2017 catalog

GUITARS & MANDOLINS 

2017

“Thank you for taking the time to learn about our company and our latest instruments 

we’ve been working so hard to develop. It has been an honor and privilege to design 

and build all the guitars and mandolins in this catalog with such a passionate team of 

luthiers and musicians. We are incredibly proud of our instruments and are grateful for 

your support. Thank you!” 

- Qian Ni, Founder & CEO

AN EXPANDING WORLD OF SOUND 

2017 CATALOG

2 

A dedication to excellence, 

a commitment to craft. 

Founded in 1992 by a young immigrant, Qian Ni, Eastman Strings was from the start 

recognized as one of the world’s finest makers of orchestral stringed instruments. In the 

great tradition of such luthiers as Antonio Stradivari, Lloyd Loar (Gibson), and John 

D’Angelico, we built from a foundation in violin-making to produce some of the best 

fretted instruments anywhere. 

In 2004, we continued to evolve by creating our first guitars: three archtops that were 

displayed at the winter NAMM show in California. The response at this music-industry 

gathering was immediate and overwhelming. Players from around the world remarked 

at the archtops’ craftsmanship and acoustic properties. Only a few years later, with the help 

of a team of passionate luthiers, we introduced our acclaimed mandolins and flattop guitars. 

What makes this work so special? The craftsmanship. Eastman guitars and mandolins 

are always hand-made by skilled luthiers, many of whom have been with us from the 

beginning. Their commitment to personally creating each instrument separates us from 

many modern builders; aware that each piece of wood is unique and must be treated as 

such, our luthiers ensure that the graduations and bracings are tailored for every instrument. 

The result, we believe, is a superior tone that all players can hear — and more. 

Legendary jazz guitarist John Pisano often comments on not only our guitars’ acoustic 

properties, but on the way he can literally feel the instrument vibrate against his body, 

“as if it’s alive.” 

And our guitars continue to evolve, inspired and enhanced by our proven excellence with 

other stringed instruments. The models in our new Varnish Antique Series, for example, 

come with an extraordinary finish originally developed for our carefully considered and 

vaunted violins. Meanwhile, our mandolins and classical guitars feature the sort of delicate 

stringing that’s honed by years of broad lutherie experience. This kind of cross-pollination 

within our company, in which work on one kind of instrument positively influences 

another, keeps our tradition of unparalleled craftsmanship expanding — and thriving. 

We’re incredibly lucky to have so many talented artists appreciate our work, and we hope you 

visit one of our dealers around the world to see, to hear, and to feel an Eastman for yourself.

3

4 

THE 

ANTIQUE 

VARNISH 

SERIES 

Vintage Gets a New Varnish 

The Heart of the Eastman Workshop Honored 

The phrase “new antique” might sound like a contradiction — but 

not when it applies to Eastman’s Varnish Antique Series. This line 

of guitars is built on a mix of time-honored craft and ahead-of-thecurve 

thinking utilizing classic technique with a decidedly fresh 

approach. And yes, it all starts with the finish. 

Eastman violins have always been distinguished by their consistently 

rich hue varnish that is matched by an equally rich tone. This 

unique, even Stradavarius-like quality is the result of a proprietary 

process rooted in a tradition going back to the 16th century during 

the Golden Age of violin making. And now Eastman is bringing that 

time-tested, violin-oriented process to the world of guitars. 

No doubt a few existing guitars can lay claim to truly special finishing 

work. But such models tend to be collectibles, reserved exclusively 

for upmarket buyers who treasure the handmade attention 

to detail. The Varnish Antique Series is designed to make such a 

rare and labor-intensive feature more available to guitar enthusiasts, 

with the proof in the distinctive look and sound. 

And just what is it exactly that produces that look and sound? 

Therein lies the signature magic. Li Hua Rong, who manages 

Eastman’s refined varnish shop is willing to provide a few answers, 

but she’ll only reveal so much. The process itself, she relays, 

features six distinct steps starting with a basecoat application to 

fill the grain, then moving to color application, and concluding with 

a French polish. Ultimately, three or four coats of material are 

applied and sanded thin. The result is softer than lacquer, creating 

a smoother tone. 

When Pepijn ‘t Hart of Eastman Europe visited the workshop in 

Beijing with a guitar and asked if it were possible to replicate Hua’s 

special process on a larger instrument, she had him do some playing 

to get a sense of how guitars aged, and soon set to work. From 

there a new line formed. 

We added Seymour Duncan Seth Lovers or Antiquity P90’s, TV 

Jones brushed nickel classics, and aged Gotoh hardware to make it 

possible to own a brand-new, vintage feeling, “antique” instrument 

fresh out of our workshop.

5 

THINLINE ARCHTOP ARCHTOP 

T59/v 

T58/v-AMB 

T49/v 

Top: 

Maple Laminate 

Top: 

Carved Spruce 

Top: 

Laminated Maple 

Back/Sides: 


Back/Sides: 

Laminated Flamed Maple 

Back/Sides: 


Neck: 

Maple 

Neck: 

3 piece maple 

Neck: 

3 piece maple 

Fingerboard: 

Ebony 

Fingerboard: 

Ebony 

Fingerboard: 

Rosewood 

Nut: 

Bone 

Nut: 

Bone 

Nut: 

Bone 

Bridge/Saddle: 

Tune-o-matic 


Ebony, 2-3/32” Spacing 


Rosewood compensated, 

Binding: 

Ivoriod 

Binding: 

Wood , 5-ply top, 3-ply back 

2-3/32” Spacing 

Scale Length: 

24.75” 

Scale Length: 

25” 

Binding: 

Ivoroid 5-ply top, 3-ply back, 

Neck Pickup: 

Seymour Duncan Seth Lover 

Neck Pickup: 

TV Jones Filtertrons 

Single ply neck 

Bridge Pickup: 



TV Jones Filtertrons 

Scale Length: 

24.75” 

Finish: 

Antique Varnish 

Finish: 


Neck Pickup: 


Case: 

Hardshell Case 

Case: 



N/A 

Available Finishes: 

Antique Classic, Antique Amber 



Finish: 


Case: 




CL 

v 

AMB 

v 

VN CL 

v 

AMB VN 

v 

CL 

v 

AMB 

v

6 

THE ANTIQUE VARNISH SERIES 

EASTMANGUITARS.COM 

TRADITIONAL 

E10SS/v 

TRADITIONAL 

E10OOSS/v 

Top: 

Adirondack 

Top: 

Adirondack 

Back/Sides: 

Mahogany 

Back/Sides: 

Mahogany 

Neck: 

Mahogany 

Neck: 

Mahogany 

Fingerboard: 

Rosewood 

Fingerboard: 

Rosewood 

Nut: 

Bone 

Nut: 

Bone 


Rosewood/ Bone 



Binding: 

Ivory 

Binding: 

Ivory 

Scale Length: 

24.75” 

Scale Length 

24.75” 

Finish: 


Finish: 


Case: 


Case: 



Classic 


Classic 

SS 

OO 

SS

7 

MANDOLIN MANDOLIN MANDOLIN 

MD815/v 

MD805/v 

MD814/v-BK 

Top: 

Solid Adirondack 

Top: 


Top: 


Back/Sides: 

Carved Flamed Maple 

Back/Sides: 


Back/Sides: 


Neck: 

Maple 

Neck: 

Maple 

Neck: 

Maple 

Fingerboard: 

Ebony 

Fingerboard: 

Ebony 

Fingerboard: 

Ebony 

Nut: 

Bone 

Nut: 

Bone 

Nut: 

Bone 


Fitted Adjustable Ebony 





Binding: 

Ivoroid 

Binding: 

Ivoroid 

Binding: 

Ivoroid 

Scale Length: 

13 7/8” 

Scale Length: 

13 7/8” 

Scale Length: 

13 7/8” 

Finish: 


Finish: 


Finish: 


Case: 


Case: 


Case: 



Classic 


Classic 


Black 

AF FF AF AF FO

8 

T184MX-BD 

THE 

THINLINE 

SERIES 

Top: 

Back/Sides: 

Neck: 

Fingerboard: 

Nut: 


Binding: 

Scale Length: 

Neck Pickup: 


Finish: 

Case: 


CL SB 

Hand Carved Maple 

Solid Carved Mahogany 

Mahogany 

Ebony 

Bone 

Gotoh/Tunomatic 

Flame Maple Multiply 

25” 

Seymour Duncan 59 


Nitrocellulose Lacquer 


Classic, Sunburst, Blonde 

BD 

When we decided to offer thinline electrics, 

we knew we wanted to capture the soul of the great 

blues and rock players who came before. Eastman 

thinline guitars are handcrafted and lacquered — 

the way they ought to be. They have a warm, rich 

tone and feature premium pickups from the world’s 

finest manufacturers, meticulously selected for 

maximum character. The instruments in our Thinline 

Series — whether featuring solid construction for 

the warmer, fuller tones or laminate construction for 

those times on stage when things need to get louder 

— possess unique characteristics made possible 

by the differences in body style, tone woods, 

construction, and size. 

T186MX 

Top: 

Back/Sides: 

Neck: 

Fingerboard: 

Nut: 


Binding: 

Scale Length: 

Neck Pickup: 


Finish: 

Case: 




Mahogany 

Ebony 

Bone 

Gotoh/Tunomatic 

Flame Maple Multiply 

25” 

Seymour Duncan 

Serth Lovers 


Serth Lovers 




CL 

SB 

BD

9 

T386 

T486-RB 

Top: 


Top: 

Deluxe Laminate Maple 

Back/Sides: 


Back/Sides: 

Deluxe Laminate Maple 

Neck: 

3 Piece Maple 

Neck: 

Maple 

Fingerboard: 

Rosewood 

Fingerboard: 

Ebony 

Nut: 

Bone 

Nut: 

Bone 


Tunomatic Style 


Gotoh Tunomatic 

Binding: 

Ivoriod 

Binding: 

Ivoroid 

Scale Length: 

24.75” 

Scale Length: 

24.75” 

Neck Pickup: 

Kent Armstrong HPAN-1N 

Neck Pickup: 

Lollar Low-wind Imperial 


Kent Armstrong HPAN-1B 


Lollar El Rayo Bridge 

Finish: 


Finish: 

Satin Matte 

Case: 


Case: 



Classic, Red, Sunburst 


Trans Red 

CL SB RD 

RD 

FEATURED MUSICIAN 

Talking with 

Jon Herington 

HOW DID YOU HOOK UP WITH THE 

GUYS IN STEELY DAN? 

My friend Ted Baker, a fantastic piano player, had 

been doing lots of tracking sessions with Donald and 

Walter for the Two Against Nature recording. They 

had been working on that record for a couple of 

years, and in late 1999 they asked Ted to recommend 

a guitar player. He had a copy of my first solo 

record, a collection of instrumental music in a style 

influenced by Weather Report, among others, 

and he played a bit of the first track for Donald and 

Walter. From what I gather, somebody made some 

wisecrack about the derivative nature of the music, 

but shortly after that I got a call from Walter asking 

me to come in and do some overdubs. I ended up 

doing several days of work on that record, and at 

one of the sessions they said they were planning a 

big touring year to accompany the release of the 

new record, and they asked me if I’d be interested in 

playing guitar. 

DONALD FAGEN AND WALTER BECKER 

ARE KNOWN FOR BEING VERY PARTICU- 

LAR IN THE STUDIO. WHAT WAS YOUR 

FIRST STUDIO SESSION WITH STEELY 

DAN LIKE? 

It went smoothly, I thought. We worked for about 

four hours on one rhythm guitar part, and did many 

takes without too many comments about what I 

should do differently the next time. But they’re used 

to taking their time and enjoying the luxury of a 

relaxed pace in the studio. They didn’t seem overly 

particular or fussy to me, and I was happy to 

continue trying to play more takes to see if we got

10 

THE THINLINES SERIES 


something they liked better. We finished that day, 

and they were happy enough to ask me if I happened 

to be free next week to come back and do some 

more. I said sure, of course. The week went by and 

I didn’t hear anything. Another couple of weeks went 

by — nothing. I pretty much gave up on it and wrote 

it off. Then about five weeks after the original 

session, I got another call from Walter. He asked 

me if I remembered the session I had played and of 

course I said yes. Then he told me that they were not 

going to use anything I played that day. He paused 

and I said, OK. Then he said he wanted me to come 

back in and play on several other tunes. So I went 

back several times and ended up on four tracks of 

the Two Against Nature record. 

YOU HAVE CERTAIN MODIFICATIONS 

MADE TO SOME OF YOUR GUITARS. 

WHAT ARE THEY? 

I typically have several things done, even to brandnew 

guitars. I prefer a single master volume control, 

so if a guitar has more than one volume control 

I have it rewired. I often replace the frets with a taller 

and wider fret size. And I usually find I have to install 

a little network of a capacitor and a resistor to create 

a high pass filter on the volume control, too. I don’t 

like the way a lot of guitars seem to lose their 

high-end response when you roll back the volume 

control. This network fixes that. I also often relocate 

the pickup selector switch, and make room for the 

master volume to be closer to my right hand, 

because I tend to use the volume control a lot. 

WHAT DREW YOU TO EASTMAN? 

The first time I played an Eastman guitar was when 

I was subbing for Scott Kuney in the Broadway pit 

of Spamalot. He didn’t want to leave his valuable L5 

in the pit, and had bought an Eastman archtop to 

replace it there. I played it when it was brand-new, 

and right away it felt better and sounded better than 

the L5 to my ears. But the astonishing thing was that 

when I went back a couple of months later and 

played that same guitar, the difference in tone was 

incredible. In that short amount of time, with all the 

music happening in that space with eight shows a 

week, it had blossomed in an unbelievable way, and 

sounded huge. I was very impressed, obviously, 

and never forgot it. Years later, when I happened to 

be in touch with Eastman, I jumped at the chance 

to check out some of their instruments. 

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE 

SOUND OF YOUR E10OOSS AND MD604? 

I love the double O because of its big tone in that 

small body size. It’s very alive, like all the Eastman 

instruments I’ve heard (good wood and workmanship!), 

and I find it very useful for recording applications 

because, unlike the mostly larger acoustic 

guitars I’ve owned, its low end is extremely focused 

and more controlled. 

The oval hole mandolin has always been a favorite of 

mine — I prefer it to the brighter and more cutting 

f-hole styles. And the Eastman mandolin sounds like a 

little cannon! It’s really alive and loud, but it has a richer 

tone than the f-hole mandolins I’ve played before. 

Herington plays the Thinline 

T184MX, Mandolin MD604, 

and Traditional E10OOSS.

11 

T486-SB 

T486B 

Top: 


Top: 


Back/Sides: 


Back/Sides: 


Neck: 

3 Piece Maple 

Neck: 

3 Piece Maple 

Fingerboard: 

Ebony 

Fingerboard: 

Ebony 

Nut: 

Bone 

Nut: 

Bone 


Tunomatic Style 


Tunomatic Style w/ 

Binding: 

Ivoriod 

Bigsby Tremelo 

Scale Length: 

24.75” 

Binding: 

Ivoriod 

Neck Pickup: 

Seymour Duncan Jazz 

Scale Length: 

24.75” 



Neck Pickup: 


Finish: 


Phat-Cat Neck 

Case: 





Classic, Red, 

Phat-Cat Bridge 

Sunburst, Black 

Finish: 


Case: 



Classic, Red, 

Sunburst, Black 

CL RD SB BK 

CL RD SB BK 

David Vandervelde 

of the band 

Father John Misty, Tess And Dave 

Vandervelde plays the Thinlines T486-B 

and the Traditional E20OO

12 

THE 

SOLID BODY 

SERIES 

When Pepijn ‘t Hart and Pim Schilperoort collaborated on the design 

of our first solid body guitar, they set out to create something new, 

with Eastman’s signature written all over it. Antiqued and varnished in 

our orchestral strings shop, the SB59/v has the look, feel, and tone, of 

a 58-year-old guitar. 

We are also offering a gloss version of the SB59 finished in nitro 

cellulose. Both solid body models feature a hand-carved solid flamed 

maple top, on a solid mahogany body. The Gotoh hardware and 

Seymour Duncan Antiquity humbuckers on the SB59/v and Seymour 

Duncan ’59 humbuckers on the SB59 complete one of our hardest 

rocking instruments to date. 

SB59/v 

Top: 

Back/Sides: 

Neck: 

Fingerboard: 

Nut: 


Binding: 

Scale Length: 

Neck Pickup: 

Highly Figured Book Matched Maple 

Solid One Piece Mahogany 

One Piece Mahogany 

Rosewood 

Bone 

Gotoh Aged Relic 

Ivoroid 

24.75” 

Seymour Duncan Antiquity Humbuckers 

(SD ‘59 on Lacquer) 


Seymour Duncan Antiquity Humbuckers 

(SD ‘59 on Lacquer) 

Finish: 

Case: 

Available Finishes 



Antique Classic Varnish, Antique Amber Varnish, 

Sunburst Lacquer, Gold Burst Lacquer 

CL 

v 

AMB 

v 

SB 

GD

13 


New Directions 

with Craig Bartock 

How did a guy who never even thought of himself 

as a guitarist end up getting invited to join a famous 

rock band — as the guitarist? To hear Craig Bartock 

tell it, he just did his thing. And he kept it simple. 

The story goes back to 2002, when Bartock was 

running his own busy music-production house, 

producing and developing new pop artists (such as a 

pre-Oscar Brie Larson) and collaborating with legacy 

acts like Blondie and Meat Loaf. “As far as my 

resume goes, playing guitar probably wouldn’t have 

even been on it,” Bartock says from his home in 

Northern California. “It would’ve been ‘music 

producer,’ ‘songwriter,’ ‘arranger,’ blah blah blah.” 

Then came Heart’s Nancy and Ann Wilson, looking 

not to organize a nostalgia tour but to find a fresh 

musical direction. 

Bartock and the Wilsons clicked both professionally 

and personally, co-writing a series of songs right out 

of the gate. When he then moved into his familiar 

role as go-to man on the album that emerged 

(Jupiter’s Darling), Bartock ended up handling many 

of the guitar parts himself, naturally finding his own 

way inside the band’s retooled sound — and fabric. 

“So one day I’m sitting in the studio,” Bartock 

remembers, “and Nancy kind of just sheepishly said 

to me, ‘You should really be our guitar player.’ And 

I’m sitting there thinking, ‘Did she just ask me to join 

the band?’” 

She did, and Bartock accepted, principally because 

he’d developed such respect for — and personal 

rapport with — the Wilsons, who, he says, continue 

to honor their desire to avoid merely milking past 

glories. “Ann and Nancy as artists just can’t do 

that,” he says. “I don’t think any of us would want 

to be a part of a band that’s an oldies act. It’s a 

fine line between a band that is duplicating their 

[past] music and a band that feels themselves to 

be vital.” 

Strong relationships and intentions aside, adapting 

to a job he neither sought nor expected still required 

a transition-period, particularly when it came to 

playing live. Bartock hadn’t actually taken to the 

stage since his young-man-in-a-band days in 

hometown San Diego, and was quickly thrown into 

the fire. His first show as an official Heart member 

was on the CMT’s “Crossroads,” which meant lots of 

TV cameras in a sizable Nashville venue. He had all 

of three days to rehearse. 

He got through it by staying in the moment and not 

trying to do too much. And now, more than a decade 

later, he abides by his less-is-more approach as the 

band plays everywhere from ships to “sheds” and he 

looks to ensure that his tools can withstand the rigors 

of touring. “The most important thing for a live 

set-up,” he says, “is you just want it to be working all 

the time. That’s why I’ve always gone for simplicity. 

Stick with simple guitars, don’t go through a whole 

bunch of effects.” 

Indeed, simplicity has served Bartock well. He thinks 

back to those early Heart days, when he was grappling 

with the fact that the band had transformed 

several times over the years, and had different sets of 

fans with different sets of expectations. “I realized: 

There’s no way as a guitar player I’m going to be able 

to cover all these sounds,” he says with a laugh. 

“So I better just do it as myself.”

14 

THE 

CUSTOM 

EDITION 

You’re invited — into our workshop. 

It is a place you’re sure to love exploring. A place where you will find thousands 

of options for your creation. 

The Custom Edition is a new series that honors creativity and furthers our 

ongoing commitment to superior quality, introducing custom-configured, 

handcrafted guitars to every level of player. And procuring this is now within 

the reach of any serious guitarist or collector, anywhere in the world. 

Eastman’s master luthier, designer Otto D’Ambrosio, is bringing his worldclass 

skills and traditional build-methods to the workshop to create guitars 

that are guaranteed to be nothing short of stunning. The hand-built Custom 

models will further reinforce Eastman’s status as the premier, preeminent 

provider of high-value hand-built guitars. 

And beyond our unparalleled craftsmanship comes your personal signature. 

With the Custom Edition, we have broadened the palette of possibilities by 

opening the doors to our workshop, where you can engage the creative process 

of designing your dream guitar. 

Once inside, you might never want to leave. We offer more than 2,000 possible 

option combinations, including finishes, neck shapes, pickups and 

frets, and hide-glue neck joints. There are no limits — only opportunities. 

For additional details, and to learn how to order your Custom Edition, visit: 

eastmanguitars.com.

15

16 

THE CUSTOM EDITION 

EASTMANGUITARS.COM

17

18 

THE 

FRANK 

VIGNOLA 

+ 

R Y A N 

THORELL 

SIGNATURE 

FV680CE-SB 

SERIES 

By now, jazz guitarist Frank Vignola’s 

resume reads like a Hall of Fame plaque. 

There are the gigs at major venues 

around the world; the collaborations 

with everyone from Wynton Marsalis to 

Ringo Starr to Madonna; the countless 

books and NPR appearances. It should 

go without saying, then, that luthiers 

have long chased his endorsement 

of their instruments — and that the 

51-year-old master has felt no great 

urgency to give it. “I wasn’t interested 

unless I truly believed in the guitar,” 

Vignola now recalls of a process that 

played out multiple times over the 

years. 

Top: 

Back/Sides: 

Neck: 

Fingerboard: 

Nut: 


Binding: 

Scale Length: 

Neck Pickup: 


Finish: 

Case: 


Solid Hand Carved Spruce 

Hand Carved Mahogany 

Mahogany 

Ebony 

Bone 

Ebony Compensated 


Ivroid 4 ply top and back 

25.4” 

Kent Armstrong 

N/A 



Sunburst 

That’s when Ryan Thorell stepped in. 

The revered Utah-based luthier had 

a “wild concept” — a hybrid design 

that would accommodate the virtuoso’s 

distinct mix of gypsy and archtop 

playing styles. “I wanted to approach 

the gypsy sound from a very Americana 

perspective, from a carved-top guitar 

perspective,” Thorell explains. “I wanted 

the drive of a gypsy guitar to come from

19 

an instrument that was fresh but carried an original 

Appalachian and old-world feel.” 

The undertaking was ambitious and, in Thorell’s 

view, “terrifying,” but it turned out to be a “magical 

collision of intent and opportunity.” The moment he 

received the instrument, Vignola says, “I absolutely 

fell in love with it. I immediately called Ryan and 

told him I wanted to endorse this guitar.” And after 

Vignola had wowed with it on the road for more 

than 1000 shows, it was Eastman’s turn to step 

in, offering to bring Thorell’s singular creation to a 

wider community of players. 

Of course, the primary consideration was doing it 

right. And just as Thorell had separated himself from 

the pack, so too had Eastman — to the point where 

neither guitar-player nor guitar-maker had to be 

asked twice. “I’ve been such a fan of how Eastman 

has conducted itself and the ideals it adheres to,” 

Thorell says, referring to Eastman’s hands-on and 

nuance-sensitive approach, to its emphasis on quality 

materials and the personal touch. 

The guitar’s very creation, after all, had personal 

roots. Thorell was 15 when he first saw — and was 

knocked out by — Vignola’s playing in Salt Lake City, 

and the two met about a year later, when Vignola 

ran the jazz department at Arizona State University. 

(“He used to fly in to take lessons with me,” Vignola 

recalls.) Later, Vignola became smitten with a cedar 

guitar that Thorell had made for another client. By 

the time Thorell was ready to embark on the bold 

new venture, “I had had Frank’s sound and his 

unique approach as a guiding inspiration for years.” 

The resulting chemistry was so “electric and 

immediate” that the two didn’t even require much 

direct contact. “When it’s great,” Thorell says, “both 

the player and the maker are on the same intuitive 

page.” In turn, Thorell notes that his relationship 

with Eastman has evolved out of a similar foundation 

of trust and respect: “I think Eastman is truly unique 

in the world of lutherie, in the combination of its 

reach and its commitment to what I love about the 

art of guitar-making.” 

Vignola, meanwhile, is now happy to extend his 

endorsement of Thorell beyond the signature guitar. 

“I truly believe Ryan is next in line to the masters like 

D’Angelico, D’Aquisto, and Benedetto,” he says. “He 

is a true genius.” 

Moral of the story: When it comes to crafting magic, 

it always helps to bring the passion. 

Conversation with 

Vignola & Thorell 

FRANK VIGNOLA ON THE 

ROOTS OF JAZZ: 

Jazz and blues are the two art forms 

that America has, and we should be 

proud of this. We should teach this in 

schools. We should also make our 

kids aware of the great era of music 

from the 1920’s and 1930’s. This was 

a special time in history for music, and 

it’s America’s music. 

…AND ON JAZZ TODAY: 

Jazz unfortunately has gotten a bad 

reputation due to musicians caring 

more about their solos than the 

audience… It’s unfortunate that the 

music called “jazz” has gotten so far 

away from the originator, Louis 

Armstrong. I believe jazz is so much 

about the repertoire. The songs of this 

time period are what jazz musicians of 

the time were interested in, not a 

mode. It was about playing songs and 

communicating with other musicians 

and especially the audiences. The 

audience is who these great musicians 

were playing for, not themselves. 

THORELL ON THE NITTY- 

GRITTY OF THE FRANK 

VIGNOLA SIGNATURE SERIES: 

It’s a carved-top instrument based on 

an entirely different z-axis structure. 

The top loading is more akin to a 

low-load flattop, which allows for very 

light carving. The bracing brings a 

simple transverse mode into the tone 

of an archtop as well, which yields a 

gypsy-style bark, yet pillowed with all 

of this warmth and drive of a 

traditional archtop build. 

…AND ON THE ROLE OF THE 

LUTHIER: 

A great luthier is a vessel for the 

musician, in my opinion. It is a craft 

first and an art second. I believe the 

best guitars are natural extension of 

the players, not lutherie art pieces in 

contrast to the musician performing 

on them. Secondly, I believe truly 

great luthiers have vision to create 

something that predicts — an 

instrument that speaks for music to 

come.

20 

AR372CE-SB 

Top: 

Back/Sides: 

Neck: 

Fingerboard: 

Nut: 




3 Piece Maple 

Rosewood 

Bone 

Rosewood Compensated 


THE 

ARCHTOP 

SERIES 

Binding: 

Scale Length: 

Neck Pickup: 


Finish: 

Case: 


Ivoriod 5-Ply 

24.75” 

Kent Armstrong HPAN-1N 

Kent Armstrong HPAN-1B 




CL SB BD 

With thousands of Eastman orchestral stringed 

instruments already being enjoyed by musicians 

around the globe, it was an easy decision to take our 

skills in hand-carving tops and backs to the world 

of archtop guitars. The result: some of the most 

coveted and beloved archtop guitars anywhere. 

By sourcing premium tone woods and putting them 

in the hands of luthiers dedicated to producing 

guitars via the time-honored process of handcrafting 

fine instruments, Eastman has in fact 

become nothing less than the major force in archtop 

guitars. We are proud to offer the broadest range 

of traditional and contemporary premium archtops 

available today. 

AR405E 

Top: 

Back/Sides: 

Neck: 

Fingerboard: 

Nut: 


Binding: 

Scale Length: 

Neck Pickup: 


Finish: 

Case: 




3 Piece Maple 

Rosewood 

Bone 



Ivoriod 5-Ply 

25” 

Kent Armstrong P-90 

N/A 



Classic, Sunburst 

CL 

SB

21 

AR580CE-BLU 

Top: 

Back/Sides: 

Neck: 

Fingerboard: 

Nut: 



Laminated Flame Maple 

3 Piece Maple 

Ebony 

Bone 



Binding: 

Scale Length: 

Neck Pickup: 


Finish: 

Case: 


Wood 

25” 

Kent Armstrong HPAG-1N 

N/A 



Blue, Honeyburst 

BLU 

AMB 

AR603CE-15 

Top: 

Back/Sides: 

Neck: 

Fingerboard: 

Nut: 


Binding: 

Scale Length: 

Neck Pickup: 


Finish: 

Case: 




Mahogany 

Ebony 

Bone 



3-Ply Ivoroid 

25” 


N/A 



Classic, Classic Sunburst 

Nicole Atkins 

Atkins plays the Archtop AR405E 

CL 

CS

22 

THE ARCHTOP SERIES 


AR805CE-SB 

AR910CE-BD 

Top: 


Top: 


Back/Sides: 


Back/Sides: 


Neck: 

Maple 

Neck: 

Maple 

Fingerboard: 

Ebony 

Fingerboard: 

Ebony 

Nut: 

Bone 

Nut: 

Bone 







Binding: 

7-Ply Ivoroid 

Binding: 

Figured Maple 

Scale Length: 

25” 

Scale Length: 

25” 

Neck Pickup: 


Neck Pickup: 



N/A 


N/A 

Finish: 


Finish: 


Case: 


Case: 






CL 

SB 

CL SB BD 

Noah Guthrie 

Guthrie plays the Thinline T184MX 

and the Archtop AR503CE-SB

23 

“I don’t know how they do it? 

Could be the smoothest fretting 

ever and the tone is deep and 

timeless. What a beauty!” 

Robbie Robertson 

Robertson plays the Archtop AR810CE

24 

THE ARCHTOP SERIES 


Mitchell Long 

guitarist for 

Melody Gardot 

Long plays the Archtop AR380CE-HB 

Cass McCombs 

McCombs plays the Archtop AR372CE-SB

25 

JOHN PISANO SIGNATURE SERIES 

When one of the world’s greatest, most highly sought after stage and studio guitarists personally designs 

an instrument, it’s a big deal. And it was just that when jazz guitarist John Pisano developed the Signature 

Series from top to bottom, with all the performance and features he wanted in a guitar. As a contemporary 

of jazz guitar icons, John has become an authority on tone. Whether in the studio or on the stage, 

these guitars represent everything we have come to associate with true jazz guitar sound. 

AR380CE-HB 

AR680CE 

AR880CE-SB 

Top: 

Flame Maple Laminate 

Top: 


Top: 


Back/Sides: 

Flame Maple Laminate 

Back/Sides: 

Hand Carved Mahogany 

Back/Sides: 

Hand Carved Flame Maple 

Neck: 

Mahogany 

Neck: 

Mahogany 

Neck: 

Maple 

Fingerboard: 

Rosewood 

Fingerboard: 

Ebony 

Fingerboard: 

Ebony 

Nut: 

Graphite 

Nut: 

Bone 

Nut: 

Bone 


Ebony 





Binding: 

5-Ply Figured Maple 

2 3/32” Spacing 

2 3/32” Spacing 

Scale Length: 

24.75” 

Binding: 

Multi-Ply Rosewood 

Binding: 

Multi-Ply Wood 

Neck Pickup: 


Scale Length: 

25” 

Scale Length: 

25” 

Pisano 1 Signature 

Neck Pickup: 


Neck Pickup: 



Kent Armstron 

Pisano Signature 

Pisano Signature 

Pisano 1 Signature 


N/A 


N/A 

Finish: 


Finish: 


Finish: 


Case: 


Case: 


Case: 



Honeyburst 


Classic 



HB CL CL SB BD

26 

E40D 

Top: 

Back/Sides: 

Neck: 

Fingerboard: 

Nut: 


Binding: 

Adirondack 

Rosewood 

Mahogany 

Ebony 

Bone 

Ebony/ Bone 

Abalone Top/ 

Herringbone Back 

THE 

TRADITIONAL 

SERIES 

Scale Length: 

Finish: 

Case: 


DR 

25.4” 



Natural / Sunburst 

At Eastman we are very proud of our “old-world” 

handcrafted acoustic guitars. The Traditional Series 

is inspired by the great instruments of the Golden 

Age of guitar-building, when the work was done 

entirely by gifted craftspeople using simple hand 

tools. Choose your body-style and tone wood and 

get ready to enjoy your heirloom-quality guitar. 

This is an instrument that will stay in your family for 

generations. 

E40OM 

Top: 

Back/Sides: 

Neck: 

Fingerboard: 

Nut: 


Binding: 

Scale Length: 

Finish: 

Case: 


Adirondack 

Rosewood 

Mahogany 

Ebony 

Bone 

Ebony/ Bone 

Abalone Top/ 

Herringbone Back 

24.9” 




OM

27 

E20D 

E20SS 

Top: 

Adirondack 

Top: 

Adirondack 

Back/Sides: 

Rosewood 

Back/Sides: 

Rosewood 

Neck: 

Mahogany 

Neck: 

Mahogany 

Fingerboard: 

Ebony 

Fingerboard: 

Ebony 

Nut: 

Bone 

Nut: 

Bone 


Ebony/ Bone 



Binding: 

Herringbone 

Binding: 

Herringbone 

Scale Length: 

25.4” 

Scale Length: 

24.75” 

Finish: 


Finish: 


Case: 


Case: 





Sunburst 

DR 

SS 

E20OM-SB 

E20P 

Top: 

Adirondack 

Top: 

Adirondack 

Back/Sides: 

Rosewood 

Back/Sides: 

Rosewood 

Neck: 

Mahogany 

Neck: 

Mahogany 

Fingerboard: 

Ebony 

Fingerboard: 

Ebony 

Nut: 

Bone 

Nut: 

Bone 


Ebony/ Bone 


Ebony/ Bone 

Binding: 

Herringbone 

Binding: 

Herringbone 

Scale Length: 

24.9” 

Scale Length: 

24.9” 

Finish: 


Finish: 


Case: 


Case: 






OM 

P

28 

THE TRADITIONAL SERIES 


Jackson Phillips 

of the band 

Day Wave 

Phillips plays the Traditional E10P 

E10D 

E10OM 

Top: 

Adirondack 

Top: 

Adirondack 

Back/Sides: 

Mahogany 

Back/Sides: 

Mahogany 

Neck: 

Mahogany 

Neck: 

Mahogany 

Fingerboard: 

Ebony 

Fingerboard: 

Ebony 

Nut: 

Bone 

Nut: 

Bone 


Ebony/ Bone 


Ebony/ Bone 

Binding: 

Black 

Binding: 

Black 

Scale Length: 

25.4” 

Scale Length: 

24.9” 

Finish: 


Finish: 


Case: 


Case: 






DR 

OM

29 

Trey Hensley 

Hensley plays the E10D-SB, T-386, and T-486B 

E10SS 

E10OOSS 

Top: 

Adirondack 

Top: 

Adirondack 

Back/Sides: 

Mahogany 

Back/Sides: 

Mahogany 

Neck: 

Mahogany 

Neck: 

Mahogany 

Fingerboard: 

Rosewood 

Fingerboard: 

Rosewood 

Nut: 

Bone 

Nut: 

Bone 





Binding: 

Ivory 

Binding: 

Ivory 

Scale Length: 

24.75” 

Scale Length: 

24.75” 

Finish: 


Finish: 


Case: 


Case: 



Sunburst 


Sunburst 

SS 

OO 

SS

30 

THE TRADITIONAL SERIES 



Gaz 

Coombes 

WHO WERE SOME OF YOUR EARLIEST 

MUSICAL INFLUENCES? 

Mainly Bowie, Beatles, Zappa....& The Muppets Band 

HAS YOUR APPROACH TO SONGWRITING 

CHANGED FROM THE BEGINNING OF 

YOUR CAREER WITH SUPERGRASS TO 

NOW? 

Very much so in terms of technique & approach. 

I love the freedom of starting an idea from any 

random point - a loop, a beat, even a few words. 

That’s very different to writing as a band. But I guess 

a melody can still come out of nowhere & that’s the 

same as it ever was. 

WHO ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE 

GUITAR PLAYERS? 

I’ve always loved Neil Young. His approach to 

electric & acoustic is very different. Very wild on 

electric, but delicate & technical on acoustic. But, it’s 

his emotive feel & one note solos that always got 

me. 

MATADOR FEELS LIKE THE SPIRITUAL 

SUCCESSOR TO ROAD TO ROUEN. WAS 

THAT RECORD ON YOUR MIND WHEN 

YOU WERE WRITING MATADOR? 

I guess it was our most DIY record, so perhaps that’s 

one similarity. 

DO YOU USE ANY ALTERNATE 

TUNINGS? 

Yes, drop D tuning is a bit of a constant....but also 

the DADFAD tuning for “The Girl Who Fell To Earth” 

was a cool find. 

WHAT DREW YOU TO EASTMAN 

GUITARS? 

A friend of mine told me about them & I’m just 

always into trying new guitars....not always letting 

the ‘big boys’ dominate. And, I’m glad I did. 

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE 

SOUND OF YOUR EASTMAN GUITAR? 

I’ve got a full sized dreadnought & a smaller parlor 

guitar too, both fitted with pickups. They’ve both got 

a great tone & feel. The parlor guitar is my favorite 

though. I use it live now quite a bit. 

WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU, MUSICALLY? 

I’m writing & recording for my 3rd album. Early days, 

but already some really exciting ideas floating about. 

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE SONG YOU’VE 

WRITTEN? 

Tough one...it’s usually the most recent though... 

WHERE’S THE BEST PLACE TO FIND 

UPDATES ON WHAT YOU’RE CURRENTLY 

UP TO? 

Probably best to check out Twitter & FB, all the live 

shows are up there, amongst other lovely stuff. 

Coombes plays the 

Travel ACTG1

31 

E10OO-M 

E6 OM 

E8D 

Top: 

Mahogany 

Top: 

Solid Sitka Spruce 

Top: 


Back/Sides: 

Mahogany 

Back/Sides: 

Mahogany 

Back/Sides: 

Rosewood 

Neck: 

Mahogany 

Neck: 

Mahogany 

Neck: 

Mahogany 

Fingerboard: 

Rosewood 

Fingerboard: 

Ebony 

Fingerboard: 

Ebony 

Nut: 

Bone 

Nut: 

Bone 

Nut: 

Bone 




Ebony/ Bone 


Ebony/ Bone 

Binding: 

Ivory 

Binding: 

3-Ply Black/ White/ Black 

Binding: 

Herringbone 

Scale Length: 

24.9” 

Scale Length: 

24.9” 

Scale Length: 

25.4” 

Finish: 


Finish: 


Finish: 


Case: 


Case: 


Case: 



Natural 


Natural 


Natural 

OO 

DR OM DR 

12 

DR 

OM

32 

AC630—BD 

THE 

AC 

SERIES 

Top: 

Back/Sides: 

Neck: 

FIngerboard: 

Nut: 


Binding: 

Scale Length: 

Electronics: 

Finish: 

Case: 

J 

CE 

Solid Engleman Spruce 

Solid Flame Maple 

Maple 

Ebony 

Bone 

Ebony/ Bone 

Multi-Ply Figured Maple 

25.4” 

N/A 



With the same care and craftsmanship that go 

into our Traditional Series guitars, Eastman’s AC 

Series offers a variety of honest acoustic voices 

and effortless playability with a more modern 

flair. Cutaway electrics with upper-fret access 

expand the acoustic player’s range and nontraditional 

body styles such as Grand Concerts, 

and Grand Auditoriums demand an audience’s 

attention. The AC Series guitars are designed and 

built with performance in mind — and perform is 

exactly what they do. 

AC630CE-12 

Top: 


Back/Sides: Solid Flame Maple 

Neck: 

FIngerboard: 

Nut: 


Binding: 

Scale Length: 

Electronics: 

Finish: 

Case: 

Mahogany 

Ebony 

Bone 

Ebony/ Bone 


25.4” 

L.R. Baggs Element 



J 

12 

J 

CE 

GA 

CE

33 

Sapele Series Sapele Series Sapele Series 

AC-DR1 

AC-OM2 

AC-GA2CE 

Top: 


Top: 

Solid Sapele (also available 

Top: 

Solid Sapele (also available 

(also available in sapele 

in spruce on the AC-OM1) 

in spruce on the AC-OM1) 

on the AC-DR2) 

Back/Sides: 

Solid Sapele 

Back/Sides: 

Solid Sapele 

Back/Sides: 

Solid Sapele 

Neck: 

Mahogany 

Neck: 

Mahogany 

Neck: 

Mahogany 

FIngerboard: 

Rosewood 

FIngerboard: 

Rosewood 

FIngerboard: 

Rosewood 

Nut: 

Bone 

Nut: 

Bone 

Nut: 

Bone 







Binding: 

Tortoise Shell 

Binding: 


Binding: 


Scale Length: 

24.9” 

Scale Length: 

25.4” 

Scale Length: 

25.4” 

Electronics: 

N/A 

Electronics: 

Fishman Sonitone 

Electronics: 

N/A 

Finish: 

Open Pore 

Finish: 

Open Pore 

Finish: 

Open Pore 

Case: 

Padded Gig Bag 

Case: 


Case: 


DR 

OM 

GA 

CE

34 

THE AC SERIES 


AC222CE 

Top: 

Back/Sides: 

Neck: 

FIngerboard: 

Nut: 


Binding: 

Scale Length: 

Electronics: 


Rosewood Laminate 

Mahogany 

Rosewood 

Bone 


3-Ply Black/White/Black 

25.4” 

Fishman Sonitone 

(on CE models only) 

Finish: 

Case: 

Open Pore 


DR 

DR 

CE 

GA 

GA 

CE 

AC420CE-BA 

Neal Casal 

of the band 

Chris Robinson Brotherhood 

Casal plays the T486-B-RD, E20OOSS 

Top: 

Back/Sides: 

Neck: 

FIngerboard: 

Nut: 


Binding: 

Scale Length: 

Electronics: 

Finish: 

Case: 


Solid Rosewood 

Mahogany 

Ebony 

Bone 

Ebony/ Bone 

Ivoroid 

25.4” 

Fishman Matrix VT 



DR 

CE

35 

The Common Linnets 

Ilse plays the AC630CE-12, E200OSS. 

Jake plays the E10SS, E20OM-SB, MD315. 

Matthew plays the T486B-SB, E20OOSS. 

JB plays the MD514, MDC805, 

AR372CE, E20OM-SB, T486. 

AC708CE 

AC822CE-FF 

Top: 


Top: 


Back/Sides: 


Back/Sides: 


Neck: 

Mahogany 

Neck: 

Mahogany 

FIngerboard: 

Ebony 

FIngerboard: 

Ebony 

Nut: 

Bone 

Nut: 

Bone 


Ebony/ Bone 


Ebony/ Bone 

Binding: 

5-Ply Rosewood 

Binding: 


Scale Length: 

24.9” 

Scale Length: 

Bass Side 25.5” & 

Electronics: 

L.R. Baggs Element 

Treble Side 24.75” Fan Fret 

Finish: 


Electronics: 

L.R. Baggs Anthem 

Case: 


Finish: 


Case: 


GC 

CE 

GA 

CE 

GA 

CE-FF 

GA 

CE 

OM 

CE 

GC 

CE

36 

THE 

CLASSICAL 

SERIES 

Inspired by the work of legendary Spanish 

luthier Antonio de Torres Jurado, our classical 

guitars are built to meet the demands of 

today’s most serious players and students. 

Beyond skill-level, there’s also the matter of 

style — these instruments will inspire not just 

classical players, but Latin, afro-jazz, and folk 

musicians, as well. 

Eastman classical guitars have been designed 

and crafted to provide power and balance, 

clarity and projection, and beautiful tone-color 

or timbre. Such are the attributes of these 

12-fret specials, handcrafted with an eye — 

and ear — toward the great Torres, who in 

the 19th century changed lutherie forever 

by expanding the stringed instruments’ 

traditional body-size and, thus, its strength. 

With their carefully handcrafted soundboards 

and nylon strings, the classical models offer 

extraordinary range and emotional texture. 

Top-to-bottom excellence of this kind yields 

tremendous versatility — and, for the player, 

supreme possibility. 

With Eastman’s commitment to detail and 

dedication to tradition, the delicate fan-bracing, 

precise 650 millimeter scale-length, and 

careful wood-shaping bestow each instrument 

with a distinct “voice.” Players will also 

get the guarantee that no Eastman guitar 

leaves the shop until it is closely inspected 

and carefully set-up by a seasoned luthier. 

A great-sounding instrument arrives at its 

absolute peak. 

With everything taken care of, the dedicated 

“classical” instrumentalist is free to concentrate 

on just one thing: making beautiful music. 

CL81S 

Top: 

Back/Sides: 

Neck: 

FIngerboard: 

Nut: 


Binding: 

Scale Length: 

Finish: 

Case: 


AAA Tight grained Cedar 

Indian Rosewood 

Mahogany 

Ebony 

Bone 

Rosewood/Bone 

Rosewood, 4 Ply 

Purfling Top 

650 mm 


Brown Vinyl 

Traditional

37 

CL20C 

CL30S 

CL40S 

Top: 


Top: 

AAA Tight grained 

Top: 

AAA Tight grained Spruce 

Back/Sides: 


Spruce 

Back/Sides: 


Neck: 

Mahogany 

Back/Sides: 

Mahogany 

Neck: 

Mahogany Ebony 

FIngerboard: 

Rosewood 

Neck: 

Mahogany Ebony 

Center Strip 

Nut: 

Bone 

Center Strip 

FIngerboard: 

Ebony 


Rosewood/Bone 

FIngerboard: 

Ebony 

Nut: 

Bone 

Binding: 

Rosewood, 2 Ply 

Nut: 

Bone 


Rosewood/Bone 

Purfling Top 


Rosewood/Bone 

Binding: 

Rosewood, 4 Ply Purlfling 

Scale Length: 

650 mm 

Binding: 

Rosewood, 4 Ply Purlfling 

Top 2 Ply Back 

Finish: 


Top 2 Ply Back 

Scale Length: 

650 mm 

Case: 

Brown Vinyl 

Scale Length: 

650 mm 

Finish: 



Traditional 

Finish: 


Case: 

Brown Vinyl 

Case: 

Brown Vinyl 


Traditional 


Traditional

38 

MD415-GD 

THE 

MANDOLIN 

FAMILY 

Top: 

Back/Sides: 

Neck: 

Fingerboard: 

Nut: 


Binding: 

Scale Length: 

Finish: 

Case: 


FF 

Carved Solid Spruce 

Carved Solid Mahogany 

Maple 

Ebony 

Bone 


Ivoroid 

13 7/8” 



Black / Gold 

Inspired by the first Golden Age of American lutherie 

in the early 20th century, Eastman’s mandolin family 

has earned the respect and admiration of a whole 

new generation of bluegrass, folk, and Americana 

musicians. The sheer attention to detail in our 

mandolins, mandolas, and mandocellos truly rivals 

instruments that are three or four times more costly. 

From percussive “chop” to dynamic articulation and 

throaty harmonic support, Eastman has a mandolin 

for every occasion. 

MD415-BK 

Top: 


Back/Sides: Carved Solid Mahogany 

Neck: 

FIngerboard: 

Nut: 


Binding: 

Scale Length: 

Finish: 

Case: 


Maple 

Ebony 

Bone 


Ivoroid 

13 7/8” 



Black / Gold 

FF

Nels Cline 

of the band 

Wilco 

Cline plays the Mandolin MD515, Mandocello MDC804

40 

THE MANDOLIN FAMILY 


MD305 

MD404-BK 

Top: 

Carved Solid Spruce Top 

Top: 


Back/Sides: 

Carved Solid Maple 

Back/Sides: 

Carved Solid Mahogany 

Neck: 

Maple 

Neck: 

Maple 

Fingerboard: 

Ebony 

Fingerboard: 

Ebony 

Nut: 

Bone 

Nut: 

Bone 





Binding: 

Ivoroid 

Binding: 

Ivoroid 

Scale Length: 

13 7/8” 

Scale Length: 

13 7/8” 

Finish: 

Satin Lacquer 

Finish: 


Case: 


Case: 



Classic 


Black 

AO AF FF 

AO 

Ethan Johns 

Producer and solo artist 

Johns plays the E10P and MD-814

41 

MD505 

MD514-CS 

MD615 

Top: 


Top: 


Top: 


Back/Sides: 


Back/Sides: 


Back/Sides: 


Neck: 

Maple 

Neck: 

Maple 

Neck: 

Maple 

Fingerboard: 

Ebony 

Fingerboard: 

Ebony 

Fingerboard: 

Ebony 

Nut: 

Bone 

Nut: 

Bone 

Nut: 

Bone 







Binding: 

Ivoroid 

Binding: 

Ivoroid 

Binding: 

Ivoroid 

Scale Length: 

13 7/8” 

Scale Length: 

13 7/8” 

Scale Length: 

13 7/8” 

Finish: 


Finish: 


Electronics: 

K&K Mandoline Twin 

Case: 


Case: 


Finish: 



Classic / Classic Sunburst 


Classic / Classic Sunburst 

Case: 



Classic / Sunburst 

AO 

AF 

FO 

FF 

AO 

AF 

FO 

FF

42 

THE MANDOLIN FAMILY 


MD815PGE-HB 

Top: 

Back/Sides: 

Neck: 

Fingerboard: 

Nut: 


Binding: 

Scale Length: 

Electronics: 

Finish: 

Case: 




Maple 

Ebony 

Bone 


Ivoroid 

13 7/8” 

K&K Mandolin Twin 



Classic 

AF 

FF 

MD905 

Frank Solivan 

of the band 

Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen 

Solivan plays the MD515 

Top: 

Back/Sides: 

Neck: 

Fingerboard: 

Nut: 


Binding: 

Scale Length: 

Finish: 

Case: 




Maple 

Ebony 

Bone 


Maple 

13 7/8” 



Clasic / Sunburst 

AF 

FF

43 


Band from left to right: 

Savannah Finch, Tim 

Finch, Jon Glik, Stefan 

Custodi 

The Eastman String Band 

Getting personal 

Tim Finch knows his bluegrass. He knows the sound and the 

songbook, the lore and the legends. His appreciation for the music, 

in fact, is what keeps pushing him for something a little different 

— namely, for something of his own. 

Officially, his band is called Tim and Savannah Finch with The 

Eastman String Band. Based outside Annapolis, MD, they formed 

just under a decade ago, with the goal of forging fresh territory on 

an “Alt’grass Americana” frontier. It also meant writing and 

performing original songs — which, as he put it, was something of 

a “gamble.” After all, live bluegrass audiences frequently expect 

— even demand — to hear the standards. 

The result of Finch and his band mates’ focused musical 

exploration is two all-original albums, with a third in the works, 

driven by wife and lead singer Savannah’s “very personal” lyrics, 

which grapple with life and death, family and relationships. He’s 

proud of their growing catalogue, prouder still that this music 

comes from within. “I love the traditional songs,” he says, “but I’m 

passionate about exploring original material and new 

arrangements.” 

Finch is hardly a product of Appalachia. He grew up in the ‘70s in a 

suburb outside of Washington, D.C., in a time and place surging 

with the energy of a neo-bluegrass movement. Inspired by the likes 

of Earl Scruggs and The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, he picked up the 

banjo as a teenager and never stopped playing. His passion led him 

first to form a group with his brothers, then on to gigs at major 

venues with The Good Deale Bluegrass Band that included Jon Glik 

on fiddle, Mike Munford on banjo, and the legendary Mike 

Auldridge on resonator guitar. 

Along the way, he met his wife Savannah who walked into a music 

store he was just opening. The two found instant musical common 

ground, playing together at the Friday night jams that Tim held at 

his store. Eventually the fuller band emerged with both at the front 

where they began performing at various private events, major 

venues, and festivals. 

And as for his choice of the band’s name? He reaches out beyond 

his own creative efforts. Finch works as a sales rep for Eastman — 

a job that keeps him on the road, and in contact with other 

musicians, constantly. He’d named his first band after his music 

shop “Good Deale Bluegrass,” and so when it came time to find a 

name for his new configuration, as he puts it: “I figured, I’d stick 

with the same formula and name it after where I work.” 

Indeed, his own form of tradition is something that the 

irrepressible Finch can very much get behind. 

www.eastmanstringband.com

44 


The Chapmans 

Jeremy plays the MD815/v, MDA815 

John plays the E6D, E10D, AR905CE 

MUSIC CULTURE 

Bluegrass and 

Americana 

The heart of America honored 

The origin of these uniquely American music genres can be traced to colonial and 

nineteenth century settlers from England, Scotland and Ireland. Along the Appalachian 

range, these folk traditions continued to evolve and by the 1930’s when Bill Monroe and 

his “Blue Grass Boys” hit the scene, a new American art form was created. Bluegrass 

continued to mature into various sub-genres such as “new-grass” and “alt-grass” and by 

the 1990’s a new radio format known as Americana was born drawing on bluegrass roots 

but also adopting influences from folk, blues, jazz and rock. 

We at Eastman honor the legacy, tradition and the new musical ethos by offering the best 

instruments we can to the new breed of roots music devotees. 

Steeped in this tradition and mindful of the needs of today’s players, we handcraft our 

instruments to play smoothly and powerfully and to sit right where you need them in the 

mix. Our guitars feature luscious bottom end to drive the rhythm and create a supportive 

counterpoint to vocal arrangements. 

While preserving all the complex harmonic overtones of the iconic vintage instruments of 

the 1930’s and 40’s, Eastman guitars are also painstakingly voiced to provide a modern 

clarity that makes a dynamic impact on your music. Our coveted mandolins have rightfully 

earned a great reputation and following because they deliver a “killer chop” with a rich 

woody tone and a clear treble “cut” that allows the player to attack as hard as they desire, 

or focus on soft nuanced subtleties. And Eastman’s faithful re-creation of the 1903 

Fairbanks Whyte Laydie II is the very definition of turn-of-the-century banjo tone.

45 

MDA815-SB 

Top: 

Back/Sides: 

Neck: 

Fingerboard: 

Nut: 


Binding: 

Scale Length: 

Finish: 

Case: 




Maple 

Ebony 

Bone 


Ivoroid 

15 7/8” 



Clasic, Sunburst 

FF 

MDC804 

Top: 

Back/Sides: 

Neck: 

Fingerboard: 

Nut: 


Binding: 

Scale Length: 

Finish: 

Case: 




Maple 

Ebony 

Bone 


Ivoroid 

25” 




Ronnie McCoury 

of the band 

The Travelin McCourys 

McCoury plays the MD515, MDC805 

O 

F

46 


EU3C 

EBJ-WL1 

Top: 

Solid Mahogany 

Top: 

Consumate Frailing 

Back/Sides: 

Solid Mahogany 

Back/Sides: 

Made to pre Vega Specs 

Neck: 

Mahogany 

Rim: 

10 3/4” 

Fingerboard: 

Rosewood 

Scale Length: 

26” 

Nut: 

Bone 

Nut Width: 

1 5/16” 


Rosewood Anchor Style 


Substantial feeling early 

Binding: 

Rosewood 

banjo neck 

Scale Length: 

14 5/8” 

Finish: 


Case: 


S C T 

2017 PRODUCTION MODELS (US & CANADA) 

ANTIQUE VARNISH SERIES 

Model 

Finish 

Top 

Back/Sides 

Body Style 

T49/V 

T58/V 

T59/V 

SB59/V 

SB59 

E10OOSS/V 

E10SS/V 

MD815/V 

MD814/V-BK 

MD805/V 

Classic/Amber 

Classic/Amber 

Classic/Amber 

Classic/Amber 

Sunburst/Goldburst 

Classic 

Classic 

Classic 

Black 

Classic 

Laminate Maple 

Carved Spruce 

Deluxe Laminate 

Maple 

Maple 

Adirondack Spruce 





Laminate Maple 

Laminated Flame Maple 


Mahogany 

Mahogany 

Mahogany 

Mahogany 

Flamed Maple 

Flamed Maple 

Flamed Maple 

16” Florentine Cutaway 

16” Venetian Cutaway 

16” Double cutaway w/full block 

Single Cut Solid Body 

Single Cut Solid Body 

OOSS 

SS 

F-Style With F-Holes W/Antique Varnish 

F-Style With Oval Holes W/Antique Varnish 

A-Style With F-Holes 

TRADITIONAL SERIES – (E) Acoustic Electric Model 

E6OM (E) 

E6D (E) 

E6D-12 (E) 

E8OM (E) 

E8D (E) 

E10D (E) 

E10DL (E) 

E10SS (E) 

E10OM (E) 

E10OO (E) 

E10OO-M 

E10OOSS 

E10P (E) 

E20OM (E) 

E2OOMCE 

E20D (E) 

E20P (E) 

E20SS (E) 

E20OO (E) 

E20OOSS 

E40D (E) 

E40-OM (E) 

Natural 

Natural 

Natural 

Natural 

Natural 

Natural/Sunburst 

Natural 

Sunburst 


Natural 

Natural 

Sunburst 



Natural 



Sunburst 

Natural 

Sunburst 



Sitka Spruce 

Sitka Spruce 

Sitka Spruce 

Sitka Spruce 

Sitka Spruce 






Mahogany 












Mahogany 

Mahogany 

Mahogany 

Rosewood 

Rosewood 

Mahogany 

Mahogany 

Mahogany 

Mahogany 

Mahogany 

Mahogany 

Mahogany 

Mahogany 

Rosewood 

Rosewood 

Rosewood 

Rosewood 

Rosewood 

Rosewood 

Rosewood 

Rosewood 

Rosewood 

Orchestra Model 

Dreadnought 

Dreadnought 


Dreadnought 

Dreadnought 

Dreadnought 

Slope Shoulder 


OO 

OO 

OOSS 

Parlor 



Dreadnought 

Parlor 

Slope Shoulder 

OO 

OOSS 

Dreadnought 

Orchestra Model

47 


ARCHTOP SERIES 

Model 

Finish 

Top 

Back/Sides 

Body Style 

AR371CE 

AR372CE 

AR403CE 

AR405E 

AR503CE 

AR580CE 

AR603CE-15 

AR605CE 

AR610 

AR610CE 

AR803CE-16 

AR805CE 

AR805LCE 

AR810CE 

AR810CE-7 

AR905CE 

AR910CE 

AR380CE-HB 

AR680CE 

AR880CE 

FV680CE-SB 

Classic/Blonde/Sunburst 

Classic/Blonde/Sunburst 

Classic/Sunburst 



Blue/Honeyburst 

Classic/Classic Sunburst 









Classic/Sunburst/Blonde 


Honeyburst 

Classic 


Sunburst 





Spruce 

Spruce 

Spruce 

Spruce 

Spruce 

Spruce 

Spruce 

Spruce 

Spruce 

Spruce 

Spruce 

Spruce 

Spruce 


Spruce 

Spruce 

AAA Tight Grained Spruce 







Mahogany 

Mahogany 

Mahogany 

Mahogany 

Maple 

Maple 

Maple 

Maple 

Maple 

Maple 

Maple 


Mahogany 

Maple 

Highly Figured Mahogany 

16” Florentine cutaway 


16” Venetian cutaway 

Non cutaway 



15” Venetian Cutaway 


17” Non cutaway 




16” Venetian cutaway/ Left handed 


17” Venetian cutaway 7-string 

16” Venetian cutaway/maple binding 

17” Venetian cutaway/maple binding 




Thorel/Vignola Designed Custom Jazz 

EL REY SERIES 

ER1 

ER2 

ER3 

ER4 





Spruce 

Spruce 

Maple 

Spruce 

Mahogany 

Maple 

Mahogany 

Mahogany 

14” Neck block cutaway 



16” El Rey Model 

PAGELLI SIGNATURE SERIES 

PG1 

PG2 

Classic 

Blonde 

Spruce 

Spruce 

Maple 

Maple 

17” Asymmetrical design 

17” Asymmetrical design 

THINLINE SERIES 

T184MX 

T184MX-LS 

T185MX 

T186MX 

T146SM 

T386 

T486 

T486B 

T486-RB (Ray Benson) 

Classic/Classic Sunburst/ Blonde 

Black 




Classic/Red/Sunburst 

Classic/Red/Sunburst/Black 

Classic/Red/Sunburst/Black 

Red 

Maple 

Maple 

Maple 

Maple 

Spruce 





Mahogany 

Mahogany 

Mahogany 

Mahogany 

Maple 





14” double cutaway 




16” single cutaway 





MANDOLIN FAMILY 

MD304 

MD305 

MD315 

MD404-BK 

MD415 

MD504 

MD505 

MD514 

MD515 

MD515L 

MD604 

MD605 

MD614 

MD615 

MD805 

MD805PGE 

MD814 

MD814-BD 

MD815 

MD815PGE 

MD905 

MD915 

MDA815 

MDC804 

MDC805 

MDB102-RS 

MDB102-MS 

Classic 

Classic 

Classic 

Black 

Black/Gold 





classic 







Classic/ Sunbrst 

Blonde 








Natural 

Natural 

Spruce 

Spruce 

Spruce 

Spruce 

Spruce 

Spruce 

Spruce 

Spruce 

Spruce 

Spruce 

Spruce 

Spruce 

Spruce 

Spruce 







Adirondack spruce 

Adirondack spruce 

Spruce 

Spruce 

Spruce 

Spruce 

Spruce 

Maple 

Maple 

Maple 

Mahogany 

Mahogany 

Maple 

Maple 

Maple 

Maple 

Maple 

Maple 

Maple 

Maple 

Maple 

Flamed Maple 

Flamed Maple 

Flamed Maple 

Flamed Maple 

Flamed Maple 

Flamed Maple 

Sugar maple 

Sugar maple 

Maple 

Maple 

Maple 

Alternating Rosewood staves 

Alternating Maple staves 

A-Style With Oval Hole 


F-Style With F-Holes 

A-Style With Oval Hole - Black Top 




F-Style With Oval Hole 


F-Style With F-Holes left handed 


A-Style With F Hole 




A-Style With F-Holes w/ elec 




F-Style With F-Holes w/ elec 

A-Style With F-Holes W/Oil Varnish Finish 

F-Style With F-Holes W/Oil Varnish Finish 

F-Style With F-Holes Mandola 

Oval Mandocello 

F Hole Mandocello 

Neopolitan Bowl Back Mandolin 

Neopolitan Bowl Back Mandolin

48 


PHOTO CREDITS 

TRAVEL 

Model Finish Top Back/Sides Body Style 

ACTG1 

ACTG2E 

PCH 

PCH1-D 

PCH1-OM 

PCH1-GACE 

AC SERIES 

AC-OM1 

AC-OM2 

AC-DR1 

AC-DR2 

AC-GA1CE 

AC-GA2CE 

AC120 

AC120CE 

AC122 

AC122CE 

AC220 

AC220CE 

AC222 

AC222CE 

AC320 

AC320CE 

AC320LCE 

AC322 

AC322CE 

AC420 

AC420CE 

AC422 

AC422CE 

AC420CE-BA 

AC508CE 

AC522CE 

AC622CE 

AC630CE 

AC630-BD 

AC630CE-12 

AC708CE 

AC722CE 

AC808CE 

AC812CE 

AC820CE 

AC822CE 

AC822CE-FF 

CLASSICAL 

CL10s 

CL20C 

CL30S 

CL40S 

CL81S 

CL82S 

Natural 

Natural 

Natural 

Natural 

Natural 

Natural 

Natural 

Natural 

Natural 

Natural 

Natural 

Natural 

Natural 

Natural 

Natural 

Natural 

Natural 

Natural 

Natural 

Natural 

Natural 

Natural 

Natural 

Natural 

Natural 

Natural 

Natural 

Natural 

Natural 

Natural 

Natural 

Natural 

Natural 

Blonde 

Natural 

Natural 

Natural 

Natural 

Natural 

Natural 

Natural 

Natural 

Traditional 

Traditional 

Traditional 

Traditional 

Traditional 

Traditional 

Sitka Spruce 

Solid Sapele 




Sitka Spruce 

Sapele 

Sitka Spruce 

Sapele 

Sitka Spruce 

Sapele 

Sitka Spruce 

Sitka Spruce 

Sitka Spruce 

Sitka Spruce 

Sitka Spruce 

Sitka Spruce 

Sitka Spruce 

Sitka Spruce 

Sitka Spruce 

Sitka Spruce 

Sitka Spruce 

Sitka Spruce 

Sitka Spruce 

Sitka Spruce 

Sitka Spruce 

Sitka Spruce 

Sitka Spruce 

Sitka Spruce 

Engelmann Spruce 








European Spruce 











Laminated Sapele 

Solid Sapele 

Mahogany Laminate 



Sapele 

Sapele 

Sapele 

Sapele 

Sapele 

Sapele 





Laminated Rosewood 




Sapele 

Sapele 

Sapele 

Sapele 

Sapele 

Rosewood 

Rosewood 

Rosewood 

Rosewood 

Rosewood 

Mahogany 

Mahogany 

Maple 

Maple 

Maple 

Maple 

Rosewood 

Rosewood 






Laminated Mahogany 


Mahogany 




Travel 

Travel with Fishman Pickup 

Dreadnought 


Grand Auditorium w/ Ctwy Elc 



Dreadnought 

Dreadnought 



Dreadnought 

Dreadnought w/ Ctwy Elec 

Grand Auditorium 

Grand Auditorium w/ Ctwy Elec 

Dreadnought 




Dreadnought 


Dreadnought w/ Ctwy Elec Left Handed 


Grand Auditorium w/Ctwy Elec 

Dreadnought 




Dreadnought 

Grand Concert w/Slotted Headstock 



Jumbo w/ Ctwy Elec 

Full bodied Jumbo 

Jumbo 12 String w/ Ctwy Elec 

Grand Concert w/Ctwy Elec 


Grand Concert w/Ctwy Elec 

OM w/Ctwy Elec 

Dreadnought w/Ctwy Elec 


Fanned Fret Grand Auditorium w/ 

Cutaway Elec 

Traditional Concert Specifications 






Page 3 — Shop 

Shane Deuel 


Julien Creff 

Page 10 — Jon Herington 

Jon Gorr 

Page 11 — David Vandervelde 

James Hill 

Page 13 — Craig Bartock 

Monica Cole 


Jim Sullivan 

Page 19 — Frank Vignola 

TrueFire.com 

Page 21 — Nicole Atkins 

Ryan McHugh 

Page 22 — Noah Guthrie 

Rhett Shull 

Page 24 — Mitchell Long 

Bob Barry 

Page 24 — Cass McCombs 

Rachel Pony Cassells 

Page 28 — Jackson Phillips 

Pooneh Ghana 

Page 29 — Trey Hensley 

Trey Hensley 

Page 30 — Gaz Coombes 

Rankin 

Page 34 — Neal Casal 

Megan McIsaac 

Page 35 — The Common Linnets 

Paul Bellaart 

Page 39 — Nels Cline 

Zoran Orlic 

Page 40 — Ethan Johns 

Jennifer Tipoulow 

Page 42 — Frank Solivan 

Saulo Zayas 

Page 43 — The Eastman String Band 

Steve Barrett 

Page 45 — Ronnie McCoury 

Saulo Zayas 

UKULELE 

EU3S 

EU3C 

EU3T 

Classic 

Classic 

Classic 

Figured Mahogany 






Soprano Size Ukulele 

Concert Size Ukulele 

Tenor Size Ukulele 

BANJO 

EBJ-WL1 

Open Back Banjo, Maple neck, Ebony fingerboard, chrome hardware, Gotoh tuners

2158 Pomona Blvd, Pomona, CA 91768 

800.789.2216 

eastmanguitars.com

2017 catalog

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