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On either end. It took me a while to notice as I don’t use a strap. Seems odd, though. I wonder if other Pisano models are the same?
Originally Posted by Mick-7
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03-12-2026 03:13 AM
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I know, I won't make it easier with my post Originally Posted by Rob MacKillop
Thanks, friend. I knew this wouldn't be easy!
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What's about the Mambo Amp? They are UK made.
I like mine, it's the older one with 200W output which is still enough. The newer ones have 400W according to the HP.
Mine is the 10" version with the wedge, which gives a good sound projection when tilted.
They can sound Polytone-like as well as more Fender-like due to a selector switch. Same as some Quilter amps have.
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They did cross my mind. I had on loan from Mambo - many years ago when they were young - an amp they would lend out to prospective buyers. My feeling was that the louder it got, the better it sounded, but in my flat that would be too loud for the neighbors. I don't play gigs. Plus they are very expensive now. Great amps, though, for sure. Thanks for the suggestion.
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Not all Eastman guitars come with strap buttons. My 810CE7 came with an end pin jack and no upper button. Originally Posted by Rob MacKillop
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Strange. This one plugs in at the lower side. Well, it's not a concern for me now, but something to think about . Getting a strap button installed here would cost me money, as I don't have the tools:
and while I was shooting that I took a couple of nicer ones than shown at the start of this thread:
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What do we know about the Pisano humbucker? It's designed by Kent Armstrong, and apparently Eastman follows his instructions to the letter. But that's all I know about it.
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May be email Aaron Originally Posted by Rob MacKillop
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Judging by all the specs on the Eastman website, the 680 and 880 are identical, save for different woods (maple back and sides for the 880, mahogany for the 680) and the tuners (Schaller EM6GA and Gotoh SG360-EN01GG). For some reason the 880 is $800 more.
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It's always been that price structure. I guess Eastman figures that more folks want the traditional Spruce/Maple construction and upcharge for that. When they brought the 680 a few years later, I was told by the Eastman rep that it was supposed to be a more affordable Pisano model, however having played a 680 and my 880 back to back through the same amp, they were both great in their own way. As you would expect the 680 was mellower to my ears. Originally Posted by Rob MacKillop
My 880 came with a endpin strap pin, but no heel pin. I had a friend hold it on the workbench and drilled a small pilot hole, then a larger drill bit in the neck heel. It's worked perfectly for 20 years.
There's a lot of cork sniffing about the Eastman "Armstrong" pickup copy, however mine sounds great and I never considered changing it out.
One more thing: I'm with Skip, Evans amps are the dogs pods! I played through and still do gig occasionally my Evans JE200. The only thing that prevents me from using it on every gig is the weight, about 40 lbs. A couple of years ago I hit a cow while riding my Ducati in the Sierras and messed up my shoulder. I went looking for lighter, first a Little Jazz, didn't care for it, the Quilter Cub, nice amp but not me, finally the Koch Jupiter Jr.
At half the weight of the Evans, it gets me 90% of the Evans tone.. I think Scott has got the RE300 down to about 28 lbs. now.
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Having had several AER Compact 60's and several of the new Class D Henriklsens (plus one earlier one), I would say the Henriksens sound MUCH better with a magnetic pickup. The AER's are clearly voiced for a piezo.
HTH
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I'm in touch with someone about an Evans RE200 - I played one briefly 25 years ago, and thought it the best of a bunch of amps that were on sale.
Failing that, the Henriksen Blu is getting my attention.
Not many of either in the UK.
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Congrats! As an insomniac, I like Rob's comment about suitability for 4 am playing and this not being mentioned in the guitar's user manual. I've owned some 70 guitars. The instructions for use never tell you how to play the C major chord.
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Greetings, brother! LOL.
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I used a 200 for a few years back when I reached the age and mindset to seek a more portable amp than my Boogie, Twin, Vibrolux etc. It was wonderful, but I was testing the waters and tried several smaller powerful amps along with it. So within a few years, I found myself with the Evans, an SWR Baby Baby Blue, a Phil Jones, a Genz Benz, a few G-Ks, etc. The Evans was great……..nevershouldhavesoldit ! Originally Posted by Rob MacKillop
As I got well past 70, I got more realistic. I learned to resist temptation and stuck with things I found to be great. My Blu 6 is not going anywhere. I think the Evans and the Blu sound equally wonderful although not identical. The Blu is a slight bit warmer and woodier with a nice archtop. The Evans is louder. But you’re not gigging, so that’s irrelevant.
Either amp will almost certainly make you happy.
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I must admit it’s hard to choose between them. There’s more to the Evans than volume, of course. Decisions, decisions!
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Decision made. Just bought the Blu 6, used, “near mint”. Should be with me next week.
Last edited by Rob MacKillop; 03-12-2026 at 06:25 PM.
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I hope you love it as much as I do mine. It’s an amazing amplifier! Originally Posted by Rob MacKillop
I remember when you and I were near mint. Now I’m grateful for being serviceable and having the golden patina of use
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Haha. Let’s not go there!
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That was funny! Originally Posted by kris
Here's the flipside, courtesy of Stanley Jordan:
My son and I watched him play guitar-and-piano at last summer's Newport Jazz Fest and it was one of the musical highlights of an amazing day. He didn't sound at all limited in either his piano-playing or his guitar-playing. He just sounded like two excellent musicians listening to each other and reacting in the moment.
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The used Henriksen Blu arrived, as near mint as I could expect. I plugged in, turned it on, started playing - yes! This is the one.
And the Bluetooth works great for phone backing tracks - iRealPro so far.
Very happy, thanks for all those who recommended it, and also to all those who recommended something else.
I'm good.
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Good to hear, Rob! I'm looking forward to hearing your take on the pairing of that 680 and the Blu.
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Don’t hold your breath! But I do hope to get back to sharing someday.
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Just to note: Originally Posted by Rob MacKillop
The Blu and the Bud don't have the same tonal centers on their tone controls. The text names are the same, but the frequencies are different.
I've posted these images before, but I don't recall where, so here they are again. Over a graph of energy vs frequency on a guitar (not an archtop), I've shown the frequency centers of the tone controls for the Bud (orange) and Blu (blue). I don't know what the bandwidth or Q is for the tone controls on Henriksen amps. I also show the control panels of the two amps so you can compare the labels/frequencies. Perhaps they'll be useful.
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Ah, DC, I’m afraid my brain - for what it is worth - works in a different way. You might as well have shown me the inner workings of a microwave cooker. But I’m good at fiddling with knobs while listening, and that should count for something. Thanks nonetheless, and the information might be a wondrous revelation for some other forum members.
Cheers,
Rob
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Ah, yes my friend across the world, this I know and am content to wait for. Your thoughts in writing are what I hope to hear when you are ready. Originally Posted by Rob MacKillop
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Recommandations for Hollowbodies for $600 and under?
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