Eastman Archtops Temporarily Discontinued?

[Christian Miller]

Time for a "Telecaster Hate Thread; Only Archtops Allowed"

I’ll start one

[Jimmy blue note]

This is good news for sure. However, this is a laminate build, probably from the same factory as their semi-hollows and solidbodies. Carved archtops came from a different plant.

Well those luthiers are still over there somewhere. Perhaps the workshop at Y and W are taking in that talent under their roofs and keeping that torch burning. Maybe Lora knows if there will be new hands in those operations.

[Woody Sound]

This is the one I want. But the price has gone up tremendously.

AR805 - Eastman Guitars

[RJVB]

Before getting my LH-650 I've been looking at Eastmans too, the AR805 and AR605 in various declinations. What I came away with is that some of them cost almost as much as a luthier build; Elferink archtops start at less than 3800€ for instance; an innovative L5 copy from Cranmer guitars goes for hardly more. Compared to that, paying over 2000€ for a used American instrument built in a Chinese chain-build workshop feels ... wrong.

[Doctor Jeff]

This is the one I want. But the price has gone up tremendously.

AR805 - Eastman Guitars

That's the way of the world. Starts out cheap, and once they get the hang of the manufacturing and the demand builds up, so does the price. Cf Peerless.

[jads57]

The new John Pisano 175 style guitar has my attention!

[Oscar67]

What I came away with is that some of them cost almost as much as a luthier build…

Valid point. Yet if I force myself to let my hands and ears decide the quality of a guitar, then my solid-top Eastman is every bit as good as my other archtops (all of which cost a lot more). Paid €1.900 for it about three years ago, new. Will never ever part with it.

[jumpnblues]

I talked to someone at Heritage guitars about 6 weeks ago or so that said their custom shop is shut down indefinitely and they weren't sure when it would continue operation. You can take that anyway you want. I have a Heritage Eagle Classic Standard on order. Don't have a clue when it will show up. It's a standard production and not a custom shop guitar. But I don't know if that will make a difference or not? I was going to order a Heritage custom shop guitar until I found out about their custom shop shutting down. Right now I'd be tickled to death just to get the standard production Eagle Classic Standard.

[RJVB]

... my solid-top Eastman is every bit as good as my other archtops (all of which cost a lot more). Paid €1.900 for it about three years ago, new.

Take about inflation and appreciation. But they no longer cost that "little". Evidently, I wouldn't mind getting a Chinese guitar that sounds as good as but cost less than half (or even less) than a much more expensive guitar of, erm, less exotic provenance. Heck, I hesitated on an AR605CE that was around 1600 euro. Those are reasonable prices. I might have sprung for that 605 if it hadn't been in Japan and if I'd had actual hands-on experience with archtops. And there hadn't been an LH-650 for less than half that sum that cost me nothing in shipping and import duties.

[jzucker]

lou from guitarsnjazz told me they have not discontinued archtops but there is a 1 year backlog on new archtop orders

[Bill Eisele]

I talked to someone at Heritage guitars about 6 weeks ago or so that said their custom shop is shut down indefinitely and they weren't sure when it would continue operation. You can take that anyway you want. I have a Heritage Eagle Classic Standard on order. Don't have a clue when it will show up. It's a standard production and not a custom shop guitar. But I don't know if that will make a difference or not? I was going to order a Heritage custom shop guitar until I found out about their custom shop shutting down. Right now I'd be tickled to death just to get the standard production Eagle Classic Standard.

If you don't want to wait for the Eagle Classic Standard, Marty Grass has a beautiful blonde 1996 Golden Eagle for sale on the forum: Heritage Golden Eagle 1996. I assume it's still for sale and I'm guessing it's going to be less than the price of a new Eagle Classic Standard. And, not sure if you had to put a substantial deposit down to order the Eagle Classic. Just thought I would bring it to your attention.

[jumpnblues]

Thank you, Bill, for the heads up. Sounds like a beautiful guitar. But I have a trade deal worked out for the new Eagle Classic Standard.....IF it ever gets here. We'll see. Just to be clear to forum members, I'm talking about a Heritage and not an Eastman.

[Gitpicker]

This is good news for sure. However, this is a laminate build, probably from the same factory as their semi-hollows and solidbodies. Carved archtops came from a different plant.

That is incorrect information, the semi-hollows and arch tops (and violin family instruments) are crafted in the same workshop in outer Beijing (where I also live).

[Fortune]

Eastman AR805 Archtop Hollowbody Electric Guitar | Blues | Reverb

Eastman AR805 | Harbor Music | Reverb

Eastman AR805-SB Acoustic Archtop Sunburst Gloss Finish | | Reverb

Here's a few available in case anyone is still looking.

[Gabor]

It's those damned Telecasters!!

...yes... but, what I do not understand, (in my search of the holy jazz sound) that Berry Greene has 3 Benedetto guitars, and in his hand his full solid body sounds almost the same as the carved archtop. I mean I understand, but do not want to accept the fact, that the hand (and the musician) which makes the sound.

(do no be mislead by the picture, he is playing on a solid body this video, and that is definitely not a Tele which would by an instrument type in its own right, instead the solid Benedetto functions more like as a practical archtop replacement, pretty good)

[RJVB]

in his hand his full solid body sounds almost the same as the carved archtop.]

In his hand and with the settings he applies ... and I'd be surprised if that weren't possible (making a carved archtop's electric sound almost the same as that of a solid body that is).

It'll always surprise me more that people pay large sums for what could be exquisite (vintage) acoustic instruments and then use them to create a sound you could almost certainly get from something like a Squire...

[Gabor]

- I do included the settings in the term ..."and the musician". I meant the musician has a concept about what he want to hear.

- Although agree that the settings are also crucial part of the final result, I think my example on the video is definitely not squire and not solid bodish

- Back to the hand and the musician, there is a reverse proof too. Many youtube videos are out there where great archtop guitars sound plinky and at least not pleasing on both acoustic and electric videos.

Just for the record, I think archtop acoustic sound is the king, (especially if a musician is capable to get out that sound from the box :-)

[EastwoodMike]

...yes... but, what I do not understand, (in my search of the holy jazz sound) that Berry Greene has 3 Benedetto guitars, and in his hand his full solid body sounds almost the same as the carved archtop. I mean I understand, but do not want to accept the fact, that the hand (and the musician) which makes the sound.

Is this when listening to him play live or via recordings?

[Gabor]

Is this when listening to him play live or via recordings?

never heard him live, I was referring his instructional youtube videos, like I linked