Eastman tuners

[Jim Nollman]

I just got an Eastman 515 in a trade. I'm a tinkerer, and the first thing I thought of changing in this low end Eastman, was installing better tuners. The Eastman website says the 600 series upgrades the 500 series by adding nickel Schaller tuners, which are swapped for gold in their 800 and 900 series instruments. So what tuners does this 515 have?

And can somerbody please offer me an opinion if its really worthwhile, or mostly cosmetic to get schallers. I have them on another mandolin, and they stay in tune really well. But maybe the stock 515s also stay in tune really well. Or is it something else? Are the turning ratios different. And if so, which ratio is favored by people who have tried various ones? I'm willing to spend $100 if another set of tuners are vastly superior to what i have.

The same goes for a new tailpiece. I notice the Orrico and the Allen are both popular. Will they increase the sustain of my Eastman, either dramatically or just a tiny insignificant amount? They look cool, which may be enough rerason to consider them.

And lastly, this 515 has no pickguard. I've always believed that plastic ought be outlawed on mandolins. So how does a pickguard made from ebony or maple (or whatever) alter the sound, if at all.

Lots of questions here. but hopefully a relevent discussion will ensue. Truly, the only thing I miss from the high end Eastmans is wood binding around the front and back. I've always believed that a good 515 is probably going to sound pretty much the same as a good 915. And either can just as easily be a lemon. Is that valid?

[Joe-TN]

Best I can tell, my 515 (2006 ser 313) has Schaller tuners --- see photos at Stewmac for comparison. Maybe someone else will offer other advice, but I'm pretty happy with the cast Eastman tailpiece, too.

[bradeinhorn]

i pretty firmly believe these upgrades do not affect tone. ease of use maybe, but not sustain. i don't think that the tuners would be significantly better either. spend the money on some good picks or lessons, or instructional dvds or something. those will better affect your tone.

[Jim Nollman]

thanks for the tip, Joe. StewMac verifies that mine are also Schallers. So is it just hype that the Eastman website says the 600 series upgrades to Schaller? Or is there some Schaller that is less expensive than Nickel tuners? If so, StewMac doesn't show it. I have to believe the Schaller engineering is identical on both the gold plated tuners and ours.

Yah, I like this tailpiece just fine.

Joe, I also notice mine is serial #338. so yours and mine were built around the same time.

Does yours have a pickguard? I may add an ebony one.

[Joe-TN]

I don't think Eastman has always been consistent with features....but I think the Schallers are pretty well standard throughout the range.

No pickguard on mine -- I don't think a pickguard is standard on any of the Eastmans.

[Stephen Perry]

They were going to have lesser Gotoh on the 500 series. This was never consistently done. Schallers work nicely sometimes. Often takes some tweeking. I've had lots apart. Must align the bushing, too. A little lube goes a long way.

On pickguards, I don't like what the ones screwed to the sides do. I'd get a Cumberland Acoustics abbreviated, or just make one from some fun wood. I have some Brazilian rosewood you can have if have a means to mill it thin. Edge it with some curly maple. Or on a simple look like the MD515, just leave the edge rounded. Can take wire, inlay it bent in a block to leave two pins sticking out, also groove the pickguard (this is getting difficult to explain, probably incomprensible!) Anyway, end up with a block along the edge of the pickguard, two spikes coming out at the joint between the pickguard and the top. Drill two holes in the extension under the fingerboard and press the spikes in. Not too hard, really. But I may be distorted in my view of "hard" by doing delicate odd things all the time.

My preference for protection would be plastic on the fingernail/pick area. Easy and looks good!

Have fun.

[hanknc]

Stephen, how do you drill the holes? It seems like an easy thing...to get wrong!

[Stephen Perry]

Well, everything is easy to get wrong. I can't recall anything special about the holes. I probably just used a drill bit in my dremel or hand drill. Mark the right spot, drill once in the right spot.

[hanknc]

Thanks. I guess all I need now is the gumption to actually do it!

[Jim Nollman]

I played my 515 last night at a gig, and a band mate brought his 915 along for me to compare. The 915's projection was a little better in the mid-highs of the A string, but otherwise they sounded pretty much like two peas in pod. I noticed that my 515 did not stay in tune as well as I'd like, although I haven't yet determined if it's the tuners, the unknown strings, or possible my ear not being accustomed to the overtones which are so different than the instrument I've played over the past year.

Stephen, what do you do, specifically, to tweak tuners?

The 915 had a pickguard attached to it somewhat like Stephen describes. It was standard issue plastic, to which he had glued a hardwood block along the under neck edge. Then he put it in place, and drilled two tiny holes through the block into the neck below the fingerboard extension. Pretty straightforward, although you want to be sure to use a sharp drill bit and some thin brass woodscrews.

I highly recommend the abalone inlaid ebony pickguards made by that Chinese instrument maker on Ebay. I have one. It definitely needs to be thinned down a bit. I might glue a piece of padauk to it, for a red edge.

[Stephen Perry]

I generally get pissed, take the tuners apart, look at everything, only rarely find anything particularly annoying, seat the bushings, lubricate everything, and reassemble. Then they work. I don't know what I'm specifically doing, but they like being looked at - maybe they just need the attention to feel good about themselves.

[Jim Nollman]

Yah that's what I thought you did. Nothing else makes any sense.