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Eastman AR503CE-SB Spruce/Maple Archtop #16550417  From Eastman

Carved spruce top with laminate maple back and sides!

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Our product photos are the actual, specific serial number for sale!

This specific item was photographed by us here in Durham, North Carolina. We are a very small team dedicated to providing you the most accurate photos possible, through our obsessive focus - individually photographing nearly everything that comes through the door. Questions about what you see? Want more information, photos, or just a friendly conversation with someone that cares and who has actually had their hands on this exact item? Contact us now!
Eastman Guitars

Available for Special Order

See something you like? This item is gone, but not forever. It can be special ordered, and even customized!

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Because of our special relationship with Eastman we can get this as fast, or faster than anyone in the industry. In some cases, we even have preferred build slots we can offer you.

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What We Think

The best of both worlds! The carved spruce top provides you with plenty of dynamics, acoustic response, and tone while the laminate back and sides help to reduce the feedback issues that can plague acoustic instruments. The mounted Kent Armstrong humbucker captures all of this guitar's warmth and detail and produces a round, nuanced voice that is desirable for a number of playing styles. At this price point, there is not a whole lot out there that can compete with the quality, tone, or looks of this guitar. Contact Sound Pure today for more information on the Eastman line!

This instrument was hand-selected by Eastman to be part of the special collection that represented them at the 2016 Winter NAMM show. Some instruments in this collection may exhibit nicks, scratches or other minor wear associated with having been displayed and/or played at a trade show and, as such, we are able to offer them at a slight discount. All of our instruments go to our in-house luthier for a thorough inspection prior to being posted on our site and any issues dealing with playability are addressed at that time. Please feel free to call us if you'd like to verify the specific condition of this or any other instrument in this collection.  

Manufacturer's Description from Eastman

Carved Spruce top, laminated back and sides with Ebony bridge, tailpiece, pickguard and fretboard. Vintage tone with superior midrange and volume. Classic Venetian cutaway, mounted humbucking pickup design.

 

Eastman Guitars

About Manufacturer

Eastman Strings began in 1992, but its roots date back centuries to the violin and bow makers of the 1800s. By this time, violin and string instrument builders had streamlined their process enough by hiring specialized woodworkers who would assist them in the most time consuming tasks that there were plenty of quality, affordable handmade instruments. During World War II, many of the premier instrument makers had their towns and workshops destroyed, and some were even killed in the violence. Traditions that had been handed down for centuries from master instrument makers were all but lost, and the process of building by hand was replaced by large-scale manufacturing. After the war, the majority of instrument production had been mechanized, and in order for musicians to find decent instruments they would have to save enormous amounts of money for older, handmade instruments. Eastman Strings is returning to the traditions of the great string instrument builders of the past, and is bringing handmade instruments to musicians around the world at affordable prices. 

Eastman Guitars are fine handmade instruments at very reasonable prices. Their archtops and flat tops are made with solid, hand-carved tops, backs, and sides. They offer many of the traditional archtop styles in their Uptown series with options of different woods, dimensions, and pickups. The Thinline series, the El Rey and the Jon Pisano signature line offer some great alternatives, and feature the same kinds of customizable options. Eastman Uptown Deluxe series archtops are custom shop pieces with select AAA grade tone woods, wood binding with inlaid purfilng, and five piece necks.

For the flat top player, Eastman offers many different options in grand concert, orchestra model, grand auditorium, mini jumbo, dreadnought, and jumbo shapes. With these there are many different configurations of Sitka, Adirondack, and Englemann Spruce tops, as well as Mahogany, Rosewood, and Maple back and sides.  Between all of these quality handmade instruments we are confident that there is an Eastman guitar out there for any discerning musician. We also carry Eastman mandolins! 

With so many options, and with such reasonable pricing, it is no secret why we love Eastman guitars here at Sound Pure. We carry one of the largest inventories of Eastman guitars in the US. Our staff is extremely knowledgeable on the entire Eastman line. If you cannot find the Eastman guitar you are looking for in our vast inventory, we are happy to assist in a special order.

 

Specifications

Serial Number: 16550417

Neck Material: 3 piece maple

Fingerboard: Ebony

Fingerboard Radius: 12"

Nut Material: Bone

Nut Width: 1-3/4" 

Fretwire: 20-Jescar FW47104-P

Scale Length: 25" 

Body Style: Venetian

Body Dimensions: 16" X 2-9/16"

Body Top: Carved Spruce

Body Back/Sides: Laminated Flamed Maple

F Holes: Yes

F Hole Material: Ivoroid 3-ply

Cutaway: Yes

Head Cap Veneer Material:  Ebony

Truss Rod: Single Acting

Headstock Style: AR

Binding Material: Ivoroid, 5-ply top, 3-ply back

Logo Material: Maple

Inlay: None

Inlay Material: None

Side Dot Color: Black

Hardware Color: Gold

Pickguard: Yes

Pickguard Material: Ebony

Pickguard Binding:  None

Pickguard Binding Material:  None

Tailpiece:  Trapeze-style

Tailpiece Material: Gold & Ebony

Bridge:  Ebony, 2-3/32" Spacing

Tuners: Jinho RM-1271GVR 3+3

Neck Pickup:  Kent Armstrong HPAG-1N

Bridge Pickup: None

Controls: Volume & Tone

Truss Rod Cover: Ebony

Strings: Cleartone Phosphor Bronze .012-.052 Roundwound

Tuning: E A D G B e

Case: Hardshell Case

Related Videos

Intro to Eastman Archtop Philosophy

Premium tonewoods and the time honored process of meticulous hand craftsmanship form a harmonious relationship that has established Eastman as a major force in the world of archtop guitars. Today Eastman offers the widest selection of classic and contemporary archtop guitars in the industry. Most often associated with jazz, Eastman archtops are frequently used in many other styles of music due to their beautiful sound, range and finish. In this video we discuss the founding and the foundation of the flagship line from Eastman Guitars: Archtops. Mark Herring from Eastman Guitars joins us in the studio for an in-depth lesson on how Eastman got started in making some of the best archtop guitars on the market. If you like what you hear, you can check out this gear at SoundPure.com or give us a call anytime at 919.682.5552. Thanks for watching!