WITH A NAME like Romeo, it was only appropriate that Eastman’s first original guitar design was a head turner. Introduced in 2020, the semihollow model was a milestone for a company that has had its share of noteworthy achievements in its short history. Established by Chinese flutist and Boston University music graduate Quian Ni in 1992, Eastman Guitars has continually defied preconceptions, while it has consistently garnered respect from players. The company forged its reputation with clever, well-made semi-reproductions of classic models. While they weren’t straight-out copies, guitars like the SB59, SB55 and T64 clearly echo Gibson’s ’59 Les Paul Standard, Les Paul Junior and ES-330, respectively. But with Romeo, Eastman began branching into entirely original designs from the imagination of the company’s Pomona, California–based master luthier, Otto D’Ambrosio.
