Eastman customer service

[WJF]

Does anyone know whether or not Eastman Customer service in MD is capable of repairing the finish on one of their instruments?

I just had the world's worst experience with a reapir guy over in Westchester, NY. I brought him my pretty much new Eastman mandola to have him fit one of Steve Smith's bridges to the top.

When I picked it up today, the guy explained to me that he couldn't replace the bridge because the new saddle didn't have enough width to accommodate the string spacing. 'OK, thats a disappointment' I thought and thats when I noticed the top.

Apparently, the repair guy thought the instrument was finished in lacquer and put a bunch of tape on the top. You can probably imagine the rest. The top is a beyond horrible mess!!! He told me that he can french polish it all out but that I'll have to wait 4-6 weeks for him to get it done. He swears it will look as good as new but ...

Frankly, I'm pretty sure I no longer trust this guy and so I was wondering if Eastman might be set up to save my finish. I know some folks here have close ties with them so I thought I'd ask here ...

Lesson learned: This repair guy is highly regarded in my area and has worked on instruments for guys like Paul Simon, John Scofield, etc. So ... even if your repair person has a sterling reputation, be sure to tell them your instrument has a varnish finish!!

Please excuse me while go for a good cry now ...

[Five]

I have one of Steve's Cumberland bridges on an 815.I had no problems with the top being to narrow for the string spacing. The height takes some extra work to get correct. If this is tape goo you can remove it with naptha or lighter fluid.

[MikeEdgerton]

I have a feeling the tape removed the finish.

[Five]

If that is true he used cheap tape and left it on for sometime. He should repair the mandolin.

[Stephen Perry]

Eastman in MD doesn't have the capability. Tom Stadler in California may be developing that capability. If much finish is gone, it will take more than French polish. You might approach the repair person for compensation. This level of damage seems to go beyond the reasonable.

[Greenmando]

If that is true he used cheap tape and left it on for sometime. He should repair the mandolin.

Or pay a professional to repair it.

the first words out of his mouth should have been "I screwed up the finish!, Will you let me make it right?"

[JEStanek]

Sorry for your bad experience. Hopefully your "luthier" friend can make things right, right-away, someway or another. I don't know of any better solutions than the ones given so far. Good luck.

Jamie

[WJF]

I'm not sure what type of tape he used, I was too shocked (sickened?) to think to ask but it really did a number. I think he tried rubbing some of the damage out before I arrived because he said almost as an aside, that I should have seen it when he first took the tape off. Regardless, its awful now and the damage extends beyond where you'd expect it to be confined ... I mean there are spots all over the top ranging from pock mark looking areas to other areas that look really foggy. He tried rubbing some more out while I was there but whatever he was using started taking some of the color off too so he stopped.

He said if he french polished it he could build up enough finish on it so he could buff out all the imperfections and make it look as good as new ... does this sound like he knows what hes doing? All my trust in the guy is gone ...

I'm disappointed that Eastman can't handle it but truthfully I wasn't really expecting them to be set up for it since the instruments are made overseas. I guess unless I can come up with a better alternative, I'll let him prove my worst fears wrong and let him try to restore it.

This has been a really awful experience ... I go from rage, to depression to just a sickly feeling but I'm trying to keep it all in balance, thanking my stars that this wasn't one of my beloved AL Smarts or my Collings ... if it had been one of them I think I'd have driven myself in to a bridge abutment on the way home.

I think I would be more inclined to throw HIM off the bridge.
Tales like this make me feel queasy, I feel your suffering dude!
DD

[Stephen Perry]

Sounds like the finish on the top needs major restoration. Is it sunburst or classic? What we've done with classic is match the color w/aniline in spirit varnish, then drop fill, then level with micromesh, then polish over that. But then the instrument ends up as a discounted second, which probably isn't what you had in mind.

I would think someone in the violin world would be much better at this than I.

[Dan Krhla]

Hey Wayne, can you post a pic so we can get a better idea? I can offer no help (sorry) by I may be able to show the pic around and see if anyone I know has any suggestions?

Sorry for your mando, man

[WJF]

Hi Steve,

Its the classic (brownish) finish. The "wounds" didn't seem to go deep enough to mess up the color but there are big areas that now seem "cloudy" and a few areas that look "pock marked" ... not sure I can describe them better than that. The repair guy assures me that he's got 25 years experience in french polishing and that he'll be able to successfully correct the damage but I'm skeptical at this point ...

[MikeEdgerton]

If he messed it up once what makes you think he can fix it?

[Tom C]

I say let him do it. If you are still not happy, you are in the same position as you are currently. If he does a great job, all is good. Mando restored, faith restored, luthiers skills proven.

[WJF]

Well ... I spoke with Lawrence Smart this morning. Besides being one of the very best guys building mandolins these days he is an incredibly nice guy too! He really helped to calm down ... assured me that these types of mistakes happen more frequently than anyone really wants to think about and after I'd described to him what the repair guy had to say about restoring the finish, Lawrence seemed to feel that the guy indeed, knew what he was talking about.

He felt I should give him the chance to make it right and I think I'll take that counsel. We'll see how it all turns out. In a few weeks when I get the instrument back, I'll update this thread and either give the guy an enthusiastic, ringing endorsement or will tell you all the particulars of who he is so that you can avoid him like the plague.

Thanks to all who have posted here! You guys keeping me company through the immediate panic that I felt yesterday really helped to talk me in off a ledge. I appreciate it!!

[jswag]

Very sorry to hear about your Mandola! I have a Eastman 815 mandola that has a Steve Smith bridge on it, I'm surprised your luthier couldn't get it to fit...... I had Steve do the string slots and then had my luthier fit it to the mandola...I hope everything gets worked out for you!
Jeff