Eastman Mandos

[tnpathfinder]

I have read all of the reviews. Checked out all the websites.
Very interested...now I just get the "word on the street" from people playing or have played this line of mandos.

How do they fair againist the "majors" (thats wide open, I know!)

I would be thankful for any imput.

[John Flynn]

I played two of the early production models in a store early this year, an A-4 and A-5 knockoff respectively. Both were top notch: Great fit and finish, great volume and tone. Well worth the price, which I think was about $1,050 with a hardshell. The A-4 had the best "vintage Gibson oval" sound I had ever heard in a new mando.

[Eric F.]

Elderly's Web site says they expect some of the low-end Eastman A styles soon. Their price, I think, is about $520. That's going to be very hard to beat if they are comparable in tone to the ones Mando Johnny played.

[AeroJoe]

If you are anywhere near the Raleigh area, Harry's Guitar Shop had a /fine/ A-style the last time I was there (2 weeks ago)...it was unbelievable the craftsmanship that was in that thing, plus the choice of woods...it was /much/ nicer than the F-style Eastman next to it, in fit and finish too, cheaper in price ($999, $995 something like that) and the sound/volume/tone rivaled one Rigel and one Weber on the other side of the wall.

[Philip Halcomb]

I played a couple at the Mandolin Bros, store. I liked them alot! Well made and put together. They sounded good, me personally I like asthetics too, although it's not a major thing. But I wasn't too crazy about the Eastman peghead script. Seems to me if they placed it in a better spot on the peghead it would look nicer. But that's just opinion. That aside, if I already didn't have a good mando and needed an inexpensive quality F-Style. I would buy the Eastman.

[Stephen Perry]

I've been playing the MD515 and MD615 in my shop. Distracting me from work. The MD615 is quite lyrical and smooth. The 515 has a chunkier, punchy sound. I really like them both. They beat the pants off the Asian production stuff. I can't see being handicapped at all by playing one. Case is nice, too. And I got a batch of the Eastman fiberglass cases. They are also quite decent. Strong!

[MANDOLINMYSTER]

The good folks at the 12th Fret in Canada just got in a couple. They have a pic posted on their web site. And the F dose not have the cheesy bound f holes

[mando_lamancha]

I was wondering if anyone (like jflynnstl, perhaps?) would know of a store in the St. Louis area where I could try out one of these mandolins. I've seen a couple of examples of their guitars and was impressed ... thanks in advance.

[Danny]

For what it's worth. I played an Eastman about a week ago, and I was quite surprised with it's sound. I was leaving the local music store (170 round trip!!), after trying out a Labeda "f" (decent), Gibson A9 (what a disappointment!!!), and a Fender acoustic/electric (neck too thin). My friend Sean, who manges the store was just arriving, as I was leaving, and He asked if I had tried the Eastman. I said I had tried the Labeda & the Gibson A9, and that I was really not too impressed with either of them. MY friend #own's several mandolin's, including An A9 & a Labeda, which he loves. Sean said to go back in and try the Eastman, I was glad that I went back, and I played the Eastman. I'm still looking for my second mandolin, and the Eastman is the first none Gibson that catches my fancy. I own 7 guitars, and 1 mandolin. I really don't know if & when the ratio of guitar to mandolin will ever switch. I think for some of us musician's that having been playing for several decades, the responsibilties of work, family, and everyday living have alot to do with MAS. Time will tell.
Danny:

[mrbook]

The A models listed at Elderly have caught my interest. I am perfectly happy with an A, and have often thought that anyone who can make a great A model in the $500-1000 range would have a big market - a high quality instrument for those with a limited budget, and a good second instrument for others.

[John Flynn]

I was wondering if anyone (like jflynnstl, perhaps?) would know of a store in the St. Louis area where I could try out one of these mandolins?

Huelsing Music (I may have that spelled wrong)is the local Eastman dealer, but I have called them about it and they said they don't stock mandolins. They said they could special order one in for a customer. It would probably make more sense to get one shipped to you on approval from Elderly.

[Stephen Perry]

I just got an MD605 in, $950 list A model, classic finish. It is very light and really plays quite nicely. Good sound, lots of potential. Obviously needs to be played in, but seems an exceptional bargain.

Steve

[EastmanGordon]

Hi everybody,
just a quick note to introduce myself. I am Gordon from Eastman and I figured it was about time that I made myself available here for questions comments etc. My position here is officially "Guitar and Mandolin Specialist" and I have been deeply involved with the development of the guitars and mandos since day one. If anyone is interested I will post a little history on our little company so that you can get a little better idea of what we are all about. Any takers? Any questions?
Gordon

[MANDOLINMYSTER]

Hi Gordon,


I've been waiting for a F4 model for over a year now that I ordered though one of your Dealers. I'm not upset or anything, but any idea when they might be available to the Dealers?? #

[EastmanGordon]

Michael,
sorry about the wait on the F-4 style. When we first decided to make an oval hole F-style mandolin we asked a number of our dealers about how they felt regarding the popularity of these instruments. Some very influential dealers (who shall remain nameless) told us that the demand would be small to none and they recommended that we just stick with f-holes. I have a great fondness for this particular instrument so I overruled them and we made a few anyway. Turns out that the demand far exceeded what we expected and we have been backordered since day one (as you know). Since everything is hand made it takes us a little time to adjust to something like that but we have swapped around our production a little and you will soon see your mandolin. It seems that everyone that owns an F hole F-style secretly wants an oval hole as well. These are sweet instruments. A shipment is due within the next couple of weeks. Email me offlist at groberts@eastmanstrings and I will see if I can't get yours out to your dealer as soon as they arrive.
Gordon
ps. It might make you feel better to know that I am waiting on one of these also, a nice sunburst methinks.

[Spruce]

Hi everybody,
just a quick note to introduce myself. I am Gordon from Eastman and I figured it was about time that I made myself available here for questions comments etc. #Any takers? Any questions?
Gordon

Hi Gordon...

I've seen a few of the Eastman mandolins, and have been wondering what species of maple and spruce are used in their construction...
Is this Chinese wood we are looking at?
Any idea of the Latin name of the trees?

Thanks in advance....

[tonedaddy]

If anyone is interested I will post a little history on our little company so that you can get a little better idea of what we are all about.

Gordon,
Thanks for jumping in. #I'm interested in the Eastman history, and any information about the company and where it's headed.

I've played an Eastman archtop guitar, and it seemed very well made and good sounding at it's price point. # Hope to be able to try out one of your mandos soon.

[Lane Pryce]

I've seen a few of the Eastman mandolins, and have been wondering what species of maple and spruce are used in their construction...
Is this Chinese wood we are looking at?
Any idea of the Latin name of the trees?

Thanks in advance....

Spruce Bruce --- It is Lutz Spruce which is a genetic mutation of Gulliable Fir which was irradicated by a blythe at the end of the ice age. Lutz Spruce grows only in the farthest norhern reaches of Alaska and British Columbia and is usually distributed only on eBay. #
Lp

[EastmanGordon]

Geez, it is Lutz Spruce - so much for trade secrets!

Seriously, the spruce and maple is native chinese, the ebony is african. We also use european spruce and maple in our violin family of instruments but we have not used any in the mandolins yet. I have tried very hard to find out exactly what species of maple and spruce it is but it's a more difficult question than you might think. Our suppliers know the chinese name for it but it doesn't translate directly to english. There is some wonderful tonewood in China, believe me. Over the last 12 years we have laid down an impressive collection of wood to use in cello and violin production and this is the stock that we are pulling from to make the mandolins. I took Ross Gutmeier (a brilliant archtop and classical guitar maker from Baltimore) out to the workshop and he spent hours walking through the wood storage area shaking his head in amazement. He felt the spruce had a lot in common with adirondack spruce. We spent a day wandering around a bunch of traditional music stores in Beijing and we saw traditional chinese instruments made out of wood that neither of us could identify. These instruments had incredible acoustic qualities and the wood looked like nothing we had ever seen used in instruments before. One of these days we will get around to investigating some of these tonewoods to see if they would be useable in western style instruments.
If I were in the tonewood business (actually I guess I am but you know what I mean) I would be buying a ticket to China ASAP.
Hope this helps a little,
Gordon

[EastmanGordon]

Thought this might be helpful also. Here is a link to our violin website with a tour of the workshop. The first picture is of Mr Ni who runs the workshop out there standing in one of the woodsheds. You can get a feel for all that lovely wood.
Here is the link http://www.eastmanstrings.com/eastma...p/workshop.htm
Enjoy,
Gordon

[steve V. johnson]

I've been playing the MD515 and MD615 in my shop. #Distracting me from work. #The MD615 is quite lyrical and smooth. #The 515 has a chunkier, punchy sound. #I really like them both. #They beat the pants off the Asian production stuff. #I

So... Eastman mandolins -aren't- made in Asia? #Where?

Thx,

stv

[Lane Pryce]

I took Steve P's (Gianna violins)post to mean the usual pac rim stuff. Steves discriptions are right on the $$, whether its fiddles or mandos. Lp

[MandoHobbit]

My local string shop carries Eastmans. They had two "prototype" Eastmans, an A and an F, that played well and sounded nice, but those sold a couple of months ago. Went in there today and there was a new F and it sounded wonderful, it will really be something when it has opened up. If I had the cash I would have bought it today.

The flame on the back was stunning. My only gripe was that the finish inside the scroll and under the fretboard extension was not as nice as it had been on the prototype F.

[RichM]

I currently have not one, but TWO MD615s! No, I'm not a dealer-- just found these two instruments in quick succession, and decided it couldn't hurt to have both of them. They are both wonderful instruments, with surprisingly mature, woody voices for new instruments. They will be monsters when they open up. Although they are the same model, they are very different. One has a pale brown stain with lots of natural woodgrain showing through and and insanely figured back. It has what appears to be a varnish finish. It is elegant and refined. The other has a deep tobacco sunburst, what appears to be a lacquer finish, and bound f-holes (yeah, you don't want those f-holes getting away). She's all flash and energy.

Sadly, I will have to break up with one of these girls eventually (well, sell one, I mean), but right now it's a wonderful little Mandolin a trois.

[Lane Pryce]

Me too. I hope to have a new 615 next week. Lp