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Post by Jefferson on Dec 16, 2019 10:33:30 GMT -7
Friends, many of you know my saga with the recent Duesenberg purchase that turned into a Duesenberg return. Loved that guitar tonally, but they cost nearly $3K and the dang thing would not stay in tune!
Anyway, my search led me to a store here in town that had a couple of Eastman guitars on the wall. I really didn't know anything about the company, but spending a little time with those guitars got me interested. They are handmade guitars essentially and made in Asia. Usually I am a made in USA guy, but the quality of workmanship is astounding. So I began to look around and discovered this beauty at Guitar Riot in Cleveland. Many of you know that Brent, the owner, used to work with Z. I had several interactions with him while he was helping Z. So I gave him a call and we worked out a great deal on a red 335 style guitar. This one has their antique varnish finish. Its a super thin hand rubbed nitro finish designed to look just a little antiqued. I guess you would say that this is a relic guitar, but the relicing is extremely light and just looks/feels like a comfortable, worn-in guitar. The only place you can really see it is on the upper bout and it looks like a little of the red finish has been rubbed off by your forearm. The hardware also has a bit of aged patina, but nothing dramatic.
This guitar plays and sound terrific. Feels altogether familiar. Its loud, resonant and sustains forever - and that's unplugged!
comes with a terrific flamey maple laminate front/back. Bound ebony fretboard and headstock. Double bound body. The fretwork is outstanding and the Duncan Antiquities pickups sound great. the parallelogram inlays are superbly done. Way better than anything Ive seen recently on a Gibby! CTS pots, Switchcraft jack. I'm just not sure how they can do this for the pricepoint. Anyway, the tuning stability problem I had with the Dusey is nowhere to be found with this guitar. Absolutely loving it!
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Post by purpletele on Dec 16, 2019 11:32:40 GMT -7
I've been eyeballing those as well. Beautiful guitar!
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Post by Jefferson on Dec 16, 2019 11:55:27 GMT -7
^^^^^The combination of price point, workmanship and playability is ridiculous! Watched a tiny desk video last night where Pete Stroud was playing an Eastman.
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Post by doctorice on Dec 16, 2019 12:18:56 GMT -7
I've heard good things about Eastman and am eager to try one. I think a couple of their guitars just were included in Guitar Player's Best of 2019, fwiw.
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Post by "Z" Steve on Dec 16, 2019 12:55:59 GMT -7
Not HB's but still a great demo and review.
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Post by Chilly Gibbons (Todd T.) on Dec 16, 2019 13:42:02 GMT -7
Love that neck binding! Nice!
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Post by markT on Dec 16, 2019 16:59:42 GMT -7
Congrats! Looks really nice~
I coworker ask me to pick an acoustic out for his granddaughter. He was going to buy one for her Christmas present. I went to a local, mom & pop acoustic store and saw several Eastman's. The first one was the winner! Last years model that was on sale for $399. A concert size with cutaway and a fishman pickup installed. Played great. Sounded great. The guitar could have easily cost over 2 grand. He bought it the next day. I wish I had a guitar that nice to learn on!
Congrats again on a great guitar~
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Post by Jefferson on Dec 16, 2019 17:08:27 GMT -7
Not sure that Eastman will always be this good, but right now someone knows what they are doing and is taking pride in their work!
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Post by purpletele on Dec 16, 2019 17:30:40 GMT -7
Here is one that is haunting me. link
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Post by Deleted on Dec 16, 2019 19:13:28 GMT -7
I’ve had three Eastmans over the years, and still have two. Really nice, well made guitars, regardless of where they are made. The one I no longer have is a T186mm, which is a 335-style guitar made from all solid woods, but with a small block under the bridge/tailpiece rather than a full block down the middle. Pretty much fully hollow, rather than semi hollow. I really liked the guitar, but had an issue with the wide, thin neck after a wrist injury. It was hard to play in a fluid manner afterwards. I owned it for ~7 years, and was a little sad when I sold it. Oh well.
I’ve still got 2 Eastman acoustics. A long scale OM-style, and a small, short scale 00 parlor size. They’re both really nice, too. I mostly use them for recording, and both track like a champ. Very different sounds- the OM is very bright and jangly, while the 00 is sort of lo-fi, dark and mumbly.
All of them have been high quality, well made guitars that belie the price I paid for them. Heck, I’m into BOTH of the acoustics for less that $1200.
YMMV, of course, but I wouldn’t sleep on these because they aren’t made in the US.
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Post by Jefferson on Dec 16, 2019 19:32:51 GMT -7
Here is one that is haunting me. linkJump!
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Post by j4gitr (John) on Dec 16, 2019 23:04:58 GMT -7
I was after a T186 at one time. At the same time I came across a Heritage 535 for slightly more than the T186. The Heritage was at a Kalamazoo repair shop of which the owner died work for Heritage. It was a factory blem, which to my eye had no blemish. I went with the Heritage. Not the same as a T186, as you can read by the above description. The Eastman products are fine instruments. I just wound up buying a virtually new Heritage (for about $700 off new)at a little less than a new Eastman T186. While not exactly similar instruments (T386 is the same as a 535) I.made a decision I don’t regret for a minute. The point of my ramble is that Eastman makes excellent product that stands up to the big names. I believe they make violins etc. also. There is a lineage of well crafted instruments. Congrats on a beautiful axe.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 17, 2019 5:19:15 GMT -7
Congratulations! Beautiful guitar...
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Post by southmusic70 on Dec 17, 2019 7:56:46 GMT -7
Nice!
You’d love the look of my ‘65 Gibson ES330TDC.
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