# Eastwood Guitars?



## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Has anyone here tired an Eastwood guitar? I'm mostly interested a P90 solid body. There is the P90 Special and the Stormbird. The latter is very interesting - based on a 1965 Gibson Firebird I, nonreverse, with with two P90s. Now, I know the bodies are basswood and the neck is maple with rosewood, not exactly mahogoney. But Eastwood seems to have gotten a fair amount of press including an extensive write up in Guitar Player. I have an Ibanez SX140 made of the same woods - great bang for the buck (even if I did inherit it) 

So, It looks like at $452 + tax +shipping,... make it about $565. Might it be worth it. Guitar like this can be easily modded. Or is there a good used P90 axe out there.


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## dwagar (Mar 6, 2006)

who sells those up here? I liked the looks of the Delta.


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

dwagar said:


> who sells those up here? I liked the looks of the Delta.


These guys for one:

http://www.axeandyoushallreceive.com/biglist.htm

and this is from the eastood site:

Canada 
Eastwood
Alberta

53rd Street Music
101, 4902 53rd Street, Red Deer, Alberta T4N 2E9 403-346-4000

Acoustic Music Shop
9934-82 Ave., Edmonton, AB T6E 1Y9 780-433-3545

Avenue Guitars
10550-82 Ave., Edmonton, Alberta T6E 2A4 780-448-4827

Guitarworks Inc
602-16 Ave. Nw, Calgary, AB T2M 0J7 403-284-2866

Serious Music Center
317 5th Street South Lethbridge, Alberta 403-320-6424

Ontario

Capsule Music
921 Queen Street West, Toronto, Ontario M6J-1G5 416-203-0202

Classical Guitars & Accessories
17 & 19 Queen St. E Cambridge, Ontario N3C 2A7
1-866-651-0588
1-519-658-5754

Hands On Music
39 Ontario Street, Bowmanville, ONT L1C2S4 

Pinecone Music
348 Guelph St. Unit # 17, Georgetown, Ontario L7G-4B5 905-873-8478


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

jroberts said:


> Can't comment on the Eastwoods. For a cheap P-90, the PRS Soapbar SE's are nice. A new one shouldn't set you back more than about $550. There are usually a few used ones floating around out there too.



Yes, they are undersideration too


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## cale0906 (Apr 15, 2006)

*Eastwood/Reverend*

Yeah i've been curious about these guitars as well , as with Reverend guitars !


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

cale0906 said:


> Yeah i've been curious about these guitars as well , *as with Reverend guitars* !


Check this thread out:

http://guitarscanada.com/Board/showthread.php?t=2452


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## Ripper (Jul 1, 2006)

I had an Eastwood P90 Special and it was a great guitar. Super sound, great feel and well made. I got talked out of it by a buddy of mine and I wish I hadn't gotten rid of it. I would buy another one for sure.


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## torndownunit (May 14, 2006)

Eastwood is based in Mississauga. The guy who owns the company has some relation to the store "Pinecone Music" in Georgetown, and that store carries pretty much the whole Eastwood line. Folkways Music in Guelph also carries a lot of models.

I have played a lot of the guitars. They are decent, but not spectacular. I definitely would put them in the same league as the Reverend I own. The pickups, especially the P-90's, and electronics are nowhere near as good on the Eastwoods. And the hardware doesn't seem as good either. Which wouldn't be a big except they are slightly overpriced taking all of that into account when you compare them to other imports.

One huge shortcoming on the Eastwoods are the necks though. It seems every model I have tried whether it's a hollowbody or the P-90 special has the excat same profile neck which just makes no sense. It's a very narrow neck at the nut, and even with small hands I find the neck annoying for chords on the first 3 frets (cowboy chords).

Regarding the P-90 special, I also didn't like that fact that it's a basswood body. Not that basswood bodies are all bad, but it doesn't suit the type of guitar in my opinion. Basically for the price you can find P-90 guitars with much better specs. The Godin LGSP90, Squire Tele Custom II, used PRS Soapbar are examples. My Reverend even with shipping was only about $75 more. Rondo sells a few P-90 guitar that I would venture to say are as good or better quality.

The big thing with the Eastwoods is obviously the originality. They are making models no one else is. And really, I think that is what you are paying for. I have tried a few models that I wanted to buy, but wasn't impressed enough to pay what they were asking for them.


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## elindso (Aug 29, 2006)

" It's a very narrow neck at the nut, and even with small hands I find the neck annoying for chords on the first 3 frets (cowboy chords)."

If that's the case I won't be buying one any time soon.

I hate most Rickenbackers for the same reason:smile:


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## torndownunit (May 14, 2006)

Ya it's really too bad. I guess it cuts down on costs, but it doesn't make sense to have the same neck profile on ALL those models. You and I obviously have similar neck tastes. The thing is I don't personally know anyone who likes a neck THAT narrow.

Again if you are looking for something really original looking, or a reissue they are cool guitars. But when it comes to something like the P-90 Special you could find something better for the price.


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

I'm sort of considering the Reverend P90s again. Either the Charger 290 or the Jetstream 390. Seems like the latter would make a ballsier sub for a strat.


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## torndownunit (May 14, 2006)

Robert, I can't remember if I made a post about my Reverend Charger 290 on this forum. I LOVE the guitar.

Reverend P-90's are some pretty cool sounding P-90's too. They somewhere between a Gibson P-90 and a Strat pickup. So a Jetstream would indeed have some Strat qualities to it. You'd be paying a little more than you would for something like the Eastwood (the sticker price is $465 I believe, but you have shipping and exchange) but IMO it's totally worth it.

I love P-90 pickups and I have looked at a whole lotta' models in stores and online over the last year. I took a chance mail ordering, but the guitar is all the reviews say + more.

If you are ever in the Orangeville area and want to check the guitar out (about the only way you could try before you buy) just let me know.


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

torndownunit said:


> Robert, I can't remember if I made a post about my Reverend Charger 290 on this forum. I LOVE the guitar.


Yeah. You did post about it. I think I posted a pic of the Jetstream in that thread.

Here it is: http://guitarscanada.com/Board/showthread.php?t=2452&highlight=Reverend


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## cale0906 (Apr 15, 2006)

Robert1950 said:


> Check this thread out:
> 
> http://guitarscanada.com/Board/showthread.php?t=2452


Very cool thread !! I was interested in the Warhawk or Jetstream but the Charger looks waycool . Has any one tried the WH or JS ? With 3 P90's can you get a good 2 and 4 position sound like a strat ? These are some of my fav sounds on a strat


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

There is an Eastwood Savannah on the auction site right now, that looks very tempting. I have never tried these guitars but have heard some good things. Anyone ever try the Savannah?


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## torndownunit (May 14, 2006)

GuitarsCanada, I meantioned in my earlier post that that was one of the models I considered buying. But it had the same extremely narrow neck the all the other models I have tried had though so I didn't get it.

The rest of the guitar is very nice. I would put the quality of construction on par with an Ibanez Artcore (which is a compliment). The Savanah has some pretty cool Filtron style pickups in it too. Much better pickups than the P-90's in the Special.

I did a lot of shopping for hollowbodies awhile ago and ended up getting an Artcore. The necks on them are skinny, but wide at the nut. I find the Savanah neck so narrow it was almost hard to play on.


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

Thanks for the info. That makes me want to give one a try before buying. I will see if I can find one somewhere.


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## torndownunit (May 14, 2006)

GC, as far as I know they have a good return policy on the guitars you mail order. I believe it's a 14 day trial period but I am not sure. So that would be an option too.

They also have one called the Classic 6 now that looks REALLY nice. I haven't tried it because I have only seen the Classic 12 (string) before. It even has the same control layouts as a Gretsch. I will likely go try one out, but I will probably run into the same issues with the neck.

http://www.eastwoodguitars.com/GTRs/classic6/images/gtr-sm_Waln-classic6.jpg


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## uffe (Oct 23, 2006)

Eastwood guitars are stupid overpriced for what they are (chinese copies of vintage guitars). I've owned an eastwood univox hi flyer copy and a Dillion mosrite copy and the quality and neck on the Dillion are miles ahead of Eastwood.

As for the reverends, buy the american masonite ones, they have so much more personality


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## torndownunit (May 14, 2006)

I agree that there are much better Mosrite copies out there. But Dillion guitars also cost more than Eastwood in general. And Eastwood does offer other models which no other companies offer beyond Mosrite. I agree they are overpriced, but they are also the onlu option out there for some models.

And regarding your Reverend statement, the import Reverends are fantastic guitars. The only people generally knocking them haven't even tried them. I even know people who have sold there original US ones because the preferred the new import models. It's just a case of "u.s. made ignoronance".


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