Eastman’s electric guitars often fly under the radar of a lot of guitar players, but since starting as a violin maker in the early 1990’s; and then moving into acoustics, they've been making high-quality electric guitars for many years now.
While there's no shortage of ES-style guitars out there, the Eastman Thinline's stand out due to being solid wood (maple top, and mahogany back & sides), and that they are nearly fully hollow (with just a small block under the bridge to help with feedback, but not the full center block typically seen in this type of guitar).
The result is a guitar with a more acoustic/woody sound, that resonates incredibly well.
Another great thing about this model is that it's offered in 3 different body sizes: 14", 15", and 16".
The 25" scale of this guitar is a great length that falls between a Gibson and a Fender, and the low output Bare Knuckle humbucker pickups can deliver anything from warmth to grit.
Eastmans feature a bit of a wider nut width & fretboard than what you might be used to on an electric guitar, with a 1.72” nut width (previous versions of this same guitar featured a 1.75” nut width). That nut width works well with the 12" radius and medium-depth neck though, and is a joy to play.
While some might balk at Eastman's being made in China, these are hand-made guitars with a truly outstanding build quality. While these are by no means cheaply priced guitars, they are quite a bit less expensive than options such as a Gibson ES or a Collings i-35.
Eastman also offers laminate-body versions of the same guitar (T484, T485, & T486), that sell at a lower price point.
The Eastman Thinlines are simply some of the best hollow body guitars out there.
Key Features:
- Bare Knuckle BC Old Guard Custom Humbuckers
- 25" Scale Length
- Ebony Fretboard
- 22 Medium jumbo frets
- Neck Material: Mahogany
- Fingerboard Radius: 12"
- Neck Profile:Traditional Even "C"
- Offered in a 14", 15", or 16" bout size
- 1.72" bone nut
