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Old 03-10-2021, 09:03 AM
Fatfinger McGee Fatfinger McGee is offline
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Default NGD - Eastman AR805 SB

File this under “why did I wait so long??”

I have been casually looking for an archtop for a bit, but as a modestly skilled player I was intimidated by their reputation for being more difficult (or for jazz). But I recently found a great deal on this one, and figured I could resell if it didn’t work out.

That won’t be happening. It is absolutely staying, and probably getting friends. It’s easily the most beautiful guitar I own, so there was an initial ogling period. After that, I was immediately surprised by how lightly built it feels, and how easy to play - it almost feels like a toy, in the same way that a good ukelele does. Great for most of what I play anyway (fingerstyle and some flat pickin). That archtop sound is everything I could possibly want. At some point I just sat and plucked single notes for awhile, just to listen to the intoxicating sustain and decay. It definitely rewards touch and technique; I’ve never sounded squeakier, and it goes right where you point it - but not in a punishing way. It’s strung with 12s, round wound with a wound G, gonna try some flat wounds to see how that sounds too.

It’s not really news that these are great guitars, so I guess this is more of a PSA. If you’re a flat-topper needing a push to dive in, you’ve got my vote. I know we all say this about Eastmans, but even compared to their flat tops, it’s a LOT of guitar for the money (especially used).


Last edited by Fatfinger McGee; 03-10-2021 at 11:08 AM.
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Old 03-12-2021, 10:08 AM
Glennwillow Glennwillow is offline
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Very nice. It's got the same sunburst finish as my Eastman AR905.

I used flat wound strings on mine for years but I just this week put on some round wound D'Addario EJ21 and I like them a lot. They are more alive, have more sustain, and seem to let me hear the treble strings a little better without sounding overly bright. I've been playing directly into a preamp and adding just a little reverb, so I'm not using an amp right now, though I have a couple of amp choices, as well. But I like the direct approach; this way the guitar has more of a Martin Taylor kind of more articulate sound.

I'm playing with a thumb pick and my fingers with short fingernails, the same way I play a flat top acoustic. I also play this archtop with a bare thumb at times, depending on the song. I've been working on Hoagy Carmichael's "Georgia On My Mind" this week, having a lot of fun with this.

I'm liking the new sound a lot. It's like getting a new guitar!

Congrats on your new Eastman archtop!

- Glenn
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Last edited by Glennwillow; 03-12-2021 at 10:13 AM.
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Old 03-12-2021, 02:54 PM
Fatfinger McGee Fatfinger McGee is offline
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Thanks! It's a beautiful finish. My kids call it the 'fancy guitar' .

I'm playing it like a flat top since I don't know any other way yet, so far so good. Bare thumb and moderate nails, or a thick pick. It seems to like it when you dig a bit more, what sounds slow and heavy on a flattop sounds very nice on the archtop. I haven't done anything electric except plug it into my little practice amp to see it work (ok I admit it, I applied the 'jazz' mode , cranked up the reverb, and played with my thumb.) Work's been a bit nuts this week but I've got some simple chord-melody arrangements on deck, including 'Georgia on my Mind.'

Good times. Enjoy your archtop too!
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Old 03-12-2021, 05:18 PM
Steve DeRosa Steve DeRosa is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Fatfinger McGee View Post
...It seems to like it when you dig a bit more, what sounds slow and heavy on a flattop sounds very nice on the archtop...
- and therein lies the charm of these instruments: lightning-quick response and loads of reserve power depending on your picking technique, and IME you'll want to concentrate on developing more "focus" and economy of motion (in both right and left hands) in order to, as the old Big-Band players used to say, "coax the velvet out." Contrary to much popular belief (just check out some of the pejorative comments on the General subforum) archtops can be some of the most balanced-sounding guitars you'll ever play if handled correctly; FYI they were originally conceived as early 20th-century classical instruments, considered the virtuoso guitars of their prewar heyday, and are by nature very revealing/unforgiving of technical deficiencies (when I was teaching I often used my '47 L-7 as a reality check for many a wannabe teenage shredder ); in essence, you'll need to think like an orchestral-string player: left-hand fingertips only (forget the "flat-finger" approach), "stroke" rather than "strum"/"glide" instead of "pick," and don't count on body resonance/sustain to mask any errors - there's nothing like that classic "tone-you-can-eat-with-a-spoon" you can only get from an all-carved archtop, and once you've put in the practice time and experienced it, you may find it hard to be truly satisfied with even a top-shelf flattop...

Use it well and often...
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Old 03-12-2021, 06:25 PM
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Pura Vida Pura Vida is offline
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Congrats on the AR805-SB. Eastman began as a classical instruments company, so expanding into Archtops was a natural progression for them. Enjoy it and play it often!

PS - love Steve's poetic description. It makes me want to shop for an AR now!
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Old 03-12-2021, 09:18 PM
Fatfinger McGee Fatfinger McGee is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve DeRosa View Post
- and therein lies the charm of these instruments...

... there's nothing like that classic "tone-you-can-eat-with-a-spoon" you can only get from an all-carved archtop, and once you've put in the practice time and experienced it, you may find it hard to be truly satisfied with even a top-shelf flattop...



Use it well and often...

Thanks Steve, I love the descriptions, very apt, and I am thoroughly charmed. It’s a guitar that directly rewards effort and practice on technique, and it sends pretty clear reminders on the need to slow down and play cleanly. At the same time it’s easy to play, and very easy to listen to. I plan to use it often, and we’ll see about well .
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Old 03-12-2021, 09:43 PM
rule18 rule18 is offline
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Congrats, nice piece.
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Old 03-12-2021, 11:48 PM
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So jealous! One of these is on my wish list for sure.
I have a Loar-LH700 - a bit of a different beast tone wise but still an acoustic archtop. It doesn't have to be for jazz - I dabble in jazz a little but I also love it for the alt-country thing and flatpicking chord melodies with clean lines.
And they look so cool.
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Old 03-13-2021, 02:56 PM
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Very nice! I recently purchased a 610 and have been very happy with it. These Eastman's are really nice guitars! Enjoy it and post up some audios.
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Old 03-13-2021, 10:33 PM
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Beautiful guitar! Congratulations!
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Old 03-16-2021, 01:05 PM
buddyrama buddyrama is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve DeRosa View Post
- and therein lies the charm of these instruments: lightning-quick response and loads of reserve power depending on your picking technique, and IME you'll want to concentrate on developing more "focus" and economy of motion (in both right and left hands) in order to, as the old Big-Band players used to say, "coax the velvet out." Contrary to much popular belief (just check out some of the pejorative comments on the General subforum) archtops can be some of the most balanced-sounding guitars you'll ever play if handled correctly; FYI they were originally conceived as early 20th-century classical instruments, considered the virtuoso guitars of their prewar heyday, and are by nature very revealing/unforgiving of technical deficiencies (when I was teaching I often used my '47 L-7 as a reality check for many a wannabe teenage shredder ); in essence, you'll need to think like an orchestral-string player: left-hand fingertips only (forget the "flat-finger" approach), "stroke" rather than "strum"/"glide" instead of "pick," and don't count on body resonance/sustain to mask any errors - there's nothing like that classic "tone-you-can-eat-with-a-spoon" you can only get from an all-carved archtop, and once you've put in the practice time and experienced it, you may find it hard to be truly satisfied with even a top-shelf flattop...

Use it well and often...
I think your description is right on, I have to really be there with my Ar- 805. I find myself playing slower and not really strumming, more like walking through.
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