Eastwood Classic Tenor - Experiences from other owners?
Hello all
I have an Eastwood Classic tenor - it's shall we say, not quite up to the Warren Ellis models (others here will know what I mean I think) in quality control.
The biggest issue by far for is the electrical buzzing - the usual thing - touch the metal and it goes. It's far too excessive and I did have the opportunity to replace (but I'm ridiculously disorganised and was gigging it lots then), so this is not a critique of Eastwood themselves - more their manufacturing plant's QC.
Everything else is OK. they have much nicer neck width for a start...
I did read of someone I think on Facebook who got a luthier to sort it. But the guy I know who's an acknowledged musical tech repairer (amps, pedals, you name it) said he didn't want to go near it
Thoughts please? I like the instrument, I'd like to spend time on it over time to get better pups and a bigsby retrofitted but I need this sorted too.
I could try one of the various noise reduction pedals out there - there's some cheap little ones like the Donner that gets a good review online
South West UK if you have recommendations that aren't the super busy but super lovely Mr Waghorn.
Re: Eastwood Classic Tenor - Experiences from other owners?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Lord of the Badgers
Hello all
I have an Eastwood Classic tenor - it's shall we say, not quite up to the Warren Ellis models (others here will know what I mean I think) in quality control.
The biggest issue by far for is the electrical buzzing - the usual thing - touch the metal and it goes. It's far too excessive and I did have the opportunity to replace (but I'm ridiculously disorganised and was gigging it lots then), so this is not a critique of Eastwood themselves - more their manufacturing plant's QC.
Everything else is OK. they have much nicer neck width for a start...
I did read of someone I think on Facebook who got a luthier to sort it. But the guy I know who's an acknowledged musical tech repairer (amps, pedals, you name it) said he didn't want to go near it
Thoughts please? I like the instrument, I'd like to spend time on it over time to get better pups and a bigsby retrofitted but I need this sorted too.
I could try one of the various noise reduction pedals out there - there's some cheap little ones like the Donner that gets a good review online
South West UK if you have recommendations that aren't the super busy but super lovely Mr Waghorn.
Hi - not from the UK and FWIW, I have an Eastwood mandocaster and I had good success with two upgrades. 1. I bought new pickups from Almuse in your own UK (pete@peteandsue.force9.co.uk). Pete is a great guy, asked me what my preferred setup is and added a few winds to the pickup to make it the way I wanted. I can't recall cost but it was entirely reasonable. I almost got them installed correctly but did an inadequate job of soldering so local luthier fixed my shoddy workmanship in 5 mins for free. 2. I bought gold foil (self-adhesive, from Stew Mac) and lined both cavities with it. This was very easy and even fun and took at most 30 minutes.
End result is no hum at all. I have a 1966 Fender VibroChamp amp and it's very very quiet.
Re: Eastwood Classic Tenor - Experiences from other owners?
hi mate, cool. My other and most beloved manson electric (solid rather than semi) has started buzzing a bit and that's silver foil lined. I may get some of this foil; but don't know how that'd work on a semi.
no expert... sounds like a plan to get allmuse or similar on the case. I'll look up their four pole offerings
Re: Eastwood Classic Tenor - Experiences from other owners?
Re: Eastwood Classic Tenor - Experiences from other owners?
According to the way you're explaining it, it sounds like you have a grounding problem.
The most common reason for this is the wire connecting the strings (via the bridge/tailpiece) to ground isn't happening for some reason.
Best test is to take your hands off the strings - if it buzzes then you have been the ground, meaning the wire either isn't connected or isn't there.
Other than that you're into making sure everything is grounded and soldered properly. It's not a big deal, you just need someone who knows what they're doing and it's usually a pretty easy fix. The complicating factor is you have no easy access to the controls on most archtops like that, so someone has to start fishing through f-holes for wires and pots.
Sometimes ungrounded pickup covers can also cause problems.
In short, they probably wired the pickups to the pots and output jack and didn't take a ground wire off the bridge/tailpiece/strings because that's too much work.
Re: Eastwood Classic Tenor - Experiences from other owners?
I bought a classic tenor in the initial crowd funding period. Mine has an annoying rattle in the neck caused by trussrod being too loose. I purchased some kind of expanding solution that is would normally be injected into the loose dowel joints of antique furniture to expand the wood & then set. I injected this stuff down the trussrod hole but it had little effect. I vowed that I’d never buy an Eastwood guitar again! However I did relent & treated myself to a nice Astrojet from the classifieds but only after I tried it first.
Re: Eastwood Classic Tenor - Experiences from other owners?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Harley Marty
I bought a classic tenor in the initial crowd funding period. Mine has an annoying rattle in the neck caused by trussrod being too loose. I purchased some kind of expanding solution that is would normally be injected into the loose dowel joints of antique furniture to expand the wood & then set. I injected this stuff down the trussrod hole but it had little effect. I vowed that I’d never buy an Eastwood guitar again! However I did relent & treated myself to a nice Astrojet from the classifieds but only after I tried it first.
the warren ellis models are a LOT better on quality control - perhaps the astrojet is korean made too (Eastwood's own admission to me).
The classic was my first electric tenor - so i took the rough with the smooth until i got my manson.
I accepted most of its foibles, but the buzzing got too frustrating - i just probably need to find a really good electrics focussed guy in my area
1 Attachment(s)
Re: Eastwood Classic Tenor - Experiences from other owners?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Lord of the Badgers
the warren ellis models are a LOT better on quality control - perhaps the astrojet is korean made too (Eastwood's own admission to me).
The classic was my first electric tenor - so i took the rough with the smooth until i got my manson.
I accepted most of its foibles, but the buzzing got too frustrating - i just probably need to find a really good electrics focussed guy in my area
That's unfortunate as it's the only Eastwood tenor I've fancied so far.
Here's a quick fix. If the buzzing goes away when you put your hand on the strings then you need to ground them. The easy way is to take a piece of wire (bared at both ends) and connect it to the tailpiece then to the output jack as per the red line.
Attachment 190400
Assuming the tailpiece and the output jack are conductive (if you touch the tailpiece and the buzzing goes away then it's conductive) this fix isn't pretty but at least you'll be able to play it until you get a tech to wire it properly.
Re: Eastwood Classic Tenor - Experiences from other owners?
Hey Verne - many thanks man - nice one
Re: Eastwood Classic Tenor - Experiences from other owners?
I still live vainly in the hope that modern Gretsch might fancy a line of tenors again...
Re: Eastwood Classic Tenor - Experiences from other owners?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Lord of the Badgers
Hello all
I have an Eastwood Classic tenor... I did read of someone I think on Facebook who got a luthier to sort it...
Hi Rob - I hope all is well.
I don't know if this is the review you referenced in the original post.
"I love the look and feel. I can't wait to get it back from the luthier after he fixes the string spacing, the rattling loose pickup, neck set-up, rattling wires, grounding the pickups properly so it's a real humbuckers. It was difficult to give it to a luthier the day after I got it. He is putting a bone nut and a vintage gretsch roller bridge on it for improved tone and playability. The luthier did say he was going to order one for himself and tune it up. A beautiful guitar with lots of potential. Dissappointed that after requesting for the company to please take their time making sure it didn't have any buzzing or hrattles before shipping it to me. Fret buzz, rattling pickup and poor string spacing were all I could find wrong with this beautiful axe. Can't wait to get it back." -Eric Walcher · Reviewed on Google
"A beautiful guitar with lots of potential" convinced me to get one (used Redburst). I guess I'm willing to modify it to my liking. I'll find out next week. So very happy regular string spacing, just can't jive with the wide spaced Warren Ellis models.
Have you got any gigs lined-up yet?
Best,
Huck
Re: Eastwood Classic Tenor - Experiences from other owners?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Huck
Hi Rob - I hope all is well.
I don't know if this is the review you referenced in the original post.
"I love the look and feel. I can't wait to get it back from the luthier after he fixes the string spacing, the rattling loose pickup, neck set-up, rattling wires, grounding the pickups properly so it's a real humbuckers. It was difficult to give it to a luthier the day after I got it. He is putting a bone nut and a vintage gretsch roller bridge on it for improved tone and playability. The luthier did say he was going to order one for himself and tune it up. A beautiful guitar with lots of potential. Dissappointed that after requesting for the company to please take their time making sure it didn't have any buzzing or hrattles before shipping it to me. Fret buzz, rattling pickup and poor string spacing were all I could find wrong with this beautiful axe. Can't wait to get it back." -Eric Walcher · Reviewed on Google
"A beautiful guitar with lots of potential" convinced me to get one (used Redburst). I guess I'm willing to modify it to my liking. I'll find out next week. So very happy regular string spacing, just can't jive with the wide spaced Warren Ellis models.
Have you got any gigs lined-up yet?
Best,
Huck
Hi mate
Wasn't that, but maybe the same guy - while back!
Let's face it - people have been modding the fender teles with string trees etc and pickup swapping is soooo normal.
And you're spot on re: Warren Ellis spacing - gave me total panics a few times live thinking i'd snapped a string
Yeah gig wise we do; band rehearsals start monday first gig is HOPEFULLY our normally yearly festival in mid-late august; if not, sept 5th (another "home gig")
hope all well... nice one re new purchases
Re: Eastwood Classic Tenor - Experiences from other owners?
I do not know how to crunch the numbers but it appears that Eastwood is the most common noun on the forum lately, a close second to Mandolin. They must be doing a really good job. I hope the workers earn a living wage.
4 Attachment(s)
Re: Eastwood Classic Tenor - Experiences from other owners?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Lord of the Badgers
Hello all
I have an Eastwood Classic tenor... Thoughts please? I like the instrument, I'd like to spend time on it over time to get better pups and a bigsby retrofitted but I need this sorted too.
Hi Rob-
Look at this:
Attachment 194747Attachment 194748
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Lord of the Badgers
Let's face it - people have been modding the fender teles with string trees etc and pickup swapping is soooo normal.
Okay cost-wise (Basic Stew-Mac parts): 3 pots $25, switch 20, jack 5, two hours labor (working through "f" holes) 120 = $170 plus the cost of pups. I like these:
Attachment 194749
https://www.stewmac.com/electronics/...kaAr16EALw_wcB
One-time upgrade to made it sound great: $300-$500.
Additional upgrades and maintenance: New nut $90, ebony bridge $30 (not painted glossy black like the one supplied) and replacement pickguard $35. Fretwork and setup. I got mine last winter for $375 - so around a grand. They have two of my guitars in the shop already, so this probably won't happen until winter. I'll post when I get it back.
By comparison:
Soares'y Arch Top Tenor Guitar / Acoustic / Electric 2021 Blond - Brand New $1,000
Attachment 194750
https://reverb.com/item/40797966-soa...show_sold=true
Best wishes,
Huck
9 Attachment(s)
Re: Eastwood Classic Tenor - Experiences from other owners?
Re: Eastwood Classic Tenor - Experiences from other owners?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Huck
One-time upgrade to made it sound great: $300-$500.
Additional upgrades and maintenance: New nut $90, ebony bridge $30 (not painted glossy black like the one supplied) and replacement pickguard $35. Fretwork and setup. I got mine last winter for $375 - so around a grand. They have two of my guitars in the shop already, so this probably won't happen until winter. I'll post when I get it back.
I don't have a problem with any of that. In fact I encourage players personalizing instruments to their tastes
Unfortunately this guitar sold as a semi-hollow - which means a center block to dampen feedback - whereas it is a fully hollow build without a center block. That means the Bigsby will not be floating on anything solid and using it live at any stage volume will cause feedback issues.
If they did a semi-hollow like they advertise I would have gotten one long ago.
I didn't know Gretsch was doing tenors again. Great news!
1 Attachment(s)
Re: Eastwood Classic Tenor - Experiences from other owners?
Hi Verne,
Hope you are well!
I wanted to post a picture of that 4 post Bigsby as Badger Rob expressed an interest and it is the only one I've encountered (found on Facebook). Vibrato arms aren't my thing, at least not yet. But, if I a 4-string Bigsby came into my path for purchase; I'd have one. I didn't even think they existed.
Just to clarify, that is a Gretsch Custom Shop Chet Atkins 6120 (Nashville) Tenor I posted. The six string version sells for $9-10k.
Thinking about going with the TVJ Super'Tron pups. I've been comparing Filtertron pick-ups, I think Super'Trons will suit me. Added bonus - blade pickups don't have the 2 extra poles. Have you any experience with any Filtertron or, in particular, Super'Tron pups?
Take care - Huck
Attachment 194776
1 Attachment(s)
Re: Eastwood Classic Tenor - Experiences from other owners?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Lord of the Badgers
I still live vainly in the hope that modern Gretsch might fancy a line of tenors again...
Their budget line - Rex - had 7 different acoustic models available in 1936 and, if I remember correctly, you could get any Gretsch electric with a tenor neck.
Attachment 194778
Re: Eastwood Classic Tenor - Experiences from other owners?
I'm doing fine, Huck - thanks and kind regards to you as well.
I don't have any experience with TV Jones pickups, sorry. A few thoughts to keep in mind though. There wasn't much thought put into guitar electronics back in the day much beyond getting a sound. All the talk about custom windings and etc. are all relatively recent phenomenon. A lot of what's called gold foil and silver foil pickups were just really cheap single-coils with no wax potting and poor grounding. The decades have obscured a bunch of reality as many wax prophetic over days of yore that never were.
My approach to electronics on this guitar would be similar to how I wired my Hagstrom Viking (a 335-type). Get a good set of 4 conductor humbucker pickups and wire them with master volume, pickup blend, coil-splitting, phase reversal and series-parallel options. I used P-Rails which are a humbucker made from a P-90 and a single-coil rail instead of 2 single-coils side-by-side. This lets me cover all the basis in a single guitar.
One key point to note - it's commonly known that the potentiomenter and capacitor values used on a single-coil pickup differ from what is used to get the best tone out of a humbucker pickup, yet this isn't usually taken into account when wiring coil-splits. Some boutique makers try to find a compromise by how they do their windings, but the best way is to wire the switch that changes between humbucker and single-coil to simultaneously switch capacitors and potentiometers. Since switches with that many contacts don't exist [that I can find] you have to select between switching the potentiometer or the capacitor. I switch capacitors which gets me 90% of the way there. When done properly you get a very versatile instrument capable of many tones.
But since there is no access to the electronics area this is all about fishing through f-holes and all that implies. Best to have a solid plan before diving in.
