before the wood bans, I had a 50s reissue Sunburst it was beautiful but the neck was like a bassball bat so thick, hard to play so i sold it, and bot the Gibson, just a perfect simple guitar. Back in 2012 the Les Paul Jr sold for $650 now they go for $1,500
Comes down to this - neck feel: carve, frets etc Then it’s about intonation. Which one nailed the wrap tail best. Personally for me, I’m putting some lollar 50s wind in any of em so not fussed about pickups. That said I am quite excited to try new Gibson pickup shop a2 magnet p90s!
I remember once I was trying out a guitar in a shop and this teenager was just sitting there burning through scales just to do it, intentionally like he was showing off and it was like "great, im going to sound like a chump playing my little bluesy licks"... I decided I wanted to see how much feeling I could put into just bending one note, for an extended timeframe just letting it ring and adding a little variation to it. It sounded massive, and the scale burner quit and just mellowed out after that 😆 never be afraid of your ability was the lesson I learned that day lol.
I love this channel. I have an sb59 V, and a Romeo la. Finally found a sb55 I can afford. I just ordered it today can't wait I've been wanting one for 3 years. I have a few Gibson guitars and I like them but the Eastman guitars are better. Eastman has been forcing other manufacturers to up their game in the last few years so hats off to them for that. Just picked up a reverend 390 Warhawk. If you could find one you should do a review on it they are absolutely amazing. Really love your Channel. Cheers from Oregon.
Hey Colin, bit late to comment. Had to work through the weekend and was under the weather but got to watch the whole video now and just wanted to say job well done as always! I can only imagine the hours it takes to make these and know a lot of time goes in each week and just wanted to say I really appreciate your videos and you’re one of the few channels I consistently enjoy coming back to. I was always a Gibson only player but have given the new Epiphones a chance since seeing your vids and have been very pleasantly surprised. Now I want to try an Eastman. 😁
Great video Colin! I love your honesty, and sense of humor. I own the Gibson myself, and I bought the Music City saavy bridge for it. it made it so much more enjoyable to play. It looks stock, but it's compensated, and much lighter. no more sitar'ing. I prefer the finish on the Eastman, and Epiphone is no slouch at all. they're all good arent they?
Which would I get? Well, of these three, if I had to, it would the Epi with the leopard lined case. But I am so in love with my Coronet (thanks to you Colin) that I don't feel the need for a single cut P90. If I even get to play guitar good enough to justify anything over a few hundred quid, it might be a Eastman Juliette. Though recently I saw a Gibson Smokehouse Burst LP Studio, that gave me a mild case of GAS
Love your videos. They are always a nice way to start off the weekend. And about the epiphone pickups. Im gonna take an educated guess and say that "P90DEPB-C" stands for P90 dogear probucker - chrome. Usually when you see a N,C or G written on the pickup its for either nickel, chrome or gold. Hope that helped you in any way..
@@theguitaristas on this specific model its probably the pole screws. If this model had gold finished pole screws it would probably say P90DEPB- G. I can understand the confusion when dog ears p90s are usually black. Take for instance your epiphone les paul custom's neck pickup. PB2GHBN-4-2. PB2 (probucker2) Gold HB (humbucker)N (neck) 4? im guessing the amount of wires?
i mostly prefered the sound of the eastman. it sounds a bit more open. But i'll stick to my p90 goldtop. With it having 2 pickups it gives me more tones to choose from. If i didnt have the goldtop id have to choose between the Gibson and the Eastman. I would have to try both in person before choosing.
“… my guitar gratification…” Most apposite and best collocation expressing us guitar collectors/players sheer joy from guitars including spending 4 - 6 - 8 hours a day listening, practising, online shopping, cruising guitar stores - and watching the oceans of ‘guitar porn’ on RU-vid - including and certainly Colin’s guitaristas channel. Every week’s work you put in Colin is well justified for the delectation and edification it gives us all!
"Tough as old boots." 😂🤣😂 Put a single pickup guitar in your hands and you become a beast! These are all fine guitars, but that Epiphone, complete with it's sexy case, is hard to beat! The Eastman is quite lively. It's like a Custom Shop for the price of a Gibson USA model. I totally get not wanting to play in a guitar store. I'm that way, too. I've taken a headphone amp with me before. True story: I was looking at tiny amps @ Elderly's one day with my brother. I picked up an SG with P94 pups, and was playing it. I was actually playing really good for me. There was a chap there noodling around with a Les Paul. He would glance over now and then. I couldn't tell if he was impressed or thought I was rubbish. He didn't run out of the room, at least. We left, and my brother said, "Did you see that guy? He's Bob Seger!" I was flabbergasted. I was so focused on what I was doing that I didn't recognize him.
Fantastic story! 😁👍 I had a bad case of guitar shop phobia last week and totally bailed on trying a Maybach Lester through a Fender Vibro Champ… dream rig right?? I was so crap I left and that was only with an arrogant shop assistant looking at me 🤷♂️🤦♂️
As ever the Epiphone on value is the clear winner, if you want a junior as second, third or whatever guitar that's the no brainer. To me one winner poubt for the Eastman is the neck joint. Being normally a Custom player the ridge from the joint up just annoys me on juniors. I like the Eastman for having a more "standard" neck joint, that alone attracts me towards it over either the other two.
Completely true - I have a 2009 GIbson Single cut with that crap painted finish without any nitro. Weirdly when I got brand new in 2011 (been sitting in a guitar shop for 2 years) it was pretty underwhelming to say the least. played it at a couple if gigs and accidently knocked it over and it the neck just exploded and smashed off. Believe or not this was just what it needed - I got it repaired by a guy I know who also finished it with a nitro finish and re-set it all up, frets etc. It is now an amzing guitar and nothing compares. I've had 3 Gibson DC Juniors, 2 from around 2004 which were really awful to be fair, and a Gibson DC Tribute which again was just nothing special, also an epiphone from 1999 which was great after some hardwre tweaks but I stupidly sold it. A couple of years back I bought a 2019 single cut tobacco burst Gibson Junior and it is good in some ways but just not the one, the neck is just far too fat for my liking . Also a special edition Gordon Smith Steve Diggle DC Junior that was beautifully presented but possibly the worst guitar ever made. However I bought a Harley Benton DC Cherry from Ebay for £140 with an upgraded Warman P90 and to be honest it's fantastic and much better than any of the other GIbson DCs I've had in the past, only my white Gibson SC Junior from 2009 is better, the rest I wouldn't touch with a barge pole really.
It's been bugging me for over a year now and I've finally figured it out. This channel is basically a Tony Hart show for grown ups. That is in no way a bad thing :)
I love the fact that most the comments I've read clearly shows there isn't a winner they all have their place. For the price the Epiphone knocks it out of the park, for the tone I would say I prefer the Gibson and looks I'd take the Eastman. I'd rather not plug in at a guitar shop. In fact I usually take them into the acoustic room as its usually empty. The reason is that I can hear the natural sound of the guitar and the body resonate against mine. I own a few guitars now everything from a modded squire strat classic vibe 60s with Seymour Duncan electronics and hot rail pickups. 2011 Gibson Les Paul Classic Plus, 2015 Gibson ES-339 Memphis Studio, 2021 Epiphone Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess, 2021 Epiphone 1961 Les Paul SG, and now a 2022 Gibson 61' SG Standard with Maestro Vibrola. They all have their place and each has their own uniqueness although if I could keep only one it would be my 61 SG Standard without a question. Thank you so much Colin for your efforts without this channel I probably still be a les Paul guy 😆
Thank you so much for your great efforts. You manage to offer us approx 1 hour of entertainment about guitars. I can imagine all the work needed for that. Yhis week, the Eastman is clearly a winner in every aspect (except price comaped to the Epiphone) : quality, materials, sound. I got a fantastic Eastman SB54/v Limited Black (Les Paul 54 black beauty), hand crafted with staple P90 Seymour Duncan custom shop at the neck and an antiqued P90 Seymour Duncan custom shop at the bridge. It's so great and can be compared easily with Gibson cusom shops, minimum twice the price. These chinese people make orchestral instruments and they know their stuff for sure.
I’d buy the Eastman. Hands down. It had, by far, the best un-plugged sound! And plugged in…. that Lollar just shined, I’m sorry, Gibson. For the dough, anyone should be happy playing that Epi at a jam, too! The mighty, historic Gibson comes in last, for me! I’m 64. That makes me cry! These Jrs suit you sooo well! But for me, a one P/U guitar is an Esquire! But P-90’s are my fav P/U! …..life is a conundrum! Peace.
It's occurred to me watching this that I've never owned a single or double cut junior, not sure why? I love single pickup guitars so will likely get hold of a double cut junior style guitar to go with my new SG custom 'homage' now, thanks! :-)
I guess it's ok if you pay for it but a lot of folk like their guitars to be pristine... personally I love a beaten up guitar but only if its meant to look like that 😁👍
Love your reviews. Properly down to earth and none of the horrible guitar bullshit that goes with a lot of this stuff. You’ve sold me both the epi 59 lp and the sg 61 on the strength of your honest appraisals of them. And they are ace guitars. I’m lucky enough to have a couple of really nice bits in a 345 and vintage Jazzmaster to compare with and they are absolutely brilliant for the money. Cheers for the time and effort you spend on her channel
Ebony board would sell it to me....i hate that light, reddish brown pao ferro or whatever it is, even if it is not bad for staining black! I have a strat fever at the moment and just got my first: 2017 Deluxe Roadhouse Fender Strat for a bargain and it is awesome! As always, great watch, time flies when you're having fun...love from Switzerland👌🎸🤘🎸👊🏼
This was such a great, thorough look at these guitars! Any experience or feel for how the Eastman would compare to the Gibson Custom Shop 57 Junior with the $3K+ price tag? (I.e. which will sound closer to an original 50s junior?)
I had an CS Les Paul (TV white) Junior for a while and traded it because it was underwhelming for £3k… honestly I think the Eastman is way better and actually feels like an old one.
Nice Uriah Heepy feel playing on 37:00 on the Old Scratch!. I really love the sound on the Eastman but dont tell scratch. it always makes me smile when she's- on stage (i guess its a she?)!
To be honest I think (now I have literally just thought about it) my guitars are probably mostly 'non gender specific' ... after all I am based in Woke Britain! 😁
Based on your superb review and playing, why pay more? The Epi was aweseome. Yep they all had their own edge but in a blind listening test not sure if there was an obvious winner so save the cash in my view. I know when you play them they will feel and sound different but to a listener its different. Great vid as always mate thank you.
I don't get why even Gibson's custom shop historic guitars are so heavy. It seems that every smaller builder that makes a version of a Gibson guitar can somehow make it a full pound lighter.
@@theguitaristas I’ve been a wobbling all over the street( edit)! I’m a junco partner etc ! As you can probably guess, I’m a huge Clash fan, you are too🍻
I would buy the Gibson, if I could afford it AND if it is the one, like you said BUT I own 4 Epiphones(a 335, 2 Juniors, 1 TV Special) AND a Gibson Maestro Junior that I love and am upgrading. At this point in time Epiphone are making some incredible guitars, as you know. For some reason and I know it may be a snob thing but I can't get into any knockoffs or other company's versions of known great historical brands like Fender or Gibson. I guess I am a traditionalist..the nicest word for it,,,lol...I liked the video Colin!
Eastmans are the best bang for your buck guitar you can get. Basically hand crafted, top spec tech custom shop quality guitars at gibsons standard guitar prices.
While I'd love to own one, I just don't get it. In the Gibson line up (prices recently changed) I bought a studio smokehouse burst for £1299. Why would a slab body, single pickup cosy £150 guid more? For me, its worth between £799 and £899.....Less than a tribute in any case.
Don`t put yourself down man, you always sound amazing, I wish I sounded as good on the guitars I`ve bought after watching your reviews, and by the way you`ve never been wrong yet with your advice , cheers Col look forward to the next one, have a good week man, motorbike season coming to an end though, mine tucked up all clean and dry 👍more time for guitars though !!
Cheers man thanks for the kind words as always! 🙏😎 yes I got out for a spin on the Ducati 🏍 last weekend but they will be few and far between until spring… good job we’ve got plenty of guitars to muck around with eh? 😆👌
I have had epiphones. Good guitars but I have always had to polish the frets and set them up. I'm fortunate to own 4 gibsons 3 les pauls and an old sg. Every one is different. I think you miss the point of the 1. What feels and sounds good in your hands won't in mine. When you spend weeks hand finishing the body and necks they'll be differences. The pickups are wound by technicians so, again they'll have slight differences. Personal preferences will dictate the one. I tried several gibsons. None were crap but some weren't right for me. I now only have 1 epiphone, the archtop zenith. That is great but the frets were awful from the shop. I'm not a brand snob either. I have an 80's strat copy and a mim strat that I am happy with (now I dressed the frets). No desire for usa strat. Just thought I'd stick my two pennies worth in.
I have to say the 2011 Gibson LP JR I had was underwhelming. I did buy it for $400 and sold it for $600. I didn't even bother to put an adjustable wrap around bridge on it. I think the early 2000's Epiphone LP special I had was a better guitar. Its one of the guitars that got away.
Nice guitars. The Eastman is probably the best, finish and features wise. But expensive for a chinese product. Chinese custom shop . The Gibson look cheap by comparison (comparaison n'est pas raison..) but it offers that vintage entry level guitar look and feel. And it's a Gibson. I don't buy guitars with resell in mind but that's an argument. The Epiphone is super nice and a third the price of the others. What not to like in it ? The indian laurel board is a bit bland and grayish i think. The pick up is overwound (not necessary a good thing) but it's 'punk' artist signature... Cool playing as always. No need to be shy playing in music shops.. ;-)
I got 2 "Jr's" A made in Japan "Orville by Gibson" that I gutted and replaced all the electric stuff I.E. pickup, pots ,cap, jack with made in America stuff. Then the 75 dollar Epi jr. that got the same treatment, except I kept the Humbucker that came in at 11 ohms. These are rock monsters. What a noise!!!!!!
I just don't think the Eastman or the Gibson sound $1000 better than the Epiphone. I am thinking about some Lollar P-90s for my Epi SG Special now though...lol. Thanks for doing what you do!!! Have a great weekend. See ya' next Friday...TTFN!!!
I understand the fear in playing in shops, personally think your a great player & appreciate all the hard work you put in. This is & has been my favorite channel for quite some time. Have a great weekend Collin.
