2017 catalog

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.