Hi Rich - I've been bitten by the Eastman bug and am lucky enough to own several Eastman semis and hollow bodies - a T59/V, a T64/V, a T184 (ES339-sized hollowbody) and a Romeo NYC - as well as a couple of arch-tops (AR805CE and the glorious slimline T146SM archtop - that's another story). They are all wonderful and I play all of them as much as I can. Over the years I've sold a Collings and a couple of Gibsons to free up the necessary financial resources! Eastman QC can be up and down - In general I find they vary quite a lot, so it's always worth trying out as many as you can get your hands on - then when you find a lively, good-playing one, don't hesitate. I echo all your comments on the T64 - I find it a much more comfortable guitar to hold and play than the T59/V. The Romeo and the T184 are also exceptionally comfortable (you should check out a Romeo if you haven't already). The T59 is, as you say, quite heavy. But I keep coming back to it because it has such a sweet tone with the Seymour Duncan Antiquity pickups. The T64 and T59 also have a worn in finish (somewhere between VOS and light relic) which really appeals to me and makes them somehow more comfortable to play. Like you I'm working on my jazz playing, and I admire you for doing solo gigs. Faced with a choice between studying a few standards properly, so I can perform them, or continuing on my voyage of discovery with new songs and online lessons, I always seem to choose the latter. Perhaps the answer is just to commit to a gig, so you have no choice but to learn a bunch of songs...
@@isohenflowil - Man, that’s quite a collection of guitars! I’ve been fortunate in that all my Eastmans have been “keepers”. I have to agree with you- the T59V has an incredible sound. Mine also has a beautiful finish but in the end, I’m still glad I let it go for the 64. I had a weekly solo gig about 3 years ago and it really helped my playing. Having to work through stuff on the fly rather than being able to stop really was very a boost to my playing. All the best!
Thank you for the video, this is a truly beautiful guitar. I’m currently looking at an Eastman T60/TV. It has the same pickups as yours, but a centre block and more upper fret access like a 335. Don’t think it will have as nice a mellow tone as yours, but I’m hoping it would be good for blues and rock tones like you mentioned. Cheers!
@@scaredypicker - you are very welcome! I am not familiar with the T 60 but I used to have a T 59V that was a great guitar for rock or blues. Hope the guitar works out for you!
My thoughts literally mirror yours. Same quirks, same pros and cons. I still regret not getting a US Casino (was out of my budget at the time), and now that Gibson has released a ES-330, I really want one. I might get a Kalamazoo made Casino/330 at some point, but this Eastman has given me two songs already, so it’s been worth it. Yes, a bummer not being able to adjust pickup height and while the setup on mine was pretty good out of the box, I soon found that the bridge pickup was too close to the strings and the notes were getting choked. Turns out you can adjust the height of the magnet poles as they’re screws, so my luthier helped me with dialing in the correct loudness of individual strings and balance between the pickups.
I liked this video, easy laid back style, thanks. I just sold my 535 due to lack of use, my style has moved on to solid body but your challenging my decision, Eastman you say, might look into it, thanks again..
@@FreddyFromage-lk4mp - Thanks for checking it out! Yes, If you haven’t checked them out, you might find it worthwhile. They have several great jazz guitars but also a few solid body guitars. . They have a model like a Les Paul and another similar to a Tele. I’ve not played either one yet many people rave about them. That might be a better fit for your taste. Thanks again!
First of all, thanks for sharing your experience with this guitar! Thanks to your jazz chords playing I bought one. I play bossa nova songs, usually with nylon-string guitar but this Eastman works very well and sound very warm and also works well for blues! I have one question: which string gauge and type you use and how is the action? I put DR Pure Blues rounds 10-46, got the action medium-low (1.5mm 6th string at 12th fret), but they sound thin on the A-E strings. I wanted to try DR 10-52. I don´t like the original 11-49 that they come with cause the tension on the E-B-G is too much for my playing. I want to know your opinion and also if you use flats.
@@danielmargolis3210 I guess that would depend on how loud your drummer is. I bought this used from a guy who sold it to buy a 10 inch Henriksen for that very reason. I only play solo so I can’t speak to that.
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Hi Rich - I've been bitten by the Eastman bug and am lucky enough to own several Eastman semis and hollow bodies - a T59/V, a T64/V, a T184 (ES339-sized hollowbody) and a Romeo NYC - as well as a couple of arch-tops (AR805CE and the glorious slimline T146SM archtop - that's another story). They are all wonderful and I play all of them as much as I can. Over the years I've sold a Collings and a couple of Gibsons to free up the necessary financial resources!
Eastman QC can be up and down - In general I find they vary quite a lot, so it's always worth trying out as many as you can get your hands on - then when you find a lively, good-playing one, don't hesitate. I echo all your comments on the T64 - I find it a much more comfortable guitar to hold and play than the T59/V. The Romeo and the T184 are also exceptionally comfortable (you should check out a Romeo if you haven't already). The T59 is, as you say, quite heavy. But I keep coming back to it because it has such a sweet tone with the Seymour Duncan Antiquity pickups. The T64 and T59 also have a worn in finish (somewhere between VOS and light relic) which really appeals to me and makes them somehow more comfortable to play.
Like you I'm working on my jazz playing, and I admire you for doing solo gigs. Faced with a choice between studying a few standards properly, so I can perform them, or continuing on my voyage of discovery with new songs and online lessons, I always seem to choose the latter. Perhaps the answer is just to commit to a gig, so you have no choice but to learn a bunch of songs...
@@isohenflowil - Man, that’s quite a collection of guitars! I’ve been fortunate in that all my Eastmans have been “keepers”.
I have to agree with you- the T59V has an incredible sound. Mine also has a beautiful finish but in the end, I’m still glad I let it go for the 64.
I had a weekly solo gig about 3 years ago and it really helped my playing. Having to work through stuff on the fly rather than being able to stop really was very a boost to my playing. All the best!
Thank you for the video, this is a truly beautiful guitar. I’m currently looking at an Eastman T60/TV. It has the same pickups as yours, but a centre block and more upper fret access like a 335. Don’t think it will have as nice a mellow tone as yours, but I’m hoping it would be good for blues and rock tones like you mentioned. Cheers!
@@scaredypicker - you are very welcome! I am not familiar with the T 60 but I used to have a T 59V that was a great guitar for rock or blues.
Hope the guitar works out for you!
My thoughts literally mirror yours. Same quirks, same pros and cons. I still regret not getting a US Casino (was out of my budget at the time), and now that Gibson has released a ES-330, I really want one. I might get a Kalamazoo made Casino/330 at some point, but this Eastman has given me two songs already, so it’s been worth it.
Yes, a bummer not being able to adjust pickup height and while the setup on mine was pretty good out of the box, I soon found that the bridge pickup was too close to the strings and the notes were getting choked.
Turns out you can adjust the height of the magnet poles as they’re screws, so my luthier helped me with dialing in the correct loudness of individual strings and balance between the pickups.
Cool to hear that you can adjust the pickups. Thanks for your input. All the best to you!
@ happy holidays!
I liked this video, easy laid back style, thanks. I just sold my 535 due to lack of use, my style has moved on to solid body but your challenging my decision, Eastman you say, might look into it, thanks again..
@@FreddyFromage-lk4mp - Thanks for checking it out! Yes, If you haven’t checked them out, you might find it worthwhile.
They have several great jazz guitars but also a few solid body guitars. . They have a model like a Les Paul and another similar to a Tele.
I’ve not played either one yet many people rave about them. That might be a better fit for your taste. Thanks again!
First of all, thanks for sharing your experience with this guitar! Thanks to your jazz chords playing I bought one. I play bossa nova songs, usually with nylon-string guitar but this Eastman works very well and sound very warm and also works well for blues! I have one question: which string gauge and type you use and how is the action? I put DR Pure Blues rounds 10-46, got the action medium-low (1.5mm 6th string at 12th fret), but they sound thin on the A-E strings. I wanted to try DR 10-52. I don´t like the original 11-49 that they come with cause the tension on the E-B-G is too much for my playing. I want to know your opinion and also if you use flats.
@@LeoS.-lx7gl - I use D’Addario NYXL strings.
The action is great. I have flats on my other guitar so I use round wound on the T64.
@@LeoS.-lx7gl - Glad to hear the video was helpful to you. Yes, I love this guitar and I think it sounds great for finger style playing.
Used my 64 for a two hour gig today.
Can you play a Jazz gig with drums with a BluSIX? Not a loud fusion gig, more like a standards gig. “Restaurant Jazz,” if you will.
@@danielmargolis3210 I guess that would depend on how loud your drummer is. I bought this used from a guy who sold it to buy a 10 inch Henriksen for that very reason.
I only play solo so I can’t speak to that.