This is a great video. Thank you guys! Very good choice for comparison. Yamaha has a shorter scale length and a slightly shallower body. I really liked the comfort of the FG when I tried it. My FS3 sounds great plugged in or unplugged. It suits my need as a singer for finger-picking and light strumming. Even though it has an A.R.E. Sitka top, the sound of my guitar changed a lot after breaking-in. With the bone saddle and phosphor bronze strings, it sounds much better than when I played it in the store. That Eastman sounds great with more power and boom. If I were a bit younger, taller and had longer arms, I might prefer and go for the Eastman. It sounds more like Martin D18. Both are great affordable guitars! Thanks for the great comparison!

I purchased an FG3 several months ago for $630. Could not be happier with it. Such underrated guitars

During the blind test, Guitar B was my preferred. When John tried to point out how the Eastman jumped out or cut better in the mix, I agree that it was noticeable. However, when John did the tone samples for the blind test the Yamaha sounded different, and seemed louder, clear and full. The player and attack makes a huge difference. We are dealing with the recording and whatever happens when it's uploaded to the TUBE, but I want to point that out. Both guitars are good, different, and depending on how used they can be just what your looking for!

Ok... This is rather long for a youtube comment, but you might find it interesting: I started playing aged 15, in 1970 in the UK, first steel string an Italian Eros (sort of upmarket Eko). In 1972, I bought a new Yamaha Red Label FG-something in London - and that was the ONLY acoustic I owned, and played literally to death until I was about 30, when it became unplayable ! (Still got it stored away...) And I was 90% an acoustic player in those years... Despite playing other guitars, that guitar still remained my favourite overall - and I put that down mainly to its incredible versatility... I learnt and practiced every guitar style I know on that, struming, picking, fingerstyle, folk, even rock chording (sometimes with soundhole pickup), and even the "electric" lead guitar styles I started to practice on it with light strings, that led to a major late switch to electric guitar in my 30s. In the years since then, I have worked as an acoustic luthier, full time guitar tech, and learned a lot about guitars... Been on a big dive back into acoustics last few years, trying all sorts, including lots of Eastmans. Recently, I finally added an FG3 to my already too large pile of instruments Thought it was amazing, and very surreal to be back with that familiar design, this time with quality solid woods etc. Then just recently, I finally decided I had had my fun, and had to sell off all but 1 or 2 guitars. And it came down to a battle between - ironically - an E6D, the FG3, and a nice E8D... I actually decided to keep only the E6D for my current life needs in the end..BUT ! This is my take on the FG design: It was incredibly clever and well thought back then, how to fill the need in the market.... The large lower bout for Dreadnought-like volume, but tighter upper bout for a certain kind of focus...the mid dize scale length, making it easier for beginners, and easier for fingerstyle... It's no wonder they sold in bucketloads in the UK to both pros and amateurs who couldn't afford v pricey US imports, they were a truly amazing option. So what I'm saying: I reckon the FG3 is THE guitar for any learning or developing player...those exploring styles etc... It will do anything, become a friend, and now *amazing* quality for the price....(and my beloved old one was only laminate..!) Maybe not the king of bluegrass.. but the king of a lot, and based on the instrument without which so much of my life might not have involved guitars...👍 Jeremy is spot on...just a fantastic guitar for an anyone to "have around".. Here endeth the lesson... Please feel free to use this story in your sales pitch...😳🤣🤣 John.

Very interesting comparison. The lead vs harmony demo was excellent. It would be interesting to hear them both in the hands of a finger style picker too. Maybe it's time for another Everyone Plays video...

It's the Eastman for me. I have an Eastman Parlour guitar and mandolin. I'm just a huge fan, and your comparison hasn't dampened my enthusiasm.

Great to finally hear a comparison to the two guitars I am considering buying, along with the Eastman E1D which has the Sapele back and sides. Some weeks ago I was sure the Yamaha FG3 was going to be my next guitar. Then slow but sure that Eastman ringing sound has taken over. And right now I actually prefer the cheaper Eastman E1D. Let’s face it, when you go up in price you are primarily paying for more expensive tone woods, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the higher priced tone woods will sound better than the less expensive ones. Higher priced woods are just not as readily available as the lesser priced woods. Much thanks to The Guitar Shoppe for offering up these comparisons.

Nice comparison guys. Next Bourgeois Touchstone vs comparable Eastman

Great video but no mention of the short scale on the Yamaha. (25”). I suspect the slightly lower string tension might be rationale for slightly less projection?

Great video, I just compared something similar except the Yamaha was the Japanese Red Label. Ended up with an Eastman E10omsb. They both sounded great but the Yamaha was very modern sounding. The Eastman was more traditional and dry sounding :)

I like the tone of the Yamaha ll16m way more than the fg3. More articulate and clarity yet maintains depth in the lows. Especially with dr rares they work great on my ll16m but thinking about trying ghs vintage bronze

Love all these videos! Have you played the FG3's Japanese brother, the FG5 yet? Was Wondering how you would compare that to the E10-D which you both really like. Maybe too soon but a 3 way comparison with a D-18 standard would be very cool! Keep up the good work thanks!

just did this comparison myself in store about 3 weeks ago.. the feel of the eastman is, in my opinion, of much higher quality. even doing something simple like tuning, the eastman feels like its a more expensive insturment. the e6d-tc sounds deeper and more full, more bass but also more balanced. It is impossible to hear the differences on youtube, you need to play in person. For me, it came down to how they felt in the hand mixed with sound and the eastman won hands down.

Yamaha has 80/20 Elixer strings. Eastman has D'Addario XS Phosphor Bronze. I believe this plays a huge part in the tonal differences. Yamaha is crisp and brighter and the Eastman is warmer. I'd love to hear them both with the same strings. I have a FSX5 and the tone defintely became warmer once I put Phosphor Bronze strings on it. Anyway, appreciate the time and effort you guys put into these reviews.

I definitely would have to say the Yamaha. Eastman sounds great, too, but it largely sounds like a Martin. The Yamaha has its own thing, and if anyone has play one in the store, they know how amazing and beautiful they sound.

Without being able to see John playing, I felt the Yamaha showcased his playing abilities more audibly. Semper Fi

As a singer that uses the guitar to back up vocals, I was very impressed with the Yamaha. I thought that the Eastman would win out and was surprised that I liked the tone of the Yamaha more. How about a comparison between the Yamaha FX3 and the Yamaha LL-16? These guitars are close to each other in price so what separates them tonally? Yes, Mahogany vs Rosewood.

I had the chance to try out the Yamaha FG5 and FG3 against the Eastman E6D; they are a very different breed. The E6 tries to emulate a D18, the sound is dry and precise, not too much personality in there. In addition the guitar is very heavy, maybe kind of overbuilt, with a thicker neck. The yamahas are a totally different concept, they have a voice of their own that will suit better players who need a richer and more complex tone. They sound both full like a piano and airy, the top vibrates evry efficiently, it literally jumps under your hands (not as much liveliness on the eastman that feels a lot stiffer) with a powerful bass response (it gets muddier depending on the string set... 80/20s are fine, phospor bronze are too dark imho). The FGs are light guitars, with a larger body, a thinner neck and a shorter scale length (25 vs 25.4). I ended up with the FG5, the difference with the FG3 is noticeable in terms of more harmonic complexity and "piano-like" sound. If you're looking for a very standard traditional-style dread guitar go for the E6D. If you want an instrument with its own character and modern playability get the FG5/3. Trussrod is double-action, very precise.

def prefer the tone of the Eastman at the 6:30 mark. 2,849th listen view.

I've owned a top Eastman and now have a Yamaha I'll take Yamaha all day long over an Eastman. I prefer the depth and clarity let alone the sustain of the Yamaha's.

Would the Yamaha gain much more clarity and volume if you added a bone nut & saddle & ebony bridge pins ?

My dad did not play a Yamaha and my kids know I have neither of these. I would take the Yamaha and gig with it. It would suit my style and needs better.

Do the Yamaha FG3 and FS3 have matte pickguards now? They were glossy before but in this video it appears to be matte. Anyone know what's up with that?

Great comparison. I would only add that you may be misdirected a bit by your background. It seems to me that the biggest market for these instruments are folks that have played for long enough to know that music making is something they really like and are looking to step up to their first really decent guitar. For that person, many of them will find the $200 add on the Yamaha for the built in pickup to be a chunk o’ change. If you did a true apples to apples comparison, the $200 price difference could be a deal breaker for many of those folks & many of them won’t need a pickup. $200 might seem like chump change to folks that have been in the game of acquiring & trading guitars for awhile, but for folks that are just getting going, it’s a lot of $.

I agree

Both great guitars. I am a huge Yamaha fan. There is a certain sound with Yamaha. Eastman is a great brand.

They sounded pretty far apart, until the SAME player did the A/B test. Amazing how much more similar they sounded. Both guys are good players, but the tone is in the fingers. I'd take either...there's pretty slight differences. Both had good low end fundamental. Maybe the Eastman, has a hair, and I mean a hair more note definition, and has less overtones hazing it up? Less zing. As the guy on the right mentioned, sometimes that shimmer is good for strumming with a thinner pick for recording. Maybe... Thanks for the video. You could make a record with either with a good player and a good mic and preamp. Just saying. For a grand? Both are a steal.

That Eastman is definitely voiced differently. The gloss finish should actually diminish the sound a bit more. The Yamaha is probably better plugged in. More bass bit muddier.

I am going to guess that Guitar A is the Eastman and Guitar B is the Yamaha.

Never played a eastman that sounds as good as a yamaha

Not impressed by Eastman from any perspective. Yamaha has clearly a better sound, a pickup impossible to find in aftermarket, and humble but distinctive looks. If you drop your guitar, a thick clear coat will not protect anything, and dings are more apparent on glossy finishes. Sorry to say this, but I can’t see anything on Eastman that would make me pick over Yamaha.

Personally I don't like either one. They both sound chimmy.

9:38 thank me later . Lol

Ouch The Yamaha is a eye sore. I had no problem picking which was which in the A and B test. The Eastman was the clear winner 🏆