Epiphone by Eastman

[jim simpson]

Ebay auction/item number: 220377009290 - it's presented as a one-off Eastman made for Epiphone mandolin. It sure looks like Eastman's rosette. I like the Epiphone Masterbilt style headstock. There was a similar Epiphone on Ebay a while back with the same headstock. Perhaps Eastman was also responsible for that prototype. I wonder if it sounds just like an Eastman?

[mando.player]

Looks like a photoshop job to me. The headstock looks too dark compared to how the fretboard and case are reflecting the light.

[MikeEdgerton]

Here's (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220377009290&ru=http%3A%2F%2Fsearch.ebay.com%3A80%2Fsearch%2Fse arch.dll%3Ffrom%3DR40%26_trksid%3Dp0.m37.l1313%26s atitle%3D220377009290%26category0%3D%26fvi%3D1) a link to the auction. It would be easy enough to verify this. The auction says it was previously owned by a known musician. I wonder about the part where it says it was built in Marlyland.

[Jim Broyles]

Isn't Maryland where Gordon is located? Maybe he'll see this and give us the scoop.

[JEStanek]

Gordon isn't with Eastman anymore, or around here too often. I believe Saul is still in Maryland and he ma know, if you feel so inclined to call their office. That looks an awful lot like an 814. Who knows, it may very well be what they claim it is. It's still an Eastman...

Jamie

[Jim Broyles]

Yeah, I knew he wasn't with Eastman, but I figured he might know the story on these mandolins.

[gregjones]

"Epiphone mandolin made by the Eastman Company in their Maryland workshop."

Eastman has a shop in MD where they make mandolins?

[JEStanek]

Eastman has an office (http://www.eastmanmusiccompany.com/) in Maryland. Contact information is at the bottom of the lined page.

Jamie

[Eric Platt]

And the "known musician" has a website http://www.orrinstar.com/ where one could contact him. Didn't find any photos of that mandolin on there. He does appear to have a few mandos for sale, though. So could be he has more MAS than GAS.

Not my cup of tea, but it's still a somewhat cool prototype.

[JEStanek]

Robbyosullivan, thanks for weighing in and, while I appreciate the offer to discuss it here, I will ask that we stick to the posting guidelines and not use the forum to discuss an instrument for sale per point 4. I will ask folks to contact Robbyosullivan via PM or use the question section on e-bay.

Good luck with your sale,
Jamie

[robbyosullivan]

Understood. Sorry to have broken the rules on my first post! I promise it won't happen again. Thanks for this great resource - I have been lurking and using the online lessons and tablature for the past year and it's great!

[jim simpson]

Robby,
Thanks for posting. Here is a photo of the Epiphone that was on Ebay a while back (same headstock design).

[jim simpson]

image:

[SChase@EastmanStrings]

^that is the same headstock design, but obviously not an Eastman build. I will talk to Saul to find out more info when he gets off the phone.

[MikeEdgerton]

The F5 F-holes are very much like an MK a friend of mine had at one time.

[SChase@EastmanStrings]

I just talked to Saul....we made about a half-dozen prototypes for Epiphone 2-3 years ago. They were made in our workshop in China. We are not sure how these got out of the hands of Epiphone.

[SChase@EastmanStrings]

OK....do we have any fans of the Twilight Zone????

So, today I find this thread which showcases a mandolin practically nobody has ever seen or heard of.....

on a seemingly unrelated note...

L.R. Baggs contacted me last week to promote their new Radius mando pickup. As requested, they sent me a sample that we could install on one of our mandolins.....seems pretty normal, right?

This morning, I get the package in the mail, open it up to discover....

The Eastman / Epiphone mandolin is the mando that is pictured on their retail packaging for this pickup.

Seriously, is someone playing a joke on me?

[MikeEdgerton]

The auction was ended by the seller.