Eastman?

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stedsted Frets: 259
So after nearly a year I'm back playing and maybe gigging, thought I would look at getting an R8 as a Christmas pressie to oneself and nearly fell off the floor at how much they have gone up, 3800? Ouch.
Noticed on Codas site these guitars, Chinese made apparently but look very good, also noticed other respected shops are selling them.
I did do a search and those previous threads came up, not very helpful at all really! 
So has anyone tried the new solid body types? I love relics and the antique varnish looks very interesting, I can't quite stretch to the 7k for a murphy R9.
I know the residuals are going to be poor but that is not my driver, more are they any good!
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Comments

  • skaguitarskaguitar Frets: 909
    edited November 2017
    when I was buying my 335 at Coda I tried the antique one... albeit unplugged, but it played very well and felt as good as any of the gibsons I have played.. I can't speak for what it sounds like plugged in which of course is what matters with an electric guitar but it seemed very well built and was nice to play.

    edit
    it was this one I tried

    https://www.coda-music.com/electric-guitars/eastman-sb59-v-antique-classic-amber-18607.html

    • “To play a wrong note is insignificant; to play without passion is inexcusable.”
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  • DannyPDannyP Frets: 1667
    I suppose it's a bold move for a Chinese company to go in at that level. They look nice though. I'll admit I had Eastwood guitars in mind when I came on here, but I realise now we are talking about someone quite different!

    It will be interesting to see how well they do. As someone who does not give two hoots where a guitar is made, I wish them the best of luck!
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  • MegiiMegii Frets: 1670
    My understanding is that they were originally a small company hand making good quality  violins/cellos and the like, and that with some involvement from someone in the US, they moved into making archtop jazz guitars as they already had a lot of the skills needed. The jazz guitars have a good reputation.

    And then they've just expanded into doing 335 type guitars, laminate top archtops, and now it would appear solid bodies too. So they do have a bit of a different background to most Chinese guitar companies. I recently tried a second hand T186 semi acoustic, and liked it.
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  • BasherBasher Frets: 1199
    I've owned one of their mandolins and a friend had an OM-sized acoustic. Both were excellent instruments. 
    Have never played an electric but they look really interesting, particularly the thinline hollow body with P90s and Bigsby.
    One thing that concerns me is the 1 3/4" nut width, which seems very wide. This seems to be standard on all the non-solid electrics but is something I'd only expect on a fingerstyle acoustic. Anybody got any comments on how they got on with the wide necks?
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  • I've got one of their acoustics and it's really good. Their hollowbody electrics also get a lot of love but I haven't tried one. 
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  • WhitecatWhitecat Frets: 5378
    I tried a couple of the varnish series out at Guitar Village. The one with the Filtertrons needed some setup work badly, and thus was a little off-putting at £2k+ - it also had a very fat neck, and this could be good or bad, I honestly wasn’t sure - if you are a Gretsch fan the transition will certainly be odd. 

    The one I haven’t tried yet but want to is the thinline with the Antiquity P90s and the Bigsby - seems a far more sensible price point and looks really nice. 

    (There is expectation bias in build quality on these which is generally exceeded, save for the aforementioned issues on the one guitar, but an expectation bias on the price which seems to remain fully ingrained... funny that...)

    Mainly I dig them - I think trying before buying is essential though - the semi and hollows are not absolute like-for-like subs for their inspirations. 
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  • BradBrad Frets: 658
    edited November 2017
    Basher said:
    I've owned one of their mandolins and a friend had an OM-sized acoustic. Both were excellent instruments. 
    Have never played an electric but they look really interesting, particularly the thinline hollow body with P90s and Bigsby.
    One thing that concerns me is the 1 3/4" nut width, which seems very wide. This seems to be standard on all the non-solid electrics but is something I'd only expect on a fingerstyle acoustic. Anybody got any comments on how they got on with the wide necks?

    I've had a T486 for about 18 months now and I'd say it took round a week or two to get properly used to the nut width. Never had any problems since then and it's a nice difference to my other guitars, so don't be put off if it feels a little strange at first. I don't ever think about having to adjust between guitars due to the nut width so it's not a problem for me, it might bother some folk though.
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  • TADodgerTADodger Frets: 211
    I have a T184MX that I've had for a couple of years (its a 339 size hollow body). Never had an issue with the nut width and it looks lovely, as long as wood is your thing. Wasn't playing it so much so thinking of selling or trading, but as part of a move to re-spark my interest in playing I have been trying some Jazz and it is great for that as it only has a block under the bridge rather than right through the middle under the PU's.

    I have tried a SB59 with the same SD59 PU's as the 184. I thought it was lighter than I expected and it played nicely, but the 184 gives a little more in the way of different tones and had a slimmer c neck that suited me.
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  • AdamskiAdamski Frets: 1278
    I’ve tried the ‘Les Paul’ SB59 ypes and the 335’s. They are all very well built, feel great and if you told me they were made in the USA or the like then I wouldn’t question it. The SB59 was light and resonant but I wasn’t too impressed with the sound but I perhaps attribute that to the Seymours, which I’ve never really gotten on with. The 335 I played with P90’s was awesome, as was the regular humbucker model (which perversely has Seymours in as well so who knows). 

    Id definitely give one a try if you can. If you want the SB59 to sound as good as an R8 (which I know you have owned) then it’s not going to but if it’s to get back in to gigging and not have something that’s TOO high value then they are a decent punt. 

    I will say though I’d rather have even a Standard production run Gibson over them though. 
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  • I had a semi acoustic. It was a lovely for what it was but I quite honestly think their over prised if buying new. And very hard resell. 

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  • stedsted Frets: 259
    Cheers all, think they have them in sounds great so I’ll give them a visit.
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  • 57Deluxe57Deluxe Frets: 7329
    Guitar Village are also stocking these
    <Vintage BOSS Upgrades>
    __________________________________
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