How does the Eastmen MD 404 (Black/Mahogany Back and Sides) sound

[BillyBenBilly]

I've been interested in an Eastman MD 504 but have found them a little difficult to find. I recently became aware of the relatively new Eastman oval hole, A-style mandolin with a spruce top but carved mahogany (MD 404), instead of the more common maple, back and sides.Does anyone have one or has some of you played/heard one? What effect does the mahogany back and sides have on the sound? I have not seen any decent sound clips online nor is there an Eastman dealer near me. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[Whittle]

I too had a look at the 404 this summer when I was looking for an inexpensive oval hole mandolin for travel. I called The Mandolin Store in Arizona. I can't remember who I talked to, but he said that the mahogany made the sound a "little muddy". Keep in mind that I haven't played one personally, so your experience may vary. I ended up buying the 304, which has the maple back and sides and satin finish with cheaper tuners. If they had had a 504 in stock, I probably would have gotten that one, but all they had was one 404 and several 304s.

Looking at their website now, it looks like they have a 504 in stock. http://www.themandolinstore.com/scri...idproduct=7499

If I were in your shoes, I would give them a call and ask about differences between the 404 and 504. They're honest, and do a great setup on their instruments.

[Whittle]

A bit of a double post, but I was looking at The Mandolin Store's used instruments and they have a nice used Eastman 604. It's fully bound, has a pickup, and comes with a hard case. It looks like it's in great shape! I'd look at that too. Here's the link.

http://www.themandolinstore.com/scri...idproduct=9680

[mandroid]

One of my Friends (worker in local music store] went to the Eastman Warehouse so He could play
a whole lot of the same model , and then brought home, Or had them box and ship it to the store..

They're like a Litter of Puppies no 2 are exactly the same , because wood is not metal
Growth rings growing conditions, and all that
and people cannot do exactly the same thing over and over again, for years..

with out variation (particularly in a Factory production setting )..

how do you Isolate just the wood type from all the other possible variations
in the processes of making it?
Hard to pull off a controlled experimental analysis .


I had Gibson A40, in the 70s (mahogany Lam back & sides , I liked it.

Liked the Birch back '22A with aluminum bridge I got Next.

and the Maple back & side one I got later .. It's all music..

the fingerboards all have the same Notes..