How do the Eastman Oval Holes compare to the F hoe Mandos?

[JEStanek]

My main instrument is a cant top mandolin. Flat with a bend behind the bridge. Like the Martin Mandolins. I think flat top/cant top and carved ovals sound more alike than carved top F hole mandolins. I had an Eastman 814 (2004 model) and I really liked it. I like Eastman mandolins and their neck profiles. When I was first playing I didn't really like the Martin sound. Now I do. Look into alternative tonewoods like mahog or if you can find it koa! I find flatwound strings on my oval holes also warms up the sound. plectrum choice can help too (Dawg pics are nice for that). You may also be able to ind a sweet Martin on the used market as well. Once you get close to $1K you can sometimes find old Gibsons that may not look pristine but still sound great.

Jamie

[Caleb]

And they are free of the weight of knee jerk bluegrass association. Don't misunderstand, I love bluegrass. But when you are not playing bluegrass or related styles, then its nice not to sound like it.

It seems to me that it's more about the player. Example: Does this sound like bluegrass or Bach (especially when remembering what the F-style was originally built to do)?
https://youtu.be/j3lH_Tevw5o

I play an F-hole, arch-top A-style, and no matter what I do, it never sounds anything like bluegrass, because I can't play a lick of bluegrass.

[darrylicshon]

I was looking for an oval hole last year and was thinking about an Eastman, before I could find a good deal on one , I found a new gretsch g9350 park avenue for a really good price. I am very happy with it and it also comes with a Fishman voiced the M300 piezo-ceramic pickup

[farmerjones]

Chop on a mandolin with F holes one gets a percussive bark. Chop on a mandolin with an oval or round hole, one gets mud. With the oval hole, one can't get the sound wave to stop once it's created. Like having the sustain pedal pushed on a piano.
I totally understand one doesn't always chop.
I totally understand one doesn't always play Bluegrass.
I'm merely trying to describe my finding, because I have owned and played an Eastman oval hole and an Eastman F hole. Both with Florentine style body.
I've played a Flatiron Army/Navy extensively. I've also played a turn of the 20th century Gibson A style that are so numerous. I give the nod to the Flatiron. It looks impossible to get that much sound out of an instrument that looks as it does. They're Magic.

[HonketyHank]

Of the videos above, I like the travelers and the flatiron. The crystal forest sounds like it is amplified in the video - if not, it sounds pretty good. If so, it still sounds pretty good, but I would want to compare unamplified. Of course, the flatiron had the showerstall amp array cranked up, too (too bad they have a very low rating for portability).

[pheffernan]

I have been seriously tempted by that CL Flatiron in Tucker, the price is great, buuuuut I am really trying to hold out for something a little "fancier"... plus my preference is a radiused fretboard... I have been back and forth with that and might be willing to sacrifice for a flat board if another Flatiron 3M comes up at the right price.

Allow me to be an agent of MAS and advocate on behalf of that Flatiron 1N. You will derive more enjoyment from playing it than you will by stacking four $100 bills, and you will learn more about your playability preferences by picking it than by reading more threads. If it sticks, you save yourself the expense of a custom build and the depreciation built into a new instrument. If it doesn't, you should at the very least be able to extract your $400 and perhaps even a bit more, along with more information, to afford and inform the pancake of your future.

[soliver]

Blast you Pheffernan

I've been thinking along those lines but have yet to hear someone else say it... but there's a part of me that's still uncertain because I really want what I want if that makes sense.

[soliver]

Well, I reached out to the guy on CL... we'll see what happens

[pheffernan]

I've been thinking along those lines but have yet to hear someone else say it... but there's a part of me that's still uncertain because I really want what I want if that makes sense.

You make it sound like those two things are incompatible. Owning a Flatiron 1N helped me realize that I wanted to own a flattop that was a pancake only with more modern playability features. Selling one for a bit of a profit helped me fund its purchase.

[soliver]

Yea, that is a good call for sure... I am hopefully meeting the guy tonight.

One might say it was meant to be... Tucker is about an hour's drive for me, but the fellow selling the 1N will be passing by my part of town on the way home from an engagement this evening (after the kids are in bed mind you) making it all the more easy to grab it up!

Thanks Pheffernan for the encouragement of my MAS.

[colorado_al]

[soliver]

So its confirmed I'm meeting the guy this evening at a Starbucks... getting excited

[pheffernan]

Flatiron apparently installed D'Addario J62's on its pancakes from the bench although fatt-dad has been an advocate of the GHS A250 and occasionally the Thomastik-Infeld Mittels.

[soliver]

Thanks for the advice!

[Dave Sheets]

Good luck with the flatiron, I don't think you will regret it. They are a lot of fun.

[soliver]

Looking at the pics on CL, it looks like the serial no is 9305905... how does one tell what the year of manufacture was?

[NursingDaBlues]

Looking at the pics on CL, it looks like the serial no is 9305905... how does one tell what the year of manufacture was?

If it follows the same pattern as Weber, it would indicate that it came off the line in May 1993 and was either the 59th 1N built in 1993 or the 59th instrument Flatiron built in 1993.

[soliver]

Check my signature for additional information

[soliver]

[Bill Kammerzell]

I had a Morris A-4. About the best sounding oval hole I have heard. Didn't like the Eastman 504 much at all. Just didn't project. Weak compared to the Morris. I recall the Morris being closer to $850.00. Not an oval hole fan at all, but don't think you could go wrong with the Morris.

[soliver]

Thanks, but I just bought a Flatiron

[pheffernan]

Looking at the pics on CL, it looks like the serial no is 9305905... how does one tell what the year of manufacture was?

I believe that the first two digits reveal the year ('93), the second pair the month (May), and the remainder the serial number (905).

[Eric F.]

Congrats on the pancake. Now you need to read this epic thread.

[Caleb]

Cool mandolin. Had to do a double take when I remembered you didn't like the look of the Mid Mo/Big Muddy; then I realized it's a Flatiron, but a twin of the MM/BM in many ways. Either way, play it in good health.

[HonketyHank]

Good-o, spencer.