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Thread: Eastman 515 neck too heavy

  1. #1

    Default Eastman 515 neck too heavy

    I recently bought an used Eastman 515 rather impulsively. I liked the looks of it and does sound nice but after playing it for a short while I noticed that the neck is really heavy and I had consciously hold the neck up while playing. If I let the mandolin hang on my neck by the strap and no hands on the instrument, the neck would fall towards the floor. I had to physically bring the neck up again and keep hold the neck. It became quickly tiring.
    Has anyone else had this impression ?
    I haven’t felt many mandolins to make a good comparison, but having work at holding the neck while playing is disappointing.
    All advice is appreciated.
    Dr.
    Last edited by Dr.Lee; Aug-26-2022 at 6:43am. Reason: Wrong grammar

  2. #2

    Default Re: Eastman 515 neck too heavy

    A tone gard (https://www.tone-gard.com/) might help with the balance. And of course also with the tone. I put one on my Eastman octave and now it sits nicely in my lap when playing seated. I don’t need to hold the neck up at all.

  3. #3

    Default Re: Eastman 515 neck too heavy

    I have one on the mandolin now. Still wants to dip down by the headstock.

  4. #4
    bon vivant jaycat's Avatar
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    Default Re: Eastman 515 neck too heavy

    "Neck dive" is a big issue on the bass forums. You can sometimes help matters by swapping out the tuners but I wouldn't think any mando would have tuners heavy enough to make a difference.
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  5. #5
    small instrument, big fun Dan in NH's Avatar
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    Default Re: Eastman 515 neck too heavy

    Do you play with a strap? If so, is it a one should strap?

  6. #6

    Default Re: Eastman 515 neck too heavy

    Try their Del Ray guitar for the worst neck dive of all time.

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    Registered User JiminRussia's Avatar
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    Default Re: Eastman 515 neck too heavy

    I can’t tell if this is a case of “over analyzing” or “can’t see the forrest for the trees”. Where is your strap attached to the neck? If it is at the scroll, move it up to just above the nut. If that is a no go for you, get a shoulder pad that slips on over the strap and DOESN’T allow the strap to slip through very easily. It will anchor the strap to a specific position.
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  8. #8

    Default Re: Eastman 515 neck too heavy

    The strap goes around one shoulder and my neck.

  9. #9
    Likes quaint instruments poul hansen's Avatar
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    Default Re: Eastman 515 neck too heavy

    I had a travelguitar with a small/short body where the head would dip when the strap was on a button on the end of the neck close to the body.

    I then connected the strap to the head(with a strap with raw leather back) and the dipping stopped but now the guitar had a tendency to swing to the right.(because of the short body)

    I then returned the strap to the neck/body position and installed an thin extra string going from the strap a little distance from the shoulder and connected to the head.

    That solved both problems :-)

    On my normal size electrical guitar I have a wide leather strap with a raw leather back. That keeps it from diving.

    All my mandolins have the strap on thre head. To connect it I use a 1 mm dyneema string, to keep everything minimal up there, so it doesn't bother my hand

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    Last edited by poul hansen; Aug-26-2022 at 8:16am.
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  10. #10

    Default Re: Eastman 515 neck too heavy

    Quote Originally Posted by JiminRussia View Post
    I can’t tell if this is a case of “over analyzing” or “can’t see the forrest for the trees”. Where is your strap attached to the neck? If it is at the scroll, move it up to just above the nut. If that is a no go for you, get a shoulder pad that slips on over the strap and DOESN’T allow the strap to slip through very easily. It will anchor the strap to a specific position.
    Yes an extra pad on the strap may anchor it better. Good tip.

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    Default Re: Eastman 515 neck too heavy

    Did you previously have an A style mandolin? That F style peghead is a hunk of wood that affects ballance. All of them have that issue. I rather doubt the issue is neck related. You may have better luck connecting your strap to north of the nut. When sitting, use the lower bout point between your legs to stabilize the instrument, that's why it's there. If you wanna be creative, I suggest a selection of mylar balloons filled with helium attached to the uppermost tuner post.

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  12. #12

    Default Re: Eastman 515 neck too heavy

    Yes, my first mando was a Rover RM-50 A style. Good suggestions. I think I’ll pass on the mylar balloon idea though !

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  14. #13
    Registered User Jill McAuley's Avatar
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    Default Re: Eastman 515 neck too heavy

    On a mandolin the point of using a strap is so that your left hand exerts less effort holding the neck up - I play A style mandolins but did have an F for several years and never noticed any extra effort needed to support the neck - I used a strap that attached at the scroll and only ever had to lightly support the neck when playing. What is your right arm position like? I used an armrest and my right forearm applied a little pressure towards my body when it rested on the armrest which also tended to contribute towards keeping the mandolin in place when I played. Just curious is there a reason you need to be able to take both hands off the mandolin and have it remain in place? Maybe I'm just paranoid but in nearly 40+ years playing stringed instruments I always keep at least one hand on the instrument, for fear of strap or strap button failure resulting in a much loved mandolin/guitar/banjo taking a dive onto the floor. As they say YMMV, perhaps you're a braver soul than me!
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  16. #14
    small instrument, big fun Dan in NH's Avatar
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    Default Re: Eastman 515 neck too heavy

    “The strap goes around one shoulder and my neck”

    Attached at the head or attached at the heel?

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    Registered User Doug Brock's Avatar
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    Default Re: Eastman 515 neck too heavy

    Here’s another vote toward resting your picking-hand forearm on the rim of the mandolin body (or even better, on an arm rest) to keep the mandolin from head-diving. The mandolin headstock with its 8 tuners is just heavy, and the ornate F-style headstocks are heavier than most headstocks, too.
    Doug Brock
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  18. #16
    Registered User Charles E.'s Avatar
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    Default Re: Eastman 515 neck too heavy

    Mandolin virtuoso Evan Marshall attaches the strap to the end of the peg head on his F-5...

    https://evanjmarshall.com/about
    Charley

    A bunch of stuff with four strings

  19. #17
    Registered User sunburst's Avatar
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    Default Re: Eastman 515 neck too heavy

    The problem became an "issue" when the F-5 was first produced. The extra neck length on a mandolin body that was designed for a shorter neck made neck dive become something people noticed. It is a problem with F-5 style mandos and with A-5 style mandos. It is the neck length and not whether it is an "F" or an "A".
    There are things the builder can do to help the balance of the instrument, but it can't really be cured as long as the design is not changed significantly.
    Some makers pay more attention to the details that improve the balance of a mandolin than others, so some are more neck-heavy than others because of that.
    I currently have two mandolins that I built, one "F-5" and one "A-5". The "A" physically balances at about the 12th fret and the "F" at about the 13th. That's about the best I can do without changing the design or materials and thus abandoning tradition.

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  21. #18

    Default Re: Eastman 515 neck too heavy

    Keep both hands on the wheel at all times when driving!

    That particular model packs a punch, it's hard to get more sound per dollar in that price range. I would investigate replacing the tuners, particularly if they turn as hard as some I've wrestled with. Either Grovers or Gotohs will be easier to use and perhaps weigh less as well.

    As per straps, I use plain flat leather straps 3/4" wide with the rough side against my shoulder. Then again, I only play A's with dinky pegheads.

  22. #19

    Default Re: Eastman 515 neck too heavy

    I was able to solve the same problem with my eastman by simply shortening the strap a notch or two.

    Give it a go and see how it feels.

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  24. #20

    Default Re: Eastman 515 neck too heavy

    I own a Taylor "Baby" guitar that neck-dives.

    I found a small leather draw-string pouch, like for coins or marbles.

    Put just enough nickels in to get the balance right and hang it off the endpin, just inside of the strap.

    I can use it on my Calhoun, too.

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