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Rick Cadger
Feb-01-2011, 5:35am
Is it usual for the neck on an Eastman F-style mandolin to be chunkier than the neck on an MD-504 or an MD-505? The neck on the MD-515 I just bought is a fair bit fatter than the necks I had on either of the two A style Eastman mandolins. It is also significantly bulkier than the neck on my Kentucky KM-505.

I was impressed recently by how much I liked the fuller necks on The Loar LM-600 mandolins. This Eastman is a bit slimmer than that, but the substantial profile was a nice surprise nonetheless. I always found the MD-504 and MD-505 a bit skinny.

Is mine unusual? Is there a lot of variation? Is it a recent change to Eastman neck profiles?

Just curious.

Also, I'm sure my MD-504 had an allen wrench truss rod. The MD-515 has a "proper" truss rod nut. (Not sure about the 505... Don't think I ever had to adjust that one). Did that change? Or did I imagine the allen wrench on on the 504?

Folkmusician.com
Feb-01-2011, 1:20pm
Hi Rick,

I hadn't noticed any consistent differences in the necks between the A and F versions, but I did notice that the latest Eastman's have had improved tone, and of course the A styles have the new headstock. Eastman has been making some minor changes, so you may have something I haven't seen over here yet.

I don't recall any of the Eastman's I sold having an allen head truss rod. :)

ColdBeerGoCubs
Feb-01-2011, 1:29pm
Are the Eastman nuts still a hair thinner than the kentucky's? Specifically Rick hows the 515 compare to your 174 as far as width goes? And overall.

Rick Cadger
Feb-01-2011, 7:57pm
Hey guys,

Robert, I had two 504s and one 505. One of the 504s was only mine for a very short period and that's the one I thought had the allen rod. I phoned the guy who bought that one earlier and he says yes was definitely an allen wrench truss rod (although he has since sold it on and so is speaking from memory. He seems quite certain about that.).
I don't have contact details for the new owners of either of my other Eastman mandos, but that was the one I specifically thought I'd seen the allen nut on.

Odd.

As for the KM-174, I sold that a while back to a friend who nagged me into it. I'd done a nice refret with EVO gold wire and a really thorough set-up. He knowingly, and willingly, paid me £25 more than I paid for the mandolin. I figured I can always get another and repeat the tweaking if I want to.

Anyway, I compared the nut on the Eastman MD-515 to that on my Kentucky KM-505 and I see/feel no difference in width at all.

If I find the time I may make a new nut for the 515. I prefer the outer G string to be a tad further away from the edge of the fretboard. But there's no rush, it plays very well. :)