Pono vs New Eastman Octave

[mklump2000]

So what does everyone think will be the big difference between these two?

[Mandolin Cafe]

Well, obviously, one is a mandolin body and the other more a guitar body. Lots of differences come with those. We only played the Eastman in a horrible noise-infused NAMM and haven't touched a Pono yet, though the latter is rumored to be in the mail on the way to u$ right this moment. Think Eastman is not going to be able to keep up with the demand for those octaves but that's just an educated guess. At that price it's a crazy deal if they're all as good as the one we played.

[Clement Barrera-Ng]

I would imagine they will be very different as well - mandolin body vs guitar body, carved top vs flat top, and F hole vs Oval hole. I do hope they sell a bunch - that price is quite hard to beat.

[acousticphd]

I'm not sure there are really any significant similarities.
I am a big ukulele and small tenor guitar fan. The Pono looks cool and fun, but their OM is an extension of their flat-top ukulele (or tenor guitar) design. They may sound much better than I realize, but I cannot be the only member here who is aghast at the $1100-$1300 prices on the new Pono 8-strings

Although I have never loved the Eastman mandolin sound, I definitely like their traditional styling.
Their carved mandolas and (now) octave mandolin would be the instruments that would be most likely to sway me, at least in the oval hole design. Under $700 for a carved OM is unheard of. If these really do go into steady production, I predict the price will go up quickly.

What I don't care for is this pre-order push they have started, through Elderly (and I imagine elsewhere), before they have even bothered to collect and publish a full set of detailed specs for this instrument, and some sound demos.

[fatt-dad]

I just can't wait for my new Eastman MDO-305 octave mandolin. I also cannot believe the price point and have to agree with Scott, there should be a lot of demand. When I called Elderly on their advance promotion (same day as the newsfetcher posted), they had already received commitments for 6 of the 8 and I was the 7th. Seems the first batch were claimed in one day.

I have zero interest in a guitar shaped flat-top OM. Not sure why, but the Pono was not on my radar. I've never played either, but figure the risk on the Eastman is pretty low - especially for my first experiment on an OM. (Well, I have played an OM before - one a buddy had built on commission that is. . . )

f-d

p.s., I would also like to see Eastman publish their specs and photos on the web page.

[acousticphd]

p.s., I would also like to see Eastman publish their specs and photos on the web page.

I griped by email to Elderly about this yesterday, even though I'm not planning to place an order. Today I heard back from Raoul, who requested and got these specs from Eastman. So, very swift service from Elderly, though it doesn't really explain why Eastman is able to provide them pictures and is taking orders, but unable to officially publish specs. I'm pleased to find that they have given this OM an adult-sized fingerboard width.

Jeff,
My Eastman rep went and measured the octave mando for me. So here is the specific data you were asking about:

Nut width: 1-3/8”
String spacing at bridge: 1-7/8”
Body depth at ribs: 1-7/8”
Overall body depth from carved back to bridge top: 4”
Body length: 16-1/2”
Body width (at widest point): 12-1/4”
Overall length (headstock to endpin): 34-3/4”
Truss rod: yes

I will be adding this info to our web site shortly. Please let me know if I may assist you further.

Best regards,
-Raoul

[bratsche]

Does anyone know the scale length (of the Eastman)?

bratsche

[multidon]

When Scott first introduced the Eastman OM in his post about NAMM, he called it a "short scale". To me, that would be 20-21 inches.

Just looked at Elderly's listing in the Classifieds. It says approximately 21 inches scale.

[Doug Freeman]

Mandolin Store site says 20", Elderly says ~21".

[Petrus]

I call the Pono an octave mandolinetto if that's a thing. While intrigued, I think I would put the Eastman OM on my wish list first.

There's also the Gold Tone that was announced late last year ... I forget whether that was an OM or an m'cello at the moment. Still an item to be reckoned with nonetheless.

[Astro]

I would think the pono would be richer with more sustain? More guitar-like? The Eastman maybe more focused? Thinner toned? My Eastman mando is a little thin sounding but not bad sounding and plays easy and a great value. But its hard to pick it up anymore with the Gibson in the fold now.

I am completely guessing here as I have no experience with any OM's. I am planning on getting one of these two (Pono or Eastman) so this thread is of great interest to me too.

Some of the cheaper OM's I've heard on the utube sounded tiny/jangly to me. Some dont mind or even like that end of the spectrum I guess. But i like a fuller sound.

[foldedpath]

I would think the pono would be richer with more sustain?

I wouldn't bet on more sustain from a flat top. My Weber archtop OM has sustain for days. Part of that is maybe a longer scale at 22", but a well-made, responsive archtop shouldn't give up anything to a flat top design in sustain or volume.

Cost can be a factor here, because it does take more time and effort to hand-carve a responsive archtop OM than it does to build a flat top OM (roughly speaking). That conventional wisdom about the price difference between archtop mandolins vs. guitars still applies in the large mandolin family, I think. So a proper comparison would probably be an archtop OM selling for twice the price of a flat top OM. In that respect, a flat top OM might be a better bang for buck, but it's going to sound different from a good archtop OM. It will be interesting to see if the new Eastman archtop design can defeat this conventional wisdom, with its low price point.

My subjective description of the difference is that archtops usually have a "darker" and more midrange-focused tone. They sound more like big mandolins than double-course guitars. After that, the descriptions can get so fuzzy as to be meaningless. Even my description above is pretty fuzzy, come to think of it.


Videos can help, when two instruments are compared side-by-side. Otherwise trying them in person is of course ideal.

[Eastman Rep]

Its great to see all the excitement around the new MD305. For a list of specs please follow the link below.

https://www.eastmanguitars.com/mdo305

[trevor]

Many thanks.

[JPL]

Its great to see all the excitement around the new MD305. For a list of specs please follow the link below.

https://www.eastmanguitars.com/mdo305

Will you be doing some lefties?

[acousticphd]

Its great to see all the excitement around the new MD305. For a list of specs please follow the link below.

https://www.eastmanguitars.com/mdo305

Hi,
Obviously the nut width cannot be 1-3/4". So now one wonders if there are any other mistakes (?)
All the same, looking forward to seeing some videos and reviews.
Hoping you will produce an oval-hole version next!

[The Mandolin Store]

I will have the proto-type Eastman from NAMM in my store in a few days and will do my best to do a video before we ship it out to whoever is first in line...........we are taking pre-orders on them also but I did it reluctantly.....kinda had to since others were doing it and customers were asking us to do it. At this point we're not 100% sure if they will come with a gig bag or hard case. We strongly suggested that they raise the price a little and source a case for it - as you all know finding a hard case to fit a carved top octave is pretty difficult. We were told they would try to do that with a small increase. So, we've told all of our customers this up front.....I will post the video in our next newsletter

[stevedenver]

I played a pono octave two weeks ago. I loved it. Great sound, nicely made and finished. Easy to tune.
Definitely a unique range, neither guitar nor mando, and i would say the same about the sound.

What i found too, was a certain amount of brain freeze. I tried old dangerfiled,ala Sierra (i iwish) , but i do know the tune well and play it frequently. I found the scale seemed to put my braininto guitar mode, and the fingering is definitely more guitar in reach and fingering, ie one finger for each fret. It took me a mintue or two to re-think how to play mando tunes on the octave.

I would buy a pono in a heartbeat. Very nice, functional, nice sounding octave, if not having the mando shape and charm. Full and resonant, good sustain.

Having played on an old flatiron octave, the latter, being x braced, was a bit more mid rangey. Otoh, must be that A shape, but i didnt have the same brain freeze, but did have to work hard with reaching and moving around the neck.

[Astro]

Steve- which one did you play? The Terz(21"scale) or the Barritone Uke(23"scale) ?

[stevedenver]

Steve- which one did you play? The Terz(21"scale) or the Barritone Uke(23"scale) ?

to be honest, I don't know. I didn't measure, and it was the first time I had seen or played a pono. I wont even try to guess. I will say, it didn't seem to fit in a range I expected. I did find it was almost like playing guitar in terms of finger stretch, so , perhaps, 21".??? really I don't know. 23 would be close to a guitar scale, so based on the body size, which was more like a 0 Martin at best, most likey a 21". really , I haven't a clue, and feel more stupid each time I try to guess.

none the less, it was a hoot. To be frank, I loved it, butttttttttt...............
I would think these are not always easy to find a musical niche. Kinda like a viola, in a way.

I know Sarah Jarosz sure does. I guess her beautiful L5 like instrument might be a mando cello, now that I think of it. When I think of the typical bluegrass line up, maybe a few tunes, but not a lot.

It seems neither fish (guitar) nor fowl (mando) and has an odd overlapping range. I would think with a banjo or fiddle, it would have more bass thump. I have found when I play mando one on one with fiddle or banjo, I miss a certain bass power to the rhythm.

Of course, if it lived with me, and I could experiment, I might know better........

[pheffernan]

I know Sarah Jarosz sure does. I guess her beautiful L5 like instrument might be a mando cello, now that I think of it. When I think of the typical bluegrass line up, maybe a few tunes, but not a lot.

Traditionally, Sarah plays a Fletcher Brock GBOM, but it apparently was damaged in air travel, and recently she has been seen playing one of the new Northfield models on Prairie Home Companion.

[Astro]

to be honest, I don't know. I didn't measure, and it was the first time I had seen or played a pono. I wont even try to guess. I will say, it didn't seem to fit in a range I expected. I did find it was almost like playing guitar in terms of finger stretch, so , perhaps, 21".??? really I don't know. 23 would be close to a guitar scale, so based on the body size, which was more like a 0 Martin at best, most likey a 21". really , I haven't a clue, and feel more stupid each time I try to guess.

none the less, it was a hoot. To be frank, I loved it, butttttttttt...............
I would think these are not always easy to find a musical niche. Kinda like a viola, in a way.

I know Sarah Jarosz sure does. I guess her beautiful L5 like instrument might be a mando cello, now that I think of it. When I think of the typical bluegrass line up, maybe a few tunes, but not a lot.

It seems neither fish (guitar) nor fowl (mando) and has an odd overlapping range. I would think with a banjo or fiddle, it would have more bass thump. I have found when I play mando one on one with fiddle or banjo, I miss a certain bass power to the rhythm.

Of course, if it lived with me, and I could experiment, I might know better........

My guess is that you played the larger bodied 23" scale. Its closer to O sized than the terz which is tiny.

[Doug Freeman]

Pretty cool looking f-holes on the Eastman. Anyone hear of updates on delivery?

[fatt-dad]

I recently heard mid-June for the delivery out of Elderly.

Can't wait!

f-d

[multidon]

I am reviving this thread in hope of getting an update. Was there ever a "first batch" of Eastman octaves that went out to retailers? Have any players at all actually taken delivery on one yet? Any first hand reports whatsoever?

I would be very interested in one of these, if they even existed. I mean, they were introduced at Winter NAMM, dealers promised they would be getting them, started posting pictures and taking pre orders. But every time I look at dealers Web sites, no actual instruments. Still accepting pre orders though, for instruments they might get at some future time. Or not. Fatt-dad says he was told mid June. Elderly site says arrival "unknown". The Mandolin Store says " most likely Fall 2017". Dennis has always been a straight shooter, and I believe that's what he's being told. But Fall is a long season. You mean to tell me, they introduce an instrument in February, and might not be able to deliver it until The next December? And if those ever hit the stores, the supply will be sucked up by those who placed pre orders. Those who did not will be left high and dry.

I, for one, don't appreciate being left hanging. Either they're for sale, or they're not. I don't like chasing ghosts.

Although it may be uncomfortable to do so, need I remind everybody that Eastman does not have a great track record regarding octaves? A few years ago they introduced a poorly designed flat top octave that had inadequate bracing. They came to dealers with pre- collapsed tops. Also, they didn't fit any hard cases known to mankind. All the reputable dealers dropped them like hot potatoes and sent them back. Eastman never attempted to correct the problems and now they are in the ash heap of CBOM history.

I had high hopes for this one. It looked like a great design at a kick butt price, but if the product can't be delivered, what earthly good is it to anyone? Just smoke and mirrors.

As to the differences between the "new Eastman" octave and the Pono octaves: besides all the obvious differences, everyone seems to have missed the biggest difference of all. Pono actually delivered their product. You can actually buy one, and players have bought them. Eastman has not delivered on their empty promises. That, to me, is the biggest difference between the two.