New Eastman!

[generankin]

(I also posted this on CoMando)

Went to Spruce Tree Music last night, after playing with their instruments last Saturday and bending Jim Nikora's ear for some time (thanks, Jim!). #Swapped a rather pretty Gibson Les Paul (I had an 'extra') and some folding money for an Eastman 815, which was a major improvement over the borrowed Harmony two-pointer I'd been trying to learn on (without much success).

I tried a Weber Absaroka, a Weber F (a plain one w.out binding), an Eastman 800-series A model, and a Lebeda two-pointer. #The two Eastmans were very close to one another (to my unschooled ears), but the F was woodier and more complex-sounding than that particular A and all the others I tried.

Took it home, put on the New Lost City Ramblers''40 Years of Concert Performances' CD, and taught myself 'The Old Man and the Mill' in short order. #A good instrument's a revelation! # http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

Gene Rankin

[Stephen Perry]

I'm pleased with the 815 level instruments. I received 2 today (one blonde, oddly enough). Very pretty, solid and crisp tone and response. I'll set them up tomorrow and see how they do. They come in fairly well set up. I didn't check the bracing. But I noticed at SPBGMA in Nashville that the most popular mandolin of the many I had was cross braced. Amusing.

[Steve Perry]

Hey Steve...

When you set up the Eastmans, do you put a heavier guage string (J74's maybe) on them? #The few Eastmans I've tried at other stores seem like they are strung with lights.

BTW... It was nice to meet you and your wife at SPBGMA and I was very impressed with the Eastmans you brought. Was the one with maple binding the X-braced one?

Steve "the other one" Perry

[Stephen Perry]

Several were X braced. They generally come with J74 strings these days. The earlier ones had light strings of some unknown brand.