Poking around, I found a rig / setup that works pretty dang good for the 2006 AR805ce.  I had been thinking about upgrading the old Kent Armstrong floating pickup for the current KA-HJGS6 that comes on the new AR805s, but.... the oldie is very good.
 
Read a good bit on the Jazz forums, jazz is cool but can only stay on the elevator for so long.  Louis Armstrong & Allstars have been my fav forever, not exactly smooth jazz but, where it all started.  I do hit a couple 6th note chops from time to time, but...  I'm coming at it from a different direction, guitar sounds great with a porcelan slide... oops.

Here's what works for me, be interested in your rig & opinions:



Here's the chain, what I've been using for acoustic, tele, etc:

LRBaggs Para Acoustic D.I. -to- JHS Morning Glory -to- Fishman Artist Amp

My T486 arrived! It’s my first Thinline and I am really enjoying getting to know it and it’s sounds. The pickups are a SD Jazz and 59.

This is my first hollow body guitar and my first with TV Jones Pickups. I could not be happier!

has anyone experience of comparing the sound of an acoustic Eastman with the same model set up as electro-acoustic (unplugged)?

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/guitar...1-81035414

I guess this is not surprising given their well documented financial troubles... still difficult to see such an iconic brand have to file for bankruptcy.

Similar to giffenf's thread in the electric section, I found myself scanning eBay a couple of weeks ago.  There was a mint 2018 Eastman E20SS for auction.  I contacted the seller with some questions, signed with my username, and discovered that he owns an E40OM, based on my feedback.  He also confirmed he bought it from a trusted dealer, but just wasn't bonding with it, so I felt really good about the opportunity.  As the auction reached the last few minutes, a bidding war ensued, and I lost the deal as the buzzer sounded.

So, last weekend, I discovered a similar deal on an E10D.  It was a fast auction, closing in only two days, and there were no bids.  The photos weren't the best, but they seemed to match the description as mint/excellent, and the COA reflected that it's a 2016 guitar.  So, I made an initial bid.... and then, last Sunday, I watched the closing seconds closely.  But no other bids came in, and I won the guitar for their asking price.

I make payment immediately and contact the seller, asking how it will be shipped.  And I even offer to pay an additional rate to make sure it's protected and insured.  No response, except for eBay's shipment notification.  UPS delivered it to my workplace yesterday.  I email my mailroom manager, and he sends me this photo back:



So, wait... they shipped it from WI to CA, and they didn't even place it in a box??!!!  Nothing?  My heart sank.  We agreed to meet out front, so I could load it into my car and bring it home. I have no idea how it survived the UPS network... my best guess is that the case's odd shape actually played to its advantage, and it got loaded/unloaded last onto the truck.

I took photos of the un-boxing, preparing for the worst.   Despite the awful non-packaging, the guitar suffered no visible damage.  I also expected the finish to be damaged, due to the temp and humidity changes, as it sat unprotected in the UPS trailers all week.  I guess this is a testimony to the durability of Eastman's guitar cases and their nitro finishes (which used to incur cracks from far less adversity).

I was heading out of town last night, so I let it acclimate.  This morning, I removed the fraying Elixir strings (super slick, must be polywebs), cleaned and treated the bridge and fretboard, and put on a fresh set of strings.  I was getting some buzz on the middle frets (7-12), so I gave it a quick truss rod adjustment.  I'm taking it to my luthier on Tuesday for a full inspection and set up.  The saddle is a little low, so the string's break angle is just a little shallow.

Ok, after all this, let's play this thing!  The sound is really nice.  It's definitely more fundamental, woodier, and without the swirling tones of my Rosewood dreads.  It's not bright at all... slightly mellow, even with brand new strings.  The volume is full and loud, but not as loud as the Rosewood guitars (maybe 10-15% less).  Again, maybe it's the low saddle / break angle (had the same issue with a different used guitar).  The top seems very responsive, and it has great sustain.

The build is excellent.  The top is mostly straight grain and relatively narrow for Adi (Red) Spruce, and it has some nice color already.  The ebony bridge and board are jet black, and the previous owner installed the stock pick guard (it's ok, but may consider replacing it).  The mahogany body and neck are beautiful, and I can't find any flaws with the build.  The only thing I noticed is that I can feel the edge of the frets, as I rub my finger along the edge of the fretboard.  Maybe they'll recede, as the guitar continues to acclimate, but I'll ask my luthier for his opinion.

So, despite the horrific shipping method, I think I got a great deal on this guitar.  I can't find any marks or wear on it, so aside from maybe getting a little aggressive with the action/setup, I don't think it's had a lot of play time.  But that's gonna change b/c I'm planning to play this guitar a lot!

Here are some photos from earlier today, once I was able to get it cleaned up.   Enjoy!

has anyone bought or played an Eastman AC 630 BD. I am considering buying one.

I was browsing ebay a couple weeks ago, and found a t/58v in what looked like perfect condition, or darn close, for an opening bid of $750.  Nice, I thought, but I already have one, no need for another, but hmm, I wondered what it would be like to get a t58 and put some dogear P-90s on it..., no, really shouldn't be spending money on that, if I wanted anything, it would have been an AR372, if I could find one at a bargain price.  Wonder if this seller is selling anything else...what?  A Pisano with an opening bid of $650?  And it's gorgeous?



Nope, really shouldn't be spending money on something like that, I have enough guitars, right?  A Pisano for $650.  Somebody's gonna score.

Yet nobody did.  That auction ended with no bids.  The seller relisted.  Still no bids.  Well, how could I pay for something like that, anyway?  Looked in my PayPal balance, found $550 I'd forgotten about from an amp I'd sold.  Hmmmmm.  OK, I'll bid $650 with 30 seconds left on the auction, I can find $100 somewhere, and if I get outbid, so be it, it wasn't meant to be.  

But actually, I guess it was.  No one else bid, and now I've got myself a Pisano.  And this close to Mother's Day, I'm just askin' for trouble.

Hi folks,
Just joined the forum.
I have an OM and thinking of adding a thinline.
Was wondering if anyone has played the new Lollar pickup version t184mx, any impressions/views etc?

Thanks
Happy playing

Chris

So I have been on a Martin kick recently and I've been playing a lot of my D-28; however, I picked up my Eastman E10D-TC (thermo-cured) today and I was playing around in drop D and I was blown away. This thing has so much bass and clarity. The tone is lush and full, much fuller than some Eastman's I have played. (not that those were bad, this one is just exceptional) The ebony fret board is the best of any guitar I have ever played. It is smooth and so easy move around on. This Eastman sounds every bit as good as my standard D-28. I think the Eastman actually has more bass than my D-28, which is surprising because it's mahogany. I'm guessing the thermo-cured Adi top adds to the volume and bass.

Anyway, I took it to a jam last month, along with my D-28,  just to see what the old-timers thought. Many of the guys there have Martin standard series guitars, and one older gentleman has a nice vintage hummingbird. These guys are not guitar snobs, but they know quality when they see it (and hear it!). So after going to this old building downtown where they play, I eventually brought out both guitars. Almost instantly they were asking me what type of guitar I was playing, and if they could play it. I had brought the Martin to a jam before and they easily recognized it; however, they had never seen the E10D-TC before. So I proudly told them it was an Eastman and explained a little about the guitar, the thermo-cured series, and the company. I got many compliments that night on both the sound and look of the guitar. Needless to say, the old-timers approve! 

I haven't played my Eastman whole lot since I bought it in Nov 2017 because I've been working on breaking in my Martins a bit more, and finishing up my Masters degree in Theological Studies. But every time I pick this thing up it just keeps surprising me more and more. I can't wait to start playing this guitar more and hear her open up.

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