Eastman John Pisano 480

[nyc chaz]

I just happened to be at a friend's house when he received his new 480. The picture on the Eastman site is really misleading.It is so much nicer when you see it in person.If you go on Reverb and see the dealer's actual photos you can see what i mean. The action on this guitar was low without any buzzing which my aging hands greatly appreciate these days.Instead of dots for position markers,it has little white lines which in a low light situation would be very helpful.The truss rod cover is magnetic and just slips on and off.Chording on this guitar sounded really clean and crisp with the seth lover pickup.Obviously they are going for a 175 vibe here with the way it is built.For me the guitar is a total winner especially at it's $1,600 price point.I will definitely be looking to get one of these down the line.

[DawgBone]

I felt the same way about the 380 Paisano. There were some tempting lightly used models for very reasonable on reverb. I just couldn't find any demos of it using overdrive that sounded worth a damn and so I was hesitant to buy a 1000 dollar plus used guitar and have to replace the pickups, in an f hole model no less. Then if you still hate it Eastman doesn't seem to carry great resale. There just aren't any models around here to demo.

Another forum member said that it was capable of doing good overdrive tones but by then I had already bought a Guild X170. They are beautiful guitars. My only complaint on the 380 was the odd place they chose for the pickup switch. Doesn't make any sense. The magnetic truss rod cover is probably the smartest guitar innovation in quite a few years. I am not inclined to buy chinese stuff but the lower end Paisanos sure seem to be a bargain. Ebony board, yes. Flame tops. Quality workmanship and beautiful finishes. Maybe down the line....

[Bflat233]

I just happened to be at a friend's house when he received his new 480. The picture on the Eastman site is really misleading.It is so much nicer when you see it in person.If you go on Reverb and see the dealer's actual photos you can see what i mean. The action on this guitar was low without any buzzing which my aging hands greatly appreciate these days.Instead of dots for position markers,it has little white lines which in a low light situation would be very helpful.The truss rod cover is magnetic and just slips on and off.Chording on this guitar sounded really clean and crisp with the seth lover pickup.Obviously they are going for a 175 vibe here with the way it is built.For me the guitar is a total winner especially at it's $1,600 price point.I will definitely be looking to get one of these down the line.

Frank Vignola has been playing the 480 Pisano Anniversary Edition for a couple of months now and they appear to be nearly inseparable. He is raving about it. I took one home three weeks ago and I love it. Tone-wise, it has a wide range from bass to treble tones, both plugged-in and acoustically. Design-wise, it is reminiscent of a Gibson ES-165, which is a style I've been drawn to from the start. With the way Eastman has detailed this guitar (flamed maple binding, pick guard, wooden tuners, trapeze, volume and tone controls, Seymour Duncan Seth Lover pick-up), you'd expect a much higher price point. Street-price is ~ $1600US, but there's room in that number for negotiation with most retailers I spoke with.

[nyc chaz]

Frank Vignola has been playing the 480 Pisano Anniversary Edition for a couple of months now and they appear to be nearly inseparable. He is raving about it. I took one home three weeks ago and I love it. Tone-wise, it has a wide range from bass to treble tones, both plugged-in and acoustically. Design-wise, it is reminiscent of a Gibson ES-165, which is a style I've been drawn to from the start. With the way Eastman has detailed this guitar (flamed maple binding, pick guard, wooden tuners, trapeze, volume and tone controls, Seymour Duncan Seth Lover pick-up), you'd expect a much higher price point. Street-price is ~ $1600US, but there's room in that number for negotiation with most retailers I spoke with.

I got to play the 480 again since my first post and the guitar just sounds and feels great.This time it had a string change to Benson roundwounds and for a laminate it sounded pretty darn good acoustically besides plugged in.Eastman really hit a home run with this guitar.

[SierraTango]

Been super happy with my 05 880 since I bought it in 06. Played hundreds of gigs with it. One of the best neck profiles ever.

[sgosnell]

It's obviously the frog on the tailpiece that makes it sound good. Vignola has gone from the Sadowskys to the Eastman Vignola model (for one week at Byrdland) to the Pisano. I've thought about getting a Pisano model, but I just can't justify it considering what I already have. The 680 and 880 with solid spruce tops do look good, and probably sound good. Eastman produces very nice archtop guitars, and I like the sounds of them. John Pisano makes everything sound good.

[ccroft]

I made a different tail for my Pisano 880, since I wasn't fond of the frog or the shape. Didn't change the sound.

[sgosnell]

I'm amazed.

[ccroft]

The thing at the end of a violin bow is called a frog. Maybe it's a pun of sorts?

[jads57]

Good players have options to choose from at reasonable prices. And especially since Gibson went full Solid body and Thinline!

[sgosnell]

The thing at the end of a violin bow is called a frog. Maybe it's a pun of sorts?

If it is, it's apparently unintentional. Eastman's story is that Pisano just likes frogs, the amphibian kind.

[LifeOnJazz]

Frank Vignola has been playing the 480 Pisano Anniversary Edition for a couple of months now and they appear to be nearly inseparable. He is raving about it.

Thanks for this tip. Looks like every show in August at Birdland Frank has been using a 480. It sounds great. I'm considering getting an Eastman and this model peaks my interest. I'm curious how it compares, tonally speaking, to the AR372 or t49D/V.

[Bflat233]

Thanks for this tip. Looks like every show in August at Birdland Frank has been using a 480. It sounds great. I'm considering getting an Eastman and this model peaks my interest. I'm curious how it compares, tonally speaking, to the AR372 or t49D/V.

There are many similarities with the AR480: the necks are even C, the nut width is 1.72", the frets are medium, and there are 20, the scale-length is 24-3/4. The body measures 16" at the lower bout. Both have ebony fretboards.

The key differences are the thickness: the AR 371/372 measures 3-1/2" and its acoustic projection is remarkable. It definitely holds its own unplugged in settings where you don't have an amp. The AR480 measures 2-3/4" so a narrower and not quite as loud unplugged. The Seth Lover pick-up in the AR480 is also a significant upgrade over the stock Kent Armstrong in the 371/372. That's not the only appointment that's upgraded, there are many, as I noted above.

I own an AR371 - a blonde that's aged and darkened wonderfully. I replaced the pick-up with a Creamery Charlie Christian imported from the UK and in installed locally. It's been a great guitar, but now, with the AR480 in hand, I am considering letting it go. Hope this provides you with a bit more food for thought.

[LifeOnJazz]

Thanks for taking the time to share that. There's not a ton of first-hand user feedback out there yet on the AR480, and how it compares, but what I'm hearing so far is quite positive. Cheers.