NGD! Eastman T185MX

[Wags]

Had to track this down online. I played a T486B in town that I really liked, except for the Bigsby. Best part, at least for me: 1.75 nut. So I tried to order one without a Bigsby but it was at least 3 months out with no promises. The T186 series had no date for the next release. I began to poke around online.

Due in no small part to our own Steve DeRosa I had expanded my search to include the T186 series. Never mind that they cost twice as much... 186's have solid carved maple top, mahogany back and sides. Top end hardware. This one has Duncan 59's. Perfect for what I'm looking for, something to work on jazz chords.

Anyhow, I found a new 185 (15" instead of 16) on Reverb and I tracked it down to a music store in Longmont, CO owned and operated by a very nice guy by the name of Donald Jensen, https://www.jensenguitars.com, who is also a luthier. I gave him a jingle and got an immediate good vibe, except he was alone at the store and really busy. I decided to throw caution to the wind and ordered it online (again, thanks, Steve... ).

Came on Thursday. Looks great. Really, really nice workmanship. I mean on par or better than my Taylor 814, at half the price. And, you know, fully death metal capable as well. Plus, Don gave me a 5% something or other credit which I cashed in today for 6 sets of strings. Dude! I'm going to put some flat wound 12's on it. Already had some Thomastik Jazz Swings and some D'Addario Jazz Lights on the way from Amazon, and now also 6 more variety from my new friend, Don.

I'm jazzed! Now I just have to learn about 60 jazz chords.

Then scales.

[DukeX]

That is a lovely, lovely guitar. Congrats and have a blast. Great Rock and Blues guitar as well.

[Steve DeRosa]

Glad to help - some suggestions:

• If you're going to flatwound 12's you'll need to do some tweaking - trussrod and bridge (height/intonation) at a minimum, and possibly the not slots as well - so you might want to look for a good tech in your area if you don't have one already;
• Flats allow you to set the action much lower than roundwounds - something the '50s jazzers and rockabilly cats all knew - so have your tech check the frets and level if necessary (well worth the effort/expense - voice of experience here);
• Speaking as a guitar-cable-amp guy the trick to getting a good jazz tone is headroom - lots of it: set the master high and the preamp low (you've got plenty of signal from those Duncans - I'd run 'em flat-out to start), EQ to taste and a touch of 'verb to give the tone some "air," and play with the pre/post-gain until you find your tone/volume sweet spot...

Use it well, often and LOUD...

[anton]

That is a beautiful guitar. I was considering one but never could find the right one with the newer narrow headstock. I ended up getting an Eastman T59/v, which is wonderful. Very impressed with their semi-hollows.

[BoneDigger]

Very nice guitar!

[Dru Edwards]

Congrats! What a fantastic looking Eastman. What amp are you using?

[Wags]

I've been using a Fender Blues Junior. Today I'll try my Fishman Loudbox Artist, see how that sounds. That's what I take to small solo gigs.

[Wags]

Originally Posted by Steve DeRosa

Glad to help - some suggestions:

• If you're going to flatwound 12's you'll need to do some tweaking - trussrod and bridge (height/intonation) at a minimum, and possibly the not slots as well - so you might want to look for a good tech in your area if you don't have one already;
• Flats allow you to set the action much lower than roundwounds - something the '50s jazzers and rockabilly cats all knew - so have your tech check the frets and level if necessary (well worth the effort/expense - voice of experience here);
• Speaking as a guitar-cable-amp guy the trick to getting a good jazz tone is headroom - lots of it: set the master high and the preamp low (you've got plenty of signal from those Duncans - I'd run 'em flat-out to start), EQ to taste and a touch of 'verb to give the tone some "air," and play with the pre/post-gain until you find your tone/volume sweet spot...

Use it well, often and LOUD...

Thanks for the info. I'm a complete neophyte with this guitar. I think I've been doing the opposite with the Master/Pre... I'll play with it this afternoon. What about pedals?

[Rick Jones]

Many happy miles! I literally just posted about mine –– which I've owned and used for over a decade now –– on a thread about Eastman in the acoustic section.

It's one of the top three best electrics I've ever had –– and that list includes four PRS's, and American Strat and a few Gibsons to name a few.

Here's my post, if you hadn't seen it already:

Originally Posted by Snorse

I’ve got one of their all-solid, carved-top, semi hollow electrics. I got it in 2010 or so and I’ve gigged it heaps.

For a five-year period I was part of the house band at a local music venue (and home of the longest continual bar in Europe) we often opened for visiting bands from all over the world — everything from tribute bands to the Scissor Sisters and even Paul Weller. The amount of visiting guitarists that asked me ‘what is that?’ about my Eastman — after hearing our set or sound check or just seeing it — was crazy. A few thought it was a custom build. When I told them it was Chinese, most were incredulous. My other guitar for that gig was a 1994 PRS Custom 24 — which no one ever commented on!

Mine is all maple and the only plastic parts I can find on it are the pickup surrounds and the volume/tone knobs. I’ve had a pair of piezo transducers fitted inside that are wired to what used to be the bridge tone control — this gives me unbelievably useable controllable feedback on tap that I can swell in and out at will. The amount of compliments I’ve had about it still shocks me.

[Wags]

It's a beauty! You've taken good care of it.

I've been playing keyboards professionally since the 70's and I think I've always envied the guitar players, just a little, moving around the stage at will, leaving the gig with an amp in one hand and their axe in another while I'm still packing up and loading tons of heavy gear onto a dolly.

[jseth]

Gorgeous looking guitar!!!

My electric is a '75 Gibson ES-345 that's been neutered and hotrodded well beyond stock; I love it, keep it strung w/ 11's and they wrok pretty well for a nice jazz tone... I used 12's or even 13's on my 175 (flatwounds) and those are great for that 40's/50's archtop tone, but not quite as versatile for the other stuff I play, so I have regular wound 11's on the 345... I can still bend that b and G (unwound), but I have to really think about it!!!

I sure hope you have that first Mickey Baker book, if you're wanting those "jazz" chords; lesson one is a terrific introduction, and the rest of the book is full of nice three and four note chords/voicings that are very useful for melody chording and the like...

Enjoy that beauty! May you play it for many hundreds of hours, in both good health and circumstance!!!

[Rick Jones]

Originally Posted by Wags

It's a beauty! You've taken good care of it.

I've been playing keyboards professionally since the 70's and I think I've always envied the guitar players, just a little, moving around the stage at will, leaving the gig with an amp in one hand and their axe in another while I'm still packing up and loading tons of heavy gear onto a dolly.

Thank you, and yes, I have been careful with it –– it's much less banged up than my acoustics as it only went case to stage stand and came out at home to be re-strung and cleaned.

Oh, that gig I mentioned is the only paid electric guitar playing I've ever done, and I was blessed as they had venue-owned backline so I only took a wah pedal, tuner pedal and an A/B splitter with me (and the guitar, of course).

I've done hundreds if not a thousand solo acoustic gigs though, where I've had to take my own PA, stands, guitar and even stool with me, –– and I've gigged in amateur bands as a drummer, so I know the lugging side pretty well!

[Rick Jones]

I like your headstock better than my earlier, wide version. I had a piece of the nut break off mine at the G string some years ago whilst changing a broken one between songs (I was impressed that they use bone) and my luthier friend explained to me that the angle of the string break out was the culprit. Now I use pencil graphite in the slot and go slower with the winder. Your headstock won't have that issue.

[seannx]

Congrats on your find! I have the same model, with the solid carved maple top and mahogany back and sides in the classic finish, with Dunlop 59s. It’s a beautiful guitar with excellent fit and finish. Had always wanted a Gibson 335, but the $3k plus price was a concern. Found my Eastman at Fret Central (Quinn’s Violins) in Minneapolis, and was so pleasantly pleased with the build quality, sound, and price. The neck is so comfortable and fast, and the 15” body size is perfect for me. The acoustic sound is surprisingly nice, if I want to practice at home without plugging in.