Just my opinion of Eastman 305 vs 505

[Cary Fagan]

Hi all,

First let me say that like most people I think Eastmans are generally good mandolins, especially at their price.

I've owned two Eastman 305 mandolins. The first I bought new on a whim from the local store, it being the first one I actually got to play. I intended it for a travel mando but in the end I didn't absolutely love the sound--it seemed a bit tinny, for lack of a better word--and sold it.

Then I had a chance to buy a used one at a very good price and took it. Kept that for a while, again liked its playability but found it a bit tinny. (Could that be the cheaper hardware? That might contribute anyway.)

In the meantime, I found myself playing a 505 at our local store whenever I went in. Store acoustics can be different but I thought it sounded quite a bit better--a fuller tone. I also admired how it looked and decided the 505 was probably my favourite Eastman, more so than the F models. Then just this last couple of weeks I came upon a used 505 in as-new condition at a really good price. So I bought it. And my thoughts were confirmed. It's to my ears much better sounding than both 305s, a better chop, more clarity, a bigger sound. Also, it's very handsome, with a flamey back and some bear claw in the top. I like the classic finish more than I thought I would. Weren't they a bit red before? This one is a lovely brown, lighter in the centre.


I know others have said they think the 300 series are the best sounding Eastmans and no doubt they are good for the price. But I just thought I'd put in my two cents. I like the 505 much better.

Not even sure if I'll keep it. I'd like to but it's a bit of an extra for me (I have a luthier-made F5). But I know that I'd like to.

[Kalasinar]

Interesting read, thanks for sharing your comparisons. Being an owner of a 504 myself I've been generally curious about the 304/305 especially when reading opinions on the forum. I've noticed the general consensus here has been more in favour of the 305/304 in terms of sound.

I'd love to be able to compare the two in real life one day as you have done. It's hard to get Eastmans here in the U.K. and when I got my 504 I had to buy 'blind' (I did not drive at the time and closest dealer is a long way away). Sounds so beautiful though, I get compliments on it whenever someone hears me play.

The main aspect of the 504/505 that appealed to me was the better hardware compared to the 304/305. I'd already started playing on a cheap instrument with annoying tuners, so I wanted something that was a decent step up when I chose the 504.

Nice you got a more brownish one, I'd love to see a picture. Mine is the red, which is fine, but I bet the brown is very pretty.

[Cary Fagan]

Here you go.

153976153977153978

[F-2 Dave]

I'd never been around Eastmans until last week when I found a new 415 at what seemed to be a decent buy. I couldn't be happier with the sound, especially for the price.

[Kalasinar]

Wow what a gorgeous front and back! Love the colour, thanks for sharing!

[Kris N]

Great post, Cary! I concur on the addition of the better hardware and classic finish. I went back and forth with the MD315 and MD515, and had the same experience. I personally felt the 315 was a little tinny and I was super afraid to dent the heck out of it. I love the tone, chop and clarity of my 515.

As for color, mine has a redish color in some lights and more of a brownish in others.

Thanks for the post!

[Br1ck]

I had a 505 as my first mandolin. It was very well made, but I felt it lacked richness in the G strings after I played far more expensive instruments. I have found 305s and 315s to sound just as good, but the 505 felt and looked far better, so is the choice to me for a longer term instrument you can be proud to own.

My Silverangel solved the G string issue big time.

[Cary Fagan]

Enjoying the replies! Br1ck, I think the G string on this one could also have just a bit more oomph. But the mandolin is so unplayed it still hasn't opened up and I suspect it will change over the next months.

[acousticphd]

Cary, what is the mandolin in your avatar?

[Cary Fagan]

Jeff, it's a really nice oval hole made by a man named John Gillies in Quebec about 30 years ago. It's the one I mostly use when I go to old time jams a couple of times a month. I haven't had it long. (I think you replied to my post on it.)

You can see more here:
http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/showthread.php?127212-Luthier-made-oval-hole

The F5 I play is a Passernig, #36, ten years old next month.

[colorado_al]

I have played many Eastman mandolins in a few shops that I frequent. I think the 500 series to be the best buy in their lineup. The upgraded hardware alone is worth the and price over the 300 series. I own an MD-505 that I bought used and I quite like it. Most of the Eastmans I have played have a nice woody low end, but are also tinny as suggested above. I've found that changing the E strings to .0115 gauge helps them ring out a bit more, without compromising playability, though they do not have the sustain of some other mandolins that I have played. They certainly are not in the same class as Collings, etc, but for $500-$1000 I think they are superb!

[Stephen Perry]

Lots of potential, especially in fattening the bottom end and sweetening the top end on Eastman. Until setup equivalently hard to tell much about equivalence.

[DataNick]

+1 to Mr. Perry: setup, strings, pick, technique...you know the drill...

[Joey Anchors]

I've owned a Kentucky KM900 and my current Eastman MD404. I love the tone, finish, and feel of the Eastman much better than the KM900. (I play Jazz and Blues)



Lots of potential, especially in fattening the bottom end and sweetening the top end on Eastman. Until setup equivalently hard to tell much about equivalence.

Stephen, I have a MD404 (mahogany back/sides body) that I'm saving for a full mandovoodoo works on as I love the tone of this model.

[Cary Fagan]

That's interesting, Joey. I've not had the opportunity to play a KM900. I've played a couple of 505s and they were decent but I also liked Eastman's better.

[Joey Anchors]

That's interesting, Joey. I've not had the opportunity to play a KM900. I've played a couple of 505s and they were decent but I also liked Eastman's better.

The KM900 played and sounded very well, but it's geared towards bluegrass mainly and sounded thin compared to the MD404 which is an oval-hole.. so that may be why I like the MD404 so much more.

[Cary Fagan]

Right, of course. Apples and oranges really. I like F hole and oval mandolins both but they are different animals.

[allenhopkins]

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.

[WoodyCTA102]

I played a 305 against the 505 for 45 minutes before deciding on the 505. In terms of sound and playability, pretty much the same. Chose 505 because I like gloss and some vibrant flame at least in neck-- the 505 finish looks very good -- and the hardwear is better. The 305 is a really nice starter mandolin that even a professional could play and sound good. Some with more money, will likely need to spend hundreds more to get something really better.

If you can only get the 305 now, I'd do it. You'll enjoy it even if you want something better that is months or more away from consideration. If you can afford substantially more than the 505 and are willing to pay, look for something else. But don't write-off the 505.

There's really no such thing as my only, and last, mandolin unless you quit playing.

[roberto]

I had a 815. Nice mandolin. They are good instruments for learning, great playability. But not quite good sound. I sold it to buy a F5-G.

[G7MOF]

Here you go.

153976153977153978

Wouldn't it be great if looks were just everything?

[Cary Fagan]

As I said in my original post, Allen, the 305s are "good for the price." No doubt about it and I wish they'd been around fifteen years ago. But because some people say they prefer the 300 to the higher number Eastmans (and we all have different ears), I thought I'd offer my opinion. That opinion--which, again, is just my own--is based on owning two 305 mandos and also playing several others in stores, playing several 505s, including just the other day playing a 315 next to a 505 at my local store. A pretty good sampling, I think. I always carry a pick with me so use the same one on each mandolin, and they've all had the strings Eastman puts on them. None of them had any set-up problems--bridge perfectly touching the top, nut and action fine.

By the way, I'm not speaking of the series above 500. Presumably they sound the same (except for the varnished ones).

[Folkmusician.com]

Wouldn't it be great if looks were just everything?

NO! I would be single! haha

Eastman's are in the midst of rapid small refinements. These are all very subtle and you wouldn't necessarily notice if you were not seeing instruments from every new batch. For instance, the finish on the 300 and 500 series have both been changing over the past year. This past couple months has saw nicer flaming on the 300 and 500 series, slightly better workmanship (which was already good), and the tone is improving. I guess the point being, you can get some of these made a month apart and they will not be the same.

I am trying to get around to taking new pics of all the instruments (as many do look different now).
This is from the latest 304 mandolins I received a few days ago:

They look much nicer than they did last year. :)

154005
154006

[mandroid]

+ There are variations in sound of the production run, of same finish , model, of their Mandolins .

Wood is variable.

[Stephen Perry]

There are variations period. I have two clients at the moment with lemon cars. One model had lots of problems over all, but my guy has a different mix. The manufacturer was supposed to send a top-end investigator to look at it yesterday. One of those big automobile makers. The other the cars are fine overall, just this particular one is possessed.

While technically fungible, instruments all vary. All.

[Br1ck]

Just as we eat with our eyes, so too do we listen with them. Really a hard thing to divorce one of our senses from the rest. I'm a firm believer that if our eyes are delighted, our experience is inhanced. I would never tell someone to buy a 305 over a 505 unless it were purely a monetary need, and a 305 is certainly a far better instrument than was available in years past. I'm truly impressed by the likes of 305s and KM 150s these days.

I'm continuing to marvel at my MK as it gets more playing time and age on it. I doubt either Kentucky or Eastman would send an instrument out into the world needing so much work, but even those need attention.

Rob's book is so important if you are going to troll the low cost waters. Not likely to find a diamond, but a polished topaz is not too shabby.

[OlDanTucker]

I had an early 515 that I bought in 2008. There were three Eastman's (Eastmen?), an 815, a 615 and two 515's hanging on the wall. I was astounded at the difference in sounds. The 815 was sweet and had a clear top end, but not much bottom or chop. The 615 had a great chop, but no top end projection. One 515 sounded muted, no chop, and strident top end. The last was just --loud -- by far. Great mid projection, but not a strong chop, and that's what I went with.

Some minor setup work made a *huge* difference. Just moving the bridge a bit really opened it up. And yes, strings and picks and learning better technique.

Kept it for years because I liked it better than anything I could find until you got into the $2500 plus range. Every year I would stop at Fiddler's Green and play what they had, and yes, there was still a huge difference in the "characters" of the instruments. Same thing but less so with the Kentucky's. But I also got to play some of the higher end instruments and knew I was growing out of my starter Mandolin. Saved my Pennies and bought a Pava. I couldn't be happier, but it's been quite an adjustment. Just the thicker frets and woofy G string have taken a couple of month's to get used to.

I pulled the old 515 out of the closet a couple of days ago and played it for the first time in a couple of months. You know, it's not a bad instrument... Not going back... but it's fine for a festival banger. They are such individuals these little demons we play...

[Mandoplumb]

Brick's last post reminds me when I was needing a mandolin due to some unusual circumstances, I was down to one beater. Afriend of mine (who is blind) had an early one from a certain builder. His sounded great but was very rough to look at. My friend was trying to talk me into one, which he did but the builder had gotten much better with fit and finish. Once he told me that when he bought an instrument he went on sound, he didn't care what it looked like. Now I wouldn't hurt him for the world but to me that was funny and I laughed out, he told me even if he could see the looks wouldn't be important and you know what, I really think he's right, but I still probably wouldn't have bought one if builder hadn't gotten better on looks.

[Br1ck]

LOL. But really, is there anyone out there, sound being equal, that wouldn't pick a highly figured maple back over a plain one? Makers have long known they can comand prices far in excess of the cost of more figured wood, and that the rewards reaped by using this wood along with binding and inlay, plus great sound, are many.

Now, bear claw on spruce guitar tops used to be a detriment. Only tight straight grain was desirable. I have an old (1970) Guild D 35 that has a lot of bear claw. I know it was thrown into the pile for the cheaper model because of it. Now some makers charge extra for it. Go figure.

But heck, anyone can appreciate a pretty mandolin. See their eyes glaze over if you start talking bracing patterns. Reason enough to buy a nicely appointed mandolin if you can afford it. Certainly my 505 was a visually appealing mandolin that also performed it's task nicely.

[Cary Fagan]

Pretty wood is nice for sure. In fact, the Eastman is much prettier that way than my Passernig. Stefan Passernig, especially when he was starting out, had little interest in spending more on fancy wood and mine is quite plain. However, the fine build quality and especially the sound more than make up for it.

[Joey Anchors]

I tend to like the more plain style.. I think that's why I liked the MD404 so much.

[ollaimh]

I had an early 515 that I bought in 2008. There were three Eastman's (Eastmen?), an 815, a 615 and two 515's hanging on the wall. I was astounded at the difference in sounds. The 815 was sweet and had a clear top end, but not much bottom or chop. The 615 had a great chop, but no top end projection. One 515 sounded muted, no chop, and strident top end. The last was just --loud -- by far. Great mid projection, but not a strong chop, and that's what I went with.

Some minor setup work made a *huge* difference. Just moving the bridge a bit really opened it up. And yes, strings and picks and learning better technique.

Kept it for years because I liked it better than anything I could find until you got into the $2500 plus range. Every year I would stop at Fiddler's Green and play what they had, and yes, there was still a huge difference in the "characters" of the instruments. Same thing but less so with the Kentucky's. But I also got to play some of the higher end instruments and knew I was growing out of my starter Mandolin. Saved my Pennies and bought a Pava. I couldn't be happier, but it's been quite an adjustment. Just the thicker frets and woofy G string have taken a couple of month's to get used to.

I pulled the old 515 out of the closet a couple of days ago and played it for the first time in a couple of months. You know, it's not a bad instrument... Not going back... but it's fine for a festival banger. They are such individuals these little demons we play...

yeah, there's a 515 at my local pawn shop. it surprised me how good the mid range punch was. it does have ok chop as well. i used to dis eastman's a s asian crap but i have to stop. they are surprisingly good.

[allenhopkins]

...i used to dis eastman's a s asian crap but i have to stop. they are surprisingly good.

+1 there. As a 40-year mandolin veteran, I'm really happy that there are affordable quality mandolins available now –– mostly or all Asian-made, of course -- Eastman, Kentucky, Loar, JBovier, etc. etc. When I started, after dodging the local Allosaurus to get to the music store, it was used Gibsons (if you could find them), maybe a Martin Style A or two, otherwise Harmony Montereys or whatever relics of prewar building you could find. When the first Alvarez F-model arrived locally, it was "Wow! Someone's starting to make half-decent F mandolins again!"

You kids don't know how easy you have it. When I was young, I had to walk two miles uphill to school, then two miles uphill to get home...we couldn't afford air, so we took turns breathing...grumble, grumble...