New Eastman OM

[Jim Yates]

This looks interesting:https://themandolinstore.com/product...UF2V4kaeszFGgo

It looks like a great price.

[multidon]

Yes Jim. Those came out a couple of years ago. And since then they’ve been almost impossible to get hold of. Did you notice on the listing it’s only available on backorder? A few days ago a used one came up on Elderly’s site. It didn’t last the day. I’m sure that there’re nice, and it’s a great price but dang! They’re like unicorns.

[Eric Platt]

Looks like Elderly, Bernunzio Music and Fret Central (in Minneapolis, MN) all have these in stock. It's once again my go-to OM after a flirtation with the Ashbury for a couple of months. Easier to play and just more comfortable to me. Been experimenting with thinner picks, too.

[digitalshrub]

I’ve been curious about these Eastmans. The (few) YouTube demos I’ve seen sound a little thin, but of course it’s dofficult to judge from a YouTube video. Octaves are so tricky, as noted elsewhere, because most of the “appealing” options are in the 3k or over price range (e.g. Weber), or there are the affordable options under $800 with maybe questionable quality, at least for players who are pro or semi-pro (e.g. Trinity College, Gold Tone). The only OMs I’ve played were at Elderly a few years ago, and I don’t think the Eastman model existed then. I can’t exactly recall what I played, but I believe they had one or two Webers and maybe a more economical option. I remember preferring the OM that was the most out of my price range, naturally. These Eastmans might fit between these two sides of the spectrum, especially for me (I believe I’d prefer an OM with f-holes), but I’m reluctant to spend $800 on something I might want to just upgrade in a year or two.

[colorado_al]

I played one and I liked it. Same good build quality as the rest of the Eastman line. I'm used to playing a guitar bodied OM so the Eastman sounded a bit weak to me, but I think for the style it is quite good.

[Steve-o]

I’ve been curious about these Eastmans. The (few) YouTube demos I’ve seen sound a little thin..I’m reluctant to spend $800 on something I might want to just upgrade in a year or two.

I purchased one when they first hit the market and promptly returned it, because it sounded quite thin and quiet to me. I much prefer a good flat top oval hole. My $1000 Petersen is much louder with better sustain. YMMV.

[Stephen Perry]

I had one through. Sparkled right up with a bit of tweaking. I don't expect great cutting top end - that's not really the OM's position in the suite of mandolin instruments.

[Eric Platt]

It is on the thin sounding side. But I'm learning to work with it to make it more a feature than a bug. It's definitely tough when playing solo. Then again, some folks are getting it to sound bigger. In larger groups it's still heard, which is probably why I'll stick with mine.

One friend has a Petersen and he felt my Eastman was louder. But his has more depth of tone.

Compared to something like the Ashbury Style E - the Eastman is much more professional feeling. The Ashbury has a nice tone, but is very funky, construction wise. Can't decide if I want to try to live with it or not

[digitalshrub]

Anybody own or have experience with any of the GBOMs from Pono? Aside from this Eastman (or Trinity College, Gold Tone, etc), they’re pretty much the only option I can afford. Apart from scouring the used market, of course. That said, I had been leaning towards an OM with f-holes, but that’s just based on guesswork/premonitions. It’s tough to truly know without making a pilgrimage to the one or two places in the country where I can play more than one OM.

[Jbrumley]

I have the Pono OM. Plays great and sounds great. I need to measure it, it feels like it's probably a shorter scale?
If you were seriously interested, I'd consider selling it - I need to devote more time to other instruments in the family.

[Astro]

I have the shorter scale Pono as well. There are some threads on it here. It is richer sounding with more sustain. More "guitar-like" in tone as you might expect since its a flat top guitar shaped round hole. I think its 21.5 scale length. I like the tone for what it is but its not an arch top f hole om tone. Also, all of these om's are surprisingly different instruments than a mandolin. The chord shapes are the same on paper but in reality its played very differently and took me lots of getting use to. Point is, for songs you know on mandolin, you will likely not play the same chord shapes on the om. The left hand re learns a lot of 2 finger chord shapes and some new 2 and 3 fingered ones that you probably dont use on the mando and the right hand gets more attention picking out things in arpeggios-type styles or cross picking styles. So point is, the transfer of skills from mandolin to om was literally more of a stretch than I had expected. Still , for the money, and for something different, I can recommend it.