So Eastman Is Making A Les Paul Style Guitar Now....And It Looks to be Top Shelf

The wood eastman use is outstounding on the ones ive played, especially for the price
and good wood is good tone for me

I can do what I want with electronics and hardware of a guitar myself but i cant change the wood

so i will be getting one of these and turning it into one killer les paul

GotTheSilver said:

Pics, man, pics!!!

Click to expand...

Here's a link to Youtube showing my very guitar being demonstrated by "Guitarist" magazine
https://youtu.be/-u2Dheuo4Kk

Blodger1 said:

Here's a link to Youtube showing my very guitar being demonstrated by "Guitarist" magazine
https://youtu.be/-u2Dheuo4Kk

Click to expand...

Sweet! Very nice. Congratulations

I am considering an Eastman SB59 but would rather have a real Gibson. Can I get a used LP Gibson
for around $1100.00 that is decent? What model would it be? A Standard?

thanks,

tom

tcaron said:

I am considering an Eastman SB59 but would rather have a real Gibson. Can I get a used LP Gibson
for around $1100.00 that is decent? What model would it be? A Standard?

thanks,

tom

Click to expand...

Hi Tom

A tough one to call. If your mind is set on a Gibson, dare I say it the itch won’t go away until you have it. There are so many Les Pauls out there and with a budget of $1100 you could do well on the second hand market. My advice go to a decent dealer with a good second hand stock and try before you buy. It is worth bearing in mind that companies like Eastman make quality bang for buck guitars which will probably rival Gibson at the same orice point for overall quality, playability etc.



Regards

Got one on the way.


The other night, a couple mixed ones deep, I happened up the "Reverb Garage Sale" listing of one with a photo of some finish cracking around the neck (which looks like almost all my set neck guitars!) and took at chance on it for $750 with the thought that "for that price I can get some fancy schmancy pickups too!" even though they come with SD'59s (not familiar with TBH).


Just the week prior I was really impressed by the two I played in Corner Music back to back with new Custom Shop R8's & R9's, certainly not the same guitar but they each had good sound to them. So, I hope this one in the mail holds up to the specimens in the shop.

Will update upon arrival, meanwhile:





Knock on wood, I've got something even hipper coming through the mail next week too....should be some happy times ahead, I hope!

Please do share , looks like a nice guitar !

Alrighty, I'm a few days and some pickin' into the Eastman.


Hmmm, says I.


Surprises: Flame Mahogany on the neck, sure is purdy. Bigger surprise: Gibson truss nut, that that huge metric nut sitting inside the truss cavity, even the right size. Fretwork was funky, like they leveled the frets with the neck a bit relieved or something to that degree, I took it down to a small amount of relief and really couldn't get the kind of action I expect & experience from any Gibson I've bought new. I did a quick fret level and that fixed that. Neck was thicker than the ones in the local shops, probably around 1.0 to .88 or so to guess, goes from a soft C to a V at the first fret, very nice taper. Pretty light, 8.5 pounds or so.


Tone talk: After a little bridge swap (brass saddles) and many small adjustments my first conclusion is this guitar is brighter than what a typical 50's style Les Paul build is..to my ears. Unplugged and plugged in. It really reminds me more of a modern USA LPC in that sense. I read on TGP that it's due to the bridge/nut but a bridge swap didn't tame the high end which is pretty strong. Yet, it has really, really, top shelf sustain and a nice sound...just not the sound I'm after or, at least, expected.


So, the jury is still out except concerning the overwhelming reality that build/value is there. I was hoping for something more 50's in "tone" to an extent, I had to sell an early 80's Tokai last year which got close enough for my ears but to get back to that I'm guessing the journey will continue. :dang


For a short period I thought about selling my '72 Custom (as I just wasn't playing it enough) to get a 2018 R8 but when a trade offer for a '67 FBIII came through that went out the window! And the 'bird rules. So, I don't have "historic" type funds and will have to play the budget game and sell a thing or two to get what I'm looking for. Not sure how long the Eastman will stick around but I'll give it some more time no doubt.



TL;DR: Great guitar, but sounds like an LPC to my ears.