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  #16  
Old 09-11-2014, 09:45 AM
Puddleglum Puddleglum is offline
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I've been playing an Eastman 505 for the last six years. It just gets better and better, tone-wise. It has plenty of volume too. You won't get a vintage, Gibson sound with an Eastman but more of a modern tone. I think the Eastman sound works well in most situations, and I highly recommend them.
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  #17  
Old 09-11-2014, 11:50 AM
posternutbag posternutbag is offline
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I recently played an Eastman 305 that was lying around a music shop I frequent. Excellent playing and sounding mandolin for $400. In fact, I will go on record and say it was as good as a Mid-Mo/Big Muddy which are widely regarded as the best entry level mandolins out there.

The mandolin was certainly not perfect; obviously there are going to be compromises on a $400 mandolin. It had a nice tone, was well set-up and played well up and down the fretboard. It had lighter gauge strings which contributed to its playability, but also hurt its chop... not much bark, more of a quack, but medium gauge strings and a slightly higher action would probably help.
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  #18  
Old 09-11-2014, 01:02 PM
Puddleglum Puddleglum is offline
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Mid Mo/ Big Muddy makes great mandolins, but it seems to me that a comparison between them and Eastman is apples and oranges. Big Muddy makes flattop, oval-hole mandolins, where Eastman makes carved top, f-hole mandolins. Two completely different worlds, tone- and sound-wise. I agree they are on par when it comes to workmanship though.
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  #19  
Old 09-11-2014, 02:44 PM
posternutbag posternutbag is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Puddleglum View Post
Mid Mo/ Big Muddy makes great mandolins, but it seems to me that a comparison between them and Eastman is apples and oranges. Big Muddy makes flattop, oval-hole mandolins, where Eastman makes carved top, f-hole mandolins. Two completely different worlds, tone- and sound-wise. I agree they are on par when it comes to workmanship though.
I agree on all points. The comparison is the price point; in the past, if a beginner asked about a mandolin in the sub $800 range, they would almost assuredly be directed towards a Mid Mo/Big Muddy regardless of what style of music they wanted to play. I just think it needs to be said that in today's market there are relatively inexpensive import mandolins that are just as nice as the Mid Mo/Big Muddy and could be more appropriate for a beginner with an interest in bluegrass; because, lest face it, most beginners on mandolin are interested in bluegrass.
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  #20  
Old 09-11-2014, 02:59 PM
Puddleglum Puddleglum is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by posternutbag View Post
I agree on all points. The comparison is the price point; in the past, if a beginner asked about a mandolin in the sub $800 range, they would almost assuredly be directed towards a Mid Mo/Big Muddy regardless of what style of music they wanted to play. I just think it needs to be said that in today's market there are relatively inexpensive import mandolins that are just as nice as the Mid Mo/Big Muddy and could be more appropriate for a beginner with an interest in bluegrass; because, lest face it, most beginners on mandolin are interested in bluegrass.
Totally agree. And for what it's worth, I really like the Big Muddy line.
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  #21  
Old 09-12-2014, 08:49 AM
bohemian bohemian is offline
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Quality varies greatly.

I prefer fully fretted instruments, specifically models used for classical and Jazz
such as the two point.

I prefer long scale.. example the prototype and first few 2 pointers were long scale, production was short scale.

The "violin" finishes look like a Jr High woodworking project gone bad

The nuts are ridiculously narrow and the main reason I do not own one...
unplayable.
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  #22  
Old 09-12-2014, 09:19 AM
Puddleglum Puddleglum is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bohemian View Post
Quality varies greatly.



The "violin" finishes look like a Jr High woodworking project gone bad

The nuts are ridiculously narrow and the main reason I do not own one...
unplayable.
Strange, I've always admired their finishes. The varnish models, such as the 815, actually have very good, hand-rubbed finishes. Eastman has been making violins for a long time and know how to put on a good finish. And even in the regular gloss models they keep them pretty thin to not hamper tone and volume.

They do have very narrow nuts though. I picked up a Breedlove recently, and after playing an Eastman for years, could hardly play the wider board of the BL.
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  #23  
Old 09-12-2014, 11:45 AM
posternutbag posternutbag is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bohemian View Post
Quality varies greatly.

I prefer fully fretted instruments, specifically models used for classical and Jazz
such as the two point.

I prefer long scale.. example the prototype and first few 2 pointers were long scale, production was short scale.

The "violin" finishes look like a Jr High woodworking project gone bad

The nuts are ridiculously narrow and the main reason I do not own one...
unplayable.
Clearly there is no consensus.

I have definitely seen Eastman mandolins where the finish was less than perfect. In fact, I have what is most likely the very first Eastman mandolin ever made (there isn't even a name on the headstock, and it has a Weber tailpiece) and the finish is pretty rough. Lots of people had this complaint with early Eastmans. I think that the finishes on Eastman's have gotten much better over the last decade, but I can see someone being unhappy with some of the finish flaws I have seen.

I have never seen an Eastman that I would describe as "unplayable." I am not saying that you have not. This simply does not reflect my experience.
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  #24  
Old 09-12-2014, 04:08 PM
bohemian bohemian is offline
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Puddleglum

"Strange, I've always admired their finishes. The varnish models, such as the 815, actually have very good, hand-rubbed finishes. Eastman has been making violins for a long time and know how to put on a good finish"

As a former vintage (100 years or older) violin hunter collector, hustler, I had never seen a violin with that amateurish blotch as is called "antique violin".. never out of hundreds.
I have owned violins from the late 1600s, early 1700s through the next century.. not one looked like a failed Jr High School wood working project.

Eastman's mandolin nut width is 1 1/16th

Even Gibson is wider.

Weber is 1 1/8th with 1 3/16ths available.

The original Gibson Sam Bush's (and Bush's mandolin) are nearer 1 1/4.

1 1/16th is unplayable.

Last edited by bohemian; 09-13-2014 at 03:53 PM.
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  #25  
Old 09-12-2014, 09:08 PM
bohemian bohemian is offline
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One observation.

No one person can give a consensus , only an individual opinion..

unless.. they have gathered information from others and come to/established, a consensus based on the collective opinion of others.


No charge.
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  #26  
Old 09-12-2014, 10:14 PM
GerryinAZ GerryinAZ is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bohemian View Post
One observation.

No one person can give a consensus , only an individual opinion..

unless.. they have gathered information from others and come to/established, a consensus based on the collective opinion of others.


No charge.
As a self-professed violin expert, you seem somewhat inexperienced when it comes to mandolins. All of the complaints you've purportedly experienced with Eastman mandolins, I can say the same for various "High End" mandolins. A couple made by builders you've mentioned in your post. I've even had to send more than one back for warranty repair work for fit as well as finish.

Eastman mandolins have made several players very happy. It doesn't take too much homework to figure that one out. Again, you're on your own.
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  #27  
Old 09-13-2014, 04:11 PM
bohemian bohemian is offline
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GerryinAz


"As a self-professed violin expert, you seem somewhat inexperienced when it comes to mandolins. All of the complaints you've purportedly experienced with Eastman mandolins, I can say the same for various "High End" mandolins. A couple made by builders you've mentioned in your post. I've even had to send more than one back for warranty repair work for fit as well as finish.


Eastman mandolins have made several players very happy. It doesn't take too much homework to figure that one out. Again, you're on your own. "

Please do not misquote or misread me or mischaracterize me..
I am not an expert, I have some experience at hustling violins.. more than I have posted but certainly no expert.

I am well aware there are "happy" Eastman owners. That does not make the nut width acceptable or the finish.. or the occasional finish blip which I don't care about

And as to the scale length.. for the two point and the lack of full fretting , that's a preference. And their prototypes were long and fully fretted.

You are right , I have limited mandolin experience.. since 1959 , and at last count, 53 and one in coming . Sadly only two lessons from Tiny Moore (he died on me a few days before my next lesson) and only two from David Grisman. and those were in a kind of "clinic" setting.. about 12 of us.. me being the only person to suffer reading music so had to revert to using tabs, something I had not done for a few years.

All the complaints.. what complaints, personal observations. And what is "all"

Nut width.. no complaint, I don't own one and don't suffer. Goofy finish, don't own one.

I do not mind being alone.. but in this case I am not. Many folks who do not post here, but perhaps on the Café, and in my personal observation, do not care for Eastman's nut width. It is ridiculously narrow.

Aside from the nut width and the hideous blotched antique violin finish, they make some decent mandolins and to my experience have no greater or lesser claim to quality than many other makers.

I am used to being out there by myself fully realizing folks are resentful of intellect, experience and resources. I except that.

Eastman also make fine flat top guitars but as another example of not quite right..
What they call an OM

It is not an OM.. They say it is their interpretation of an OM.. no it's a 000

25" short scale not 25.4
Narrow nut not really a 1 3/4
Narrow string spacing at the bridge 2 1/8 to 2 3/16ths not 2 1/4 to 2 5/16ths.

Were it OM specs I'd own it.

These are observations not anything else.

They don't suit me.

If they suit you buy em

But please don't misquote me, misread, or mischaracterize me.

PS
" A couple made by builders you've mentioned in your post"

That implies more than the only two I mentioned.

I made no mention of flaws or no flaws about Gibson or Weber... only nut width specifications.

Why bring that up out of context? Irrelevant.
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  #28  
Old 09-18-2014, 11:42 AM
Puddleglum Puddleglum is offline
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Speaking of mandolins, don't forget to enter the Loar contest:

http://www.mandolincafe.com/giveaway/
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  #29  
Old 09-18-2014, 01:35 PM
Teleman52 Teleman52 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Puddleglum View Post
Speaking of mandolins, don't forget to enter the Loar contest:

http://www.mandolincafe.com/giveaway/
Ah! Smooth move! Now are chances of winning are lower! :P
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  #30  
Old 09-18-2014, 02:48 PM
Puddleglum Puddleglum is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Teleman52 View Post
Ah! Smooth move! Now are chances of winning are lower! :P
I hope someone wins who wants/needs a good mandolin. I already have some nice ones, and if I win it I'm going to give it away.
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