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I have a confession to make: I’m an Eastman fanboy/convert
I recently scored a used Vignola AR680 and I absolutely love this guitar. The build quality is exceptional, so too are the woods, the hardware, the electronics etc
It has displaced some far more expensive/respected guitars and rekindled my love of jazz (and guitars)
I appreciate this is subjective, so I’ll leave it at that
But it has got me thinking that I’d quite to explore an Eastman laminate model and I am quite taken with the idea of the Pisano AR380. Trying one locally not an option and so I’d welcome some advice and input
First up - I neither need nor really want this as a 175 substitute. I’m hoping it might fall in the more modern camp - Benedetto Bravo, Sadowksy Jim Hall, Westville Aruba. Does anybody have any opinion or experiences re: tone? There’s not many good videos out there (I’ve clocked the exceptions already). First hand experiences from owners most welcome
Second - can I reasonably expect a similar level of quality and craftsmanship to my Vignola model? Street price in the UK is about half of what a new Vignola would cost. Does that sound about right for solid carved versus laminate? What I’d like to know is if the Pisano is likely to come out of the same workshop or factory, or if it’s a different line. I’ve heard that there is some ‘magic’ to the Pisano line as compared the more standard counterparts. Any truth to this?
I am happy with the dimensions and aesthetic (although don’t need the bridge pup). It would be strung with TI flats, 12s or maybe 13s
thanks in advance
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08-12-2022 02:38 PM
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Didn’t Anthony Wilson play one? He’s a pro’s pro!
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They were both playing guitars off the shelf, tags still hanging on them.
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In the hands of such players like Wilson and Pisano nearly every guitar sounds perfect.
I think Eastman guitars are good instruments (I also own one), but I don't think that Anthony will trade his Monteleone for an Eastman
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If you don't need the bridge pickup...be happy:
Eastman AR480CE John Pisano 30th Anniversary Edition Sunburst – Chicago Music Exchange
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There may be some truth to the Pisano 'secret sauce'. My 880 is a beautiful and perfectly built instrument with a neck I like more than some other guitars I have. I don't think I'll ever let that one go. I've never played any other Eastman archtop to compare though.
There's a tube out there somewhere with Anthony performing with Ms Krall on an P. 880, so he has used an Eastman with no hang tags on it. I ran into the video when I was considering the 880, but I can't find it now. Interestingly, he's using a blend of mic and amp. Probably going for a more acoustic vibe, which the 880 excels at.
I'll confess I don't like that tailpiece though. It's just a wood face on a metal harp, so I changed mine to something I find more appealing.
OP has probably read the posts here with folks being disappointed the Eastman lams aren't 175 clones. Lighter and brighter if I remember right. Might be a good fit for him.
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Seriously? Someone was anticipating that an AR371 was going to sound like an ES175 simply because they shared a similar shape?!
I’m shocked to hear this.
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I have one but can’t really answer your questions since I’ve never had a chance to see let alone play all the others you mention so I have no frame of reference.
that said in real life it is beautifully made. It is 0.5” narrower than the old 4.3” es-175 design so yes it will sound different and besides the pickups are voiced nothing like the Gibson ones. To me it does not sound compressed or like a dead blow mallet.
the only thing I don’t get is the frog logo but I could care less. The tailpiece gives a nice smooth forearm contact point.
when I got mine the single pu version was not available.
price wise comparing solid carved vs laminate Eastman prices is probably meaningless without equivalent competition in your marketplace. Maybe a comparison with Peerless?? Maybe??
I doubt there is any secret sauce alternate factory or closely guarded luthiers as far as the laminated 380 goes. I suspect just like most factories there are different appointments and then marketing. I know of no special difference in the laminations or bracing designs that make it different from their other laminated guitars. For me the choice was driven by body dimensions.
I have mine strung with TI 12s and the added tension combined with its laminate weight probably contributes to its acoustic volume.
EMike
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Hi, I live in Beijing and go to the workshop sometimes and have played every Eastman archtop model and own several.
The AR380-CE is a great guitar and won't sound exactly like a 175. It has it's own voice I would say, more modern sounding. I am a fan of the guitar as I think it has a very comfortable slim neck and a great sound. It's a good well built-laminate and sounds nice acoustically too. The Korean KA pickup is pretty good but you can easily swap if for another if you even wanted to.
I actually prefer the new AR480-CE that's on the website and will be available in the US in a few months. That thing is awesome, it has only one pickup, it's a Seymour Duncan Seth Lover (I love that pickup!), and the top is thicker so it has a bit darker tone. I also prefer the color over the orange of the 380.
The Vignola is an amazing guitar, I own one actually. It's small, light, very loud acoustically. Obvious a much different animal than the electric laminate Pisanos but it's as good a guitar as anything else I have owned. It's also my favorite guitar to travel with. They are all built in the same workshop.
I hope this helps a bit!
Doug
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Apparently Pisano is into frogs. That's his spec, FWIW.the only thing I don’t get is the frog logo but I could care less.
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Thank you, all
Some really helpful responses here, including experiences of owners as well as insight into quality and production
by way of follow up:
- I don’t mind the frog
- Again: I neither need nor want it to sound like a 175 (although I can see why some people might want or expect other Eastman lams to be 175 clones…and that they’d be disappointed)
- I’m leaning to ‘yes’ on these but that single pup version is a spanner in the works/mud in the water. Pickup location, thicker plates, lead time and neck material all work against it though
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FYI Here's the Anthony Wilson footage people are referring to. I think he's got an Eastman AR680CE that he takes on tour sometimes.
I used to own one of these and I think the video is very accurate about the sound it gets in the room. Fairly loud acoustic body, on the brighter side of sounds, but really cool.
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No love for the AR580CE? From a sound and build quality standpoint, I really like mine. I've also been pleasantly surprised by the SD Jazz pickup. Very rich and warm sounding. Such a nice midrange. Outstanding build quality. I read on this forum that the SD Jazz is a dark sounding pickup. My ears don't hear that at all. That's what tone controls are for. To me it has very nice mids with just the right amount of top end. The perfect pickup for this carved archtop guitar.
So, what's not to like...? Well, for me, there's only one thing and it has nothing to do with the sound or build quality. Both are excellent. However, no matter how I look at it, it is something that I just can't seem to overlook...for a lot of reasons. But we won't be getting into that. So as not to stray from forum rules, that's all I'll say on the subject. I can't afford anything else right now. But I do have a new Heritage Eagle Classic Standard coming due for delivery in April. It's part of a trade deal. Gonna be a looonnnggg wait. I'm sure it'll be worth it. Come on April!!Last edited by jumpnblues; 08-25-2022 at 11:18 AM.
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My Eastman is a Frank Vignola FV-880ce-sb, and it is a very nice guitar. I frequently read how Eastman guitars either keep up with, or blow away much more expensive guitars.
I do have issue with this statement because Eastmans have their own sound and feel, so any comparisons of Eastman archtops to, say, a fine Gibson or other maker's archtop would be difficult. They are simply not the same guitar, not at all the same sound or feel.
Whether a given player prefers one to the other seems fair enough to me, but not a factual comparison if there is even such a thing. I probably have much less experience with a broad range of archtops than most here, but even with that smaller experience, this is abundantly clear to me.
Also, if we see a given artist frequently playing an Eastman, it is likely that s/he also has a collection of other guitars at home. If I were still playing out, I would MUCH prefer to take my Eastman archtop with me than my Gibson Citation.
The Eastman would be much easier to replace should the guitar experience an unfortunate event. When I was playing out and only had a Guild Artist Award from the early 1970s, it eventually got a few "battle scars" typical of such use, though luckily none serious. I would have been much wiser to have gotten something else to play out with.
One cool thing about Eastman in that situation is to do that, you are not sacrificing quality of build and tone. My Citation is mint and looks like something that belongs in a glass case, though I would never do that either. Any guitar is meant to be played. I play it every day - but only in the safety of my own home.
Tony
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Agree with you on all points, Tony.
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Those look and sound (per videos) pretty nice! Eastman has surprised me as of late. I was in the market for a small body flat-top not too long ago, and ended up with an Eastman OO. Shockingly good, and at an unmatchable price for the quality. That guitar really changed my perspective on what they could possibly do.
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Why is the photographer only displaying the bass player and DK? Okay, he didn’t care for AW, even during his brief solo.
Originally Posted by omphalopsychos
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