They also began making acoustic guitars, as well as regular solid-body electric guitars. And after realizing the potential in the archtop hollow-body electric guitar market, Ni used the same approach that he did with Eastman Strings and started Eastman Guitars.įollowing these safe-proof methods in starting a new instrument-making business, it comes as no surprise that the company’s guitars have become fairly successful in recent years. One thing led to another and before long, they soon started making bows and instrument cases. It didn’t take long for things to lift off and Eastman soon became one of the most exciting new musical companies on the market. Not long after starting the company, Ni brought in already experienced and established violin builders. You need a solid group of professionals who know what they are doing. After all, such a task requires more than just enthusiasm and ideas. However, the whole thing needed a much more thorough approach. The initial idea was to replicate special hand-crafted violins from the West. A Young and enthusiastic musician going by the name of Qian Ni moved back to China from the United States after acquiring higher education in classical music.Īfter a while, Qian and his peers from China founded the Eastman Strings company. The story of Eastman Guitars and Eastman Music Company takes us back to 1992. Likewise, each of the divisions has its own following and even a pretty impressive roster of artists and endorsers who play their instruments.Īlthough it is not exactly an old company, Eastman has managed to combine the experience of numerous individuals to make all of this happen in a relatively short period. They were already established names that Eastman acquired along the way, as the company grew.īut these divisions serve more than just the larger corporate entity.Įach and every one of them bring the same vision to life: to create the best possible hand-made instruments, all for a more reasonable price than those in the West. Shires Co., Backun Musical Services, and Brugeois Guitars.Īll of these subsidiary companies focus predominantly on hand-crafted instruments. They also manufacture wind instruments and string instruments.Īdditionally, they’re the owners of a few other prestigious subsidiary companies. Yes, they make both acoustic and electric 6-strings of all kinds, and those guitars are finally getting the credit that they deserve.īut in the larger picture, they’re a bigger entity called Eastman Music Company. Let’s take a closer look at the company itself and then explore some of their awesome instruments.Įastman is best known for guitars, but that is not the only thing they make. To put it simply, they’re a far better bang for the buck. But comparing the prices between the two, you can easily say that Eastman Guitars are far more reasonably priced considering their overall qualities. Of course, you can’t expect something like a Gibson Custom Shop or a Fender Custom Shop. It conjures up images of “made in China” Squiers or various unnamed knock-off brands that manufacture crappy electric guitars in huge numbers.īut this couldn’t be further from the truth.Įastman instruments are hand-made and are worthy competitors of Japanese branded guitars or some of the custom shops from the West. Naturally, when we see the Beijing location, we can’t help but think it’s just another “Made in China” brand, with all that brings with it. But it’s still affordable and considering the quality of their instruments, they’re more than a great deal. One such company is Eastman.ĭespite it’s Beijing, China home, Eastman is not a super-cheap brand. That should come as no surprise.īut if you take your time to do some research and dig a little deeper into the market, you’ll find some pretty underrated guitar manufacturers.īrands that dedicate their time and effort to creating good instruments, but keep the prices within more reasonable limits. You have your standard Gibsons, Fenders, Suhrs, Martins, Schecters, ESPs, and other brands if you want to go pro.Īnd obviously, none of these top-tier guitars are exactly reasonably-priced. You have a somewhat limited choice when it comes to pro-quality guitars.