The "local" (okay, it's 125 miles from me, but that's local here) Guitar Center in Medford, Oregon has a 2005 Eastman 515 for $750 (forgot to write down the S/N). I'd be a bit cautious, though - the action is set very high, I think because there is a very slight twist to the neck. Also a very small bit of pick rash and some finish cracking and crazing, although nothing serious. Some very minor wear spots on the plastic binding, particularly by the scroll. Doesn't look like it's been played hard, anyway. I'm not sure what woods were used on the earlier Eastmans - the neck sure doesn't LOOK like maple, but the brown sunburst finish is dark enough that there is really only one spot where you can get a good look at the wood. Hard to judge tone, as the heavy strings are clearly dead. My plan is to wait a couple months and offer them half that. Feel free to beat me to it....
Did you get to play it? The shop I bought my Eastman from has this on their page right now http://bernunzio.com/products/1117229 I'm very happy with my 505.
Yes - it wasn't playing well, but the set-up was terrible, or was terrible in my opinion, anyway. I THINK it would be a nice player. My 504 has about 3/32" gap between the fretboard and the G string (I use D'Addario J70 strings and the G is 0.038) at the 12th fret. This mandolin had much heavier strings on it and at least twice and maybe 3 times the height above the fretboard. The slight neck twist was in the direction of having the G string higher than the E string, although I also suspect the bridge might have been slightly in the wrong place, looking at the rub marks on the top near the bridge The strings were old, it was hard to keep in tune and the initial tuning was definitely not GDAE - it was as though the last person who tuned it thought they were tuning a 12 string guitar, which, since this was Guitar Center, was pretty likely. The reason I wouldn't pay $750 is the neck twist - it's probably something a luthier can twist out using clamps and heat, although the spouse cautions that using heat doesn't always "take" as a fix (at least in electric guitars and basses, which are what he knows). It's certainly playable as is, but without fixing the neck and/or filing the frets, it's going to have slightly higher action. The one you link to is probably a better deal "as is" AND it has a case. I'm also watching a 2007 505 on ebay that is currently just under $300. I wrote the seller and he says the neck is straight, so that's something, anyway. If I am going to add another instrument (and I need one like I need another dog, which is to say not at all) I'd like it be a mandola or octave mandolin.
