Eastman T184MX or Comins GCS-1

[DustinG]

Ay of you familiar with these 2 guitars - and ideally had a chance to compare these 2 models?

I've heard great things about both of them. I think I'm looking at the GCS-1ES Comins model (with the spruce top and ebony fretboard). I played an Eastman T184MX briefly a few times and was pretty impressed it with it (though the nut width/fretboard is slightly wider than I'm used to).

I typically prefer necks with some thickness to them (not super fat, but not thin), and it seems like the necks on both of these are on the thin side.

[nyc chaz]

I haven't played either one but Comins ES are laminates i believe while the Eastman is solid wood top and back if that makes a difference to you.

[rpjazzguitar]

The GCS-1 has been my main guitar for about 4 years and I'm very happy with it. It plays great. I like the feel of the neck -- I don't know how to describe it. Body size is comfortable. The wood is beautiful. The guitar has, I think, a somewhat dark basic sound; a main reason why I wanted it. It has a coil split that sounds good if you want that sound. The high end of the guitar rings out and sustains clearly -- which is the first thing I look for in a guitar and often don't find. Most important, when I'm playing it, I can forget about it and focus on the music. The guitar and the rest of the rig can become transparent.

There are a couple of minor negatives. It doesn't stay perfectly in tune as well as some other guitars I've had. I think, but am not sure, that this is due to some play between the posts and the sockets in the bridge. The bridge slips on and it doesn't seem really tight. If it's not that, then I don't know what it is. The tuning discrepancies are very minor, but I can see them with the tuner and maybe hear them. It's not very bothersome. If it was, I'd shim those posts with some aluminum foil or something.

The dye on the tuning pegs wore off in kind of sticky mess, but I got replacements from Comins for free. He was great. Apparently, there was a bad manufacturing run on that part.

I have a scratchy pot that will need to be replaced. I have much older guitars without that problem. A knock on the instrument? Maybe not, but it's going to be a pain to replace.

Other than those minor glitches the guitar has been terrific.

[LifeOnJazz]

I typically prefer necks with some thickness to them (not super fat, but not thin), and it seems like the necks on both of these are on the thin side.

My Comins GCS-1es is great. Love the warm, fat tone. I've had it for about 5 years and play it almost everyday. It arrived new with a scratchy pot but a little spray with eletrical cleaner fixed that. Otherwise, no issues or complaints.

I wouldn't say the neck is thin but it isn't hefty either. Mine measures 0.85" at 1st fret and 0.94" at the 12th.

[rpjazzguitar]

My Comins GCS-1es is great. Love the warm, fat tone. I've had it for about 5 years and play it almost everyday. It arrived new with a scratchy pot but a little spray with eletrical cleaner fixed that. Otherwise, no issues or complaints.

I wouldn't say the neck is thin but it isn't hefty either. Mine measures 0.85" at 1st fret and 0.94" at the 12th.

May I ask, how did you get the contact cleaner into the pot?

My scratchy one is neck tone control. Is there an easier way than disconnecting everyting to move the whole wiring harness to where the pot is exposed through the f hole?

[John A.]

May I ask, how did you get the contact cleaner into the pot?

My scratchy one is neck tone control. Is there an easier way than disconnecting everyting to move the whole wiring harness to where the pot is exposed through the f hole?

Try spraying (dribbling rather than full force spray) deoxit down the shaft. There a small gap between the shaft and the housing, and you can usually get some in there.

[rpjazzguitar]

Try spraying (dribbling rather than full force spray) deoxit down the shaft. There a small gap between the shaft and the housing, and you can usually get some in there.

Thanks!

[339 in june]

Can't comment about Eastman T184MX (never touched any) but I'm the happy owner of a Comins GCS1-ES (spruce top, ebony fretboard)
It's a pleasure to play the Comins, the sounds you can get from it are plenty, thanks to the efficiency of the controls (volume and tone) of each pickup and the splitting possibility
The neck is reasonably thin to me
I don't have tuning issues, no more, no less than with my other guitars
Highly recommended !

[LifeOnJazz]

Try spraying (dribbling rather than full force spray) deoxit down the shaft. There a small gap between the shaft and the housing, and you can usually get some in there.

I'd probably start with that first.

If I recall, I had to loosen the nuts on all the pots and bring them up to the f hole to get better access. It was a bit of a pain, but it probably didn't take more than an hour or so. Just make sure you tie a string or thin wire to the shaft to be able to pull them back in place.

[rpjazzguitar]

Try spraying (dribbling rather than full force spray) deoxit down the shaft. There a small gap between the shaft and the housing, and you can usually get some in there.

Great suggestion! I say that because I just did it and it worked great!

Thanks!