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Thread: Where are the Eastman OMs?

  1. #1
    Registered User Al Trujillo's Avatar
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    Default Where are the Eastman OMs?

    After their unveiling it seemed a few were around. Since then they’ve been pretty rare. At their price point they are certainly appealing but I’d like to put my hands on one and try one out (And My wife wants my Christmas list sooner rather than later). Anyone hear anything about whether they’ll start showing up again soon?

  2. #2
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    Default Re: Where are the Eastman OMs?

    Eastman seems unable to keep up with the demand for these. Nobody in the US seems to have them in stock right now. The dealers have orders in for supply from Eastman when some become available. The Mandolin Store is probably the biggest Eastman dealer in the US, and they are reporting that Eastman has told them they would be getting some “in a few weeks”. They are accepting pre-orders.
    Don

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  4. #3
    Jerry Cobbs jerrycobbs's Avatar
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    Default Re: Where are the Eastman OMs?

    I just got one! My first "real" OM (not counting the piece of nameless junk I bought online just to see if I might want to try an octave). My local store got two and one was sold the day it came in. My wife went in for a violin lesson and sent me a picture, and I bought it the next day. I wasn't going to be in such a hurry but when I started reading online about how long people were waiting and how fast they were selling, I jumped on it.

    If you try it, you'll like it I think. It sounded wonderful and I like the neck better than the Weber they had hanging next to it. It's a beauty.

    I did a side-by-side with a Weber Bitterroot A-20. Did the Weber sound better? Not so much better as different. The Eastman is definitely a bit brighter, but I can't say one was better than the other, especially not $3,200 better. If my name was Sierra Hull or Sarah Jarosz or Justin Moses I might feel differently. As it is I'm more than satisfied and feeling pretty lucky at the moment.
    -- Johnson MA-100 Mando
    -- Eastman MDO-305 OM
    -- 3 Seagull Merlin dulcimers (2GDG, 1DAD)
    -- 1952 Harmony Roy Smeck guitar
    -- Ortega Lizzie Ubass
    -- Leigh Campbell electric violin
    -- Pfretzschner violin
    -- Glaesel viola
    -- Ibanez acoustic/electric guitar
    -- Misc: a cello, 2 cigarbox guitars, charango, djembe, slide dulcimer.

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    Registered User Eric Platt's Avatar
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    Default Re: Where are the Eastman OMs?

    Yeah, Eastman seems to have a tough time keeping them in stock. Had mine a bit over a year. It's a good entry level OM. I like the neck better than some more expensive models I've played.

    Have performed with mine in every situation from solo to large ensembles. It works best with other instruments, IMO.
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    Default Re: Where are the Eastman OMs?

    Just a few months ago I was interested in a mandocello. I saw that Eastman makes one with all solid woods and other good things. I inquired and found out that Eastman has just, on that day, gotten one ready. It was the model with the oval soundhole (what I wanted!) . I ordered and received it quickly (near 1800, tax, shipping all included, not too bad, retail is about 2K). When I got it I was surprised by the quality of the instrument. I had gotten an Eastman mandolin about 10 years ago, high end, and it was not built well and I returned that one. But this mandocello is wonderful. The nitro finish is thin (not as thin as Martin, but really pretty close as far as I can tell.) . It rings forever. Maple nicely bursted and stained. Neck is wide and fairly thin, just how I like it. Now if I can just lengthen my fingers by about an inch, I'll be able to play it adequately! I am used to the OM and Mandolin, the Cello is a far longer scale and it makes me work. But, what sound! I like this instrument, it is a keeper. If you want one of their OM's, I believe that they are worth waiting for.
    Clark Savage Turner
    Los Osos, CA.

  9. #6
    Registered User Glassweb's Avatar
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    Default Re: Where are the Eastman OMs?

    Quote Originally Posted by clarksavage View Post
    Just a few months ago I was interested in a mandocello. I saw that Eastman makes one with all solid woods and other good things. I inquired and found out that Eastman has just, on that day, gotten one ready. It was the model with the oval soundhole (what I wanted!) . I ordered and received it quickly (near 1800, tax, shipping all included, not too bad, retail is about 2K). When I got it I was surprised by the quality of the instrument. I had gotten an Eastman mandolin about 10 years ago, high end, and it was not built well and I returned that one. But this mandocello is wonderful. The nitro finish is thin (not as thin as Martin, but really pretty close as far as I can tell.) . It rings forever. Maple nicely bursted and stained. Neck is wide and fairly thin, just how I like it. Now if I can just lengthen my fingers by about an inch, I'll be able to play it adequately! I am used to the OM and Mandolin, the Cello is a far longer scale and it makes me work. But, what sound! I like this instrument, it is a keeper. If you want one of their OM's, I believe that they are worth waiting for.
    The Eastman of today is so far beyond what they were doing 10 years ago... think Hyundai 2000 as compared to today....

  10. #7

    Default Re: Where are the Eastman OMs?

    I was fortunate enough to visit Music Villa in Bozeman, MT less than a week after I'd driven the 140 miles there to pick up my MD515, and spied a OMD305 on the wall. I picked it up and had to have it. It had come in two days previously, and the sales guy said it had been on order for months. So my timing was right. A wonderful instrument! I ordered a 305 mandola a week after that, from Mass Street Music. They had three of those. So maybe they or someone else has an octave. From the sounds of it, only the mandos are regularly in stock at most dealers. I'll have to have a mandocello at some point as well.

  11. #8
    Registered User meow-n-dolin's Avatar
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    Default Re: Where are the Eastman OMs?

    I second that re the Eastman mandocello. I have had two. The first, the f-hole model, I had for the better part of a year before it was destroyed in a fire. I now have the oval hole model. The workmanship on both was beyond reproach, and with some "normal-gauge, flat-wound strings from Emando.com, sound(ed) very nice: http://emando.com/shop/strings_cello.htm .

    The only adjustment I had to make on either was to lower the bridge by about one full-turn, and on the previous one I had to take about 1/2 turn up on the truss rod after about six months. I also have the "gold top" mando. Their quality, and the consistency of that quality, but my personal experience, though a limited sample, is excellent.

  12. #9
    Jerry Cobbs jerrycobbs's Avatar
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    Default Re: Where are the Eastman OMs?

    I just saw this on Reverb. Won't be there long. NFI.

    https://reverb.com/item/24839896-eas...5-2018-classic
    -- Johnson MA-100 Mando
    -- Eastman MDO-305 OM
    -- 3 Seagull Merlin dulcimers (2GDG, 1DAD)
    -- 1952 Harmony Roy Smeck guitar
    -- Ortega Lizzie Ubass
    -- Leigh Campbell electric violin
    -- Pfretzschner violin
    -- Glaesel viola
    -- Ibanez acoustic/electric guitar
    -- Misc: a cello, 2 cigarbox guitars, charango, djembe, slide dulcimer.

  13. #10

    Default Re: Where are the Eastman OMs?

    Quote Originally Posted by meow-n-dolin View Post
    I second that re the Eastman mandocello. I have had two. The first, the f-hole model, I had for the better part of a year before it was destroyed in a fire. I now have the oval hole model. The workmanship on both was beyond reproach, and with some "normal-gauge, flat-wound strings from Emando.com, sound(ed) very nice: http://emando.com/shop/strings_cello.htm .

    The only adjustment I had to make on either was to lower the bridge by about one full-turn, and on the previous one I had to take about 1/2 turn up on the truss rod after about six months. I also have the "gold top" mando. Their quality, and the consistency of that quality, but my personal experience, though a limited sample, is excellent.

    Yummay! I've seen a few gold top Eastman mandolas and mandos out there, and (being a guitar player), I've drooled a little bit over those. I need to buy another gold top Les Paul...

  14. #11

    Default Re: Where are the Eastman OMs?

    Dennis & Brian have one at the Mandolin Store. I played it yesterday. It surprised me how well it was built. I figured they'd be bare bones, but this had a great feel to it. I only spent about 5 minutes with it, but as I was hanging it back up I was thinking how much I'd like to take it to a session and see how well it drives. I got the feeling it would do just fine.
    Last edited by Gerry Cassidy; May-31-2019 at 2:49pm.

  15. #12

    Default Re: Where are the Eastman OMs?

    How often have you guys seen the Eastman Octave mandos get listed used? Been looking for a little while, but I've never lucked onto one currently for sale.

  16. #13
    Registered User Eric Platt's Avatar
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    Default Re: Where are the Eastman OMs?

    Quote Originally Posted by mojocaster View Post
    How often have you guys seen the Eastman Octave mandos get listed used? Been looking for a little while, but I've never lucked onto one currently for sale.
    I've seen them show up here in the Classifieds and occasionally on Reverb.com Haven't been on the latter recently, so not sure if there are any there right now.

    There do seem to be less of them available than used Pono OM's FWIW.
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  17. #14

    Default Re: Where are the Eastman OMs?

    As per the Cafe Classifieds, TMS just got some in stock. As for used, you might be better off taking the plunge and buying a new one. I think I can count on one hand the number of used ones I’ve seen advertised.

  18. #15
    Administrator Mandolin Cafe's Avatar
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    Default Re: Where are the Eastman OMs?

    True, The Mandolin Store has a lot of them, actually. They're easily the volume Eastman dealer for all things mandolin related. But finding these used, not often available.

  19. #16

    Default Re: Where are the Eastman OMs?

    Thanks, that's what I was thinking, but I was wondering if I was looking for them at the wrong time :D

  20. #17
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    Default Re: Where are the Eastman OMs?

    Yep, what Scott said. There aren’t a lot of these in the wild yet, and most of those that have them seem to like them...
    Chuck

  21. #18

    Default Re: Where are the Eastman OMs?

    Come on people, get bored, fall in lust with something else, and list a few of these in the classifieds

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  23. #19
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    Default Re: Where are the Eastman OMs?

    I found mine at a dealer in Virginia from a Reverb posting. All it took was a little time on the UPS truck to get it to Oregon. Once I get my Clark OM, sometime around February or March, it will be available. In the interim, it is fun to play.

  24. #20
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    Default Re: Where are the Eastman OMs?

    https://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/146825#146825

    There are two Eastman OMs in the classifieds that have been there since November. One of the links didn’t copy but they are close to each other.

  25. #21
    flyfishermandolinist
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    Default Re: Where are the Eastman OMs?

    I recently noticed one in the online inventory on the Denver Folklore Center website, since you seem to be in CO. NFI.

  26. #22

    Default Re: Where are the Eastman OMs?

    There's a used one on Ebay right now for $600. There are five or six new ones on Reverb.

    https://tinyurl.com/voszp7h

  27. #23

    Default Re: Where are the Eastman OMs?

    The one on Ebay is local pick up only. I ended up buying a Pono...

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