New Eastman MD615F

[Lane Pryce]

Arrived yesterday and after a string change I must say I am really surprised by the tone and volume as well as the workmanship,choice of woods and overall quality. It has very clean lines. I'll get some pics up shortly. BTW: Steve and Gianna Perry at Gianna's Bluegrass Shop are great to deal with!! ( Steve & Gianna that plug is worth a set of strings and another pick!! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif ) http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif Lp

[EastmanGordon]

Lane,
congratulations and welcome to the Eastman family!
Gordon

"congratulations and welcome to the Eastman family!"

Take your shoes off before going in the house & might better brush up on your Chinese.......you being family & all..... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[Jasper]

Tell me, if you all know, are these made in the U.S. or overseas. I went to the web site, but didn't see any indication.

JLP,

Why did you choose the 615 over the 515? Glossy finish? I am curious about these mandolins because for hand-carved, solid wood, they certainly are reasonable in price.

Jasper

[WaywardFiddler]

Absolutely Chinese. But Eastman has been doing violins for a long time and they are a pretty good value. Nobody will confuse them with a Strad, but for the money you get a good fiddle. I plinked on one of their mandos once, and it seemed like a good value, too. They need to tone down the headstock inlay, though...

Anyway, Dale may not like to hear it, but some of the Chinese stuff can be pretty good. In the case of voilins, there are Chinese VSO's (violin shaped objects), Chinese factory instruments, and Chinese "hand built" or "workshop" instruments. The latter can be pretty good.

[Don Grieser]

You can always dig out that Eastman peghead inlay with your pocket knife. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[EastmanGordon]

I have been reading back over a number of postings here discussing Eastman as a company and I understand the point of view of some of the posters who have talked about “Pac Rim” manufacturers or even more specifically US companies who are moving production to Asia.

I realize that there are some people who will always look at Eastman Strings in this context, but I really don’t believe that is fair to us or themselves as musicians. Just as there are great American mandolin makers and not so great American mandolin makers, it is not accurate to describe all American mandolins as good or bad and it's unfair to classify all pac rim makers in the same way. #This posting is intended to give you some accurate information as to where our instruments come from and the history behind them. #Hopefully it will give you an incentive to try out the instruments and form an opinion for your self based upon how they look, play, and sound. Our goal from the beginning has been to utilize our expertise as violin luthiers to hopefully make a meaningful contribution to the mandolin community.

In order to give you the full perspective as to how Eastman Strings came into being I would like to give you some very abbreviated Cliff notes on the history of violin making leading up to Eastman Strings. #The first violins date back to the 1500’s but the “Golden Age” of violin making (Stradivarius, Guarneri, etc.) took place in Cremona, Italy between 1650 – 1750 and set the benchmark that every violin is compared to today. #Violin making virtually ceased for about 100 years because of the plague in Europe, but started up again in a new form in Germany and France in the mid 1800’s. #In order to fill the new demand for instruments, master makers set up workshops where they trained artisans to complete individual tasks under their guidance. #The instruments were then assembled and shipped throughout the world. #This was the 1st major production of instruments in the history of the world. #However, with the beginning of World War II in Europe all production stopped and did not resume until the war ended. The major difference in the new post WWII German workshops is that rather than being made by individual artisans using traditional methods, the instruments were now being made on state of the art automated machinery. #This completely changed the sound and look of the instruments (not for the better) and from about 1950 to 1990 advancing players had to choose between older instruments which were becoming increasingly more expensive because of their scarcity, or relatively generic machine made instruments. #

Eastman Strings was founded in 1992 by Qian Ni, who had come to the United States from China to study flute at Boston College. In the beginning, he knew some talented violin makers in China and imported instruments that he sold literally out of the back of his van to violin shops throughout the United States. #In 1994 Qian teamed up with a group of extremely talented luthiers and opened the Eastman Strings workshop in Beijing, China. #Our workshop is identical to the Italian and German workshops of the late 19th #and early 20th century. #In fact in our latest violin catalog we show pictures of these workshops next to pictures of our own. #Except for the blonde hair and blue eyes in the German workshop vs. the brown hair and brown eyes in our workshop, the similarities between the two photographs are amazing. #

In the short time since our workshop was founded, our reputation for tonal quality and handcrafted excellence has set a new standard for what a player should expect from their instruments. #Everything that we make is carved 100% by hand and our finishes are based on centuries old recipes that were previously only being used by individual makers. #From the beginning we always tried to use the best materials that were available from around the world (on all of our mandolins for instance we use Schaller tuners from Germany, and our fingerboard is African ebony ). We combine these materials with the best possible methods for making instruments. We carve every instrument by hand because as far as we know this is the only way to truly judge the characteristics of each piece of wood and get the most out of it. #Likewise, the varnishes that we use can not be sprayed in a mechanized spray booth.

Our workshop now totals nearly 600 people who make our violins, violas, cellos, basses, guitars, and mandolins under the guidance of some of the finest master luthiers in the world. #Our staff is about a 50/50 split between men and women. #Almost all the Eastman employees have emigrated from the countryside to our workshop in Beijing and most have been referred by family members of people who have already worked for Eastman Strings for years. # #

The idea to build arch top guitars and mandolins had been discussed for some time, and #in 2002 we bit the bullet and brought 3 arch top guitar prototypes to the Winter NAMM show in Los Angeles. #This marked the first time in our companies’ history that we had jam sessions taking place in our booth (Classical musicians rarely indulge in spontaneous off the cuff music making)and the atmosphere was contagious. We still had a lot to learn (we had never dealt with frets or truss rods before) and over the next year we worked with a number of talented American guitar builders to improve our guitars. #Today, I think it is fair to say that Eastman archtop guitars hold their own against some of the best modern and vintage archtops in the world.

We are just getting started on the mandolins and we still have a lot to learn. #Our goal is to produce the finest mandolins in the world at any price point. We have a tremendous team of luthiers in our workshop who are totally dedicated to perfecting each instrument. #We are going to rely heavily upon our dealers and customers to give us feedback on how we can improve the mandolins. #Let me know what you think because I am anxious to continue this conversation.

Gordon Roberts
Eastman Strings

[MandoHobbit]

I'm going to be upgrading in the near future and something in the range of a new Gibson A9 is as high as I can justify. I've tried just about everything I can get my hands on and I have narrowed it down to an A9 and an Eastman A. Before anyone mentions used or mail order let me just say that I am uneasy about paying that much money for an intrument I have never held. When I am ready to purchase I'll try every A9 and Eastman A to which I have access. If the Eastman is equal to or better than the A9 I'll get the Eastman and feel good about the money I've saved, and if the A9 feels and sounds better to me then I'll get that and not give a thought to the extra $$$. Bottom line, if the mando talks to me I don't care if it has a Chinese accent or a Southern accent as long as it doesn't break my budget.

"Bottom line, if the mando talks to me I don't care if it has a Chinese accent or a Southern accent as long as it doesn't break my budget."

So tell me Hobbit, just what have you tried?

[MandoHobbit]

Mind you I don't have have a Mandolin Bros. nearby to allow me to sample until my fingers bleed, though from what I've read I'm more fortunate than many others in that I don't have to rely on word of mouth and mail-order. So in no particular order:

Gibson A-9: top end of my budget but I really liked the ones I've tried. They were all pretty consistant, no one stood out from another.

Gibson F-9: out of my budget but really could feel or hear no difference from the A-9.

Weber Absoroka (used): again the top end of my budget and pretty good. Sounded nice but my left hand didn't like the neck/fretboard for some reason.

Weber Bitteroot: A budget buster for me but nice

Various MKs: Better than what I have now but nothing that got me excited.

3 Eastmans (2 Fs and 1 A): Really nice, good sound and fit my left hand well. Didn't get to play them close enough time-wise to the A-9s to say for sure, but they were in the same league. The price of the A models are within my budget, the F models would be stretching it.

Ovation accoustic/electric: didn't like it

Various Bean Blossoms: Kinda like the MKs; nice but nothing to write home about

I'm playing a Johnson 120N for a year and a half and have about worn it out. It's been great for learning but it is time to move up.

[Lane Pryce]

Out the door for vacation did not have tme to take and post pics. I'll post em when we return. Jasper there seemed to be more info available re the 615 from owners/players and that influenced my decision. Have not put it down for longer than enough time to sleep! So far I am very pleased. Dale I'll brush up on my chinese and eat an extra bowl of rice cause after all I'm family !! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif Lp

[Lane Pryce]

I have been playing the MD615 #40 hard since I received it and its opening up very nicely. It has J74's on it and its very loud,throaty,and has an impressive chop for a new instrument. I'm not crazy about the tailpiece and would have preferred a pearl nut over the factory bone nut. The action is low and extremely soft. With the next string change I'll try J75's and see how it likes em. All in all I am very satisfied and I believe Eastman has got it right and you guys are gonna see alot more from these folks. Pics are coming up next. Lp http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[John Flynn]

EastmanGordon: I would take those negative comments as back-handed compliments. When Pac Rim mandos were mostly cheap and cheaply made, they drew a few jokes, but those got old pretty quickly and no one really cared, because the products were not a real threat. It's kind of like the early reaction to Japanese cars in the 60s and early 70s. They were just a joke, but a threat to no one.

I think the bile directed at Eastman is due to the fact that you are now importing truly high-quality mandolins for decent prices and consumers are starting to notice. Now you are percieved as a threat, just like the later Japanese cars were percieved. History shows that competition based on both price and quality eventually makes a whole industry better, as it did with cars. I beleive it will be so with mandos also. But MK, Eastman and your direct competitors to come will get a certain amount of criticism until that gets recognized. It's the way of the world.

By the way, you said a long time ago that you were going to do radiused fretboards. What's the status of that?

[Lane Pryce]

front

[Lane Pryce]

back:

[Lane Pryce]

scroll:

[Lane Pryce]

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[Lane Pryce]

peghead inlay for waywardfiddler and Don:

[EastmanGordon]

Gosh, isn't that a pretty mandolin!

Don't worry we are used to the remarks and criticisms, remember we grew up in the violin business and if there is a more entrenched bunch of people then I certainly don't want to meet them. (Just joking fiddlers, we love you). When I first joined Eastman in the violin division going on four years ago we were still hearing similar comments about the fiddles, these days I never hear anything but good things. If the quality is there then it's very hard to argue against it. Many violin dealers complained at first that we were going to put a lot of makers out of business but it turned out that we have launched a lot of beginners over the last 12 years with instruments that allowed them to progress to a point where they are now buying high end maker's instruments.

We are going to be doing some experiments with radiused fingerboards soon and hope to introduce this option at some point in the future. What is your favorite radius size, do you have one?
Thanks again JLP for sticking your neck out and plonking your cash down for an Eastman. Play the heck out of it for the next six months, let it open up and you are going to have an amazing instrument.
Thanks again,
Gordon

[flairbzzt]

No binding on the f-holes? Gordon-are all 615's now made with said binding? I like it better without..

[EastmanGordon]

We are doing it either way, bound or unbound! It's all about freedom of choice!
Gordon
ps. on any other site a posting like that might get me banned. #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif

[Don Grieser]

Any plans for reworking that peghead inlay? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/coffee.gif

"I think the bile directed at Eastman is due to the fact that you are now importing truly high-quality mandolins for decent prices and consumers are starting to notice. Now you are percieved as a threat,"

A threat........I don't think so.......a step up from the normal Chinese import, yes. They will be looked upon no different than say a Kentucky KM1000 in the long run. #IMHO

[JiminRussia]

maybe my tastes are a little too pedestrian, but I kind of like that inlay on the headstock. For those that don't like it there is always the black electrial tape thing. Hey, it worked for Big Mon'. It'll add a bit of mystery to your mandolin, and no one will guess what it is.

[EastmanGordon]

Jim,
it's funny you should say that because we originally produced the guitars without anything on the headstock at all. The thinking was that since we are a violin company and we don't put our names on the violin scrolls we should not put anything on the guitar headstocks either. After several months of patting ourselves on our backs for being innovative and cutting edge we realised that it was kind of dumb and started to add our logo. Not suprisingly, there are people out there with logoless Eastmans that swear they sound better than the logoed variety and they are becoming rather sought after. Funny things musicians.
Gordon

[Lane Pryce]

maybe my tastes are a little too pedestrian, but I kind of like that inlay on the headstock. For those that don't like it there is always the black electrial tape thing.
I always thought the logo was tasefully done and looked better than alot I have seen. Lp

[mando-in-kingwood]

Gordon, I called Fullers Vintage Guitar in Houston today, a couple of weeks ago you spoke with them by phone.

They said that they were not Eastman dealers. Is that the final word, or, will you be looking in to signing them on?

[Skip Kelley]

Good looking mandolin Lane! Give me a call so maybe we can get together and pick! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[Lane Pryce]

Skip count on it !! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/coffee.gif Lp

[jim bevins]

Very fine looking instrument JLP! I rather like the peghead logo. That's some very fine inlay work, I don't know how they can do it so small. I've been looking at mine with a magnifying glass!

[mad dawg]

(WaywardFiddler, Sep. 17 2004, 13:01)

Chinese VSO's (violin shaped objects)... #

LMAO!!! So Rovers might be considered MSO's?

[Bowzette]

EastmanGordon you inquired earlier for thoughts as to degree of radius of the fret board. A consistent comment on the board is that Rigel makes the most comfortable neck and fret board in the business. You might want to duplicate the compound radius of the Rigel and use the jumbo frets as well. Some folks like the 1&3/16 nut and some prefer a 1&1/8. Of course some folks don't like the Rigel neck at all!