eastman

[bluegrassdan]

Are Eastman mandolins better than they used to be? I have one from 2005 that i never play. Very thin and quiet even after set ups and new cumberland bridge. Gave up on it. Wonder what its worth.

[Bob Buckingham]

Eastman mandolins vary. I think they are getting better as they refine them. I would still have to play one before I bought it. I picked up a 515 at a shop the other day that was not bad at all. I had a 315 that was killer but I sold it to a kid to help him get going on the mandolin and he did something to it so he is not playing it any more I found out. I think like most brands there is a degree of variablity in their product but they are IMHO the best mandolins in that price range.

[cobow18]

I have a 515v. Took a chance and ordered it online from banjo ben. It is an awesome mandolin! For the price it would be hard to beat. Its only my second mandolin ever and my first decent one and it has certainly served me well.

[dwc]

I had one of the very first Eastman mandolins; it was one of the prototypes that they took to NAAM in either ‘04 or ‘05. It didn’t even have “Eastman” on the headstock (and yes, I did confirm that it was actually built by Eastman). It was OK as my first mandolin, but I have played a lot of Eastman (10-12) in the intervening years, and yes, the Eastman mandolins built today are much better than the early ones, and I would say, in my experience, while there is certainly variation from instrument to instrument, they are generally pretty solid, especially as beginner instruments. I think the 3 series in particular is a good value as a first mandolin.

[RobP]

I have a 515v. Took a chance and ordered it online from banjo ben. It is an awesome mandolin! For the price it would be hard to beat. Its only my second mandolin ever and my first decent one and it has certainly served me well.

Ditto... I got the itch last year and bought a 515/v used from the classifieds. It's fantastic in both sound and playability. I play it more than my Collings MT.

[Dennis Satterlee]

I just purchased an Eastman MD514 F style oval hole from The Mandolin Store last month. My first oval hole after 15 years of playing. I didn't consider the price a lot of money compared to other manufacturers but it's not cheap either. I am impressed with the quality of this mandolin. Fit and finish , tone, ease of playing. According to the warrantee it was either built (I doubt it) or imported, on June 6, 2022. For something this "green" it has better sustain than some of my favorite guitars. And if you like the "tubby" tone of an oval hole this has it and then some. I've never seen or played any other Eastmans, I bought this based on what I read about them here on the Cafe. I would buy this again tomorrow. Great product for the money

[JFMando]

Yes. I've owned quite a few Eastman's, and I feel like the newer ones are a lot better than the early years. I have a 2019 315 right now that sounds great and plays incredibly well.

[Trader Todd]

I bought a 515 from the classifieds when I started to get serious about my playing. I think it is a ‘13 or ‘14. It sounds and plays great. Shortly after buying it I bought an 815 which I thought would be an upgrade. The 815 didn’t have nearly the same volume, projection or tone as the 515. My plan was to sell the 515 and 815 to fund my Northfield F5s but the 515 sounded too good to part with. While the Northfield has a warmer and sweeter tone, the projection and volume on the 515 is just as good if not better. It’s as close to a PAC Rim Hoss as it gets. I always get complements on the 515 when play at our local jam.

[tiltman]

I always check out the Eastman booth at Wintergrass - lots of mandolins - definitely variation from instrument to instrument.

A few years ago, one really blew me away.

Kirk

[M19]

My first Mandolin is an Eastman MD615. It has all the volume and sustain that I could want. Wish the nut was 1/8, but all things considered, it's great.