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Thread: Eastman Mandolin Review

  1. #26
    coprolite mandroid's Avatar
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    Pickin' buddy got a 605 after putting in several years on a Lonestar.
    He is still grinning ..
    writing about music
    is like dancing,
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  2. #27
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    Hi Tailspin, I don't think anyone can blame you for having your own opinion and sharing your personal experience. I'm not trying to be a spokesperson for Eastman either, I prefer mandolins of higher quality myself. The particuliar one that I have was made in 2006 and has a perfect fit and finish and a better than average tone I would say. Here again it's the particuliar instrument not necessarily the whole line of Eastmans. I think any line of corporate or mass-produced instruments will produce some good ones and some bad ones and everything in between. The only consistently good instruments I have seen come from the smaller builders, because their bottom line is slightly different, it involves their reputation. So I think they take more care in making sure that they produce a consistent tone. Just take that Gilchrist guy for example, at least all the ones I played were exceptional!



    Philip Halcomb

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    Flip. You make some excelent points here. For anyone out there who has ever given any advise to people looking to buy their first mando, the best advise I keep seeing come up again and again is simply this, ya just gotta playum to know which is the best for ya. I think thats one thing we can all agree on. Unfortunatly we end up buying a lot of stuff before we really learn this lesson.

  4. #29
    Jason Wicklund DryBones's Avatar
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    quick question.... how much difference will I see upgrading my 505 to a 615? Besides the scroll and the better detailing how much difference do you think the sound will have? I know my 604 sound worlds apart from the 505 but I am thinking that's an oval hole vs f hole thing. comments?
    Jason

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  5. #30
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    F mandolins have a different attack than A mandolins. I wouldn't consider it so much an upgrade as an overgrade!
    Stephen Perry

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    Oval holes definitely have a different sound than the F hole mandolins. The significant tonal differences between a A-Style F hole mandolin vs. a F-Style F hole mandolin is really in between most people's ears in my opinion. I've played A-style mandolins that blow away fine F-Style mandolins and vice versa. I'm talking A5 models with the same length neck as on an F5. I think that some A5 models are louder and more powerful sounding than most F5 models. I often wonder if it's because the A models lack the big chunk of wood that's inside the scroll of most traditional F models. I like the F-Style mandolin just because it's probably one of the classiest designs regarding musical instruments that I've ever seen. I hate to sound like a broken record though but when it comes to A5's and F5's you'll have to try them out and see what you like the best. Tone, playability and looks are all subjective. What I think looks, sounds and plays good you might think is ugly, sounds like a matchbox with strings and plays like a beat up old harmony guitar with mile high action.
    Philip Halcomb

  7. #32

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    Last February I bought a Morgan Monroe. It was a big improvement from my entry level Kentucky. I loved it until I went and played a comparable Eastman. I still love my Monroe, but the action on the Eastman was sweet. If you are looking to upgrade, an Eastman may be an economical option.
    Goy Joy?

  8. #33
    Registered User Eric F.'s Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by
    I still love my Monroe, but the action on the Eastman was sweet.
    Is there some reason you cannot change the action on the MM?

  9. #34
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    Jason
    I recently played a 605L against a 615L at a festival.
    I found the 605 was louder and had more punch and projection and a better tone.
    This makes me agree with Flip that you got to playem before you buyem.

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    I am an outsider looking in, but I own a cheap Pac-Rim that I think a lot of. Just calrifying so this doesn't come off as a rant against imports...

    I have only tried a few Eastmans so far and my experience jives with others I have talked to - they are pretty inconsistent. Don't get me wrong - the range in quality seems to be okay to excellent, but it seems like they could raise the bar a bit and not let through so many "just okay" ones. They are doing something different than other importers. They are hand crafting them, not cranking them out in a mostly automated factory. I read posts comparing this situation to MK a couple of years back, but that just doesn't hold water. MK was touted as a factory operation producing better product than most factories. Eastman is a bunch of builders producing instruments; a vastly different approach. But I think they need to look over more shoulders and maybe let a few employees go or move them to other positions. Just my opinion...
    "First you master your instrument, then you master the music, then you forget about all that ... and just play"
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    And ensure that the same level of setup and playin has occurred. Makes comparisons meaningful. Have to watch that setup. I spent over an hour undoing a shop setup from elsewhere today. New nut, adjust trussrod, change bridge slot depth. Big change in playability, notable tone improvement.
    Stephen Perry

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    Don't forget, Eastman is still pretty new to the mandolin market. I got #22 oval hole in 2005. They introduced radiused boards after I got mine. If they survive a few more years and get some more instruments under their belt, and implement a quality control unit that learns from it's mistakes they'll make a more consistent product.

    Jamie
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    I played 14 of them at a recent festival and wasn`t impressed by any of them...In all fairness none of them were the top of their line...Good craftsmanship on most of them but to me they were just a normal Asian import....SORRY...Maybe some alterations like a different bridge and strings might have helped but these were being displayed by a dealer and should have been set up properly, the fellow in charge is a mandolin player and he don`t even play one...Willie

  14. #39
    Iberian mandolin roberto's Avatar
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    I recieved a brand new Eastman 815 last week. When I took the 815 varnish and started to play, I liked the sound, the tone, the volume, the feeling, and of course, the varnish finish. After a while, I stop playing and told her: "ok, you're not a Loar, but you're good!" and suddenly she told me: "maybe I'm not a Loar, but you're not Bill Monroe, anyway".
    So we became best of friens. We're at the same level.
    Good enough for me.
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    Quote Originally Posted by (Willie @ Sep. 07 2006, 00:14)
    I played 14 of them at a recent festival and wasn`t impressed by any of them...In all fairness none of them were the top of their line...Good craftsmanship on most of them but to me they were just a normal Asian import....SORRY...Maybe some alterations like a different bridge and strings might have helped but these were being displayed by a dealer and should have been set up properly, the fellow in charge is a mandolin player and he don`t even play one...Willie
    That surprises me. To play 14 and not find one that doesn't strike you as anything but "a normal Asian import"? That is staggering.

    I accept that an Eastman is not a Loar or a Collings, and that they may not be to everyone's taste. I also accept that there may be significant variation in character and quality within the range...

    But to hear that *none* out of 14 of these handmade mandos (which do not have the plank-thick tops or laminate backs/side or the 3mm toffee-apple lacquer finishes seen on various pac rim imports) seemed like anything but a normal Asian import...? That is astonishing - almost unbelievable.

    I have only played 4 Eastmans, one of which I own, but every one of them has sounded closer to the pro instruments than it has to the Ozarks, Rogues, Fenders, Ashburys, Trinity Colleges. These were all shop standard with no upgrades or swap-outs.

  17. #41
    Registered User RichM's Avatar
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    I'm an Eastman fan, but even I will admit that I've played some good ones and I've played some great ones. That's the nature of handmade instruments-- no two are every exactly the same. I often think that's the source of the gulf of opinion on Eastman that I often see here-- some have played the good ones, and some have played the great ones. I spent a good chunk of time at the Eastman booth at the Delaware Valley Bluegress Festival last weekend. They had 8 or 10 F-style instruments on display. The least impressive was still better than the Kentucky and Morgan Monroe instruments on offer-- but not the kind of thing that would make me take my wallet out. The best, an 815, was spectacular, and came home with me.

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  19. #42

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    Amen Roberto, I'm not a Monroe either! My Eastman is not holding me back by any means.

  20. #43
    Registered User big h's Avatar
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    has any one heard of gabe wiseman? did'nt he switch from a weber to an eastman? I may be wrong but i thought i heard that some where???
    I like mandolins.

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    I don't know Gabe Wiseman, is he kin to the legendary Mac Wiseman?
    Philip Halcomb

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    Quote Originally Posted by (big h @ Sep. 07 2006, 20:58)
    has any one heard of gabe wiseman? did'nt he switch from a weber to an eastman? I may be wrong but i thought i heard that some where???
    I think he is an Eastman endorsor.
    My axe is used for choppin'.

  23. #46
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    yes he is an eastman endorsor
    I like mandolins.

  24. #47
    Registered User Mercantiller's Avatar
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    Default Re: Eastman Mandolin Review

    Any suggestions regarding handling scratches in the finish of the 515's? THe finish is surprisingly thin. I took my new 515 to a rehearsal last night. Sounded great. I was getting ready to put it back in the case and was removing the temporary pick-up and scratched the surface in doing so. Damn! Gives it character, right? Its not a deep scratch, just behind the bridge and above the bottom f-hole. But.....Damn!
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  25. #48
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    Default Re: Eastman Mandolin Review

    Ouch!! I feel your pain. You want to keep it looking brand new as long as you can. But it's gonna happen sooner or later. I was the same way when I bought mine but now that it has a few scratches (that can only be seen when tilted in the light) it doesn't bother me at all. Gibson makes a restorative finish cream thats worked on light stuff with my D35 and 515. Unless you're more of a collector than a player I wouldn't worry about it. By the way I know this is an old thread but Roberto, that was a great post.
    ......Jeff

  26. #49
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    Default Re: Eastman Mandolin Review

    I had an md615 and it was stiff at first, but it opened up after a month or so of playing. I used Mr Perry's technique for squeezing using my fingers. I think that it would be very difficult to break a mando using just my fingers. I would have to really try to break it, and I just don't have that much strength in my fingers. I would never place the mando down and push with my palms, though. I did this on my km855 as well. Not so much on my MT, but then the MT sounds pretty darn good already.

    I can't say whether squeezing helped open up my md615 or whether it would have opened up on it's own, but it can't hurt--unless you squeeze too hard...
    Living’ in the Mitten

  27. #50
    Registered User Elliot Luber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Eastman Mandolin Review

    I'd say you paid about twice the price of that Eastman for your KF, depending on which series 500, 600, 800 or 900. I like the sound of Breedlove's too, but with the extra $600, I bought a used guitar too. Also, the mandolin from the 70s has had plenty of time to open up, so you're comparing apples to organges.

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