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The scale length is 25" with a nut width of 1 3/4".
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05-20-2017 01:17 PM
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Feet, You have to download their order form from their website, submit it to Eastman for pricing and technical review and then you would purchase via on of their dealers.
Originally Posted by feet
Custom Edition — Eastman Guitars
I believe I was the first private individual to have a custom model built i.e. different from Artist sales or NAMM samples. They had some some kinks to work out but overall I was fine with the process. Otto D'Ambrosio contacted me directly about the guitar before starting construction so both of us were on the same page as far as expectations. I paid for the guitar via SoundPure an East Coast Eastman dealer. I requested that the guitar be shipped directly to me as I'm capable of setting it up to my taste.
That said, there was little to do except change the strings to my favorites, lower the action a bit and recut the slots in the saddle. Otto did a fine job including individually compensating the ebony saddle but I found the spacing just it a bit tight so I widened the string spacing a hair. I have large hands and play fingerstyle. If I was a pick player I would have done nothing with the saddle.
The entire process took about 2 months after commitment. As I mentioned Eastman USA has been great to deal with, I had some initial questions about the cost but Bob Bakert a senior rep with Eastman gave me a call and we discussed the process and how the guitars were built and I was satisfied.
I had toyed the idea of building a Frank Vignola Custom shop model but the wider body is just not where I am today ergonomically. That and I like the ElRey look. There is also something about Otto's design that makes this guitar less susceptible to feedback yet it still has a pretty decent acoustic tone. I had initailly wanted to go with a more conventional pickup but when you look at an ElRey there is not a lot of room for a floater. Otto even tilited the neck a bit but it still isn't enough to fit a standard 12 pole Kent Armstrong floater for example. That said, the Krivos pickup has been a nice surprise. Jason Krivos Flores makes a really nice product and is willing to do custom wiring/winding.
To Ron Jazz: Yes I imagine a 7 string would be a great use for this model.Last edited by rob taft; 05-20-2017 at 05:13 PM.
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That is absolutely awesome. I wonder if they would so something similar in a 15" model.
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So cool. Really wish Eastman would push original ideas like this...
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Eastman's Custom shop is similar to other MFG's such as Fender etc. in that they won't make a major change from their stock models. The ElRey comes in either 14" and 16" widths. That said, they do offer a lot of options and they can do a custom neck carve. I was happy with the standard ElRey profile so I left that be. Originally Posted by Woody Sound
The process form what I have been told is that the bodies and necks are built in China and shipped to the US as separate unpainted parts. The Custom shop assembles, installs frets, inlays, pickups, paints etc.
Believe me I asked because I would have loved an ELRey4 that was about 1/2" thicker i.e. 2 3/4" thick versus 2 1/4".
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Any sort of ballpark price?
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Congratulations on your custom build. I know there had to be some level of anxiety on your part, but your faith in Eastman appears to have paid off in spades. The end result is a very organic looking take on the archtop form. Nicely done!
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How did you attach the pickguard?
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On my ElRey4, Otto D'Ambrosio used a tapered ebony block shaped on the outside to follow the pickguard shape. The block supported, raised and tapered upward the ebony fingerboard. The fingerboard and block is then screwed into the body. With the ElRey's neck joint design there is substantial wood to anchor a pickguard at the top end. Originally Posted by mts
Last edited by rob taft; 05-29-2017 at 09:25 AM.
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That's a beautiful guitar
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Thanks it also happens to be a great sounding guitar for the style of music I'm playing e.g. solo chord melody. I was apprehensive about the Krivos pickup but it is a great pickup that is very responsive to the tone control. I'm super pleased at the way it turned out. While I mostly use my fingers, I do like to play with a pick on occasion and when I do I like to rest or anchor my pinkie on the guard. So I needed a pickguard. Honestly I don't know why it isn't standard on the ElRey model. Originally Posted by Guitarbean25
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I'm on record here as an Eastman skeptic. The finishes are fragile, the sound is inconsistent, the fretwork, etc. I've also posted last September about how there seemed to be a run of El Rey 4s with spruce cracks near the treble-side fingerboard.
Well, one of those guitars hung around some Guitar Center with the price dropping . . . and dropping . . . until it got to the point where even a skeptic can afford to experiment. Here's my 'new' El Rey 4, straight off the repair bench:
First off, kudos once again to Eastman for working outside of the box. The market begs for affordable high-quality copies of the classic Gibson models and Eastman delivers them by the shipping crate. The market does not clamor for a Steve Klein-influenced postmodern medium-scale medium-depth solid-wood electric archtop. And yet, the folks at Eastman said (in some Chinese dialect), "Somebody's going to buy a few of these so let's have some fun," and some people have come. Bravo, and don't complain that these folks are afraid to take the road less travelled!
How's the work? 2.25" deep at the rim, the ER-4 is a half-inch thicker than the typical ES-3x5 model. Although there is no center-block, the neck-block extends sideways to become the cutaway. From a production standpoint that obviates the need to bend sides for a cutaway. Eastman also chose not to bend purfling for the cutaway. There's no neck binding and no top binding -- they show the edge of the spruce. The top is cut smack on the quarter; we could not ask for more. On the other hand, the choice of mahogany back, sides and neck is both a wise selection for sound production and a cost savings over fancy flame maple. And let's economize production a little further with two very obvious knots on the back. That piece would be rejected and bandsawed at any custom shop, but here, "Ship it, Lu."
How does it feel? Light at 5.6 pounds. Neck-heavy, but that's not a problem because I use a strap all the time. 16" bout x 25" scale makes for an easy playing experience. Wearing a D'Addario J22 0.012 nickel-round set, the frets are a bit on the clanky side but manageable. I can see why @Rob Taft likes playing his ER-4s finger-style -- this guitar feels very nice either way.
How does it sound? The El Rey 4 has a bright acoustic voice, noticeably louder and richer than an ES-330 but as still, this is an electric guitar. Electrified, you hear mahogany's airy fullness balanced against the zip of a TOM-style bridge. The Asian KA pickup is entirely adequate -- I'm committed to waiting instead of launching The Marginal Improvement Pickup Quest right now. Plugged into the 5E3+ it's clear but warm and I can easily picture this setup as the grab-and-go choice when my hotel gig starts back up. Playing into a modern Mesa combo it's clear but nuanced on clean and tayotally rawkin' in a neck-pickup, feedbacky way on lead.
Punch line: Thank you GC for a modest deal that let me scratch this long-held itch. I'm glad to play the ER-4 now and looking forward to gigging on it as the warmer months approach. Guitars and and go here as finances wax and wane, but there's plenty to enjoy in the moment.
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Congrats, and thanks for the detailed description.
I've not found a "good" Eastman in a store yet, so something like the El Ray did not pull me in (risk aversion, fear of getting a bad guitar that was also an odd guitar.)
Good to hear the positive review, and now I've got my interests stirred up about that model
John
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They got the idea here (Framus Jan Akkerman Model, 1974). Actually, many modern builders got their ideas from here:
Last edited by Hammertone; 03-23-2018 at 12:08 AM.
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Originally Posted by Gramps
I hear. 12 years ago they were at, "We've got a factory full of fiddle-builders -- let's get the Benedetto book and sell some guitars!" I think that Otto D'Ambrosio has been a good fit for them because his ER designs are about sonic expression and stretchy looks, but he's also amenable to the production concessions that allow them to build a low-numbers instrument cost-effectively. Originally Posted by john_a
I'm a gearhead; the ER-4 is designed to catch the eyes of people like us! There isn't 'something like that' outside of a custom shop. I was lucky to find one in "player" condition and priced accordingly. Originally Posted by john_a
Thank you maestro. It's fun to hear something new and let it bring me somewhere musically! Originally Posted by citizenk74
Sounds like a good deal on a cool guitar. Congratulations, and play it in good health!
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Thanks for the post. I’m a fan of the Eastman El Reys - own ER0, ER1 and ER2. Recommend to replace gold tuner buttons with ebony it really improves neck balance-though I also play with a strap & standing up. ER1 and ER2 are my main gig guitars for bands. But I like the ER0 for solo/duo settings. Now I am waiting for a chance to try the ER4! Originally Posted by Sam Sherry
I'm on record here as an Eastman skeptic. The finishes are fragile, the sound is inconsistent, the fretwork, etc. I've also posted last September about how there seemed to be a run of El Rey 4s with spruce cracks near the treble-side fingerboard.
Well, one of those guitars hung around some Guitar Center with the price dropping . . . and dropping . . . until it got to the point where even a skeptic can afford to experiment. Here's my 'new' El Rey 4, straight off the repair bench:
First off, kudos once again to Eastman for working outside of the box. The market begs for affordable high-quality copies of the classic Gibson models and Eastman delivers them by the shipping crate. The market does not clamor for a Steve Klein-influenced postmodern medium-scale medium-depth solid-wood electric archtop. And yet, the folks at Eastman said (in some Chinese dialect), "Somebody's going to buy a few of these so let's have some fun," and some people have come. Bravo, and don't complain that these folks are afraid to take the road less travelled!
How's the work? 2.25" deep at the rim, the ER-4 is a half-inch thicker than the typical ES-3x5 model. Although there is no center-block, the neck-block extends sideways to become the cutaway. From a production standpoint that obviates the need to bend sides for a cutaway. Eastman also chose not to bend purfling for the cutaway. There's no neck binding and no top binding -- they show the edge of the spruce. The top is cut smack on the quarter; we could not ask for more. On the other hand, the choice of mahogany back, sides and neck is both a wise selection for sound production and a cost savings over fancy flame maple. And let's economize production a little further with two very obvious knots on the back. That piece would be rejected and bandsawed at any custom shop, but here, "Ship it, Lu."
How does it feel? Light at 5.6 pounds. Neck-heavy, but that's not a problem because I use a strap all the time. 16" bout x 25" scale makes for an easy playing experience. Wearing a D'Addario J22 0.012 nickel-round set, the frets are a bit on the clanky side but manageable. I can see why @Rob Taft likes playing his ER-4s finger-style -- this guitar feels very nice either way.
How does it sound? The El Rey 4 has a bright acoustic voice, noticeably louder and richer than an ES-330 but as still, this is an electric guitar. Electrified, you hear mahogany's airy fullness balanced against the zip of a TOM-style bridge. The Asian KA pickup is entirely adequate -- I'm committed to waiting instead of launching The Marginal Improvement Pickup Quest right now. Plugged into the 5E3+ it's clear but warm and I can easily picture this setup as the grab-and-go choice when my hotel gig starts back up. Playing into a modern Mesa combo it's clear but nuanced on clean and tayotally rawkin' in a neck-pickup, feedbacky way on lead.
Punch line: Thank you GC for a modest deal that let me scratch this long-held itch. I'm glad to play the ER-4 now and looking forward to gigging on it as the warmer months approach. Guitars and and go here as finances wax and wane, but there's plenty to enjoy in the moment.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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I was in the same boat as you until I got my first Eastman. My second proved to me that our risk of getting a "bad" guitar from Gibson is greater than an Eastman and if I had a choice I'd MUCH rather have finish issues than some of the junk I've seen from other "better" makers. I'm waiting for Eastman to offer the ER4 with two pups which seems like a logical solution to a heavy neck and for folks like me that will not buy a single pup git. Originally Posted by john_a
OP, congrats on a fine choice, post an update on your experiences with it live.
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Sam!
I am so glad you got one. I've been wanting one for a long time, but not wanting it enough..
A deal would have pushed me over the edge too, if the time was right.
Your review is excellent. It really is a BE-EAUTIFUL guitar. I am anxious to hear what kind of opinion you have on it in about 3 months.
Enjoy your new guitar. One of the most unique and modern designs in an affordable archtop.
Thanks, Joe D
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Added bonus, you get two extra frets clear of the body.
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Every time I've watched/listened to a video of an El Rey, I have been impressed with the tone. Sam, posting sound clips would be welcomed!
Enjoy the NGD.
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Originally Posted by rice_burner2000
Since I got a few questions about it, here are photos of my Eastman El Rey ER0 (ER zero). Carved spruce top, mahogany back & sides. This came with a Fishman archtop pizeo pickup. And acoustically this guitar has a lot of volume for a thin body archtop. I added a Kent Armstrong floating pickup through a second output jack, but find it gets in the way of fingerstyle playing so plan to remove it. Lessons learned.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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You could have used a single stereo female jack and used a stereo to mono "Y" cord outside of the git and not have to drill the second hole. Originally Posted by rice_burner2000
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Reminds me of something:
Last edited by Hammertone; 03-25-2018 at 03:34 PM.
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Back to the ELREY 4 and Sam's NGD. Congrats Sam, I hope you enjoy it.
"This came with a Fishman archtop pizeo pickup. And acoustically this guitar has a lot of volume for a thin body archtop. I added a Kent Armstrong floating pickup through a second output jack, but find it gets in the way of fingerstyle playing so plan to remove it. Lessons learned."
There are three things I would change on the ElRey4. One is having a higher fingerboard off the body. The guitar was designed for a routed pickup and the current height precludes most floating pickups. Two, I would increase the length of the tailpiece on the ElRey4. Rather than design a new tailpiece for the larger ElRey 4, Eastman used the ElRey 0-3 tailpiece and number three and this applies to almost all Eastman's, I would fix the shape of the headstock so the string have a straight(er) run from the nut to the tuner.
My two ElRey 4 are not neck heavy. One the stock one, I swapped the tailpiece for the longer archtop tailpiece which added more weight to the back end of the guitar. On my custom model, Eastman also added a longer tailpiece, and also tapered the headstock itself removing some of the weight off of that end.
Below are pictures of my custom ElRey4
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They used to have it up on their site. Anyone have a cached copy?
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