Advice needed - Smaller Archtop

[sgosnell]

All I can say is that I've never had any damage, and every guitar I own has a nitro finish except for one tele clone. But do whatever you feel is safe. And remember that McDonald's warns you that coffee is hot.

[rdwhitti]

Haha yes, I am probably over obsessing. My wife says that I do the same about our upcoming retirement in maybe 3 years, but I say I am only "planning" and don't want any surprises. She says to wait until 1 year (or less) from retirement to plan and I say that is too late.

[sgosnell]

I never really started planning for retirement, I just did it. I had been doing financial planning for years, but I really never planned on doing anything, we just take it as it comes, and I like that. I hadn't been thinking that much about when to retire, I just realized that I was fed up with working, and I hated leaving home every week to go do it. So I gave a month's notice and quit. And my only regret is that I didn't do it sooner.

[rdwhitti]

The more I play it the more comfortable I am getting with the Eastman. It is just so effortless to play, and I love the woody acoustic sound which I had not really expected. Some here have recommended giving the round wound strings a good try, and the more I play them the more I like them. I still may prefer flats later but for now I am enjoying the sounds that these make, even without an amp. I also love the little bit of extra string spacing that is making fretting so much easier. I didn't think it would be much but it is noticeable.

The only thing that I am having a little difficulty with (and I am sure it will get better over time) is that getting a clear tone while rolling my fingers to play notes on the same fret but different strings (such as 4th string to 3rd string on the same fret) seems a little more difficult. Could this be because of a flatter fingerboard radius? It will just take some getting used to.

I also noticed that the pickup seems to be lower output than most other humbuckers I have experience (closer to that of a single coil), but that may just be normal for this guitar. No biggie, I just use the single coil amp input or turn up the volume.

[sgosnell]

Try raising the pickup. The pickup height can make a big difference in the sound. That's done with the two screws at each end of the centerline, if you didn't know.

[rdwhitti]

Try raising the pickup. The pickup height can make a big difference in the sound. That's done with the two screws at each end of the centerline, if you didn't know.

Thanks I'll try but it already seems pretty high.

[citizenk74]

It is a lovely instrument. Congratulations, and play it in good health!

[sgosnell]

The Kent Armstrong designed pickups are not the hottest pickups you'll ever play, nor the best. My T145 was okay, but sort of meh, until I changed the pickup. I put in a Vintage Vibe HCC pickup, and that made a big difference. It now sounds a lot better, and I play it more.

[Hammertone]

Yes, very confusing how different manufacturers seem to use different measurements.

I suspect it's a Japanese "thing" - does anyone else use it for total body depth?
The rest of the world uses rim depth - a far more useful measurement, IMO.

[rdwhitti]

I suspect it's a Japanese "thing" - does anyone else use it for total body depth?
The rest of the world uses rim depth - a far more useful measurement, IMO.

Actually I think if everybody used total body thickness it would help a lot to judge how it will feel. The Ibanez was thin on the side measurement but had huge arches that made it unwieldy for me. The Eastman has almost the same edge measurement (0.2" thinner) but much smaller arches and feels completely different and very comfortable. Regardless, it would be great if everybody would use the same system.

[rdwhitti]

I played with the controls more tonight (I hadn't really messed with them much) and think I have at least a partial answer to the perceived pickup volume issue. Although still not really loud acoustically (although plenty loud enough for practicing) the Eastman is considerably louder than the Ibanez was, so I hear the guitar acoustically much more even with the amp, and at lower volumes the acoustic sound overpowers the amp sound. I am sure that anybody else being farther away would hear the amp sound and not the acoustic sound like I do. It is just different, and actually very enjoyable.

And that acoustic unplugged sound is what I really like about this guitar, together with the comfortable feel and easy playing. I think I am really going to enjoy this guitar, and trading 2 guitars for 1 was very well worth it! It is already making practice time so much more enjoyable.