My review Eastman & China 675

[Kbone]

I went to visit a local music store that i knew received a recent shipment of Eastmans - now i've played, owned many good mandos including - Brentrups , Gibsons ( signed loar ),
Gilchrist , Prucha (s?), Givens , Rose , Weber, and many others . I even went being a little skeptical after reading that review of the guy who went to " Mandolin Bros " and found them wanting a little. When I arrived there were five Eastmans - two F models ( 515 , 615 - I think )& three a models. I played both F models and Wow ! was I impressed , reminded me of a Gibson F5L , and a recent Prucha I played, and yes the tone and workmanship was All there and there was no wanting in these babies.
Then I saw two ( Chinese ) Kentucky 675's and having owned a Korean myself and hearing that the Chinese ones were inferior in tone and workmanship , well to make a long story short - Wrong ! bogus !!these mandos sounded real good not tinny like my Korean one I owned.
So in conclusion I have to say the Chines are on to something big I'm afraid - I'd put the Eastmans that i played up against any Gibson F5L _ Now you can pick up your stones and start the barrage.
kbone

[johnwalser]

You didn't believe there were talented craftsman in any part of the world except America? Making mandolins is an art, but not exactly rocket science nor a secret process protected by American government agencies. Understanding this along with labor costs in other parts of the world and great, reasonably priced mandolins are bound to made in many other countries. Business people monitor the cost of American made products and look at this as an opportunity to compete on the world market.
John

[Kbone]

Im just going by the Korean instruments I've either owned (675 )or played. I also own a Gypsy jazz Saga guitar made in China and i'd put it up to a $2,000 Del Arte which I've also played. They're just light years ahead of the Korean models.

[John Flynn]

When I met EastmanGordon at the mando tasting in DC, I thought it was interesting hearing him talk about their production operation in China. He said they are organized by parts of the instrument. So you might have some luthiers who only do backs, some others who only do tops, others who do necks, etc., all under the supervision of a master luthier. The interesting thing about that is that, for instance, a guy graduating tops might do more tops in a year than some luthiers may do in a lifetime. Hopefully, practice makes perfect!

[Stephen Perry]

The many at once approach is great. I used to turn out many regraduated violins imported originally in the white. After a few years of this I had graduated, fitted bars in, varnished, and set up more violins than most makers do in 20 years. Really sharpened up my skills. I still prefer to make several violins at once. I may move to doing 4 at once this summer. Spread the start-up rustiness across a bunch.

Certainly the Chinese scrolls on violins are very nice most of the time. Just carving scrolls all day will let one get pretty good at it.

The same with varnishing. I've varnished up to 9 violins at a time. My brush technique gets very good and my speed becomes quite astonishing to me. Zip zip zip and I have a coat on. If I don't do a violin for a month I can really tell that my feel for the varnish is much diminished, I can't get the pigment to work quite as easily and well, etc.

[kurtwestphal]

I purchased my Eastman 814 at Mandolin Bros. in Nov. 04, and compared it to many of the same mandos as MJL. I thought it was much nicer than many of them, but importantly, I was not looking for an instrument with bluegrass tone, as I believe Mark was. My 2 favorites of all there were my 814, and the Phoenix neo-classical. I have since purchased a neo-classical as well. MAS satiated (for now). -Kurt

[berkeleymando]

I think it would be great if Eastman could post some pictures of their workshop, and maybe some bios of their luthiers. They very well may be talented people who deserve some recognition other than being known as nameless teams of luthiers making various components of mandolins.

[Stephen Perry]

http://www.eastmanstrings.com/eastmanstrings/workshop/workshop.htm Workshop tour.

[acousticphd]

I think it would be great if Eastman could post some pictures of their workshop

I think it would be great if Eastman could post some pictures of each of their mandolin models. (Although I am also MAS-satiated. Feeling almost a little sick, even. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[Desert Rose]

Keith said

Then I saw two ( Chinese ) Kentucky 675's and having owned a Korean myself and hearing that the Chinese ones were inferior in tone and workmanship , well to make a long story short - Wrong ! bogus !!these mandos sounded real good

Thank you Keith, The Chinese had a heck of a learning curve to go thru, I was called in at one point to instruct the factory a few years ago and put them on the right track and get them educated, it has paid off well

It is a testement to their dedication and ability

Scott

[Kbone]

You're welcome Scott ! I was surprised how nice they sounded
for $ 695. truly a great starter mandolin..