I got an Eastman sb55, sold all my other guitars and got an sb59, these guitars are incredible. I now only own 2 guitars, both Eastman. They have the same feel as a custom shop instrument in my opinion. My only gripe was I don’t really like the non custom shop Seymour Duncan pickups, so I stuck a set of montys PAF’s in there and treble bleeds in both guitars and god damn they rip
You know what I love most about this video? It's that you can absolutely tell just how much you fucking love this guitar. Man you had fun with this. I can't wait to pick one up. And that varnish is NOICE
Just got this exact guitar and I'm blown away. Never bought any regular line Gibson because I've always felt they weren't worth the money for the quality. But the historic reissues I've tried were always incredible to play, but at 6-8k for one I think that's an abuse. The Eastman blows the regular line out and matches the feel I got from the Gibson historic reissues. Bye bye Gibson, hello Eastman! I'm a fan!
Still not a Les Paul though, lacks the bite and chirpiness. A better built instrument though than a Les Paul standard, played one at the our local shop. If it were made in USA, it would be priced like a PRS.
@@johndolores315 a significant chunk of that "bite" etc. can be down to the voicing of the humbuckers selected, internal wiring / capacitor choices, and the obvious stuff like amp / cab / mic combinations. perhaps (like me) you prefer lower wind / output humbuckers with less pronounced mid range and more treble? I tried a handful of custom shop level Gibson LPs at an upmarket shop, all in the eye wateringly expensive price bracket. only one stood out, and it was the first exceptional LP I've come across out of hundreds I've tried over the years. it was also the most expensive by far, marked down from $12K to $9K, which is more than my reliable car is worth... if I'd lucked into finding "the one" LP for $3.5K, I probably would've gone for it, but I can't possibly justify that. it's especially insulting since other companies like PRS (and Fender, to a degree) have this figured out. every price bracket has something to offer, it's clear what you get by moving up to the next tier, and you don't feel like you're buying something "lesser" -- which is pretty much Gibson's entire marketing angle. it's kinda depressing, but it's clear that Gibson is "not for the likes of me" haha. Eastman comes across as a high quality option that isn't bluffing or jacking the prices through the roof. they have a lot of hands on time during the build, including the neck shaping. the necks are unique to each guitar, so I know if I find an Eastman I like... that's the ticket.
I have looked at every possible review out there and I liked what I'd seen. I had a new top of the line Epiphone that I spent many hours reworking the fretboard. 🤯 got it really nice, but the guitar just never had the right sound or feel, even with its Gibson pickups. I have a Eastman dealer about an hours drive from me in Seattle area. I called them and they arranged to have a flat black SB57 there when I came the next week. When I plugged the SB 57 in it was pure magic! I've been playing for 50 years and this guitar was perfect! It just felt like I'd been playing it for years, comfortable. The sound was so clear, yet willing to go anywhere. I have played some top end guitars, sometimes they are just clumsy feeling, like a bunch of high end parts bolted to some pretty wood. This guitar, like many of the old and probably the top end Gibsons and others Iam sure, have character, that something that's more than the sum of their parts. I'd say, if your looking for a guitar to play, choose your finish, and buy one and I don't work for anybody and I wish people gave me free guitars.😄
@@Nikoo033 I love my SB 57 BK. The flat black is really cool. I am really happy with the sound of the 57 pickups, to me the 57's are just a bit more crisp than the 59 pickups. For me my other choice would be the SB59v, you can't go wrong with that one either.
David Eskelin thanks for the reply. I am strongly considering the sb57 because of that clarity of the pickups that I have noticed on the few videos available on RUclips. I guess I’ll truly make up my mind from feel after playing both once this coronashit ends and lets us roam freely.
@@susanbucket3400 what is the problem not being authentic? If it plays well, sounds beautiful and extremely well built, at right price, you don’t need anything else…
What I noticed with almost every guitar or pedal reviewer is. When they are really enjoying the instrument or pedal they are playing us the listener and hear and see it. The reviewer seems to play just a little extra and almost gets lost in it for min. This was some of the most inspired noodling I've heard from you Mike. Great Job and a Gorgeous Guitar.
Nigel, er Mike, you did the best demo on outube. Most dudes crank up the gain and the fuzzbox and wail. You cannot hear the guitars true tone. You rock. And just think how this bloody guitar will sound through an amp that goes to 11!
Excellent video. My SB59/V has Duncan Antiquities which I love. My SB59 (nitro finish) has the other Duncans that Eastman uses. Next one... I’ll do Lollars for variety.
I’ve got an Ibanez PF200 and PF300. Both 1978. The PF200 is all original and a bolt on but the sustain is incredible! The PF300 has been messed with some before I got it and doesn’t have the same mojo nor the sustain and it is a glued in joint. I bet I would absolutely love this guitar!
I was debating whether to opt for one of these eastman guitars or a similar Maybach. After reading exceptional reviews in Guitarist magazine and a rave review by Mike Casswell RIP I opted for the Maybach in honey pie with very subtle relicing. These Eastmans seem very fine guitars though. I would love to see a direct head to head between the two as similar priced
Great review. The best one on youtube imo (and I watched A LOT of videos about this guitar). I ordered mine yesterday and I cannot wait for it to arrive next week. Super excited. I have not heard a single bad thing about these guitars yet (apart from the classic oH iTs NoT a rEaL lEs pAUl kind of thing). Keep it up Mike!
Right.. Now your the sort of person who's opinion I want. I want to know how these compare to the current reissues, if they are only as good as standard/trad I wouldn't bother but I suspect they might be better.. Can you tell me any more?
@@emcg.9655 hand carved, bone nuts, good electronics and a solid feeling. I think they blow the doors off the Gibson offerings. I was a long time Gibson player. I still have a love for them but the reality is I appreciate more bang for buck than the name on a Headstock. These guitars play great, feel great and sound great. The ebony boards alone sold me over the top. I don't miss my R8's at all. I will say, the vintage varnish was cool but I didn't like the feel so I went with shiny new look.
Of course I added comments below. Because you're doing everyone a great service by reviewing this guitar I also subscribed to your channel !!! Hopefully some day my playing will progress enough to be worthy of owning this guitar. Something to worthy to inspire practice and look forward to!!! Thank you.
Just ordered mine...looking forward to playing it... I'm a fender guy but wanted a LP style guitar...glad you mentioned that its comfortable for us fender guys
@@MikeBradleyofficial got my Eastman sb59/v this morning....absolutely amazing! It feels like a custom made guitar 🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻😎😎😎 thanks for your review and recommendation!
@@bflo5210 thats awesome!! Now you have had it 5 months.. what do you think now? I also have a cherry SB59v and LOVE IT!.. and l truly have a bad dis-like for "Relic" guitars but this is as close as l have ever seen to a true vintage -played- but very cared for guitar..l could not be happier!!! Just curious on your experience..thanks Jim
@@jameshill2015 I absolutely love this guitar! I have a PRS McCarty 594 that's an amazing guitar but I actually like my Eastman more! Definitely love the look & the pickups are perfect for it... the Eastman & my tele are my 2 go to guitars for gigs....I will say I finally got a chance to play a new Gibson standard 60's les paul and it was surprisingly good! I almost traded my prs for it....I'll never get rid of my Eastman it was definitely a great purchase
@@bflo5210 thats awesome! I have a mint LP Standard "18" that l would not have bought had l knew out the SB.. l love the feel of the varnish, mojo galore the nitro LP just doesn't have. The LP is gorgeous but the SB58V will be with me long after my LP is sold. Congrats!!! Happy for ya!
Really wonderful playing on this one especially that beautiful looped part. I just got the SB 56 Goldtop with P90s. I’d love to see you do a video on this Soapbar version just to hear what this guitar can sound like in your gifted and tasteful hands. Thanks so much mate. You really inspired and moved me today.
Mike, Nice review. Thanks for playing some with the clean tones through a very nice sounding amp. That was very important to me. I've got to get one! It's exactly what I've been looking for. Thanks again. You're right about the semi-hollow Eastmans, I own a T486; wonderful guitar. Jeff
You're the 2nd person I have seen review this guitar. These guitars are awesome. Very high quality and stupendous amount of great tone! I hope Eastman sells a lot of these so someday in the future I may own one of these! I checked out their website for prices. A little high for my budget at the moment, but they appear and sound worth every penny. All the video reviews I have seen and heard had amazing Tones 👏!!!
I had 2 Eastman acoustic guitars in the past and both had raised/dead frets in the high register area. They weren't highend models, more around the $600 range, but still they were very good sounding just had to get then fixed. Love the sb59 reviews, but I wonder am I going to run into the fret problem again.
Gibson is dead to me. Eastman is quickly becoming one of my favorites. This and the SB55/V-SB are my next purchases, better everything on the Eastman's over more expensive Gib$on$.
On Eastman's website they state the /v has Lollar pickups, but on every dealer website I've been to in the UK, they say they have Seymour Duncan's. But only the straight SB59's are meant to have those - not the /v's. Have all the shops in the UK got it wrong?
Try "Richards Guitars" in Stratford-upon-Avon (RUclips channel by the same name), he has several info and review vids on Eastman. He also states that they are Lollar pickups in the SB59V and Seymour Duncan 59s in the standard SB59. I dealt with him a few years ago, a really nice guy and very helpful, if you give him a call or live chat him on his website I'm sure he'll be happy to answer any questions.
Michael Carroll, I've been eyeing up these guitars for a few days now and like you, found info on websites confusing. From what I can gather, the earlier versions of the SB59 and SB59V had Seymour Duncan 59's and Antiquities respectively. Whilst some models retain these pickups, the 2019 version of the SB59V has Lollar imperials yet most websites have neglected to update this info or they are carrying old stock. I hope this clarifies things for you, I am seriously considering one myself but torn as to which pickups I prefer, the 59's sound sweet but bright especially in the bridge, I find the Antiquities too scratchy and old sounding, loosing too much note definition/harmonies but then some demo's are using shrill amps and fairly heavy distortion/ overdrive. I'm leaning towards the Lollars but if I'm honest I prefer the Pearly gates which are fitted to the Ltd Edition but it's not so appealing ( too black and glossy). Oh decisions decisions?!!
Hey how are you? Beautiful guitar and great playing. I'm thinking about buying the exact same one. But i'm wondering how the tuning stability is? I've had a Gibson in the past with a similar headstock but I sold it because it would not stay in tune. Have you had any problems with this guitar? Thanks in advance!
Hey Mike, really tasty tones you're getting there! I must be (China) jaded because I expected to find a 200 quid guitar when I clicked on the link above. Doh! :-)
Mike it’s a les Paul rip off, no criticism here, Les Paul invented the Les Paul and Gibson made the first ones, but now other companies make better les Paul’s than Gibson , thank GOD. TOKAI , EASTMAN and the like. It’s a bit like a cover of a song done by an artist which is better than the original. Thank god for that. Eastman hand make all their instruments, they have hand made violins for very long time and by god the quality shows, amazing. You will never see many if at all “ well known” rock stars playing these superior guitars due to Gibson and Fenders market pressure and domination of the industry. One exception being Robert Fripp and I think Alvin Lee who I believe played Tokai’s. Your playing is fantastic by the way.
So Mike, the real question is how does it stack up to its competitors. Obviously it is probably cheaper than a Gibson equivalent. But how is the fit, finish, over all feel, and quality?
I have the exact same guitar: it's one of a kind. Amazing instrument. Gibbo custom shop quality and specs from my view. I'd love to see a comparison of the SB59/v with a Gibson R9 or a Collings!
Amazing playing as always Mike. You sure did milk an incredible tone out of that guitar. I have a few Eastmans (all acoustics) and they are absolutely beautiful guitars. Great to hear the electrics.
Thanks Mike for this! Does the g-string stay in tune better on this than on your LP and how's the tuning experience been overall compared to LP? No g-string pun intended btw
Mike Bradley honestly my tokai sounds so much nicer than any Gibson I’ve played, the action and feel is flawless, it feels custom shop, The case blows me away as well, sounds very vintage.
Lol. If you have one, it won't be firewood unless your house catches on fire, and it won't be a wall hanger either if you're serious about playing guitars. The Gibson might start collecting some dust though.
Incidentally, the only one I would want is the antique varnish one - like you are playing, but not 'pre-relic' before I buy - I believe EVERY guitar should earn its wear, earn its 'relic'!!!
But you can buy an Eastman like this new around $2200. It is $500 less with a much better quality and playability. Only custom shop Gibson would have this level of quality. But those would start around 5k. And Eastman resale value are improving, since people are knowing more about it.
It's got some good qualities but it's got some bad too. Just got mine and the tuners are cheap.taking 3/4 turn to move the strings striped. and guitar is like Gibson alright and want stay in tune. Volume knobs are cheap plastic and scrubed the guitar and some are higher than others. Don't buy one without playing it first it's not as good as all the hype.
OK... Enough with the "neck shacking: Ive been playing for 39 years or so and i just have to say what your trying to do shake the note. AKA.. VIBRATO You are doing nothing by waving the neck all over. You young guys need to learn how to move the strings not the neck. Its something i see all the time now and its silly.
🤔 shaking the neck? No vibrato? I dunno..Mikes playing pretty damn good..it seems to work for him.. l have seen it work for Page, Frampton, Halen..ld say Mikes in pretty good company..
@@easilyoffended7772 LOL. I'm willing to bet I have FAR more Gibson guitars than you and most are the highest end possible. I also have Eastman and they are every bit as good as Gibson. You're just being foolish.
Just a heads up, V stands for Antique Varnish, not Vintage! :)
This is a lacquer guitar right? The varnish ones are orange. And what amp are you running through Mate?
The V stands for stunning
Should have been.."VV"! 😆
@@BlindTom61 Nope. Varnish.
A Gibson slayer? Man in Richards in Stratford-upon-Avon is evangelical about these, are they really good? This does sound amazing.
I’m a Les Paul fan ,
and with the Eastman ,
I am quite impressed !!!
I got an Eastman sb55, sold all my other guitars and got an sb59, these guitars are incredible. I now only own 2 guitars, both Eastman. They have the same feel as a custom shop instrument in my opinion.
My only gripe was I don’t really like the non custom shop Seymour Duncan pickups, so I stuck a set of montys PAF’s in there and treble bleeds in both guitars and god damn they rip
You know what I love most about this video? It's that you can absolutely tell just how much you fucking love this guitar. Man you had fun with this. I can't wait to pick one up. And that varnish is NOICE
Just got this exact guitar and I'm blown away. Never bought any regular line Gibson because I've always felt they weren't worth the money for the quality. But the historic reissues I've tried were always incredible to play, but at 6-8k for one I think that's an abuse. The Eastman blows the regular line out and matches the feel I got from the Gibson historic reissues. Bye bye Gibson, hello Eastman! I'm a fan!
Still not a Les Paul though, lacks the bite and chirpiness. A better built instrument though than a Les Paul standard, played one at the our local shop. If it were made in USA, it would be priced like a PRS.
@@johndolores315 a significant chunk of that "bite" etc. can be down to the voicing of the humbuckers selected, internal wiring / capacitor choices, and the obvious stuff like amp / cab / mic combinations. perhaps (like me) you prefer lower wind / output humbuckers with less pronounced mid range and more treble?
I tried a handful of custom shop level Gibson LPs at an upmarket shop, all in the eye wateringly expensive price bracket. only one stood out, and it was the first exceptional LP I've come across out of hundreds I've tried over the years. it was also the most expensive by far, marked down from $12K to $9K, which is more than my reliable car is worth... if I'd lucked into finding "the one" LP for $3.5K, I probably would've gone for it, but I can't possibly justify that.
it's especially insulting since other companies like PRS (and Fender, to a degree) have this figured out. every price bracket has something to offer, it's clear what you get by moving up to the next tier, and you don't feel like you're buying something "lesser" -- which is pretty much Gibson's entire marketing angle. it's kinda depressing, but it's clear that Gibson is "not for the likes of me" haha.
Eastman comes across as a high quality option that isn't bluffing or jacking the prices through the roof. they have a lot of hands on time during the build, including the neck shaping. the necks are unique to each guitar, so I know if I find an Eastman I like... that's the ticket.
You are an excellent guitarist. That guitar is one of the best around, I want one
I have looked at every possible review out there and I liked what I'd seen. I had a new top of the line Epiphone that I spent many hours reworking the fretboard. 🤯 got it really nice, but the guitar just never had the right sound or feel, even with its Gibson pickups.
I have a Eastman dealer about an hours drive from me in Seattle area. I called them and they arranged to have a flat black SB57 there when I came the next week. When I plugged the SB 57 in it was pure magic! I've been playing for 50 years and this guitar was perfect! It just felt like I'd been playing it for years, comfortable. The sound was so clear, yet willing to go anywhere.
I have played some top end guitars, sometimes they are just clumsy feeling, like a bunch of high end parts bolted to some pretty wood. This guitar, like many of the old and probably the top end Gibsons and others Iam sure, have character, that something that's more than the sum of their parts.
I'd say, if your looking for a guitar to play, choose your finish, and buy one and I don't work for anybody and I wish people gave me free guitars.😄
David Eskelin thanks for your feedback. I am currently hesitating between an SB59v, an SB59, and an SB57.
@@Nikoo033 I love my SB 57 BK. The flat black is really cool. I am really happy with the sound of the 57 pickups, to me the 57's are just a bit more crisp than the 59 pickups. For me my other choice would be the SB59v, you can't go wrong with that one either.
David Eskelin thanks for the reply. I am strongly considering the sb57 because of that clarity of the pickups that I have noticed on the few videos available on RUclips. I guess I’ll truly make up my mind from feel after playing both once this coronashit ends and lets us roam freely.
You haven't reworked Anything....if it's not a Epiphone or Gibson it's not a Authentic Les Paul or Sg
@@susanbucket3400 what is the problem not being authentic? If it plays well, sounds beautiful and extremely well built, at right price, you don’t need anything else…
I finally bought one of these yesterday.
How it it to be 2k down?
What I noticed with almost every guitar or pedal reviewer is. When they are really enjoying the instrument or pedal they are playing us the listener and hear and see it. The reviewer seems to play just a little extra and almost gets lost in it for min. This was some of the most inspired noodling I've heard from you Mike. Great Job and a Gorgeous Guitar.
Agreed, the best guitar is always the one they play the best!
Nigel, er Mike, you did the best demo on outube. Most dudes crank up the gain and the fuzzbox and wail. You cannot hear the guitars true tone. You rock. And just think how this bloody guitar will sound through an amp that goes to 11!
U never can hear the true tone on YT, specially when it`s miced up.
Great playing, mate. I just ordered a regular SB59 and I can't wait until it arrives!
Awesome overview! Mike!! I have the exact guitar you reviewed on its way to me! Glad you loved it as much as I do.
Cheers buddy. Enjoy your new friend! :)
Excellent video. My SB59/V has Duncan Antiquities which I love. My SB59 (nitro finish) has the other Duncans that Eastman uses. Next one... I’ll do Lollars for variety.
Nice classy playing. I just bought the 54 Ltd v with p90 staple great to see the Eastman awareness/ commercial exposure increasing !
I have an Eastman acoustic , hand made. And unbelievable.
Eastman makes really sweet guitars. I have one of their T386 es335 style guitars, and its on par with my Gibson’s quality wise and sounds phenomenal.
I’ve got an Ibanez PF200 and PF300. Both 1978. The PF200 is all original and a bolt on but the sustain is incredible! The PF300 has been messed with some before I got it and doesn’t have the same mojo nor the sustain and it is a glued in joint. I bet I would absolutely love this guitar!
I was debating whether to opt for one of these eastman guitars or a similar Maybach. After reading exceptional reviews in Guitarist magazine and a rave review by Mike Casswell RIP I opted for the Maybach in honey pie with very subtle relicing. These Eastmans seem very fine guitars though. I would love to see a direct head to head between the two as similar priced
sold all my Gibson Les Paul's...eastman is where its at... their that good.
Loving the look of these & acoustics. Are they that good then?
Sincere review - beautiful playing clearly inspired by the instrument.
Great review. The best one on youtube imo (and I watched A LOT of videos about this guitar). I ordered mine yesterday and I cannot wait for it to arrive next week. Super excited. I have not heard a single bad thing about these guitars yet (apart from the classic oH iTs NoT a rEaL lEs pAUl kind of thing). Keep it up Mike!
I own two SB59's. Love them both. Best money spent. I sold my two 58RI's because of these beauties.
Right.. Now your the sort of person who's opinion I want. I want to know how these compare to the current reissues, if they are only as good as standard/trad I wouldn't bother but I suspect they might be better.. Can you tell me any more?
@@emcg.9655 hand carved, bone nuts, good electronics and a solid feeling. I think they blow the doors off the Gibson offerings. I was a long time Gibson player. I still have a love for them but the reality is I appreciate more bang for buck than the name on a Headstock. These guitars play great, feel great and sound great. The ebony boards alone sold me over the top. I don't miss my R8's at all. I will say, the vintage varnish was cool but I didn't like the feel so I went with shiny new look.
@@TVoltG Thanks Bill. Ebony is my favorite fretboard by far so that is a bonus.
@@emcg.9655 same. Ebony>>>Rosewood
Sounds awesome, Maybe its like a what Suhr is to Fender? Sort of a high end copy, but done right. Sounds like it anyway.
Of course I added comments below. Because you're doing everyone a great service by reviewing this guitar I also subscribed to your channel !!! Hopefully some day my playing will progress enough to be worthy of owning this guitar. Something to worthy to inspire practice and look forward to!!! Thank you.
Just ordered mine...looking forward to playing it... I'm a fender guy but wanted a LP style guitar...glad you mentioned that its comfortable for us fender guys
Aww that’s great to hear, let me know how you get on with it.
@@MikeBradleyofficial got my Eastman sb59/v this morning....absolutely amazing! It feels like a custom made guitar 🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻😎😎😎 thanks for your review and recommendation!
@@bflo5210 thats awesome!! Now you have had it 5 months.. what do you think now? I also have a cherry SB59v and LOVE IT!.. and l truly have a bad dis-like for "Relic" guitars but this is as close as l have ever seen to a true vintage -played- but very cared for guitar..l could not be happier!!! Just curious on your experience..thanks Jim
@@jameshill2015 I absolutely love this guitar! I have a PRS McCarty 594 that's an amazing guitar but I actually like my Eastman more! Definitely love the look & the pickups are perfect for it... the Eastman & my tele are my 2 go to guitars for gigs....I will say I finally got a chance to play a new Gibson standard 60's les paul and it was surprisingly good! I almost traded my prs for it....I'll never get rid of my Eastman it was definitely a great purchase
@@bflo5210 thats awesome! I have a mint LP Standard "18" that l would not have bought had l knew out the SB.. l love the feel of the varnish, mojo galore the nitro LP just doesn't have. The LP is gorgeous but the SB58V will be with me long after my LP is sold. Congrats!!! Happy for ya!
You can tell you like that guitar in your playing man 🙏
Beautiful guitar and nice sounding pickups. Thanks for the video.
nice matey, very nice playing, great review and shows this great brand of to perfection….. cheers
Good one, Mike. And the guitar suits you. The middle position is awesome.
Cheers
Really wonderful playing on this one especially that beautiful looped part. I just got the SB 56 Goldtop with P90s. I’d love to see you do a video on this Soapbar version just to hear what this guitar can sound like in your gifted and tasteful hands. Thanks so much mate. You really inspired and moved me today.
Aww thank you Bryan, means a lot hearing that.
Mike, Nice review. Thanks for playing some with the clean tones through a very nice sounding amp. That was very important to me. I've got to get one! It's exactly what I've been looking for. Thanks again. You're right about the semi-hollow Eastmans, I own a T486; wonderful guitar. Jeff
You're the 2nd person I have seen review this guitar. These guitars are awesome. Very high quality and stupendous amount of great tone! I hope Eastman sells a lot of these so someday in the future I may own one of these! I checked out their website for prices. A little high for my budget at the moment, but they appear and sound worth every penny. All the video reviews I have seen and heard had amazing Tones 👏!!!
I had 2 Eastman acoustic guitars in the past and both had raised/dead frets in the high register area. They weren't highend models, more around the $600 range, but still they were very good sounding just had to get then fixed. Love the sb59 reviews, but I wonder am I going to run into the fret problem again.
I'm no expert, but it might be caused by the change of climate during shipping.
"V" stands for Violin Varnish (finish), as Eastman first made Violins.
Mac Sixtyfive it's the same finish they use on their violins.
Antique Varnish
Sometimes I think the neck of my shirt feels stretched out but its all relative I guess.
Haha oh you're good alright.
Hey Mike..Great video as always! I bought one of these last year and love it...so much I am going to get the new T484 thin line as well!
November 9th, mine arriving, woo!
Gibson is dead to me. Eastman is quickly becoming one of my favorites. This and the SB55/V-SB are my next purchases, better everything on the Eastman's over more expensive Gib$on$.
Ha I totally agree
V stands for varnish, it is finished with a violin like varnish finish.
I truly hope that the Chinese workers that make these amazing guitars are paid and treated well. The inlays are indeed pearl not acrylic.
They do. Its a small firm.
holy shit dude that was ridiculous playing. love your style man and that guitar is fire.
Love this, just wish they made it in a more funky unique color.
Great guitar o
V is for varnish
Is it non nutritive? :-D
Beautiful axe there mike and you sure do it justice. Btw that burst is beautiful and those pickups are bell 🛎 like cheers 🍻👍👍👍👍👍👍👍🍺
Sounds great! Wish I could get my hands on one to try sometime
Nice editing on this Mike
Nice picking...
Great review, sounds great and you clearly love playing it :)
What’s the neck profile?
On Eastman's website they state the /v has Lollar pickups, but on every dealer website I've been to in the UK, they say they have Seymour Duncan's. But only the straight SB59's are meant to have those - not the /v's. Have all the shops in the UK got it wrong?
Try "Richards Guitars" in Stratford-upon-Avon (RUclips channel by the same name), he has several info and review vids on Eastman. He also states that they are Lollar pickups in the SB59V and Seymour Duncan 59s in the standard SB59. I dealt with him a few years ago, a really nice guy and very helpful, if you give him a call or live chat him on his website I'm sure he'll be happy to answer any questions.
Michael Carroll, I've been eyeing up these guitars for a few days now and like you, found info on websites confusing. From what I can gather, the earlier versions of the SB59 and SB59V had Seymour Duncan 59's and Antiquities respectively. Whilst some models retain these pickups, the 2019 version of the SB59V has Lollar imperials yet most websites have neglected to update this info or they are carrying old stock. I hope this clarifies things for you, I am seriously considering one myself but torn as to which pickups I prefer, the 59's sound sweet but bright especially in the bridge, I find the Antiquities too scratchy and old sounding, loosing too much note definition/harmonies but then some demo's are using shrill amps and fairly heavy distortion/ overdrive. I'm leaning towards the Lollars but if I'm honest I prefer the Pearly gates which are fitted to the Ltd Edition but it's not so appealing ( too black and glossy). Oh decisions decisions?!!
Hey how are you? Beautiful guitar and great playing. I'm thinking about buying the exact same one. But i'm wondering how the tuning stability is? I've had a Gibson in the past with a similar headstock but I sold it because it would not stay in tune. Have you had any problems with this guitar? Thanks in advance!
Is the Eastman neck a fat C shape neck ? Are the frets small and vintage or jumbo please ? Thanks for your answer and help...Regards
Hi Mike Any idea what pickups are in THAT guitar
I think those are the Duncan Antiquities. They used to use the Lollars. My regular nitro SB's came with Duncan 59's.
@@TVoltG They are Lollar Imperials.
@@TVoltG The varnish has lollars the nitro ones have seymour duncans
Great review, thanks. How does this SB59/v compare to the 59 Les Paul Burst you demoed in another video?
Both different guitars tbh Oliver, but both great!
19:45 not sure how many got that one lol ☺
What is the neck profile? Their webpage doesn't even say in the specs.
Hey Mike, really tasty tones you're getting there!
I must be (China) jaded because I expected to find a 200 quid guitar when I clicked on the link above. Doh! :-)
Mike it’s a les Paul rip off, no criticism here, Les Paul invented the Les Paul and Gibson made the first ones, but now other companies make better les Paul’s than Gibson , thank GOD. TOKAI , EASTMAN and the like. It’s a bit like a cover of a song done by an artist which is better than the original. Thank god for that. Eastman hand make all their instruments, they have hand made violins for very long time and by god the quality shows, amazing. You will never see many if at all “ well known” rock stars playing these superior guitars due to Gibson and Fenders market pressure and domination of the industry. One exception being Robert Fripp and I think Alvin Lee who I believe played Tokai’s. Your playing is fantastic by the way.
I wish they made this model with rosewood fretboard.
sorry Mike wrote comment before I watched all the way through, sounds great, do all LP style guitars come with Lollars
Mike , Just curious.....If you had to part with a Taylor 412ce to get the Eastman SB59/V.....Would you do it?
All depends which one spoke to me the most tbh.
Anyone know which of these use lollers and which one has seymour Duncan antiquities?
I dont think they use the SD Antiquities anymore on their SB models! The SB59s have SD 59 Classics and the SB57 & SB59/v have lollars
So Mike, the real question is how does it stack up to its competitors. Obviously it is probably cheaper than a Gibson equivalent. But how is the fit, finish, over all feel, and quality?
Tis absolutely perfect Any youtuber will tel lyou these are very high quality surpassing gibson... as a matter of fact forget gibson go with these
mike hi hey
The GB stands for Gold Burst
Does that one have Lollars or antiquity pickups
I have the exact same guitar: it's one of a kind. Amazing instrument. Gibbo custom shop quality and specs from my view.
I'd love to see a comparison of the SB59/v with a Gibson R9 or a Collings!
A.J. Roseman look here ruclips.net/video/-fioalW8oDs/видео.html
Well, which is it: The exact same guitar, or a one of a kind? (-:
Amazing playing as always Mike. You sure did milk an incredible tone out of that guitar. I have a few Eastmans (all acoustics) and they are absolutely beautiful guitars. Great to hear the electrics.
Thanks Mike for this! Does the g-string stay in tune better on this than on your LP and how's the tuning experience been overall compared to LP? No g-string pun intended btw
Have not seen your brother play guitar lately. Is he still learning or did he give up?
Can you review some Tokai’s or is that a bit naughty!
If I can get my hands on one I will :)
Mike Bradley honestly my tokai sounds so much nicer than any Gibson I’ve played, the action and feel is flawless, it feels custom shop,
The case blows me away as well, sounds very vintage.
Nice firewood nice wall hanger
Lol. If you have one, it won't be firewood unless your house catches on fire, and it won't be a wall hanger either if you're serious about playing guitars. The Gibson might start collecting some dust though.
I want one.
cool guitar
Love it
Top Drawer ................. I forsee a ..MB Eastman Signature .. on the horizon ???
haha thanks Colin! :)
Tight...
I'd love to know how it compares to a Gibson Custom Shop 59 (which are around the £5-6,000 mark)
There both different guitars tbh. But I will certainly say the Eastman is worth every penny.
@@MikeBradleyofficial Thanks for replying Mike!!
Look here: ruclips.net/video/-fioalW8oDs/видео.html
That is a great sounding guitar and so much better than that 'chibson' I saw you play... :D
Incidentally, the only one I would want is the antique varnish one - like you are playing, but not 'pre-relic' before I buy - I believe EVERY guitar should earn its wear, earn its 'relic'!!!
Spinal Tap ?
Dude, please dont take offense but when you speak all I can think of is Nigel Tufnel from Spinal Tap! LMAO!
He sure does. Totally nails it.
Two piece top!.
Varnish
I have an offer to trade my PRS Silver Sky Golden Mesa for an Eastman SB59/V-GB. Decisions, decisions!
What have you decided?
I still don't understand why some guitar players are shaking a guitar, is it to keep it from falling asleep.?
hahaha.. well a bit of that. Basically when I'm doing it I'm bending the next ever s slightly to give some vibrato to the chord etc.
Varnish.
NOT CHEAP!!!
At $2700 a pop for an LP style I’ll stick with Gibson and have some resale value…!
But you can buy an Eastman like this new around $2200. It is $500 less with a much better quality and playability. Only custom shop Gibson would have this level of quality. But those would start around 5k. And Eastman resale value are improving, since people are knowing more about it.
Why buy a guitar for resale?
It's got some good qualities but it's got some bad too. Just got mine and the tuners are cheap.taking 3/4 turn to move the strings striped. and guitar is like Gibson alright and want stay in tune. Volume knobs are cheap plastic and scrubed the guitar and some are higher than others. Don't buy one without playing it first it's not as good as all the hype.
I opted for a similar priced Maybach really is a first class guitar
That hasn't been my experience with my SB59/v. Perhaps they've changed some things between the 4 yrs when you posted your comment and now.
BUT...does it djent?
OK...
Enough with the "neck shacking:
Ive been playing for 39 years or so and i just have to say what your trying to do shake the note. AKA.. VIBRATO
You are doing nothing by waving the neck all over. You young guys need to learn how to move the strings not the neck. Its something i see all the time now and its silly.
🤔 shaking the neck? No vibrato? I dunno..Mikes playing pretty damn good..it seems to work for him.. l have seen it work for Page, Frampton, Halen..ld say Mikes in pretty good company..
Pas mal mais loin d une bonne gibson les paul..
Not one-piece top...
one piece back is what he meant
Guitar is trash
Tell me you've never played one without telling me you've never played one. If you have and still think it's trash, you're the first person to do so.
@@Po1itica11yNcorrect Original.... Still trash And I am Gibson certified.
@@easilyoffended7772 LOL. I'm willing to bet I have FAR more Gibson guitars than you and most are the highest end possible. I also have Eastman and they are every bit as good as Gibson. You're just being foolish.
Varnish