# NGD: Eastman Mandolin



## bagpipe (Sep 19, 2006)

This is kinda pushing it a little in the "Acoustic Guitar" forum, but I've seen mandolins discussed here before. Just got this 2006 Eastman MD-815 mandolin from a guy on the Mandolin Cafe. He lives in Canada (Britannia Beach in BC ?) so I didn't have to pay any taxes - Woohoo!

Its been around a little, but when i lowered the action at the bridge and changed the strings, it plays really sweet. Looks like it'll need the frets polished at some point, but not right now. My left hand fingertips are killin right now, but that's a good thing right ?


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Very nice. I've played a few Eastman mandolins and liked them all. Good bang for the buck. Looks like you did well!

Peace, Mooh.


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## Guest (Sep 10, 2010)

Awesome. We really should do an O-Town fall acoustic jam.


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## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

Very nice! I'm curious about the extended fret board with no frets - is there a reason for that?


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## Chito (Feb 17, 2006)

Nice score. I've always been intrigued by mandolins, though I've never played one.

Ian, that sounds like a plan. Are you aware of these group of guys who do acoustic jams I think on Tuesdays (can't remember exactly which day) somewhere in the city? I'll ask my wife where she saw them. She told me there's quite a few of them there and said they do it weekly.


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## bobb (Jan 4, 2007)

bw66 said:


> Very nice! I'm curious about the extended fret board with no frets - is there a reason for that?


It was a very old mod. Some of the old F models came with that extended fingerboard with frets. Those positions were rarely used and a lot of players felt the extra part of the fingerboard got in the way. The solution was to remove those last frets and scoop the fingerboard down a little. Nowadays it's purely cosmetic designed to give the mando that old time look.

My mando has the same extension and even with mando picks, I still hit it.


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## Ship of fools (Nov 17, 2007)

One word........Yummy....enough said so a neighbour of mine sold it to you sweet .ship


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## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

bobb said:


> It was a very old mod. Some of the old F models came with that extended fingerboard with frets. Those positions were rarely used and a lot of players felt the extra part of the fingerboard got in the way. The solution was to remove those last frets and scoop the fingerboard down a little. Nowadays it's purely cosmetic designed to give the mando that old time look.
> 
> My mando has the same extension and even with mando picks, I still hit it.


Good to know, thanks!


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## bobb (Jan 4, 2007)

Here is my mando with the same extension:










If you can find a store that sells Saga products, check out Golden Gate mandolin picks Saga, The Source! That price must be for a box of them. I believe the individual picks go for about $1 or less.


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## ronmac (Sep 22, 2006)

Congrats!

I have heard nothing but praise for Eastman products.


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## bagpipe (Sep 19, 2006)

bobb said:


> If you can find a store that sells Saga products, check out Golden Gate mandolin picks Saga, The Source! That price must be for a box of them. I believe the individual picks go for about $1 or less.


Regarding picks, I do use those Golden Gate picks on my current mandolin. However, on this new one, I prefer the sound of the Wegen picks that I picked up a while back. I use the M150 from this page:

Wegen's Guitar Picks


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## Mike MacLeod (Nov 27, 2006)

Golden Gate picks run for between $1.00 and $2.00 depending on the country ......

Wegens tend to be about $15 for 3.

Eastman Mandolins may be the best PacRim instrument you can buy. IMHO.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

If I was a more technical player I might be more particular about the picks I use, but I just use the same picks as I use fror guitar. They're about a .70 mm thickness and normal Fender style cellulose. 
I have custom picks with my name on them but the closest would be a Fender pick or similar.


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