After having my new Eastman 615V for about a month I decided to dive into the string changing arena. This being my first mando and reading all the threads about dealing with Eastman bridges I was pleasantly suprised how easy it went. I do want to thank whoever suggested putting a piece of paper under the strings between the the bridge and tail piece to protect the top of the mando, even though mine being varnish finish only has developed so much crazing you probably woudn't notice a couple more nicks. Anyway I thought it sounded good before but boy how it really came alive with new strings.
Dave
allenhopkins
Apr-19-2009, 5:51pm
After having my new Eastman 615V for about a month...mine being varnish finish only has developed so much crazing you probably woudn't notice a couple more nicks.
Others having this situation with their Eastmans? (Eastmen?) My instrument guru says that the Eastman varnish-with-a-thin-layer-of-nitrocellulose-lacquer finish is unusually subject to wear-through, stickiness, and "checking." My planted pinky (I know, I know) wore through the top finish of my 615 mandola basically on a single hot, sunny day of outdoor jamming.
Conventional wisdom is that thin finishes sound better, and I can't complain about the Eastman's sound, but is there a significant tradeoff of durability? Don't want the "encased in plastic" look of some cheaper Asian instruments, but it would be nice if they didn't "distress" significantly within a few weeks.
Hey Allen my 615 dosen't even have a thin layer of lacquer buffed back down ! Just spirit varnish only. I'm sure that's why if checked so quickly and severly. Problem being if there is one is thst it didn't effect the tone in a neg. way so I it's just distressed I guess.
Dave