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NGD: Eastman T64/v

Posted: Fri Jul 12, 2019 2:37 pm
by Maggieo
Yep. I did it again. :fp: BUT! I did a straight-up trade for the Fano TC6 and a pair of pedals (JHS "Ryan Adams" VCR & a Janglebox compressor), no money traded hands.

So, I stumbled across the Eastman marque back during my search for a Les Paul, and the company and its guitars has nothing but great buzz about them. I read reviews, watched YouTube vids, trolled around TGP and some Gibson/Epiphone-centric forums. My curiosity grew. I realized that one of my great guitar regrets was not buying a 60s-something Casino that was dirt cheap, back in the mid-90s. I tried the John Lennon MIJ version, the "vintage-correct" and liked it, but it was stupid expensive, way past my pay grade.

Whilst poking around, I noticed that Lidgett's Music in Council Bluffs carried Eastman guitars and had one of the Casino variants. I looked over my collection.

"You know, I haven't played that Fano in over six months. At least not for more than a few minutes," I thought. "Why keep it when I don't play it?"

So, I packed it up, went through my pedals, found a couple that were collecting dust and headed to Council Bluffs.

Here it is!

Image
Eastman T64/v, July 12, 2019 by Maggie Osterberg, on Flickr

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Bigsby, Eastman T64/v, July 12, 2019 by Maggie Osterberg, on Flickr

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Eastman T64/v, July 12, 2019 by Maggie Osterberg, on Flickr

Image
Eastman T64/v, July 12, 2019 by Maggie Osterberg, on Flickr

Image
Eastman T64/v, July 12, 2019 by Maggie Osterberg, on Flickr

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Eastman T64/v, July 12, 2019 by Maggie Osterberg, on Flickr

I spent almost an hour playing it at the store (or so Rob, the storkeeper told me) through a sweet Milkman amp. It hit all the sweet spots of my heroes; Ribot, Marr, The Beatles, Wilco, Townshend, etc...

It's loaded with Duncan Antiquities, Gotoh ABR bridge, CTS pots and orange drop caps, shellac and violin varnish finish hand made by expert luthiers in Beijing (yep, a high-end guitar from China!) It out-Casinos any Casino built after, say, 1975.

Damn, I'm lucky!

Re: NGD: Eastman T64/v

Posted: Fri Jul 12, 2019 2:52 pm
by Telliot
:-* :w00t: :-*

Congrats, Maggie...well done!

Re: NGD: Eastman T64/v

Posted: Fri Jul 12, 2019 4:43 pm
by Maggieo
Telliot wrote:
Fri Jul 12, 2019 2:52 pm
:-* :w00t: :-*

Congrats, Maggie...well done!
Thanks, Todd!!

Re: NGD: Eastman T64/v

Posted: Fri Jul 12, 2019 4:46 pm
by jthomas
sweet! How about uploading a video.

Re: NGD: Eastman T64/v

Posted: Fri Jul 12, 2019 4:55 pm
by antisymmetric
Maggieo wrote:
Fri Jul 12, 2019 2:37 pm
I spent almost an hour playing it at the store ....
I could totally understand that. I'm a sucker for P90/Bigsby-equipped guitars in general, but that one just looks special. Maybe it's the shaping of the top and the vibrant/ mellow finish, it just has a very inviting, warm "hand-made" vibe. Really nice! :-*

Re: NGD: Eastman T64/v

Posted: Fri Jul 12, 2019 5:20 pm
by Maggieo
jthomas wrote:
Fri Jul 12, 2019 4:46 pm
sweet! How about uploading a video.
Thanks! I'll see what I can do for a vid.

Re: NGD: Eastman T64/v

Posted: Fri Jul 12, 2019 5:23 pm
by Maggieo
antisymmetric wrote:
Fri Jul 12, 2019 4:55 pm
Maggieo wrote:
Fri Jul 12, 2019 2:37 pm
I spent almost an hour playing it at the store ....
I could totally understand that. I'm a sucker for P90/Bigsby-equipped guitars in general, but that one just looks special. Maybe it's the shaping of the top and the vibrant/ mellow finish, it just has a very inviting, warm "hand-made" vibe. Really nice! :-*
Oh man, it really does. It is, for real, hand-made; the only power tools used are the band saw for body blanks. Then it's all hand tools. The finish is super thin, exactly like they use on their violins. The guitar is so resonant that it can just about be used as an acoustic. Hell, it's probably in parlour guitar territory.

It just sings.

You know, my collection keeps getting smaller, but I think it keeps getting better, too.

Re: NGD: Eastman T64/v

Posted: Fri Jul 12, 2019 5:53 pm
by Matt_A
Red Sonja

Re: NGD: Eastman T64/v

Posted: Fri Jul 12, 2019 6:06 pm
by jthomas
Matt_A wrote:
Fri Jul 12, 2019 5:53 pm
Red Sonja
That's gotta be "her" name. Gust gotta.

Re: NGD: Eastman T64/v

Posted: Fri Jul 12, 2019 6:37 pm
by Maggieo
jthomas wrote:
Fri Jul 12, 2019 6:06 pm
Matt_A wrote:
Fri Jul 12, 2019 5:53 pm
Red Sonja
That's gotta be "her" name. Gust gotta.
Oh, that IS good.

Re: NGD: Eastman T64/v

Posted: Fri Jul 12, 2019 6:42 pm
by Matt_A
one of the most beautiful guitars I have ever seen. just wish I could hear the sounds it makes.

Re: NGD: Eastman T64/v

Posted: Fri Jul 12, 2019 6:48 pm
by Maggieo
Matt_A wrote:
Fri Jul 12, 2019 6:42 pm
one of the most beautiful guitars I have ever seen. just wish I could hear the sounds it makes.
Well, until I can get something up, lemme see...

"Eastman T64V GB. Less a Review - More a Love Affair!"

This is shorter and more concise.

Re: NGD: Eastman T64/v

Posted: Fri Jul 12, 2019 6:54 pm
by Matt_A
Maggieo wrote:
Fri Jul 12, 2019 6:48 pm
Matt_A wrote:
Fri Jul 12, 2019 6:42 pm
one of the most beautiful guitars I have ever seen. just wish I could hear the sounds it makes.
Well, until I can get something up, lemme see...

"Eastman T64V GB. Less a Review - More a Love Affair!"
Wow. you could tell some stories with that one!

Re: NGD: Eastman T64/v

Posted: Fri Jul 12, 2019 7:12 pm
by Larry Mal
Another winner, Maggie! Congratulations!

Re: NGD: Eastman T64/v

Posted: Fri Jul 12, 2019 9:09 pm
by BoringPostcards
It looks great.
Have heard good things about those Eastmans.