Time to get another guitar and looking for opinions

[yiscarlsocool]

I’m getting a new guitar this year. I was gonna wait until I “needed” it, but it’s better to it now for tax reasons. As, some of you know, I have a moded amh90. I like the guitar, but then I played my X-700, and the x700 neck is so much nicer. The amh90 neck is narrower and fatter, which is an issue when I do bigger chord melodies.
I still want a thin archtiop I was thinking about the Eastman T146SM. It checks all the boxes (spruce top, ebony fretboard, fully hollow) and I played a diff eastman and thought the neck was closer to the 700. The only difference that concerned me was the neck scale. The 700 has a 24.75 and the 146 has a 25.


So the questions are, is the lollar imperial pickup good (I may swap it for lollar CC anyway) and is the scale really going to throw me off (I doubt it, but I don’t know)?
Also, are there other guitar options? I want to stay under 2500, US taxes allow me to expense an instrument under 2500 in one year, otherwise I have to use depreciation for 7 years, which I don’t want to do.
thanks

[mad dog]

I had an Eastman T146. Mine had the two stock HBs - not Lollars. I put in Seth Lovers, which sounded much better than the stock ones. Big improvement. The scale didn't factor much into my perception of the guitar. Was never an issue in playability, felt little different than the 24.75" Guild I usually play.

These are pretty pricey now new. If you can find one used, that would IMO be the better way to go.

[rpjazzguitar]

It's not just the scale length. It's all the dimensions of the neck.

All things being equal a 25.5 will feel too big compared to a 24.75, to some people.

But, all things aren't equal. If the neck with the longer scale is narrower and thinner, the long scale may feel better.

[sgosnell]

I don't notice the difference between a 24.75" and a 25" scale at all. It's only 0.25" total, and the difference in fret spacing is completely unnoticeable to me. But I also switch between 24.75" and 25.5" with no issues. The Eastman is a very nice guitar. I once had a T145, the same guitar with a slightly smaller body, a 15" bout vs the 16" of the T146. I regret selling it. I went through several pickups but eventually returned to the stock one. It had originally been wired incorrectly at the factory, as far as I could tell. If you can find one, it's a very good choice, IMO. It does have a 1.75" nut, which some may not like.

[pauln]

Should test yourself

[Greywolf]

Lollar Imperials are delicious, I would recommend the Low winds for Jazz.

I have the Seths too and they are delightful.

[yiscarlsocool]

I had an Eastman T146. Mine had the two stock HBs - not Lollars. I put in Seth Lovers, which sounded much better than the stock ones. Big improvement. The scale didn't factor much into my perception of the guitar. Was never an issue in playability, felt little different than the 24.75" Guild I usually play.

These are pretty pricey now new. If you can find one used, that would IMO be the better way to go.

Thanks. They have a lollar stock now, which i like better than most pickups. I don't like taking the Guild out for gigs at bars and restaurants where the customers are close enough to knock it over. Same with outdoor gigs. I'm in Florida, so there's a lot of those, unfortunately. I'm playing on a stage this weekend, so I'm taking the Guild, which is what started this. The Guild is so much nicer to play and I want my other guitar to play similar.

[yiscarlsocool]

I don't notice the difference between a 24.75" and a 25" scale at all. It's only 0.25" total, and the difference in fret spacing is completely unnoticeable to me. But I also switch between 24.75" and 25.5" with no issues. The Eastman is a very nice guitar. I once had a T145, the same guitar with a slightly smaller body, a 15" bout vs the 16" of the T146. I regret selling it. I went through several pickups but eventually returned to the stock one. It had originally been wired incorrectly at the factory, as far as I could tell. If you can find one, it's a very good choice, IMO. It does have a 1.75" nut, which some may not like.

I actually would prefer the T145, but they rarely show up on reverb and I don't want to wait. I just wish they had a T146 in sunburst, but that's not a deal breaker

[yiscarlsocool]

thanks everyone. I just purchased a used T146sx. Did anyone like the stock Kent Armstrong HPAG-1?

[sgosnell]

I liked the stock KA pickup in my T145. I don't know if it's the same pickup as in yours, though.

[yiscarlsocool]

I liked the stock KA pickup in my T145. I don't know if it's the same pickup as in yours, though.

It's a 2007, so I don't know. I'll try it out. If it's not great, I'll put a Lollar CC in it.

[yiscarlsocool]

I got the guitar yesterday. The scale isn't a big deal and I do like the neck profile. Easy to play and has a decent acoustic sound. The pickup is ok, I'll use it for now and see. The guy had Eastman do some custom inlays, which is a nice touch.

My only issue is the pick guard is almost as high as the strings, so i have to figure out how to lower it, or I'll take it off completely.
Anyone recommend a gig bag for it?

[John A.]

thanks everyone. I just purchased a used T146sx. Did anyone like the stock Kent Armstrong HPAG-1?

I have those pickups in my D’Angelico semi-hollow. I’m happy with them and have never felt the need to change them.

[Woody Sound]

The guy had Eastman do some custom inlays, which is a nice touch.

Looks like the D'Angelico Excel inlay.

[yiscarlsocool]

Looks like the D'Angelico Excel inlay.

I thought the same thing. I didn't realize how similar they were until now. I guess that's what they were going for