NGD yesterday ... A look and listen to the Eastman T146 SM

[Jim Soloway]

With all of my personal guitars tuned below standard pitch, I've been looking for a while for a guitar that I could use for teaching. This one caught my eye on eBay and I was able to snag it for a ridiculous price.

It's a discontinued model with solid woods and a thin-line 16" body. It was the 1 3/4" body that made me think that it might work for me. I hate fighting the feedback on a full sized archtop and I too accustomed to playing planks to get comfortable reaching over the top of the large body. At just over 5 lbs, I thought the weight would also be a plus.

It arrived this afternoon and I put it through a few paces straight out of the box. Feedback resistance is excellent and it is more comfortable than a full sized archtop. I'm still struggling a bit though with the 16" body size and it's decidedly head heavy. I'm a bit undecided on the pickup but I'll wait a while before I do anything about that. It came with round wound strings so I'll definitely with hold any serious judgement until I get some GHS Brite Flats on it. If I decide to keep it (always a bit if with me a guitars), I suspect I'll make a few changes (pickup and tuners). I'm a bit concerned about the size of the body but I definitely think the guitar has some promise.

Here's a link to a short clip recorded yesterday with the stock strings using my Pod Hd and a few photos.

http://soundcloud.com/jim-soloway/eastmant146-1

http://www.jimsoloway.com/MiscPhotos/EastmanT146FullLength-800.jpg

http://www.jimsoloway.com/MiscPhotos/EastmanT146Side-800.jpg

http://www.jimsoloway.com/MiscPhotos/EastmanT146Back-800.jpg

Today I started to do a few of the little things that make it work a bit better for me. I put it on a bit longer strap and that seems to have made the body size a lot easier for me to cope with. I also took off the round wound 12's and put on a set of GHS Brite Flat 11's. It still feels just a bit stiff to me but it's way more comfortable than the round wound 12's. Here's another short clip that I recorded this morning after restringing it with the flat wounds.

http://soundcloud.com/jim-soloway/eastmant146-2

[Klatu Verata Necktie]

I think it sounds great. You consistently get one of the nicest recorded sounds of anyone who regularly posts on the web.

How do you get such a full sound? The few times I've tried recording myself I've used either a small outboard mic or the one that comes with my computer, and the recordings always sound like I'm sitting at the bottom of a toilet.

[Jim Soloway]

On Friday, August 10, 2012 12:31:01 PM UTC-7, Klatu Verata Necktie wrote:
> I think it sounds great. You consistently get one of the nicest recorded sounds of anyone who regularly posts on the web.
>
>
>
> How do you get such a full sound? The few times I've tried recording myself I've used either a small outboard mic or the one that comes with my computer, and the recordings always sound like I'm sitting at the bottom of a toilet.
>
>

Thanks. Part of it is simply that I've done a huge amount of recording so I've had a chance to do a lot of experimenting. For years I used a Shure SM57 through a simple pre-amp/USP adapter. On each amp owned over those years (and there were a lot), the first thing I'd do was find the best spot to mic and just leave it there. Then about 18 months ago, I switched from amplifiers to a Line 6 Pod HD amp modeler. At fist I ran a line out to my pre-amp and then to the computer. I sounded good but had a lot of noise. Then I started recording direct using the USB interface and it worked out even better. I think that setup is giving me the best recording results I've ever had (including some work in high end studios). It's how I've done everything over the last year or so including everything on my new CD.

[Gerry]

On 2012-08-10 22:18:28 +0000, Jim Soloway said:

It does indeed sound great.

> For years I used a Shure SM57 through a simple pre-amp/USP adapter. On
> each amp owned over those years (and there were a lot), the first
> thing I'd do was find the best spot to mic and just leave it there.
> Then about 18 months ago, I switched from amplifiers to a Line 6 Pod HD
> amp modeler. At fist I ran a line out to my pre-amp and then to the
> computer.

What is that preamp?

> I sounded good but had a lot of noise. Then I started recording direct
> using the USB interface and it worked out even better.

To make sure I understand: You've sent your mag output to a Line 6 Pod
and then on to a usb conversion device and then on to the computer?
--
Music is the best means we have of digesting time. -- W. H. Auden

[Jim Soloway]

That was when I first started using the Pod. I was having trouble getting a hot enough signal direct by USB so I was running one of the line outs to my pre-amp/USB adapter and from there into the computer. The pre-amp/adapter was a Centrance Micport Pro. After an early update on the firmware of the Pod, the level issue with the USB was resolved and I began running the USB straight from the Pod to the Mac. The signal when running the USB direct has much less noise than running through the external device.

[Phil T]

Beautiful ! And so is the guitar.

[Gerry]

On 2012-08-11 01:36:28 +0000, Jim Soloway said:

> That was when I first started using the Pod. I was having trouble
> getting a hot enough signal direct by USB so I was running one of the
> line outs to my pre-amp/USB adapter and from there into the computer.
> The pre-amp/adapter was a Centrance Micport Pro. After an early
> update on the firmware of the Pod, the level issue with the USB was
> resolved and I began running the USB straight from the Pod to the Mac.
> The signal when running the USB direct has much less noise than running
> through the external device.

If I'm tracking this correctly:

Guitar > Pod's USB Output > Mac

The Centrance Micport Pro is no longer in the loop?

[David J. Littleboy]

"Jim Soloway" wrote:

Today I started to do a few of the little things that make it work a bit
better for me. I put it on a bit longer strap and that seems to have made
the body size a lot easier for me to cope with. I also took off the round
wound 12's and put on a set of GHS Brite Flat 11's. It still feels just a
bit stiff to me but it's way more comfortable than the round wound 12's.
Here's another short clip that I recorded this morning after restringing it
with the flat wounds.

http://soundcloud.com/jim-soloway/eastmant146-2
<<<<<<<<<<<<

A bit of an unfair test: you could make a plank sound great. Heck, you
always make planks sound great.

Somewhat seriously, I love the sound you get from the solid body
instruments, but this is the sound that I'm looking for. Friggin gorgeous,
guy. Please, do a youtube video with it.

Back to flippant: play an L5 for a while, and the Eastman will feel tiny.

-- David J. Littleboy
Tokyo, Japan

[Bill Williams]

Gorgeous sound in both recordings - the Line 6 Pod may be in for a spike in sales.

[Jim Soloway]

On Friday, August 10, 2012 10:38:19 PM UTC-7, Gerry wrote:

> If I'm tracking this correctly:
>
>
>
> Guitar > Pod's USB Output > Mac
>
>
>
> The Centrance Micport Pro is no longer in the loop?
>

You are tracking right. Physically, it's an incredibly simple setup: one cable direct from the Pod to my Mac and it shows up automatically in GarageBand. And it's drop dead quiet. Any noise that gets into the recording is from the pickups when I get too close to the monitor. It's also an inexpensive setup when you figure that it replaced my mic, my interface and (coupled with a powered cab) my amplifier. I've never been happier with my setup either for recording or playing live. I have about four different patches programmed on the Pod specifically for my needs and I run it through an RCF 310A powered cab that weighs about 25 lbs and just sounds glorious.

And David, I know that a lot of people would like to hear me playing this sort of guitar but I have to confess, I find it a bit of a struggle. I'm used to so much more sustain. On the other hand, have a look at this. We just got it up and running.

http://www.jimsoloway.com/SolowayGuitarsGalleries/L353/GalleryL353.html

[David J. Littleboy]

"Jim Soloway" wrote:
>>>>>>>>
And David, I know that a lot of people would like to hear me playing this
sort of guitar but I have to confess, I find it a bit of a struggle. I'm
used to so much more sustain.
<<<<<<<

It is a different sound. I was quite surprised to hear you doing that
sound<g>.

>>>>>>>
On the other hand, have a look at this. We just got it up and running.

http://www.jimsoloway.com/SolowayGuitarsGalleries/L353/GalleryL353.html
<<<<<<<<

Kewl. I love the Telecaster body shape. Is it lighter than a telecaster? Do
you have the pricing figured out yet?

To change the subject, would you be interested in building a custom solid
body travel guitar? A headless/bodyless guitar with quality tuners (fixed
bridge, no whammy), 22 (or even 20) frets (not 24), and a Seymor Duncan SH-2
Jazz or similar ultraclear pup in the neck position? I like my Steinberger
Spirit (one of the cheapest guitars you can buy), but the tuners are flaky,
the neck is iffy, it's got too many frets and pups. But the more upscale
version has horrifically harsh active pups. The non-whammy tuner/bridge unit
on the more upscale instruments is fine, as is the unit that allows
non-double-ball strings to be used. Does Steinberger sell those parts, I
wonder. The instrument TD recommends does fix the problems, but I'm not fond
of the body shape or tuner arrangement.

[Klatu Verata Necktie]

I love to see posts that show the way to quality results without having to take a second mortgage or sell a kidney.

I never got proper recording equipment because some of the guys I know who record frequently spend a fortune on mics, preamps, and other assorted equipment that I never thought I'd be able to afford or learn to operate properly.

[thomas]

Can the $200 Line 6 studio box get the same amp model? Because $400 is a lot for me to drop on anything electronic.

[Jim Soloway]

>
> Can the $200 Line 6 studio box get the same amp model? Because $400 is a lot for me to drop on anything electronic.

I don't think so. The HD series is quite a step up for them. The least expensive unit in the line is the HD300 for $329. I think that would probably come pretty close. A word of warning though: all if these modeling units take a little time and effort to get under control.

[Bill Williams]

> I don't think so. The HD series is quite a step up for them. The least expensive unit in the line is the HD300 for $329.

Thanks Jim - I was also wondering about this.