Eastman AR371CE Arrived - Quite Impressive

[djelley]

I love this guitar. My 175 is my most prized possession and mostly stays in the case while I use the 371 as my primary guitar. The only mod that I have, or intend to make was the move to flatwounds. I purchased the guitar on ebay from Soundpure and I asked them to set it up with Chromes. They were awesome - did a great setup for free and sent it to me in perfect playing shape.

I've had a few Eastman's over the years and am always blown away by the quality. I used to collect Ibanez Artcores, and I still do like them. But honestly, for less than you would pay for a top-of-the-line Artcore, the 371 blows them all away. As for the finishes - the majority of these guitars have the two-tone vintage sunburst finish, but you occasionally will see others like wine red and natural. Vendors usually charge a premium for them. I haven't seen a three-tone sunburst.

[spiral]

+1 on Neuroscan's exhaustive review. I'm hard-pressed to find other points to cover!

Agreeing with Neuroscan:

• Neck: More shallow than I like but so comfortable and love the nut width.
• Finish: Very light nitro feels like you are playing a wooden instrument instead of a plastic slab. Finish details like binding etc. are flawless. Pickguard is made of wood and bound!
• Weight: Light! My hollowbody Gretsch is significantly heavier.
• Hardware: tuners & tailpiece are all excellent.

Is there anything else I should consider at the price (sub £1000)?

The Epiphone Zephyr Regent might get in the ballpark but they are no longer made. If you want an ES175 laminate style, there is no competition at this price. I got my AR371 used for $500 and can't get over how great it is.

Is their a 'sunburst' which is a different more orange burst or is this just different saturations in photos on the web?

The later. The finish on my 371 is probably the nicest sunburst Eastman has done. In general other Eastmans look a little too brown on the edges to me, but the 371 goes black at the rims. There were earlier "green bursts" where the yellow went a bit green but no intentional burst variations.

I have always played flats, but I notice they always come with roundwounds on. Have owners out there stuck with rounds or switched to flat?

Personal choice. I have coated rounds on but i'm not a jazz player. What type of sound / music do you want to make?

What are your thoughts on the standard pup?

Muddy. I took it out within an hour of owning it. I've gone through about 10 other pickups (somewhat for fun, somewhat as a tone quest; after a few you start to get tunnel vision) before settling on an EMG H1N. It's a odd choice at first glance but fit the bill for me (I can send clips of my experiments if you want). In general I had mud issues so would suggest "vintage wound" type pickups (ie. less hot, lower output) like the Classic 57 or SD Jazz. The Mule would work great, based on the Bareknuckle description. It would be a perfect fit and a bargain price with install if you can't do it yourself. Worthy upgrade. My other faves were Air Classic, SD Jazz, Benedetto, & Lollartron.

Are you able to play it first?

[dingusmingus]

I bought one two weeks ago from guitars-n-jazz, and I love it! I was able to go there, and pick one out. I wasn't crazy about the sunbursts (they looked a little green), so I got a natural one. I don't believe there was an upcharge though.

I agree with most everything said above: great neck, light, lively and very fun to play. The pots don't bother me, though. I used to use CTS mini-pots in homebrew pedals, so I've got nothing against them!

Anyway, I don't think you can lose with this one.

It looks like you're in Europe, but for those states-side, I can say that the one I got from guitars-n-jazz was set up perfectly.

Enjoy!

[monkmiles]

The positive reviews align with my thoughts of the similar AR403.

The biggest difference to me compared to an Ibanez Artcore is the finish. The thinner finish on the Eastmans lends for a much better, more acoustic tonal quality. Whereas the very thick Artcore finish almost make it feel like a semi-hollow body in comparison.

I ended up having the electronics of my AR403 replaced too (cts pots, switchcraft jack, classic 57 pickup).

[neuroscan]

...a few more comments on the AR371:

- tuners are OK, tailpiece seems solid enough; no reason at all to consider changing.
- fretwork is perfect
- fretboard inlays are nicely done, and have just a bit of "shimmer" so that they don't look like white plastic (not sure what they really are)
- my instrument had the usual rattle on certain notes (strangely, the only archtop which I ever owned which didn't have any rattle was the lowly Ibanez AF75). It turned out that it was the pickguard resting on the PUP surround. A tiny dab of blue tack in between, and no more rattle.

The blonde ones look very cool, but I have never seen any in that finish on this side of the pond (UK/Europe)...

N.

[Insufferable_Rhythm]

The electronic components that Eastman use are more than adequate. There is nothing wrong with Alpha potentiometers. The idea that there is something wrong with them is a superstition.

If the taper or tactile feel of an Alpha potentiometer does not suit you, then replace it.

[Bensta]

I loved the neck on my 371, but, after moving to flats and a Seth Lover, I also moved on to a solid top. If it's a laminate you're after in this price range, though, it would be hard to outdo the 371. While I've not played a Loar, they have an excellent reputation, so look into those. The Ibanez Artcores, IMHO, don't compare but have a much different neck. Peerless makes good guitars but their laminate, the Jazz City, may cost you up to $600 or so more. The 371 is a great, great value... But make sure to look at the used market as well before buying new.

[monkmiles]

The electronic components that Eastman use are more than adequate. There is nothing wrong with Alpha potentiometers. The idea that there is something wrong with them is a superstition.

If the taper or tactile feel of an Alpha potentiometer does not suit you, then replace it.

I agree its not a must to swap out by any means. Definitely personal feel/opinion when it comes to electronics. And what's in there is not junk.

My trouble with the pots was the taper though. Felt like there wasn't wide enough play in it.

Then I wanted to try something different with the pickup. The hpan/hpag was a little bright to my ears. The classic 57 isn't leaps and bounds different, but slightly fuller and warmer to my ears.

The tech that did the work for me did say something negative about the wiring job but I don't recall what exactly...maybe the wire itself? But he also could have just been saying that to justify the work.

[neuroscan]

I agree its not a must to swap out by any means. Definitely personal feel/opinion when it comes to electronics. And what's in there is not junk.

My trouble with the pots was the taper though. Felt like there wasn't wide enough play in it.

I agree with this - my original reason of wanting to swap the pots was less a quality issue, but that the original volume has log taper. To me, log volume pots always feel like the usable range is between 8 and 10, and rolling the volume back to 8 essentially switches off the guitar. With a lin taper on the volume, I have generally experienced much smoother operation across the entire 0-10 spectrum. Since I was going to replace the volume pot, I figured I may as well switch out the whole harness, so I brought it up to what (I believe) is in my Gibson: 300k lin for volume, 500k for tone, .02 cap.

Going from the original 500k vol to 300k made no discernable difference to me, but going from log to lin definitely did... I agree, however, that personal feel/opinion is what matters, the original electronics are definitely not junk (in the sense of not working), and Alpha mini pots are used in number of quite good guitars, such as the Peerless Monarch. But, I still don't understand why Eastman don't use regular-sized Alpha (or CTS) pots, which (to me) have a much firmer feel than the mini-pots...

None of this really matters, however, because even stock, the AR371 is just a great guitar!

N.

[jorgemg1984]

Just to add another opinion here, I tried several of this Eastman models while in NY recently and they did not impress me at all... was expecting much more given the glorious reviews I read here. In that same price league I like the Godin Kingpin (which I own) or the Ibanez AFJ series much more.

If you go with the Eastman don't go with the Mule... ask for the Stormy Monday, it's a much better jazz PAF. The Manhattan is great too but quite different from a PAF (it's a P90).

[rkettner]

I too purchased my 371 from Guitars and Jazz in New Jersey. The guitar came set up very nicely. The intonation was great and the bridge is adjusted very low. There was no fret buzzing though. Regarding strings, I moved to flats when I changed strings. I have since gone back to the roundwound. While the flats sounded great, ( I enjoyed the absence of finger squeak) I think I prefer the rounds. I like the snappier sound that they provide. Lou, from GnJ, suggested La Bella flats but I put D'Addario flats.
I like the pickup and have no problem with the pots. I'm not gigging and through my Cube, I love the tone. I also love that this guitar only cost $670.00. I am very happy with this guitar as is & have no interest or desire to change it's sound. I highly recommend these guitars.

[Engine Swap]

I purchased a 371 just over 2 weeks ago. I'm still very much in the "getting to know you" phase with this guitar, so I'll try my best to address some of the OPs questions.

Mine came with the round-wounds which sounded great, but I'm a flat-wound, finger style player, so I changed the strings to some TI swing 12s. The TIs were far too mellow for this guitar and really seemed to suck the life out of it. I gave the TIs a week to see if I would come around to them, but they just weren't working out. I changed to some Chrome 12s and am now very pleased with the tone. Very balanced with just the right amount of snap.

The finish on mine is an orange/brown sunburst. Not much yellow and no hints of green. Easy on the eyes.



The setup was good as purchased. I needed to slot the nut a little lower, but I think most manufacturers leave it a bit on the high side to allow flexibility. I have a set of proper files and prefer to do this myself, but I'm sure any dealer would include this service. Intonation is great over the entire range of the neck. I was worried about the carved bridge vs. a tune-o-matic, but it's spot on.

As mentioned, there are a lot of good options at this price point. My previous archtop was a lowly SX EG7, which plays very nice and sounds good by lacks overall tone balance and definition that the Eastman has. What sold me on the Eastman was the tonal balance, playability, and liveliness of the instrument. It's way too early to think about pickup changes at this point. In the past, I've changed out pickups, only to re-install the stock pickup later. So far, the stock pickup and electronics don't have me reaching for the soldering iron.

[sparkhall]

Thanks for everyone's input. Pretty much confirms what I thought when I played it in store. Excellent quality instrument at the price.

Only angst I have now is whether to replace pup upfront. I know what a huge difference putting the BK Manhattan in my Epi Joe Pass made. I will probably go with a humbucker but Mule or Stormy Monday - decisions, decisions!

Interested in engine swap's comments regarding the TI swings vs the D'Addario chromes. I went the other way on my JP and the swings really improved the sound. I guess its a matter of personal taste and the specific guitar. I'll just have to experiment.

[Engine Swap]

I think my preference for the Chromes is more about string tension rather than sound. The change in sound from round wound to flat was more noticeable than the change between the TIs and Chromes. For some reason, the TIs just didn't feel right for my style of playing. Again, this is personal preference and not a knock on TI or the guitar.

Could you elaborate on changing the pickup? Are you after a certain sound or is there something about the stock pu?

[Androo]

Another owner here, it's hard to add much more than already mentioned! GREAT reviews. I agree with the reviews on the pickup too...acoustic sounding, mid scooped. I took it out and added a Pete Biltoft Bucker sized P90 for kicks. And the midrange snap. Love it. I gig that thing! Lovely neck for my thick fingers, looks great, plays well all over the place, and I got it for a song with the hard case.

[sparkhall]

With the pup I just remember how much better the BK manhattan was than the stock pup in my Epi JP. Really a revelation. When I put the Manhattan in it was so much more detailed, precise and clear, you could really hear each note in a chord. The improvement was so dramatic it almost put me off when playing at first!

So I don't want to get the Eastman and be dissappointed that I don't get that level of clarity. I guess i could wait and see but its easier if I get the pup swapped at purchase as its more convenient and I don't want to do a DIY swap. Also it will only cost me about £100 for the pup as I can get free fitting.

[bluemusic4us]

Having just picked one up (used) a few days ago, here are my impressions: fabulous guitar! Light as a feather (5 pounds), construction on mine is flawless, "classic" look and shape which I absolutely love. The neck is on the shallow side, and wide (1.75 in) which you need to find out if it works for you. It fits me like a glove, which I am surprised about because I thought I preferred clubbier necks. Finish is lovely; I think it's nitro but in any case it is quite thin, so none of that "dipped-in-plasic" feel which you get from, e.g., Ibanez Artcores. Mine has a bit of that greenish/grayish tint, but nothing that would upset the eye. It came strung with .012 Chromes, and playability/setup is A+ (perhaps the previous owner already had it setup by a pro, I don't know if they come from the factory that well set up).

Sound unamplified: obviously a laminate guitar, but every tone rings like a bell, subjectively the Eastman is 1.5 times louder than my Gibson laminate. Amplified: clear, acoustic, but not quite enough midrange for my taste. Overall score: 8.5/10. Astonishingly nice guitar (and not just for the price).

OK, so what's not so good? A peek through the soundholes reveals that Eastman put mini-Alpha pots in there, and quite dodgy-looking wiring. So, I immediately ordered CTS pots, braided wiring, etc., got out the old solder iron and brought the wiring up to Gibson specs (which, by the way, required reaming the holes for pots as CTSs don't fit). Soundwise this made little or no difference, but now the pots feel a lot more confidence-inspiring. Have a look at the image for the original wiring harness.

Next, the pickup. The neck PU is a KA-designed HPAN-1 pickup, which by itself is not bad (in fact, here in the UK, as an aftermarket part it costs about £60, so not particularly cheap). But as I said, the sound was a bit "flat" and too acoustic, with somewhat less output than the Gibson 57 classics in my other guitar. I happened to have a DiMarzio DP103 in my drawer which I hadn't used in a while, so I put that one in, and the electric sound is remarkably transformed, with more bass and mid-range, and higher output. Every note has a nice "snap" to it, even when played with the tone rolled off a bit. End-result: 9.5/10 - what a remarkable little guitar!

However, I cannot for the life of me understand why Eastman would put such cheap wiring into a guitar which in most other aspects seems to be a serious competitor for a ES175 - for years we have been complaining that Gibson laminates were over-built and the early ones with presumably thinner plates were out of reach. Along comes the AR371 which is great, and the good people at Eastman try to save a few pennies by not putting professional grade wiring it in. I just don't get it. If you like tinkering (as I do) and don't mind working on the electronics a bit (due to it being a single-pickup guitar, this is really rather straightforward), it is easy to turn a good guitar into a great one with minimal effort. However, I can understand folks who want a guitar that is great without modification, and would be turned off by this.

Hope this is helpful,

N.



Attachment 9689

Well I just finished doing this myself to my Eastman 371. I was willing to live with it as is, stock. But when I had the tone control have way down it would make this harsh sound around C#. When the tone control was all the way up it was normal. Weird. So I got the replacement pots and since I was doing it anyway, got a Seth Lover pickup. Your right the holes have to be enlarged for the pots and for the jack. The ground wire was impossibly short.
Anyway, its done and works normally now and I really do like the Seth Lover. It is a fine instrument otherwise.

[Aaron]

Anyone purchase an Eastman AR371CE recently?
Positives? Negatives?
Prior forum posts not current.

[fritz jones]

I played a single pickup version. It is pretty lightweight and resonant.

[mr. beaumont]

I would just say play before you buy, or order from somewhere with a good return policy. But that's good advice for any guitar buying experience.

I'm the lone Wolf on here who played one and didn't like it, but that guitar was bad enough that I cannot recommend this model until I play another. As a whole I've generally enjoyed every Eastman I've played otherwise.

[Engine Swap]

I bought one new back in November 2013. Still doing some tweaking, but I'm almost done with the honeymoon period, so I'll try to make some objective comments...

As mentioned these are light and resonant. Responds very nicely to changes in attack. Fit, finish, and setup were all very nice right out of the gate. I did a bit of fine tuning of the nut, which I do with all my guitars. Intonation is nice all through the neck.

Mine came with .012 round wounds. I changed to TI flats, but didn't care for the feel. Switched over to .012 Chromes and I'm liking that.

I'm still trying to make up my mind if I like the pickup. I need to play around some more with height and pole pieces. I play mainly with my thumb and fingers, and I'm not getting the definition I would like. Probably more of an issue with my technique rather than the pickup.

The 371 is very comfortable to play while standing and well balanced. The neck has a nice shape and is a bit thinner that some of the 50's archtops I've played. Not a bad thing, and some of the bigger stretches are easier.

To summerize, lots of bang for your buck. I really like the simplicity of the design. I've been playing Jazz for less than a year and got the 371 because I wasn't happy with the sound I was getting out of my SX EG7. The 371 was a big step up both in sound and playability.

[bluemusic4us]

I did buy a blonde one pup 371. Eastman's construction is really good. You should probably replace the volume and tone pots and cap. Mine had a squawk because of a bad cap and strangely wired tone control. While I was doing that I also put in a Seth Lover.
But the guitar really came alive when I had it set up properly. Although the action at the 12th was low, there was relief in the neck so it was high and felt kind of spongy in the middle. There is no reason to have relief in the neck and all it does is mask a bad fret job or other problems.
Although there are good techs in Chicago, I take my guitars to Tim in Kenosha, WI. He does all of Bobby Broom's work and others. He is meticulous and really cares about the guitar.
After he is done with the guitar, you will not want to put it down!

So above all assuming you get a decent guitar, I guess what I'm saying is a really good set up will bring out all the possibilities of the instrument.

[djelley]

I got mine in November and really love it. No issues at all. I had it setup with Chromes and it plays and sounds wonderful. I was toying with the idea of a new pickup, but probably just because I have nothing better to do.

I have a Guild A150 on the Big Brown Truck today - I'll let you know how they compare.

[D.G.]

I have one and I like it! I replaced the pup with a Duncan Prail and tripleshot switches and it's pretty versatile for a 1 pickup guitar. I am selling mine because I bought an Eastman 403 which I prefer (looks and scale length.) They both sound pretty much the same so I figure I don't need 2 guitars that do the same job.

[bigdaddyguitar]

I picked up a blonde one last week . Bought it from " Guitars N Jazz " in Summit , New Jersey . They set it up really well . I put some T.I.s on . No issues . Fun guitar to play .