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Originally Posted by BigMikeinNJ
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04-24-2013 10:44 AM
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I recently purchased an Eastman AR610CE and I just love the guitar. Huge full sound, easy to play neck, and it looks fantastic. I come from the world of very thing shred necks and this one is just big enough to let me grab in and play without any discomfort. Great neck, great guitar.
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Heheheh. Just to fan the flames on this thread a little bit...
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I just came back from my excellent local store (an authorized Eastman dealer, too) after asking about the release date of the Eastman AR380 John Pisano model guitar. The store hadn't heard of it yet (not surprised), but he actually got right on the phone with the Eastman rep and asked some questions for me (his idea). Here's what I learned...
The tentative release date for the AR380 is now pushed off until Christmas at best and likely even later in the winter. Apparently, Mr. Pisano has been very hands-on and specific with his newest signature model guitar, and they've just gone through the fifth prototype and are finally achieving his expectations. Interestingly, at age 82, he's still out gigging across the country on some level, having just played duo in NYC during the last week or so, and (according to the Eastman rep) some lucky listener was actually able to buy one of the prototypes directly from Mr. P at the end of his gig once he was done with it. Ha! Lucky guy!
I had my dealer ask a few more questions, and it turns out that (according to the rep) there is still only going to be the one model with two KA pickups and in the same subtle honeyburst as shown at NAMM. I was just curious about color choices (I do like the honeyburst), but I had really been hoping to have a one-pickup model available, too. Guess not. I can't imagine why they can't also build a one pickup model at the same time since I doubt that much would have to change in the building process. Wouldn't that be a correct assumption?Last edited by ooglybong; 07-05-2013 at 09:18 AM.
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This website seems to have a lot of love for the Eastman hollows, what is it that makes this brand stand out?
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Because people like the sound of them and think they are built well.
My guess...
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Because they offer an interesting and quality product range at a relatively unique price point for a widely available instrument. This is especially true of their carved instruments.
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Good products at an affordable price is always a winning combination.
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Good product, affordable price, and remarkably well made. I've owned quite a few. I have a really early Eastman 810 prototype, supposedly from their first batch of NAMM guitars, these were dead copies of Benedetto Manhattans, I got it for a song considering what it is. Had the electronics replaced with new pots and wires and an OLD Kent Armstrong Benedetto pickup mounted to the pick guard. Benedetto violin style wooden tailpiece. Really gorgeous flamed woods, sweet tone.
Also owned an Eastman T146smd, spruce top, maple back and sides, thin body, pickups and wiring had been upgraded to Seth Lover 4 wires. WOW.
I currently own a T186smd in white. It's got Seth Lover 4 wires and Duncan Triple Shot switches (built into the pickup rings). Lovely. Think 335 but carved maple top, carved mahogany back and neck, only a 2x3 inch block under the bridge and stop tailpiece. You can coax about any tone out of that.
I also own two Yunzhi John Pisano copies, a copy of an AR880 John Pisano but with a floating pickup, a Bartolini mounted to the neck, new pick guard and wiring. WOW. And I recently got a Yunzhi built AR680 John Pisano copy, that's a carved spruce top, carved mahogany back, sides and neck. I haven't upgraded it but have all the parts on hand, an Ibanez Super 58 pickup, a pick guard like on the blonde Yunzi Pisano and new Schatten hidden controls.
These are just consistently sweet guitars. Also owned a Eastman AR880 John Pisano (see my avatar), remarkable guitar. Hard to go wrong with Eastmans.
Last edited by BigMikeinNJ; 04-18-2015 at 01:40 PM.
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Well made, lively, various models, very good quality for the price and affordable, etc. I've owned 4 different Eastman's trhough the years and own 2 currently.
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I own an Eastman AR 371 that has the best neck of any guitar I've ever owned and there have been a few. Sold my Gibson ES-165 after I got the Eastman. It is that good. Plays and sounds great.
I also have an AR 803D that I snagged for a bargain price off Ebay. It is a wonderful guitar and sounds better than the 371......but ......that neck on the 371 is just perfect for me.
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The Pisano is really nice and light, which is a feature I've come to appreciate in my old age. How does the weight of a T146 compare. Is that all solid wood?
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I bought an Eastman AR810CE a while back. For a carved archtop the price was good, and it had a decent tone to it. What I could not get past, and the reason I returned it immediately was because of the fit and finish. The binding had numerous little cracks all around, and for nearly $2500 I was not willing to accept that. Since then I went back to a brand I had as a teenager, and have yet to find any brand I like as much...just personal preference.
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I found the T146 to be really light but also loud acoustically. It is thinner than most, less than 2 inches but great, and once upgraded with Seth a Lovers was remarkable. Think of a 16 inch and thinner Byrdland with a normal scale. Yes it is light all carved solid woods. For me, the Pisanos are the perfect dimensions. I would really suggest looking into them. Mr Pisano came up with a remarkable design.
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I prefer a 7 string guitar, and Eastman had exactly what I was looking for in a price I could afford. Love the guitar.
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How about the necks on the Eastmans? Same across the models, vary by model. I'm a big fan of the shape of the 175 neck, similar?
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Originally Posted by heymelbs
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and they are great looking guitars. Here's my Pisano 880.
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In regard to Eastman necks, I find the feel can vary substantially, from one guitar to the next. They seem to have more than one neck profile even for the same model number.
Danielle
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In general is the profile more like an epiphone or a guild?
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I am not really familiar with Epiphone and Guild necks myself. I will say that I have 5 Eastman guitars. None of them have the same neck profile.
(At risk of getting away from jazz, if you are ever looking for an 000 size guitar, with a 24.9 scale, check out the Eastman E10-OM. Killer mahogany guitar, with adirondack top, that's a real cannon!)
Danielle
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Originally Posted by heymelbs
As to whether the neck feels more like an Epiphone or a Guild, I would say that it feels like neither. Both guitars you mentioned have their roots in either the classic Gibson or original New York Epiphone neck profiles, whereas Eastman guitars feature wider 1 3/4" nuts with a more "modern" 25" scale. The typical Eastman neck will also be thinner with a flatter radius than its Epiphone or Guild counterpart.
In my case, I adapted very easily to the Eastman neck profile. I own various pre-Gibson Epiphones, German Hofners, and Heritage acoustic archtops, and can honestly say that my Eastmans deserve a seat at their table in terms of comfort, build quality, and tone.
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Unfortunately for me, I live in Iowa and can't find a decent dealer for miles. The Eastman website lists a few dealers in IA, MN, Wi but when I go to the dealer websites they have very little to no inventory. Is there a significant dealer somewhere in the midwest?
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I used the Eastman Dealer Locator and entered Iowa in the Search window, got a ton of hits. You may not be able to go to one in person but wow seems like you have a huge list of places you can call and talk to. Good luck.
http://www.eastmanguitars.com/dealers/Last edited by BigMikeinNJ; 04-19-2015 at 10:25 AM.
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The problem with some of the music stores is that they claim that they are an Eastman dealer, but they may only have a few items in stock. Lidgett is about 5 hours from me. I do see Becket Fine Stringed instruments in the Des Moines area carries a few, but here's what they say on the website: Becker's features the Jim Fisch Archtop, Uptown Professional Archtop, John Pisano Archtop, El Rey Archtop, thinline, acoustic, and archback jumbo guitars. Dave's Guitar in La Crosse carries Eastman, but on their website they list a few Eastman mandolins. I'd be willing to drive a distance to a store which carries a full line of Eastmans including acoustic guitars, etc.
16" 1920s/30s L5
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