From Guitar World · · 1m 50s
Eastman SC Classic Guitar Review
Eastman SC Classic guitar offers vintage tone with modern playability.
In brief
Eastman SC Classic guitar offers vintage tone with modern playability. Eastman SC Classic guitar provides bright, versatile tones with a comfortable neck and unique Charlie Christian pickup. Originally reported by Guitar World.
Quick answers
- What is it?
- Eastman Kauffmann Series SC Classic is a single-cutaway solidbody electric guitar with roasted Oregon pine body and roasted maple neck.
- What is the key takeaway from Eastman SC Classic Guitar Review?
- Eastman SC Classic guitar provides bright, versatile tones with a comfortable neck and unique Charlie Christian pickup.
What is it?
Eastman Kauffmann Series SC Classic is a single-cutaway solidbody electric guitar with roasted Oregon pine body and roasted maple neck.
“Eastman guitars exude rock ’n’ roll, while certain other manufacturers’ instruments don’t.”
Design features
Features Oregon pine body, FullerTone neck, and Time Travel finish with light aging for open grain pores.
“All our bolt-on guitars (D’Ambrosio series, Kauffmann series, FullerTone series) are built around the most important feature: the FullerTone neck designed by Otto D’Ambrosio.”
Construction details
All timbers roasted for stability and lightness, with micron perfect joints and inset black pickguard.
“All the woodworking is flawless, with the tightest of joints, the routing of the two-bolt neckplate and that rather interesting inset black pickguard, all micron perfect.”
Pickup system
Includes Lollar Charlie Christian (neck) and Lollar Special T (bridge) pickups with single coil designs.
“This attractive pickup, black with white bevelled edging in a ‘hexagonal oblong’ shape, is also single coil but with just one raised bar polepiece.”
Specs and pricing
Priced at $2,550 | £2,399 | €2,699 with quality padded gigbag, made in Mijdrecht, Netherlands.
“PRICE: $2,550 | £2,399 | €2,699 with quality padded gigbag”
Playability
Neck feels like bare wood with medium round profile, ideal for palm-friendly play and smooth bends.
“Its shape is a very palm-friendly medium round profile, neither too chubby nor too slender.”
Tone performance
Brighter than Telecaster with versatile tones from jazz to blues, enhanced by reverb and chorus effects.
“The Eastman neck pickup has that same extra clarity we found with the Tele, and rolling the tone back here creates anything from the warmest jazz tone to some fabulous bluesy ones.”
Minor issue
Neck pickup shows slight volume imbalance with lower strings overpowering top strings before adjustment.
“One tiny niggle is that on the neck pickup with drive and the tone rolled off there was a volume imbalance across the strings, the bottom four overpowering the top two.”
Verdict
★★★★½ rating for a guitar that feels broken in even before playing, with great tone and playability.
“It’s great to see more and more guitars that are not mere copies of a few iconic originals.”
Why it stands out
Unique Charlie Christian pickup provides vintage jazz tones without humbucker interference.
“This Lollar CC is also a brilliant choice because it’s not your usual Micawber-style humbucker, plus it looks much cooler than a Gold Foil to these eyes.”
Pricing and value
Fair pricing for European-made instrument with premium build quality and playability.
“Also, we feel the pricing is perfectly fair for a European-made instrument of this quality.”
Comparison
Outperforms Telecaster and Les Paul in clarity and versatility for blues, rock, and country music.
“The Eastman is brighter than both heritage guitars.”
Final recommendation
Ideal for players seeking vintage tone with modern playability and unique pickup system.
“If you’re looking for something vaguely T-style but with a serious dollop of genuine personality, all we can suggest is, why not go Dutch?”
What makes it special
FullerTone neck design and roasted timbers create light, resonant tones with minimal weight.
“Jumping on the OCD with a light to medium drive emphasises everything the Eastman has going for it.”
Conclusion
Eastman SC Classic offers a unique blend of vintage tone and modern playability for guitarists.
“It really does feel broken in, even before you’ve played a note.”
The big picture
Eastman SC Classic guitar provides bright, versatile tones with a comfortable neck and unique Charlie Christian pickup.
