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gummia
Mar-12-2013, 4:21pm
I have an Eastman mandolin, MD815 that I bought from Germany. It was made in 2006, actually has a serial number DE-001. I think it was presented by Eastman at some exhibition in Germany back in 2006, so it must be a good piece.

It is a nice instrument but I find it to have a bit too bright tone for me and these days I am wondering if there is something I could do too make the tone a bit thicker and more woody. Another thing is that the chops are really thin, need more bark.

Would replacing the bridge with a Cumberland Acoustic bridge help, or do any of you have any tips or ideas? Alongside this I find that there is too much space between the paired strings.

It has an ebony bridge, but I'm not sure how that compares to the CA bridge.

(My comparison is my beautiful Mowry mandolin, I know I will never get the Eastman sounding as good, but I think the Eastman needs a bit thicker sound)

Any ideas?

shortymack
Mar-12-2013, 5:00pm
For tone Id start with pick and string selection first. The string spacing is another matter.

gummia
Mar-12-2013, 5:43pm
Yeah of course, I know that. And I have.
I have tried some different strings and picks. Still have to try FT74 flatwound D'addario strings that I have. But as for pick I just really love the Wegen triangle and I want to use that as I do with my good mandolin. I tried the Dawg pick, that produced a smoother sound but I don't like the feel of it in my hand.
(The Eastman is just a backup instrument for me and for situations were I don't want to bring a $6000 custom built mandolin)

Curt Palm
Mar-12-2013, 6:52pm
I have an Eastman 815 with a varnish finish and adi top and I added a CA bridge and had it mando-voodooed when I bought it and I still find its tone very bright and the chop quite thin. I bought it on line without hearing it first so I don't know how much the bridge helped, but I'm not sure you'd find much of an improvement by upgrading it. I tried Elixir strings which brightened the tone even more, and I've tried the jazzmando flat wound strings on a different Eastman which mellowed the sound at the expense of volume, so I don't know what the answer is. I added a pickup so I can play contempory Christian music at church, and it sounds more mellow amplified, but I'm not chopping with it in church. I'd be interested in any suggestions to darken the tone, too. I'm using a golden gate pick, but mostly because it makes my tremolo smoother.

Stephen Perry
Mar-12-2013, 7:03pm
They're going to be more or less how they are in general character - there are limits to everything! The MD815 models also varied quite a bit. The response of listeners and players also varied, to the same instrument!

CA bridge is a nice upgrade. If you want to try my approach: http://www.mandovoodoo.com/mandolin2.html you might be able to pull some of that off with a little inventive scraper making.

On Curt's, you're welcome to send it in for a tuneup.

shortymack
Mar-12-2013, 7:42pm
Yeah of course, I know that. And I have.

You didnt mention anything about that in the OP.

allenhopkins
Mar-13-2013, 1:26am
Overall discussion of Eastman mandolins seems to generate at least a partial consensus, that their sound leans toward the treble and high-mid-range. I've found that true of my DGM-1, less so of the DGM-2, but the fact that the DGM-1 is designed off the Giacomel template, which is not intended to be a classically bluegrass sound, makes its sound characteristics less generalizable to the entire Eastman line.

Heavier strings, possibly flat-wounds, and perhaps a lighter pick; picking close to the fretboard rather than near the bridge; possibly experimenting with different materials for nut and bridge saddle. To some extent, one needs to accept the "voice" of one's instrument, and if that sound's not to one's taste, investigate purchasing another brand or model that's closer to the preferred sound.

almeriastrings
Mar-13-2013, 2:27am
To some extent, one needs to accept the "voice" of one's instrument, and if that sound's not to one's taste, investigate purchasing another brand or model that's closer to the preferred sound.

+1.

There's only so much you can do. If it's there, it's there... and if it's not, it's not. String-wise, you could also try the GHS Silk & Bronze.

Interestingly, the very recent Eastman's I've heard seemed to be far less 'bright' than the older ones.

shortymack
Mar-13-2013, 11:10am
Interestingly, the very recent Eastman's I've heard seemed to be far less 'bright' than the older ones.


I think you are correct sir, the newer ones dont have those qualities. My 315 is well balanced across the spectrum, warm, with a nice deep and loud woody chop. Born in July '12. They have fine tuned their production lately and are making some real nice sounding mandos these days.

gummia
Mar-13-2013, 6:05pm
Thanks for the input all of you.

The mandolin has a great setup, right neck relief, low action, the nut has been worked on, good playability and good volume.
I guess I will have to re-slot the bridge to fix the spacing and live with it with a too bright tone for my taste.
Maybe I'll experiment a bit more with strings and so on, and I even a buddy of mine has a spare CA bridge he's not gonna use.
I might buy it of him and try that.

I don't even use the Eastman that much as it is mainly a spare instrument for me for parties and such and when it is too cold outside for my Mowry. (I live in Iceland)

In the end i might just sell it again.

Charles E.
Mar-13-2013, 7:39pm
Sell it and get a MD315. You will have a better sounding mandolin and spare cash.

gummia
Mar-14-2013, 4:46am
I was leaning toward a KM-1000 if I would get rid of the Eastman

Stephen Perry
Mar-14-2013, 5:28am
I'm pleased with the KM1000 sound. Nice workmanship, too.

gummia
Mar-23-2013, 3:11pm
Just wanted to post that I put in a set of D'addario FT74 flat top set in the Eastman today, and so far the sound is quite a bit better. More juicy and warm compared to the J74 set that I had in it that was way to bright and thin on that instrument.
I have never liked the FT74 on any mandolin so far, not enough volume. But this seems like a good fit on my Eastman MD815, and the volume seems about the same as with J74. So I'm pleased.

Would actually be interesting to know what strings people are using on their Eastman MD815 / 815V ?

Eddie Sheehy
Mar-24-2013, 8:22pm
Spring for a set of TI Starks and hear the difference...