Re: Just my opinion of Eastman 305 vs 505
I'm always a tad shy about generalizing to whole brands or product lines of instruments, based on three or four individuals that I've had the chance to play. Is every 505 better than any 305? I've heard so much variation in the sounds of "identical" instruments over the years. And of course there's the difference in strings, picks, "broken in" vs. "just out of the box," etc., etc.
The higher Eastman lines do have better hardware, more figured woods, more ornamentation. No doubt about it. There's been a pretty consistent Cafe opinion that their '300' series are outstanding in terms of value for the money. If you're going to pay the significantly higher price of a '500' mandolin, it had better have greater value in one dimension, or another -- looks, sound, resale value, whatever.
The four Eastman instruments I own are either '600,' '800,' or one of the "Dawg" DGM's. I don't own a '300' series mandolin, but of the ones I've played, both regular and 'B' stock, I've felt that they were bargains. And I did turn down an 815 mandola in favor of a 615, based solely on my sound preferences; not that it was necessarily "better," just that I liked it more.
As I said, if you're going to pay more for a higher-end Eastman, you should prefer it; otherwise, buy the lesser and save the money.
Allen Hopkins
Gibsn: '54 F5 3pt F2 A-N Custm K1 m'cello
Natl Triolian Dobro mando
Victoria b-back Merrill alumnm b-back
H-O mandolinetto
Stradolin Vega banjolin
Sobell'dola Washburn b-back'dola
Eastmn: 615'dola 805 m'cello
Flatiron 3K OM
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