Has Eastman Brought Affordability TO Bluegrass Guitars?

Photos by Bud Osborne Eastman Music Company, over the last decade or so, has quietly but unmistakably risen to the challenge of building guitars that can satisfy discerning bluegrass players, while retaining the affordability that is the hallmark of APAC (Asia-Pacific) instrument manufacturing.        Case in point is the well-crafted and luxuriously appointed guitar under review here, the Eastman E20D-TC-MR. Featuring a torrified Adirondack top (Thermo Cured or TC in Eastman parlance) over a fine set of Madagascar rosewood (MR) back and sides, this E20D is aimed at buyers who might gravitate to a guitar from the legendary workshops in Austin or Lewiston or Nazareth but are unable to afford those high-end instruments. Just pricing out one elite, boutique US dreadnought in the exotic tonewoods found here rang up at well over $10,000.        At a list price of $2,769 and selling for a street price around $2,200 depending on the dealer, Eastman has set thi