Martin or Eastman?

Rutger

Active member
Joined
Oct 5, 2015
Messages
39
Reaction score
0
Hi! I'm saving up for a 'next step up' ukulele and the Martin S1 (and the C1K) is on the top of my list. I went to a local shop the other day for their website said they had one in store, but I was too late... what they did have was this stunning looking and good sounding Eastman soprano, and even better: it is for sale... normally the S1 is about the same price but this one is €100 cheaper.

So now I'm really tempted as you can imagine. But my main concern is: how does this uke compare to the Martin in terms of quality? My main goal is to buy a 'uke for life' and since I can't find a shop that has an S1 in stock I hope you can help me out? Thanks!
 
I've not tried the Eastman ukulele but I have had one of their mandolins. Really excellent quality and value for money - take a look at the Mandolin Cafe forum and you'll see people singing their praises on there. On the assumption that the ukes are as good as the mandos you can't go far wrong.

Also, if you've held it, played it, liked it and it's a good price stop agonising and buy it!
 
I've not tried the Eastman ukulele but I have had one of their mandolins. Really excellent quality and value for money - take a look at the Mandolin Cafe forum and you'll see people singing their praises on there. On the assumption that the ukes are as good as the mandos you can't go far wrong.

Also, if you've held it, played it, liked it and it's a good price stop agonising and buy it!

Ditto above. Had an Eastman mandolin (505) and found it exceptional. Currently have a Martin T1K uke and 515 tenor guitar and love them both.

In a perfect world one would be able to test the Eastman abd the Martin side-by-side. In the end, the logo on the headstock means a lot less than the feel of the neck and body. If the instrument brings a good inner feeling, then it's a match.
 
Eastman guitars are highly praised for their price/quality ratio over on the acoustic guitar forum. Wether this translates to their ukuleles, I don't know (the best ukes aren't build like small guitars), but it's promising at least. With new Martins, I feel that you may be able to get something better for the same money (e.g. from Kiwaya) that has similar sound characteristics.

I bought a few "ukuleles for life", some of which I sold within a year. :p So I sort of stopped worrying about that, because trying to "get it right" just causes stress and pressure. I now feel that it's impossible to tell in advantage whether a ukulele will make you happy and become a keeper for life before you've had it for a while. Even if the instrument may not change, we do.

It sounds like you can actually try out the ukulele in the store. Unless resale value is a concern (a Martin most likely wins in the category), this offers the opportunity to decide for yourself. If you like it, it plays well, and it sounds great, it may be a wonderful choice.
 
I say buy one of the Martins you have at the top of your list. If you do not there will always be, "What if..."
 
I haven't tried an Eastman uke, but I do own a 605 mandolin (A5 style) and it's a winner. My brother owns an Eastman guitar, a J45 inspired guitar but with a rosewood back and sides. He loves it too. I haven't heard any complaints about the Eastmans (Eastmen?) except that a few folks don't like the headstock logo. I can sure live with it considering the quality of the instrument.
 
I recommend Martin S1 or C1K
 
My local Martin dealer also carries Eastman Guitars, but locally they don't stock their Ukes for whatever reason. The only time I saw an Eastman Uke in-person was used at a shop in New Jersey. That one was in dire need of a proper set-up so I couldn't give it a fair assessment.

That said, I have owned a Martin C1K that my local Martin dealer had arrive one day I was in their stop and was able to play it right out of the box. I took it home that same day nearly 2 years ago and haven't looked back. It sits prominently in my music room and is the first Uke I grab most times I play. I also have had an S1 which I sold only after I acquired my '60s Style 0 soprano. Therefore, I recommend either the S1 or the C1K depending on what size you prefer more...
 
Last edited:
Thanks for all the advices!

Normally I'd go with the "whatever feels right" opinion. But Ive discovered the importance of good construction. Most factories nowadays can make a uke for say €250 that sounds and plays nice, but a solid build uke that lasts long and will never let you down is another story. That's why I personally need that step up. I indeed don't have the chance to try the Martins out, so I was hoping to get that answer here. :)
 
If you were shopping for a mandolin, the answer would be easy. I love Eastman's cosmetics, but for that kind of money, I believe I could get a uke that sounds noticeably better. Only willing to spend so much on cosmetics over sound.
 
I've owned an Eastman concert uke for a few year now, and it is an excellent instrument. Definitely Martin-inspired and very like a vintage Martin in feel and tone (I also have a 1930 Martin Style 0). The glossy finish is very different from the more refined look of a Martin. I'm no fan of the S-1, so I'm biased; I would probably take the Eastman over an S-1. Eastman will never have the Martin cache, but it will provide a great playing experience. I think they are very reasonably priced.

In the end, the only thing that matters is that you like it. Spend some time with it at the shop and see if it speaks to you.
 
I once had an opportunity to try out a Martin concert (brand new-made in their Mexican factory) and an Eastman of the same size, back-to-back in a music store, and much preferred the sound of the Eastman. If you really want a Martin soprano, try to hold out for a vintage instrument - there's a reason why they are so prized. FYI, I'm a Martin owner and lover - 000-15 guitar, my pride & joy - but the current batch of standard ukuleles, , like the S1, are not worth the price tag (IMHO). So . . . if you like the Eastman's sound, and it fits your budget, go for it. The only one you need to please is you!
 
Thank you all for your wise words :)

Good to hear that I will not regret it when I decide to go for Eastman. I personally was quiet impressed with their ukes, but was a little worried if that would be a wise decision instead of a (new) Martin. I think you've taken that away so I guess I will be a proud Eastman owner soon :cool:
 
Eastman never really made the splash in the ukulele market that they did in other markets. Eastman started out making orchestral instruments (violins and the like). They entered the carved archtop guitar market and substantially changed it. In a word where a quality guitar could cost thousands, Eastman was producing decent hard-carved archtops for around $1500. There was nothing like it on the market. They expanded to mandolins a few years after that, and did very well. Again, a quality hand-carved mandolin was very expensive; at a time when Gibson's cheapest F-style was around $3500, Eastman was making good quality F-style mandolins for $1000 or less. In both cases, Eastman carved our market niches that really didn't exist before; not cheap, but affordable and attainable hand-carved instruments.

With the ukulele market, on the other hand, they entered when the market was already saturated with ukes at almost every price point. Their solid mahogany ukes are of very good quality, but there are several choices at that price point, so Eastman never really grabbed the market the way they had with guitars and mandolins. And not that many dealers are carrying Eastman, so it's tougher to try one out.

Eastman also put out an archtop ukulele (or at least they used to-- haven't seen one for sale in a long time). Definitely unique, but there doesn't seem to be all that much demand.

With all that being said, I think Eastman's current uke line are excellent instruments-- if you can find one.
 
Top Bottom