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Left to Right: Eastman AR910CE - Eastman T486 - Fender American Vintage II 1951 Telecaster - Eastman Pisano 680. I'm lucky to have them!
Each of them is a great guitar. I need to sell one, but can't bring myself to...so I have two banjos in the For Sale section.
The 910CE is a wonderful acoustic archtop, with a KA floater. I play Bach on it every morning - that's how I start my day. I can't remember putting it through an amp.
The T486 is better than the Gibson BB King Lucille I used to have. A seriously good guitar. I've been jamming along to Santana's first two albums with it, and some BB-inspired backing tracks on YT, Allman Brothers too.
The Tele is by a long way the best Tele I've ever held in my hands. Stupendously good. I'm playing mostly single-line soloing, pretending I'm a sleepy Mike Stern - nothing he need worry about!
And the Pisano with its mahogany body is my general jazz instrument of choice. I can't criticize a thing about it.
The irony is that my playing is worse than it has been for decades, however the inspiration these fellows give me everyday is worth more than the money I paid for them. My lutes (most of them sold) are in their cases in the storage room, along with my two classical guitars. I don't know when they'll be called into action. For now, this quartet of guitars fulfill all my needs.
The Instrument Fund for all future purchases has completely depleted, but with these within reach I have no reason to buy again. You heard it here first!Last edited by Rob MacKillop; 04-14-2026 at 12:53 AM.
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04-13-2026 02:29 PM
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Beautiful collection there Rob,enjoy my friend.I'm guessing you wound up liking the 486 pickup afterall?
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Yes, Chaz, I had a complete 180 degree turn on it. I don't know what I was expecting at first, but on the second day I fell in love with it.
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Acquisition fund exhausted, perhaps, but the pension fund seems to include some savvy investments, with potential for appreciation.
Start selling, I keep telling to myself. With the way the world is, and with so many others offloading, I just can't get started. Hope you won't have to, for a long, long time.
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It's thought for future days.
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By the way, I like leaving the ashtray in place. I find it useful for gently resting the side of my palm on, in certain scenarios.
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What are the black thingamajigs on the strings of your archtops above the tailpieces?
Originally Posted by Rob MacKillop
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Ernie Ball make them. Made from rubber, they help damp down any string noise between bridge and tailpiece. You’ll see lots of them in photos of players in the 1950s through to the present.
Not that these guitars were unduly affected by that. But just in case…
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Its completely understandable that you would sell the banjos
I should sell mine too
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Oh, I don’t mock the banjo, with a half a dozen or so banjo books authored, and published by Mel Bay, and an album of early 20th-century music written for it. My WordPress stats consistently show that I get more visits to the banjo pages than any other:
Banjo | Rob MacKillop ~ Musician
But those day are behind me now. I enjoyed my time with it. I just can’t keep all the plates spinning at the same time.
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Alright, thanks, that would be a solution to a problem I've never had. Originally Posted by Rob MacKillop
Do it soon, before it's too late, you don't want to end up playing in this ensemble. Originally Posted by Unclegrumpy
Its completely understandable that you would sell the banjos
I should sell mine too
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Nice gathering of beautiful instruments! However, I was under the impression that the Pisano 680 had a mahogany back and sides? Didn't know they came in Rosewood.
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You are completely correct. A slip of my mind, now corrected. Thanks for the reminder.
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Very nice quartet of instruments, enjoy playing them.
When listening to your playing over the years, I've always thought that you have an exquisite touch/feel when playing.
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Thanks, Guy. Much appreciated!
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Very nice, Rob. The best part is knowing you are well enough to play again.
I have a Vintage II Tele as well, and completely agree with your assessment.
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Thanks, Mark. I agree with your assessment too! Not being able to play was akin to not being able to talk.
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I do the same on my Teles, both as a palm rest and just because I think it completes the design, and prevents coming into contact with the bare edges of the bridge. Originally Posted by Rob MacKillop
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Do many players use the ashtray? Time for a revival!
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I grew up a Tele player Rob and i never used the ashtray cover,i just hated the look of it and most people i knew who had Tele's felt the same.
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Me too, Chad. It’s definitely not my first Tele, maybe my fourth or fifth, but the first time I’ve used the ashtray. And it looks so harmonious with the instrument, as seen in my picture - well, at least I think so.
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Only those who smoke, e-cigarettes made it unpopular, and I expect it will stay so. Originally Posted by Rob MacKillop
I think it looks nice, maybe I'll put one on my tele.
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I have an ashtray I forgot to hand over when I sold that tele. I so much didn't use it that I forgot it existed. I quit smoking 35 years ago. What to do. Originally Posted by Rob MacKillop
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Nice collection. Do you still have the Westone 'L5CES' ? Originally Posted by Rob MacKillop
Left to Right: Eastman AR910CE - Eastman T486 - Fender American Vintage II 1951 Telecaster - Eastman Pisano 680. I'm lucky to have them!
Each of them is a great guitar. I need to sell one, but can't bring myself to...so I have two banjos in the For Sale section.
The 910CE is a wonderful acoustic archtop, with a KA floater. I play Bach on it every morning - that's how I start my day. I can't remember putting it through an amp.
The T486 is better than the Gibson BB King Lucille I used to have. A seriously good guitar. I've been jamming along to Santana's first two albums with it, and some BB-inspired backing tracks on YT, Allman Brothers too.
The Tele is by a long way the best Tele I've ever held in my hands. Stupendously good. I'm playing mostly single-line soloing, pretending I'm a sleepy Mike Stern - nothing he need worry about!
And the Pisano with its mahogany body is my general jazz instrument of choice. I can't criticize a thing about it.
The irony is that my playing is worse than it has been for decades, however the inspiration these fellows give me everyday is worth more than the money I paid for them. My lutes (most of them sold) are in their cases in the storage room, along with my two classical guitars. I don't know when they'll be called into action. For now, this quartet of guitars fulfill all my needs.
The Instrument Fund for all future purchases has completely depleted, but with these within reach I have no reason to buy again. You heard it here first!
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No, Gary, it proved to be too heavy for me, post illness. All the above guitars are light.
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