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are there any major differences in tone between the Eastman ar805ce and Eastman ar810ce both acoustically and electrically
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04-09-2018 05:50 PM
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Have you played other 16” and 17” archtops? It is the same difference as comparing any other two guitars of those sizes really. The 805ce has a more focused sound and the 810ce has a bigger, more open sound. That is putting it generally of course. Through an amp there isn’t a huge difference with the stock pickups since they are ok and useable but not that great. Back in 2005 when I was getting an Eastman I tested a bunch of both models and ultimately chose the 805ce and it is a fantastic guitar. I did change the pickup though - the stock pickups now are better than those older ones at least.
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Also have an 805CE. Tried the 17” as well.
Both are VERY Benedetto light and thin and VERY sensitive to right hand technique.
In my view, the total difference between the two is there but easily overwhelmed by pick choice and right hand style.
The 805 can sound huge and full if you stay calm, or like an Ovation flat top if you lose control.
Same for the 810.
I just found the 805 more pleasant to play and found that my right hand technique was more important than the difference between the 810 ad 805.
Not that my right hand technique is not in need of serious improvement,...
I have the 2006 stock PU on mine, but the KA handwound “12 pole” would be an incredible choice for either the 805 or 810.
Good luck with your search/choice.
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Ditto to both rio and PTChris, both very well informed pros. I want to add that having owned both, I think that not only is the electric tone similar/identical, but the acoustic sound is as well. You'd think that the 810 was louder than it's "little brother", but it just isn't so. The 805 being slightly thicker than the 810, its smaller lower bout's effect on volume is mitigated.
Both are top flight instruments, so go with whichever is more comfortable or visually appealing to you!
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Hi Klatu,
Hope all is well with you and Mrs. Klatu.
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I'm a 17" fan. I have and love the AR910ce and the AR610ce instruments. The Maple/Mahogany Bright/Dark axis quite striking but they both have rich full voices. The 805ce I tried didn't do it for me... Your mileage may vary! Try them all!
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I had a 910 non cutaway for a couple of years. Wonderful guitar. I've also played the 16" version. The descriptions here are accurate. The 16" is a little more focused, less treble and bass.
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My favorite was the 810CE with a replaced KA usa pickup!
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I love my AR810CE, but I now kind of wish I’d gone for the 805 instead simply because 16” is a bit more comfortable for me. It’s not a big enough deal to shop for a new guitar though.
Originally Posted by sdlager
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Same for me, I like my AR810 CE. I changed the pots to Schatten and the pickup to a KA handwound. Amplified and unamplified nothing to complain, except for the feedback in a loud band. Cannot use it for that. And it is a big guitar. Most of the time I prefer and play my 16" thinline. So my advice would be to decide on what is most comfortable to you, not only on sound. If it is not comfortable, then in the end you won't like it and won't play it. If I had to choose again it would be the 805 because of its smaller size. Hope this helps.
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I own an AR910CE swapped the pup for a KA 12 pole, love the guitar. I choose the 17" because I fond it's acoustic properties stronger and my other archtop is an ES175CC 16". Can't go wrong with either an 805 or 810, need to play both and make your own informed decision.
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Yeah, the 12 pole Kent Armstrong floating PAF is an awesome pickup for these guitars. Back when I got my Eastman I was on quite a pickup replacement quest. There were three pickups that worked well for me - I had a spare GB10 pickup that did pretty well, a 90s Benedetto floater which was good but very acoustic sounding (but sounded great on a GB10, which is what I used to have it on) and the 12 pole KA pickup which blew them all out of the water on this guitar. Excellent pickup and a great match for the guitar in terms of getting a big, warm electric sound from this guitar.
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Great info, Rio (apologies for resurrecting a month-old thread). I recently switched out the stock KA pickup on my AR910ce for a Benedetto floater. The sound and tone is an improvement, but it's feeding back way too much. I may check out the 12 pole KA; which one is that on his website?
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I’ve got an 810ce. Fantastic instrument. I play sans pick and it is really touch senstive. Planning to swap the pickup for a Lollar Johnny Smith soon.
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In my opinion all carved Eastman Archtops feed back like crazy because the tops are very thin. The pickup model does not really change that.
Apart from this the Handmade Armstrong floating Pickup IS great
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I have a 2005 Eastman AR810CE. I got it a couple of years ago on a trade and even though I really liked it, I decided to put it on consignment with the local Eastman dealer when I bought an ES 175 in December. Not because it was bad, just because I thought it was a good idea to "thin the herd". My music room is over-full with guitar cases.
6 months later the 810 didn't sell, so I took it back home and I play it. I find myself thinking "why did I want to sell this guitar?"
It was like an NGD with no money down.
The guitar needed new strings, and on a lark, I decided to try some Thomastik flats I had sitting around, even though I've been a dedicated round wound player the past few years. Now I'm back in love with the 810 and also the Thomastik flats! Quite an interesting tonal transformation. At first, I though some clarity was lost in the string change, but as I have played more I realize it's not really a loss of clarity as much as a change in EQ. And I'm digging the change. The subtleness of sound is fantastic -- only downside I have noticed is a loss of acoustic volume.
So the 810 is back and I have no intention to sell (other than if I find myself going broke) plus now I am enjoying the flatwound string vibe for the first time in a long time.
I've been playing the guitar mostly acoustic, but this thread has me looking hard at grabbing a KA 12 pole floater. Mine still has the original "the Eastman" pickup, and I am most enthusiastic about the upgrade!
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The floating PAF 12 pole practically sounds like it is made for my 2005 805ce. I tried a number of pickups on that guitar because I didn’t particularly like “The Eastman” black pickup and there were some better and some worse but the 12 pole was easily the best and suits the tonal characteristics of the guitar very well. Originally Posted by Longways to Go
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I like your "stay calm" advice. It's amazing the sounds you can get out of the 805.
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Out of curiosity, do you think the Thomastik Plectrum strings would fit (be long enough)? I installed those on my Seagull mini-jumbo (replacing a slightly heavier set, Earthwood Silk & Steel) and I too found myself rediscovering the guitar. No real loss of volume when fingerpicking (but they'll saturate earlier with a pick, of course) and on the contrary, I hear the guitar much better myself meaning I'm less inclined to play as loudly as possible. Originally Posted by Longways to Go
These are silk-and-steels and have flat-wound G, D and A strings. Hard to say what difference the flat-winding makes (except it causes the D to bind in a rather annoying way).
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Fwiw, I play my 805ce only unplugged for the last 5 years. I tried several pb strings and just felt something was missing: Martin Retro Monels .13 turned out to be what was missing! I have read several players, mostly flattop, that these strings can amaze on one guitar and do nothing for the next. Perhaps true but when they click they are wonderful.
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I've heard this before for archtops, and it seems unsurprising if you're looking for that vintage sound (which PB is NOT going to give you).
On my jumbo, I find PBs aren't really missing something (except for livelyness on the low E), they have a lot too much; the A and D strings sound like I'm playing in a hot, steamy bathroom. I'd be very interested in trying monel silk and steels, but the regular versions (by Martin and Newtone) sound a bit too vintage to me. Of course I'm a bit "different" ... I'd not be looking and asking around for Loars or Eastmans if I could afford a nylon-string Dome archtop
FWIW, THomastik make a set for classical guitar where the B and G are stainless steel flat-wound over a silk-and-steel core (not sure about the lower strings). I tried just those strings, and they do sound lovely - if there's anything of this same design for archtop in their catalogue I'll surely try them (they might work better with a pickup than brass-wounds, too?).
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