Eastman Guitars - they look great and are priced well - Anyone got any experience/thoughts?

What's Hot
xRandomregxRandomreg Frets: 231
Hi All
I have recently been getting back to the idea of getting a single cur and am planning on going for the obvious an LP - either a 58/59 Reissue or a Slash Anaconda
However I keep seeing the Eastman SB59 and it looks great, the demos I have seen look good too.
I have never played one or even picked one up
Anyone on here got any personal experience and thoughts

Thanks

Andrew
0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
«1

Comments

  • Winny_PoohWinny_Pooh Frets: 7732
    Great guitars
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • chrisj1602chrisj1602 Frets: 3894
    Peach have a used SB59 for £1099 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • BlueingreenBlueingreen Frets: 2582
    Randomreg said:
    Hi All
    I have recently been getting back to the idea of getting a single cur
      Let me guess, you got rid of the last one because it was a bit of a dog?
    “To a man with a hammer every problem looks like a nail.”
    3reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • xRandomregxRandomreg Frets: 231
    No not at all - I like to play rock and shreddy style as well and I get it into my head that I should be able to shred on a Single Cut and I'm afraid I just can't play that well, so the single cut goes to buy another PRS CU24 and the cycle continues
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • fastonebazfastonebaz Frets: 4065
    I played 2 at the guitar show.   They felt and sounded a bit meh to me. 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • HattigolHattigol Frets: 8176
    Best advice - don't buy new. 
    Unless you have a pathological dislike of money.
    "Anybody can play. The note is only 20%. The attitude of the motherf*cker who plays it is  80%" - Miles Davis
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
  • xRandomregxRandomreg Frets: 231
    I have definitely learnt that lesson - trying to buy 2nd hand now

    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • musicman100musicman100 Frets: 1705
    Just be careful of resale if buying new 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
  • I have an Eastman archtop that was initially meant to be a Norman Brown signature model but got canned. I changed the Kent Armstrong pickup out for a Gibson 58 and honestly the thing kills. Don’t know about any of their other guitars but I think I lucked out on this instrument.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • BlueingreenBlueingreen Frets: 2582
    Randomreg said:
    Hi All
    I have recently been getting back to the idea of getting a single cur
      Let me guess, you got rid of the last one because it was a bit of a dog?
      Sorry my poor attempt at a joke based on your typo - single cur - dog?
    “To a man with a hammer every problem looks like a nail.”
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
  • xRandomregxRandomreg Frets: 231
    Yeah Dan pointed out my typo- I was quite upset I missed it - I do like a clever joke
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • TeyeplayerTeyeplayer Frets: 3132
    I have two Eastman’s an sb59 and t59.
    They are both great guitars and are very well built.

    One of the things that appealed to me about these was that they had thicker closer to 58 type necks, were well built, resonant and had few of the issues I encountered when picking up similar speck Gibson’s -oh and I didn’t have to pay the extra for a custom shop model to get what I was after as a basic stock instrument.

    Despite what is so often said about them, I don’t find Eastman’s as uninspiring as so many folks claim -I get that with Gibson’s, and find about one in every 10-12 is the exception and inspires me.  Many modern Gibson’s are good guitars but not much more than that and yes I do own a couple so am not entirely uninitiated.

    The only change I’ve made was to swap out the Seymour Duncan 59s in the sb59. 

    Definitely look for a second hand one, they are much better value.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • xRandomregxRandomreg Frets: 231
    Thanks @ Teyeplayer - It's funny how we look for perfection in guitars then we complain they are too perfect.
    I love PRS because they are always pretty much perfect and each one plays the same as another - but they do lack character.
    I love the look and feel of a Custom Shop Gibson or Relic'd Fender yet I find they are harder to play
    Many of you will say _ "just get better at playing" - my reply - wish I had the time and energy

    So if we are lucky we can have a few guitars that cover all bases from easy to play to full of character

    Sorry for the ramble

    Will keep eye out for a 2nd hand SB59 - may pop back to Peach to try that one
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
  • TeyeplayerTeyeplayer Frets: 3132
    Randomreg said:
    Thanks @ Teyeplayer - It's funny how we look for perfection in guitars then we complain they are too perfect.
    I love PRS because they are always pretty much perfect and each one plays the same as another - but they do lack character.
    I love the look and feel of a Custom Shop Gibson or Relic'd Fender yet I find they are harder to play
    Many of you will say _ "just get better at playing" - my reply - wish I had the time and energy 
    A friend of mine used to state ‘perfection is an illusion’. It was a valid point and one that is so subjective -is perfection the ability to pick up two guitars that are the same or one that has so called ‘mojo’ that stands out to an individual? Certainly not a debate that anyone can resolve and though most of mine are beaters I agree that if you can’t get on with a guitar fairly easily then it isn’t for you, pristine, relic or somewhere in between.  

    As a side note, I’ve too many humbucker equipped guitars so my t59v (which isn’t quite what you are after but may be a temptation) may be available if you’re interested -in short it’s awesome and the biggest sounding guitar I currently own but I’m in a Rickenbacker and jazzmaster phase.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24579
    They make exceptionally good mandolins for the money...
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
  • TeyeplayerTeyeplayer Frets: 3132
    They make exceptionally good mandolins for the money...
    And a lot of their acoustics are looking like a pretty fine spec for the money too.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24579
    They make exceptionally good mandolins for the money...
    And a lot of their acoustics are looking like a pretty fine spec for the money too.
    I have played a few of their mandolins and owned one - never tried an acoustic, but if they are as good as the mandolins then they are worth twice the money.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • guitars4youguitars4you Frets: 14034
    tFB Trader
    I have a very discerning customer, with all the usual top end gear - he recently purchased an Eastman LP style - Can't recall the model but around £1700 - Get over the headstock logo and the made in China badge and very little to fault it - How well it feels and plays is always a matter of taste - many will question the made in China tag especially at such a price, but they are very nice instruments - Granted low re-sale values due to those 2 issues mentioned earlier, but only an issue if you need to sell
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • TeyeplayerTeyeplayer Frets: 3132
    I have a very discerning customer, with all the usual top end gear - he recently purchased an Eastman LP style - Can't recall the model but around £1700 - Get over the headstock logo and the made in China badge and very little to fault it - How well it feels and plays is always a matter of taste - many will question the made in China tag especially at such a price, but they are very nice instruments - Granted low re-sale values due to those 2 issues mentioned earlier, but only an issue if you need to sell
    I think you hit the nail on the head, it’s about getting over those preconceived ideas of ‘not a gibson’ and ‘made in china’. I’ve got to say, I’m a convert -too many Gibson’s haven’t been quite right. 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • TeyeplayerTeyeplayer Frets: 3132
    I have a very discerning customer, with all the usual top end gear - he recently purchased an Eastman LP style - Can't recall the model but around £1700 - Get over the headstock logo and the made in China badge and very little to fault it - How well it feels and plays is always a matter of taste - many will question the made in China tag especially at such a price, but they are very nice instruments - Granted low re-sale values due to those 2 issues mentioned earlier, but only an issue if you need to sell
    I think you hit the nail on the head, it’s about getting over those preconceived ideas of ‘not a gibson’ and ‘made in china’. I’ve got to say, I’m a convert -too many Gibson’s haven’t been quite right. 
    As an edit, when gibson get it right they are sublime, it just doesn’t happen enough for my liking. 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
Sign In or Register to comment.