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Sorry to read about your experience, Munk. I can tell your pain is genuine. The buck really stops with the Eastman importer of Denmark. It is what the importer allows that determines what gets out on the market. Not letting Eastman off the hook here but there's little Quality Assurance at Eastman China, that's much is clear to me. But they are a manufacturer. So, what gets made gets shipped out and it is up to the importer/distributor of the respective country to catch the problems...or not, as in your case.
Your Danish Eastman importer should have rightfully refunded your money and then it is up to him to take up the issue with Eastman China. To leave you stranded with your problem is dishonest of him. I can tell why he was less than willing; it costs him money to ship your guitar back to China.
The scratch in the lacquer can be touched up. Consider it relic-ed. You won't notice it after playing it for about six months. Or you could wax it over with beeswax furniture wax so that it feels "smoothed over".
The US Eastman distributor is a lot more responsible. The US market is the biggest market for Eastman China so they probably would bend backwards to make him happy. So, Eastman guitars bound for the US are likely to be the best of the crop. The rest of the world gets the Factory Seconds...much like how Gibson USA would ship its less stellar guitars overseas or so I hear
By the way, you seem to have really ham-fisted techs in Denmark. The first thing any decent tech would do would be to lay a cloth or sheet over the guitar top.
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10-24-2012 03:00 AM
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The trouble is that in the Eastman's price range, there really isn't much competition. You may be able to find an acceptable guitar from Epiphone for less or a Heritage 575 for significantly more, but you won't find a 175 of Eastman quality for under $1000 elsewhere.
Originally Posted by Munk
I know you are furious about your experience with Eastman, but it can serve as a lesson to only purchase Eastman guitars that you play in person before buying.
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In fact I'm not furious and have learned not to carry bad energy for long time, which will only harm myself. Originally Posted by Klatu
But I chosed the Eastman guitar in a shop, where I also tried 10 other guitars. Other possibilities in same price range at the market here, was to buy an old Gibson. Something I believed was risky, if there was some kind of issue with the neck.
I will keep follow the forum here to hear others experience with laminated guitars. If it's true that Gibson ship tend to ship their 'monday' guitars like Eastman did and if they treat customers as bad, I will look for something else. Maybe opgrade one or spend more and have one built by a luthier.
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No, Munk, don't take it literally. That was a wry remark I made about Gibson. Like any manufacturer, sometimes the lemons get shipped out of the door. Originally Posted by Munk
Your dealer should be the one handling all this to your satisfaction. He should not pass on any less than satisfactory guitar to you and hope you don't notice.
That happens anywhere around the world with any product except for a big important market like the US where buyers raise a big stink if things are not put right according to their consumer rights.
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I'd have to totally agree here about overall Eastman quality being good. I've played several in local shops and not found any less-than-acceptable ones—in fact, they were ALL at least pretty decent to downright excellent instead. I, too, have a blonde 880 Pisano (2009), and it's absolutely the best sounding and playing archtop I've ever owned. For the record, I also have a Hofner Jazzica, a 1985 Fender D'Aquisto Elite, and a D'Angelico EXS-1DH, each one of them different, all excellent guitars. But the Pisano is my favorite. Originally Posted by NSJ
I also own a wonderful (Jeff Hale Custom) Eastman El Rey (mine is the teaburst one, eight down on Jeff's Custom page). It is a simply marvelous guitar, although the Eastman lineage is nicely "clouded" a bit by all the great custom touches Jeff did with it. Whatever, though... I managed to buy mine used (and mint), and I received 110% sterling service and communications from Jeff all along the way. In fact, even though it was used, Jeff had me send it back to him for several tweaks I was interested in, all fully covered. (I also then ended up buying my AI Corus+ from him a few months later.)
I'm SO sorry that you've had some bad experiences with Eastman, though, although I'd have to agree with many others here that, once in a while, lemons happen with any production guitars.
Here's wishing you the best of luck with however things turn out.
As for me, I'm looking to buy an AR371 as soon as one comes in to my local store.
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I agree 100% with your assessment of Eastman Guitars. Buying from a reputable dealer is important, but I feel that is easier for us in the US that others around the world who seem to be dealing with somewhat sketchy dealers. Originally Posted by ooglybong
You mention that you own a Jeff Hale custom El Rey. Did he do his weight distribution modification on that guitar?
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I could have accepted a lemon as you call it. If just the Eastman company have acted responsible and lived up to their promises about life time warranty.
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Yeah, he did. I'd only had the guitar a week or so and hadn't actually noticed any "problem". In fair disclosure, I tend to play seated most times, but then again, over a looong playing career, I've never been bothered by headstock diving (while standing or sitting) that some seem to be able to discern right off the bat (and maybe even purposely check for it). Whatever, Jeff offered to do the weight mod (free) while he had my (used) El Rey back in his shop, saying it was no big deal to do while he had it, and so I said OK. Originally Posted by Klatu
In no way did the guitar feel 'heavier' when I got it back; from what I understand, it's a very, very subtle mod (something that he assured me of) and now it's supposedly more balanced (again, I had not noticed any problem beforehand). Whatever, it's a great guitar on every level.
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I found this old thread where an Eastman owner had a similar "encounter" with Eastman's Limited Lifetime Warranty. Originally Posted by Munk
The buck really stops with your dealer, Munk. He has decided NOT to pick up the cudgel with Eastman on your behalf.
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To me both the guitar, the dealer and not least Eastman has been a lemon. Originally Posted by Jabberwocky
Apparently Eastman wants to market a product as better quality than the avarage. They promise life time waranty and as any other company, they can also choose distributors/dealers and conditions which can fulfill their strategy.
When I contacted Eastman, the only help I got was the mail address to the distributor and a do it yourself advice. Unfortunately mails to that adress 'couldn't be delievered' and Eastman did not respond to my following mails.
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Every archtop I have ever owned has really tried my patience with weird noises, buzzes and resonances. (some tend to be intermittent) It seems to come with the territory. That includes my Eastmans, the Gibson Johnny Smith, and the Benedetto Bravo.
What ever the problem is, I suspect it can be found on this list.
FRETS.COM
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Well, this is 1 quality control thread I've seen for Eastman, compared to 500 about shoddy Gibson guitars, which cost 3x as much.
So Eastman is better than Gibson???
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Well, I'd suggest you sell it and get something different. Dogs can come from any factory. I have heard of some very poor quality coming out of Gibson and Heritage, so don't let what others opine about Eastman bother you. There are a lot of Gibsons out there with green necks that don't stay in tune or can't intonate and those are "quality" high price guitars. I say sell it, because there comes a point when you probably lose love for the instrument and it sounds like you have reached that point with your guitar. If you are in a country where you have access to try multiple guitars before buying, do so. I have had 2 Eastmans with no issues. But that's not to say they are all perfect.
Last edited by abelljo; 04-10-2016 at 10:06 AM.
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Mike, I bought a used Eastman T145 SMD I think the 15" version of your Eastman 146. Great little guitar.
Last edited by abelljo; 04-10-2016 at 10:02 AM.
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It is an old thread. I had the Eastman repaired for my own expense and sold it afterwards for near half price. I have had several guitars since, including Gibsons and a couple of cheaper chineese made, but all wihout similar serious issues.
From my experience with Eastman I can not conclude, that they have more or less monday guitars than other companies. Only that there was a big hole in their quality control and they afterwards did nothing to fulfill their warranty obligations.
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Originally Posted by DanielleOM
I would take my chances with a Gibson over a Eastman or most any other manufacturer any day, but that's because of resale and the cool factor associated with Gibson. They are the classics. That being said, man there have been a lot of bad guitars coming out of Gibson, especially a few years back. I had my jazz teacher go to GC with a 58 reissue of a 335 so many times for tuning that Gibson eventually swapped it even after years of him owning the guitar. The neck wood was soft, it did not stay in tune and it never properly intonate.
Let's say the OPs guitar is in the 1,500 range... For that he can definitely find a good stable guitar. An older Guild come to mind. Maybe an X175 or something like that. Maybe a Heritage Eagle.
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I have five Eastman guitars - from about the least expensive (AR-371) to their most expensive (AR-910 LTD) and have literally not had a major issue with any of them. I have owned a bunch of Gibsons over the years and there have been quality control issues with several. Nothing major, but worse than Eastman in my experience.
I really don't think that it has anything to do with country of origin and I am sick and tired of people like "jazzman.1001" bashing the Chinese companies. Politics aside, some are cheaply made (Loar) and some are excellent. Like ANYWHERE else on the globe.
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Sorry, guys, Gibson and Eastman are not in the same club .
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Agreed - with Eastman you aren't paying a $1000 premium for the name. Originally Posted by boatheelmusic
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You are entitled to your opinion, but it's just an opinion. My Eastman 371 is a Gibson killer. It also kills just about everything else. Amazing instrument. It's my office guitar, but could easily be my main guitar. Originally Posted by boatheelmusic
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This Gibson killer thing is silly. Play what you like and can afford. There are lots of GR8 guitars out there regardless of their country of origin.
Sure there's a "logo tax" on a gibson for good reasons... resale, long term quality, brand desirability and more. These can be debated forever but why one player chooses one or not should not be a decision they have to defend.
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Interesting how a discussion about poor Eastman quality issues turns to one about Gibson......
Back to practice.
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