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Here's what I did on my vacation.

Steve had close to a half dozen Stanfords on display, including PSD 10, PSRD 10, PSD 20, PSD 21, and a PSRD 20. I played them all, and there wasn't one of them that I wouldn't have taken home with me, had I not been fully satisfied with my current instruments. The PSD 21 stands out, however, as about as good a spruce/mahogany dread as one can get.

He had one Potomac out, an all solid, spruce/rosewood dread that goes for around the $500 range, and was a mighty fine guitar in its own right. I saw nothing lacking in fit and finish, and despite being a bit more heavily built, hence not as loud as the Stanfords, it sounded and played like a quality guitar, at least on a par with the comparable Blueridge and RK models. It was evident to me that whoever is manufacturing and importing the Potomacs knows what time it is.

Eastmans: Wow. If I were in the market for something other than my bluegrassy models, I'd go straight to the Eastmans. They are drop-dead gorgeous, and have a fantastic, more modern voice. I'd grab one of these guitars over any Taylor, or other "contemporary" voiced guitars in a heartbeat.

I also played a few mandolins Steve has on the wall, a few Eastmans, which are well made, but hit-or-miss in the sound department, so wise to play before you buy. He has a "The Loar" LM 600 F5 style there, one of the Music Link products that has since been superseded by the LM 700, which you can't hardly find. I was monumentally unimpressed by the LM 600. Although touted as hand-carved, all solid woods, it sounded just like most other pacrim starter mandolins, thin and lacking in fullness of sound.

So there ya have it. If you're in East Tennessee and have finished oohing and aahing at the scenery, go see Steve and buy something from him, or spend some time letting him work on your current instruments and talking your ear off. It was great fun, and I guaran-damn-tee you, I'm going to do it again.

Dave

Pete, there weren't any Eastmans but dreads out for hands-on play.

The Eastmans I played were a couple of notches soundwise above Larrivees, IMO. They have what I can only describe as a "sophisticated" sound, whereas the Larrys I've played had a more fundamental sound. Don't get me wrong, I've got nothing against Larrivees, they are fine guitars.