Hi everyone. Does anyone have experience with the high end Eastman basses? Are they well made? Do the seams hold up? Any issues to be aware of?
Thanks in advance!
Thanks in advance!
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Double Bass Eastman Carved Basses?
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What models are you curious about specifically? I played a VB305 in a shop when trying out instruments last summer and thought it was quite a nice instrument for its price point.
FWIW I’ve seen, heard and played a lot of Eastman string instruments in my job as an elementary strings teacher, and in general they seem to be well made with good materials. As with any mass produced instruments, some sounded better than others.
FWIW I’ve seen, heard and played a lot of Eastman string instruments in my job as an elementary strings teacher, and in general they seem to be well made with good materials. As with any mass produced instruments, some sounded better than others.
To answer your question, somewhat indirectly, there are factory tour videos.
I have a small collection of Eastman acoustic guitars, and they have superb craftsmanship and sound.
I have a small collection of Eastman acoustic guitars, and they have superb craftsmanship and sound.
Thanks for the reply! Im looking at the VB702 GR Gamba, the VB605 Master Gamba, The VB 928 Emiliani and the VB701GR Doetsch Gamba. A student of mine can get them at a discount and I was wondering about them. He is heading to college for music next year and intends to play mostly jazz.
No help on the bass question, but I have an Eastman arch top guitar and higher-end mandolin and both are outstanding.
A player in my section recently bought a bass labelled 'Andreas Eastman'. I am not sure the model; but she paid $11K CAD and it's amazing.
It's very resonate, with no dead spots.
She could have told me she paid $25K and I would believe her.
It's very resonate, with no dead spots.
She could have told me she paid $25K and I would believe her.
They're really nice, but at that level, I'd be going to a proper violin shop to compare against other professional instruments. There's a lot available in that price range, and all these instruments are handmade; you never know which one will tickle the itch.
Provenance: my wife had a VL702 Doetsch Guarneri pattern, which was really good for advanced students (a bit quiet for orchestral), but has since upgraded to a 1933 Georg Heinl Strad. I have an Eastman Romeo thinline archtop, which is stupendous (in top 3 best guitars I've played at any price point).
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JazznFunk
Supporting Member
Eastman, Christopher, Kohr, and Shen are all universally regarded as very well-made and solid instruments from China for the price point. Many of them often come from the same factory, or factories of related quality and consistency. My 2004 Johannes Kohr carved top has no issues with seams or any cracking/separation. Depends on the setup and overall workmanship of each specific instrument though. Buy from a reputable shop who goes over everything in detail and sets it up and you should be in good shape. I would not buy sight-unseen, regardless of the label on the instrument.
I have encountered many eastman instruments.
every violin maker I know has agreed they make really nice stuff.
Nothing to really complain about. every instrument is of course an individual, but they are reputable and generally very competitive at their price point.
every violin maker I know has agreed they make really nice stuff.
Nothing to really complain about. every instrument is of course an individual, but they are reputable and generally very competitive at their price point.
There is a difference in the varnish between the 700 and 900 series basses (I'm not sure if the woods are that different between them):
www.eastmanstrings.com
Eastman - Bass - Professional
Each bass has a voice of its own. The level of attention to detail during the making process produces a unique sound and look to each Eastman professional bass.
www.eastmanstrings.com
i've bought and sold a couple of Eastman instruments (guitar, mandolin), reasonable quality for the price but I would demo the heck out of many instruments before committing to another Eastman.
I have an Eastman VB200. It has been a great bass for me for past 10 years or so. I am not the original owner, and for the price, I don't know that I could have done better (especially living in a rural area)I love the tone and it has been structurally sound. FWIW, I have only owned one bass before this one, and the upgrade was substantial.
On the orchestral side, Eastman seems to really own the student space, but once you move up-market, there's a lot more choice.
A few months ago I sold my plywood bass and I purchased a 20 year old fully carved Eastman. It has been in the New Mexico and Colorado dry climate for all of it's life. I brought it to my luthier for proper set up. The neck was a little fat, so she shaved around 20% off. It was not played alot, but now that I'm playing it daily, the sound is really opening up. The trio I play with also commented on how good this bass sounds.I love this bass and I was very reluctant to buy a Chinese bass, but now I'm sold. No cracks and no issues anywhere. My luthier, who also builds basses, says's its a well built bass.
The thing is, you gotta play it, have trusted friends play it both to get their feedback and for you to listen. If you're a jazz player, checking out the amplified sound is pretty important too. Maybe pay a trusted luthier give it a physical. I've known folks with "NoNamay" instruments that were fabulous bargains, and folks who wildly overpaid for a pedigree. The answers you get in a space like this are pretty useless. I'm sure some Eastman basses are wonderful and others not so much.
Totally! The thing is, the discount is HUGE when the bass is bought direct and shipped. HUGE. I'm thinking about having it shipped to the best luthier in the area for an immediate assessment and setup. The bass CAN be returned too. It seems like it might be a great situation potentially, given the HUGE discount.
I’m looking at one of these Andres Martin models… the hybrid version. I’ve not tried it yet as the shop just got it and hasn’t put a bridge or strings on it yet. However… some questions I had were answered: (1) does its big bottom fit into a 3/4 bag? - yes, but its noticeably tight. (2) does the smaller upper bout make the scroll hit the floor when it’s laid in its side? Unfortunately, this is a yes. The “eye” of the scroll touched the floor. Not sure how I feel about that… seems like it’d be putting pressure on some sensitive parts. However..: the neck felt great… better than even the vb305 I tried. The slim upper bout made reaching the end of the extended finger board easy. I’m debating between this and a Quenoil shaped 105 or 305. I really like eastmans approach to hybrids… only the sides are laminate. Anyone have an opinion on this hybrid approach or the Andres Martin signature (either the hybrid or fully carved)?. Thanks.
How much extra width would be needed to get the scroll off the ground? Can you ask a luthier to install some bumpers on the upper bout to give you a bit of clearance? You might want bumpers anyway, but if it's close, you can maybe use an extra-thick one on the upper bout.
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