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Thread: Arm rest for Eastman 315.

  1. #1
    Registered User Flame Maple's Avatar
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    Default Arm rest for Eastman 315.

    Hi to everyone ,
    I am a new guy to Mandolins, have been playing guitar for many years.
    I had a look on the internet and gleaned as much information as possible and decided to start with an Eastman M D 315 It arrived 10 days ago .Its as everybody has said, a great sound and plenty of projection.
    As other Cafe forum members has mentioned , the tuners are below par and are difficult to tune as they jump from sharp to flat.Being a newcomer to Mandolin and not that up on Mandolins I rely on the experience of others ,thats why I joined Mandolin Cafe.
    The first issue with the tuners is simple ,a set of Grovers from Stewmac .The other issue is, it appears that its only possible to buy an arm rest from the U S A , I need one as my style of playing or my approach feels uncomfortable and the edge digs in my arm.
    I have seen some really nice armrests but all from the USA , does any body know if there are some available in Europe.
    If its not possible to buy one in Europe , what is a good armrest that is
    available from the USA .
    Last edited by Flame Maple; Jul-16-2015 at 5:26pm.

  2. #2
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    Default Re: Arm rest for Eastman 315.

    I have a Doug Edwards McClung armrest on my 315 and I really like it.
    http://hillcountrystringworks.com/armrest5.html

  3. #3
    Registered User Flame Maple's Avatar
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    Default Re: Arm rest for Eastman 315.

    Hi Mike, many thanks for the reply , which Mc Clung model do you have on your MD 315

    As a matter of interest ,have you changed the tuners ?.

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    Default Re: Arm rest for Eastman 315.

    On the page that I included I think it's the first one on the right in the "curly maple" section at the top. Here it is on my mandolin. Note that I polished my mandolin so it's not matte anymore. But it is a 315 from 2013.
    Click image for larger version. 

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  5. #5
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    Default Re: Arm rest for Eastman 315.

    I would contact Trevor at this address;

    http://www.theacousticmusicco.co.uk/...luithers-.html

    Maybe he can help.

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  7. #6
    Registered User Flame Maple's Avatar
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    Default Re: Arm rest for Eastman 315.

    Thank you George .

  8. #7
    Registered User Flame Maple's Avatar
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    Default Re: Arm rest for Eastman 315.

    That looks nice Mike , a new tailpiece?.When you say polished ,was it buffed to that finish or did you do it by hand.Is that something a Luthier needs to do.
    As i said this is my first time with owning a Mandolin. I have a couple of Telecasters ,a 2003 PRS Hollowbody 1artist pack and an early 80s Yamaha AE 1200 S Jazz guitar. Plus a decent Tanglewood Acoustic. I have always liked the Mandolin ever since I heard Bill Monroe do Uncle Penn.Used to play in a band with a guy who played Peddle Steel and Banjo and I love Blue grass and Country music.

  9. #8
    Pittsburgh Bill
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    Default Re: Arm rest for Eastman 315.

    McClungs on everything I play. I do not rest my pinky, ball of my hand or anything for that matter except my forearm on the McClungs. They really help me maintain freedom where I need it.
    Big Muddy EM8 solid body (Mike Dulak's final EM8 build)
    Kentucky KM-950
    Weber Gallatin A Mandola "D hole"
    Rogue 100A (current campfire tool & emergency canoe paddle)

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  11. #9
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    Default Re: Arm rest for Eastman 315.

    Quote Originally Posted by Flame Maple View Post
    That looks nice Mike , a new tailpiece?.When you say polished ,was it buffed to that finish or did you do it by hand.Is that something a Luthier needs to do.
    You can do it by hand. I noticed that even though I don't plant my pinky, just brushing my hand over time caused a couple small shiny places. So with some polishing compound I just rubbed it out. I love how it turned out. It's not really glossy but has more of a nice vintage look. I did also change the tailpiece (Allen) and the tuners (Grover 309, ordered black buttons separately). I would not have said either was necessary but I'm glad I did both.

  12. #10
    Registered User Flame Maple's Avatar
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    Default Re: Arm rest for Eastman 315.

    Thank you Bill,Mc Clungs seems to be the answer.

  13. #11
    Registered User Flame Maple's Avatar
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    Default Re: Arm rest for Eastman 315.

    Thank you for your reply Mike ,you made a nice job of polishing the Eastman.

  14. #12
    Registered User Flame Maple's Avatar
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    Default Re: Arm rest for Eastman 315.

    The McClung is on its way Mike ,thanks for the photos .

  15. #13
    Registered User Flame Maple's Avatar
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    Default Re: Arm rest for Eastman 315.

    Hi Mike ,please could you explain the function of the small items on the strings before the bridge.
    Your Eastman looks nice polished , I will have a go at doing the same to my MD 315.

    Fred

  16. #14

    Default Re: Arm rest for Eastman 315.

    Hi Flame Maple - enjoy your 315 and your mandolin journey!

    Just one thing - you mention in your opening post that the tuners are problematic because the notes jump from sharp to flat when tuning. A string that's binding in the nut can also cause this problem. Before going to the expense of changing the tuners, loosen the offending string so that you can pull it out of its nut slot, then rub a sharpened pencil into the slot. This will lubricate the nut, allowing the string to "travel" better without binding. A tiny bit of Vaseline will have the same effect, but can be messier. Once you've done it, pop the string back in the slot and tune it up.

    Give it a try and see if it helps.

  17. #15
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    Default Re: Arm rest for Eastman 315.

    Quote Originally Posted by Flame Maple View Post
    Hi Mike ,please could you explain the function of the small items on the strings before the bridge.
    Your Eastman looks nice polished , I will have a go at doing the same to my MD 315.

    Fred
    Fred,
    Those are just rubber grommets that prevent overtones. Sometimes if you jam real hard on chords you can hear a ringing. Those are there to mute that. I could barely hear any ringing before and even then rarely. But I ordered some from ebay to try. Like the tuners and the tailpiece it's probably more about having fun messing with the mandolin than any big increase in tone. I like tinkering.

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  19. #16
    Registered User Flame Maple's Avatar
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    Default Re: Arm rest for Eastman 315.

    Thanks for the reply Mike ,Im a bit of a tinkerer myself.

  20. #17
    Registered User Flame Maple's Avatar
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    Default Re: Arm rest for Eastman 315.

    Hi Johnny ,thanks for that information about the graphite in the nut .That is worth a try .

  21. #18
    Registered User Flame Maple's Avatar
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    Default Re: Arm rest for Eastman 315.

    I would like to thank all the people that have taken the time to reply to my posts and have given me more insight into this wonderful
    instrument.
    Last edited by Flame Maple; Jul-21-2015 at 4:52pm.

  22. #19
    Registered User Flame Maple's Avatar
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    Default Re: Arm rest for Eastman 315.

    Hi Mike ,

    What kind of polishing compound did you use on your Eastman.Was it one for a car , something like Turtle wax?

  23. #20
    Registered User Flame Maple's Avatar
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    Default Re: Arm rest for Eastman 315.

    It seems that the tuning problem on the Eastman was with a cheap handy tuner I was using. I changed a set of strings on one of my guitars today and used the
    in line tuner on my pedal board and tuned the mandolin at the same time, its so easy to tune ,no jumping sharp to flat , nice and smooth .

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