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Thanks for each and everybody's input and comments - very much appreciated! I don't think that I'd have a chance to try one out - Germany isn't exactly archtop paradise...but there's a dealer down south who specializes in archtop guitars and I'll pick his brains before I'll be willing to order one.
Regarding the ES 175 "vibe" - I have never ever played one and probably hardly ever will - right now it's mostly the body shape that I fell in love with and if a guitar comes with that and it's a good sounding and playing guitar that'll probably do it for me.
As for the Epiphone version: I'd be all over it but to me the cutaway shape and big f-holes would be something that would always bug me - may be that's ridiculous but that's the way I am.
I once had a chance to play an Epi 175 (not the Premium I think) and it felt quite cheap...
Maple neck wouldn't bother - three piece wouldn't bother me - all good in my book.
So what's actually the difference compared to a Gibson 175? Seems like the basic construction and woods are the same? Anybody?
I have read quite a lot of posts about Gibson 175s and it seems that their sound/tone can be all over the place depending on model type (VOS vs Standard) and what year it was made...
I'll do a search for the Eastman threads, too - thanks for the tip!Last edited by TOMMO; 02-22-2017 at 01:46 PM.
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02-22-2017 01:44 PM
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I love my Pisano. I have the hog version. Also, I have played a 371. The two differ substantially, as you might guess, based on build and specs alone. And, of course, the cost difference is significant. The Pisano has it's own voice, unique and unlike many other arch tops I've played. I believe that Eastman's violin and cello building sensibilities and feel are evident their guitars. And while this is less evident in the 371, which comes closer to 175 territory, this does not mean that the 371 feels and sounds like a Gibson whatsoever.
Having said that, I have not seen build issues with handful of Eastmans I've played. Moreover, I recommend them without hesitation.
Just don't buy something without trying it first, if you are in a position to do so. If not, get a used 371 and turn it around should the instrument not please you.
Best of luck.
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I had a 371 and it was great. Exceptional build quality, fit and finish. Livelier than a 175 and a little brighter. Neck felt great. Now I have an AR805CE and I love it. (Pictured in my avatar) I plan on it being my last guitar.
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When I bought my 372 I brought it to a luthier; his first words were (raw translation) : " A 175, but well made". He actually does not have much consideration for modern Gibsons.
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Eastman can certainly make a very nice guitar. I had the 371, liked it at first but I tired of it's tone pretty quickly. Traded off for a Pisano AR380 which I have been enjoying for a couple of years now. The Pisano is a great sounding great playing guitar. Also, it has a different neck from the 371 -- not quite such a wide neck I think.
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I just recently sold my AR-371 to fund my ES-165 but I had them around at the same time so I could do a direct comparison (also compared the Epiphone ES-175 Premium while I was at it). The electronics in my 371 were swapped to be closer to a 175. Classic 57 pickup, 300k volume, 500k tone
Amp was a diamond-tolexed Polytone MiniBrute (no reverb)
For my personal taste, the ES-165 was the clear winner, though the AR371 was better made, lighter, nicer looking (especially in the F-holes), and nicer finish; it was much more "acoustic" sounding through the amp, both with the original pickup and the Classic 57. The ES-165 is fatter and more electric sounding so it really depends on the sound you are looking for.
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I have a beautiful Eastman AR803CE. Not playing it so much these days because I'm more drawn to the sound of my Peerless Cremona 16". The Eastman has more acoustic sound in the mix, but I tend to prefer less of that. I may offer it for sale soon (wife says I'd better thin the herd!), so if anyone is interested, let me know.
Last edited by jasaco; 02-22-2017 at 05:21 PM.
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Are there any Eastman archtops with a 25 1/2" scale? I see the new Frank Vignola is 25 3/8, but I'm wondering about its tone -- closer to gypsy guit?
Whoa, did they just swap the pup? That's a SD Johnny Smith.
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I have two eastmans. 805ce with a mounted humbucker and a T186mx. The 805 is made in 2004 and the T186 in 2015/16 both of them are excellent instruments. I had a gibson chet atkins tennesesann but sold it when i got the T186, the craftmanship on both of my Eastmans is better then on the Gibson i had.
I have heard that the early ones are supposed to have less consistent build but the 2004 i have is actually perfect, and the binding and details are better then on the new one. Both sound and play very very well.
BUT... the guitars DON´T sound like a Gibson so i would say that they will never replace such a guitar unless you prefer the sound of the Eastman.. which is what happened to me (with the chet vs t186). Well until now that i´m looking for a laminate archtop and might end up buying a Gibson es 175
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Love the playing and the tone Rob. It looks like you've put a different pickup in it. What is it ?
Originally Posted by Rob MacKillop
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Ah, well reminded. I forgot I did that. It's a Harmonic Design Z90, a single coil in a humbucker casing. I love the single-coil design for blues and jazz.
Im playing through a cheap Yamaha THR5 or 10.
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I've got four Eastman guitars that I think highly of:
- 810 CE
- John Pisano (maple back)
- El Rey 2
- T186
Of the four, the best playing instruments are the 810 and the John Pisano; it's no coincidence that those were the two that received the PLEK treatment. The other two play very well, and I would not hesitate for a minute to play them out with pride. However, they could benefit from some additional fretwork.
As for their quality, I would describe them as good guitars, not "good guitars for the money".
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I love eastman and generally think they are great guitars for the money. However I had the 371, and didn't like it that much - it was a good guitar, but if you are looking for the 175 sound you might be disappointed. It's not a bad guitar it is just very different. Much more acoustic. If you want to get closer to the 175 sound maybe you can consider another model from eastman.
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I would say they are great guitars for the money, but their prices have gone up in the last few years ....
There are used Heritages and Campellones and other nice archtops out there that compete with the prices for a new Eastman
On the other hand, Eastman has a good number of dealers out there and there's a chance you will be able to get your hands on one before buying
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I'm a fan of Eastman. I have two of their acoustics. I was contemplating getting a 371. Can't go wrong with the price. I wanted a 175 style guitar but found that the sound on the 371 was bright to my ears. It seemed very light as well. None of these were necessarily bad - just not what I was looking for. I passed on it in favor of a ES 165.
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Sometimes I think it takes a while to really find the right set of strings for a particular guitar. Right now I am really enjoying my AR371CE with La Bella Jazz Flats 12 on it. Originally Posted by Piedaddy
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The 371/372 are ok guitars but sound nothing like a gibson 175. So if you're going to get a guitar that looks like a 175 but sounds nothing like it, it would be a good choice. The epiphone copies sound closer to a 175.
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Thanks for your input. Originally Posted by agentsmith
Yes - it's mainly the esthetics that draw me to that specific Eastman model. Never played a 175 let alone several from different years to be able to tell what a good one sounds like.
I'm looking to get a good instrument that sounds and plays well (or excellent) and looks the part and is a bit different from my Ibanez AFJ95. Also I'm not willing to pay big bucks for a Gibson.
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The 371/372 guitars sound very good if you're not expecting a 175 tone. I actually prefer their tone to the 800 and 900 series guitars they make.
They are a bit nasally though.
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I had an Eastman 371 for a while. I switched the pickup out for a Seymour Duncan Seth Lover and it sounded great. My YouTube channel has a few examples of it in action played through Peavey tube amps. Great sound, look, and feel for the $$$
Ian
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Thanks Ian - enjoyed your playing there. "Have You Met Miss Jones" is one of my favourite tunes.
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I have a problem with them. They keep mulitiplying at my house.
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I just looked at the Eastman site, it looks like the natural blonde, "Antique varnish" and / or "classic violin" finishes are no longer available for 2017. This may step up my schedule to get one.
Tommo did you wind up getting one?
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Oh - the waiting... Originally Posted by GNAPPI
No - not yet. Contrary to the 2017 online catalog the natural finish is not a regular production finish so I had to put in a special order and was given approximate delivery time of four to five months. Well, that was early March - four months already gone and by now I'm itching (LOL!) - really can't wait to get it.
Hopefully there will be a NGD thread by me in the near future!
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That's odd, there are always a half dozen in natural any given week for sale in natural here in the U.S. I much prefer natural to any other coloration, except a well executed burst like some Ibanez and Heritage gits. Originally Posted by TOMMO
Oh - the waiting...
No - not yet. Contrary to the 2017 online catalog the natural finish is not a regular production finish so I had to put in a special order and was given approximate delivery time of four to five months. Well, that was early March - four months already gone and by now I'm itching (LOL!) - really can't wait to get it.
Hopefully there will be a NGD thread by me in the near future!
One reason I like natural finishes is there's no hiding wood defects, or manufacturing "shortcuts". The natural 372 has a weird joint in the neck I've never seen before and it makes me wonder if other Eastman models (or other brands for that matter) have similar construction. Not that it's a deal breaker, the price point of the 372 is very good, a nice start on a project if it turns out that it needed some sonic tweaking.
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