Eastman

[Lane Pryce]

Has anyone jumped in and purchased one yet? Lp

[Colorado Slim]

I'd sure like to.
However, there have been many delays in getting the promised items to the promised place at the promised time.

Here's a parable ... actually it's a true story from just a few weeks ago. A potential client called with a project that needed to be done as soon as possible. The engineering staff sincerely believed that [if everything went as planned] they could have the project done on Thursday. The marketing people wanted to promise the client that it would be done on Thursday, so we'd be sure to get the job. I told the client we'd have it done by the following Monday. The client was a little disgruntled about next Monday, because they would have to adjust their timeline, but okay. [You see where this is going?] We weren't able to present the deliverables to the client until Friday, but hey! slaps on the back all around because we beat the deadline. The client signed a long-term contract.

My point is that there are always delays. Things never go quite as planned. Does the name Murphy ring a bell? So take this little story to heart, you nice (and very enthusiastic) folks at Eastman.

That being said, I truly am looking forward to trying out one of Eastman's oval-hole F style mandolins...and to really lay my cards on the table, I fully expect to like it well enough to buy it.

(On the other hand, there's a used Bridger A that a guy I know has for sale, but he won't have it for very much longer, if you get my drift, Gordon.)

-Slim

[peterbc]

I havn't bought one, but I played a nice A style with F holes. Of course everything is subjective, and you'll hear a thousand opinions every which way, and you can't believe everything (anything?) you read on the internet, but... I thought it was better than the Gibson A9 and Weber Absorka lying next to it, and a bit cheaper. It looked to be well made, had a nice blonde finish, good woods, etc. I think they've done a wonderful job.

[Mandodocta]

A CHINESE mandolin sounding better than a Gibson? Peterbc, dude, that's sure to upset someone here!

Seriously, though, they appear to be nice instruments and I've heard good things about them too. If you get one, JLP, I'd like to know what you think.

[peterbc]

I'm not saying they're better than all Gibsons, there are certainly some lovely ones out there. But that particular Eastman sounded better than that particular Gibson. I think it's pretty neat that they're not just another cheap Pac Rim import but that they're going for a higher level of quality.

[rhetoric]

I played an F and while I haven't played mandolin enough to pontificate about the sound, the fit and finish didn't seem too spectacular. My dealer said he'd seen the A's and that they were outstanding. Anyway, they're sold before he gets a chance to hang them on the wall. Their guitars get rave reviews.

[Steven Stone]

I've seen and played both A's and F's

I bought an A that I found to be especially good.

I'm going to be doing a full review for Vintage Guitar Magazine in the near future, so I can't really say anything more here. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[Evan Skopp]

I'm doing my best to get one into my collection. As soon as I get it, I'll let you know my (newbie) opinion of it.

[JeffS]

A CHINESE mandolin sounding better than a Gibson? Peterbc, dude, that's sure to upset someone here!

I'd bet good money that David Grissman playing on a Chinese mando would sound better than me playing on a Gibson.

[Evan Skopp]

I just took delivery of a 614 which is the F-style with an oval sound hole. It took awhile. Turns out they're harder to come by then I would've thought.

The tone is loud and warm -- not harsh at all. And it's really beautiful: carved back and top with really nice binding around the body and headstock scrolls. The back, sides and neck are intensely flamed with a natural finish.

My next step: learn to play it. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[onlyagibsonisgoodenuff]

[QUOTE= ]A CHINESE mandolin sounding better than a Gibson? #Peterbc, dude, that's sure to upset someone here!


I'll bet Grisman is playing a Chinese mando. With the tape covering the name, who knows? As for me, I'm still thinking about a BRW.

[mandoryan]

Anybody have any pics of these Eastmans?

[Colorado Slim]

Looks like the logjam has loosened up a little. I too just bought one of the Eastman oval-hole F-styles, an MD814.

I have wanted an F2 or F4 pretty much since I first took up the mandolin, but I've never been able to quite justify to myself the cost --and still keep my F5. Don't get me wrong, I think that they are well worth their prices, it's just that I'm such a relentless pinchpenny. Now along comes Eastman with a bench-made F-style mandolin for less than two grand.

Eastman has obviously done their design homework, as the specifications are faithful to the vintage template. Great wood, nice 3 ply binding front and back, bound fingerboard & peghead, and very well put together. The finish is thin and beautiful...well, mostly beautiful. They should have spent more time on the finish inside the scrolls (body and peghead), but I can live with that when I remind myself of what I paid. And it has 'that' sound.

This is an eminently playable instrument. It needed just a little bridge-placement tinkering when I took it out of the case, and I raised the action just a wee bit as a personal preference. The sound is remarkably warm, open, and responsive for a brand-new box. It has satisfyingly good volume and projection. On the other hand, I can get the sound to break up or distort when I do drive it too hard, but that may just be the light gauge strings. All in all, pretty darn good.

No… better than just pretty darn good: for the money, this is an excellent mandolin. (Oh, and the case is cool, too.)

[Personal to Gordon Roberts of Eastman: I feel a little sheepish about my rant a few posts above, and I'm really glad things worked out the way they have, but dang! you nearly lost me there.]

-Tim

PS
One other thing, my decision was not driven solely by the sound-per-price ratio, I'll admit. If that were the case, I would have bought an A model. But I like that strap-hanger thingy. My main mandolin has one, and I've kind of gotten used to it, you know.

[Bobble]

I tried a couple Eastman A models at Dusty Strings this week and they all sounded great and the workmanship was excellent!
I would love to see the F4 or F5 version.
Bob

[Unseen122]

Where does one buy one of these or at least look at them. Link?

[Spruce]

I'm in Ohio at the Oberlin Violin Maker's Workshop, and one of the bow makers here has a blonde F5 that is a pretty stunning mandolin for the price.

Hell, it's a good mandolin regardless of price...

Chinese maple on the back and sides that is as figured as anything I've cut in 25 years, and a nice Chinese spruce top with zero runout on the top. #Bound F-holes...

It sounds great...

Problem areas are the scroll and the tacky "Eastman" logo, but once they get these details worked out, look out.

Strong points are the set-up (BION), materials, back button, points, binding execution on everywhere but the scroll, and the general feel of the instrument. #
I really have been enjoying playing it...

I snapped some pics, and will post them when I get back to the island on July 3rd....

[GTison]

music store in indy had some down at the bean blossom fest they seemed pretty good for the money. I do not remember the name of the store

[stout1]

The store was probably Frank's Violins. #I know they had one a month or two ago, and were hoping to have some more in late June. #No financial interest, just happened to be there a couple of weeks to go and talked to them about mandolins in general, and the subject came up. #They have a website and I can't figure out how to link it so it is www.franksviolins.com. #Nate

[dasspunk]

Link Police...

Eastman Mandolins... (http://www.eastmanstrings.com/eastmanguitars/mandolins/mandolins.html)

[Professor PT]

...and don't forget to check out Eastman's famous "spirit vanish finish." #Is that better than the spirits that stick around? #I guess then you'd have a haunted mandolin. #I guess the copy editing is done in China, too.

[diamond ace]

I just started another topic on tese ten I saw this one. Go figure.
I got the first one i have ever seen yesterday. MAS struck hard and I couldn't let it get away. Great mandolin, I can't belive it was made in china!! real cool hard case too.!!

[M. Hollen]

About Music in Broadripple has some Eastman's as well. Haven't seen them but the owner said he had gotten a few in.

The Eastman mandolins are well made, and like the Eastman violin family instruments, probably going to put a serious dent into domestic makers. I am a violin maker, and have built mandolins, as well. The Eastman mandos are thinner than Gibsons, built more like violins. I have used a Hacklinger gauge on them, as well as Gibsons, Collings, and Webers. The set-up is still rough, and every single one that I have seen needed a new nut and some bridge tweaking. As with the guitars, all of this will work itself out, but as a violin maker and a longtime customer of Eastman, I think of instruments as instruments, and every single violin that I buy, of the Chinese persuasion, gets a full set-up. With the mandos, that might include a fret dress. The only reason to have the lower end Gibson mandolins on the wall, in a retail setting, is to sell the Collings and Eastman mandolins. It is a shame what Henry J. is doing to Gibson......saving it only to destroy it.
The Eastman mandolins aren't great, but great for the price. They don't even come close to a Collings, but are more playable than most old Gibson A's before the needed work to make them work 'well'. Buy one. I want a F-style oval hole, myself......

The Eastman mandolins are well made, and like the Eastman violin family instruments, probably going to put a serious dent into domestic makers. I am a violin maker, and have built mandolins, as well. The Eastman mandos are thinner than Gibsons, built more like violins. I have used a Hacklinger gauge on them, as well as Gibsons, Collings, and Webers. The set-up is still rough, and every single one that I have seen needed a new nut and some bridge tweaking. As with the guitars, all of this will work itself out, but as a violin maker and a longtime customer of Eastman, I think of instruments as instruments, and every single violin that I buy, of the Chinese persuasion, gets a full set-up. With the mandos, that might include a fret dress. The only reason to have the lower end Gibson mandolins on the wall, in a retail setting, is to sell the Collings and Eastman mandolins. It is a shame what Henry J. is doing to Gibson......saving it only to destroy it.
The Eastman mandolins aren't great, but great for the price. They don't even come close to a Collings, but are more playable than most old Gibson A's before the needed work to make them work 'well'. Buy one. I want a F-style oval hole, myself......

The Eastman mandolins are well made, and like the Eastman violin family instruments, probably going to put a serious dent into domestic makers. I am a violin maker, and have built mandolins, as well. The Eastman mandos are thinner than Gibsons, built more like violins. I have used a Hacklinger gauge on them, as well as Gibsons, Collings, and Webers. The set-up is still rough, and every single one that I have seen needed a new nut and some bridge tweaking. As with the guitars, all of this will work itself out, but as a violin maker and a longtime customer of Eastman, I think of instruments as instruments, and every single violin that I buy, of the Chinese persuasion, gets a full set-up. With the mandos, that might include a fret dress. The only reason to have the lower end Gibson mandolins on the wall, in a retail setting, is to sell the Collings and Eastman mandolins. It is a shame what Henry J. is doing to Gibson......saving it only to destroy it.
The Eastman mandolins aren't great, but great for the price. They don't even come close to a Collings, but are more playable than most old Gibson A's before the needed work to make them work 'well'. Buy one. I want a F-style oval hole, myself......

The Eastman mandolins are well made, and like the Eastman violin family instruments, probably going to put a serious dent into domestic makers. #I am a violin maker, and have built mandolins, as well. #The Eastman mandos are thinner than Gibsons, built more like violins. #I have used a Hacklinger gauge on them, as well as Gibsons, Collings, and Webers. #The set-up is still rough, and every single one that I have seen needed a new nut and some bridge tweaking. #As with the guitars, all of this will work itself out, but as a violin maker and a longtime customer of Eastman, I think of instruments as instruments, and every single violin that I buy, of the Chinese persuasion, gets a full set-up. #With the mandos, that might include a fret dress. #The only reason to have the lower end Gibson mandolins on the wall, in a retail setting, is to sell the Collings and Eastman mandolins. #It is a shame what Henry J. is doing to Gibson......saving it only to destroy it.
The Eastman mandolins aren't great, but great for the price. #They don't even come close to a Collings, but are more playable than most old Gibson A's before the needed work to make them work 'well'. #Buy one. #I want a F-style oval hole, myself......

[Spruce]

Here's the pics of the Eastman as promised...

Serial #007--how cool is that....?

[Spruce]

Top w/ bound F-holes...

Nice wood in both the top and back--supposedly Chinese spruce and maple.

[diamond ace]

Thats a Real nice mando spruce! Can you get that same model in suburst as well? I have the A style 805 and it is killer! I mean realy great little mandolin, and i got a great deal on it too. Did yours come with a violin style case as well?

[Spruce]

"Thats a Real nice mando spruce!"

That it is...

"Can you get that same model in suburst as well?"

I assume so....
Check their website...

"Did yours come with a violin style case as well? "

It's not mine, but, yes it did...
Nice case, too...

There was also an Eastman archtop guitar in attendance, in a white molded fiberglass case that appeared to be pretty flimsy when open, but seemed to do the job when closed...
Apparently mandolin cases in this style will be available soon....

[Steven Stone]

Here's what the back of a sunburst A looks like:

[Spruce]

That Chinese maple, if devoid of worm-track, can be some of the most attractive maple on the planet, no?

I think I'm due for a trip over there to check out the availability of this stuff...

The blonde Eastman F5's wood especially has me very interested in these species. #Those angled flames, tight grain, and beautiful medularies really had me going...

[Eric F.]

Hey, beautiful medularies get ME going too!

[jlb]

I think this company may end up with a slice of the American mandolin market.

A friend of mine works in the repair shop of a huge music store chain that does most of its business renting instruments to public and private schools. According to him, Eastman has all but completely dominated others as the schools source of violin family instruments and strings.

I know this won't translate directly to mandolins, since school systems don't usually have a mandolin section, but if you already have a body of satisfied customers and the relationships and infrastructure in place to supply them with your product, you have an edge.

...and that is one fine looking mandolin.

[Evan Skopp]

I'm very happy with mine. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

There is an article on Eastman mandos in the newest Vintage Guitar. Several years ago, the author wrote about Michael Kelly mandos and considered them to be the best of the Pacificrim lot. Today, his ranking of Michael Kelly mandos has gone down to 2nd place (which isn't bad), and he is most impressed with the fit and finish of Eastman mandos. He indicates that they don't have thick layers of finish on them to cover poor workmanship like some of the lower tier instruments (I have a Regal Dobro that looks like it was given one monster coat of clear finish, with it pooled near the fretboard).

Eastman was founded by a Chinese-American who has the factory in China. The woodwork is done in China, and the mando is outfitted with hardware in the USA. Prior to making mandolins, he was manufacturing violins and cellos that have competed in quality with European instruments.

I, for one, have never even heard of Eastman mandos until I saw this article. But when someone asks about an entry level instrument, I guess you can add this to Kentucky, Michael Kelly, and Morgan Monroe. More importantly to me, it shows that that mando may be increasing in popularity.

[Jeff Baldwin]

The eastman's I've played have been good...but not great.
Yes they are nice for the $ but for my tastes...a
Breedlove quartz and used gibson a9s give eastman's
a "run for the $"....

[Stephen Perry]

I'm reasonably pleased with the one in house. I picked it up at NAMM in Nashville yesterday and just finished setting it up. A little rough in places, but no worse than many of the Gibsons I've seen. Nice to play, nice sound. For the price especially. I have a couple more on order, so I'll be able to get feedback on the line from folks around here in east TN. I'd love to have folks visit and try these to let me know what they think.

[Spruce]

Hi Steve....

Is it an A or an F?

Love to see pics, especially of the back.

Did it come in a violin-type case, or the fiberglass unit?

[peterbc]

Can someone post a picture of the violin-type case? I'm confused about what those are...

[Mandobar]

dave's in wisconsin www.davesguitar.com has an f5 in sunburst.

[Stephen Perry]

OK, I have some images up of the MD515, a new model, http://www.giannaviolins.com/EastmanMD515.html, the violin-type oblong case, http://www.giannaviolins.com/EastmanMandoCase.html, and a similar (very similar) Bobelock case, http://www.giannaviolins.com/BobelockMandoCase.html. F model. Rather like the Festival F Flatiron I have, no binding on the back etc. #But it has a bound fingerboard. #

Went through some fine tuning last evening. #Getting a very nice tone for a very reasonably priced mandolin. #I'm sure the real mandolin gurus can get even more out of it. #We've got the Flatiron Festival F and MMS-5 Morgan Monroe at the moment. #Gianna ranked the Eastman right up against the Festival F Flatiron, which is one of the better ones of those I've played (why I have it and don't put it out for pickers, they keep trying to buy it - traded an old fiddle for it).

I was quite impressed with the overall Eastman lineup at NAMM. #The high-end ones look great. #I have an A model, the MD505, on order with a list of $650. #Also the MD615 next model up in F. #The archtop guitars are excellent, too. #I have one of those I'm not using if any Jazz types are reading. #Needs to go somewhere to be played instead of sitting here. #

Anyway, nice mandolins with real handwork. #I still like the Flatiron better. #But it isn't under $1000 new. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif