Email jeff@jhalemusic
Voice (262)367-5720
Fax (262)367-5140
600 Hartbrook Dr.
Hartland, WI 53029
Eastman Archtop Guitars From J. Hale Music
Archtop Guitars From Eastman Making Tomorrow's
Heirloom Instruments Today!
During the 1920’s, Lloyd Loar sparked
a revolution and ushered in the Golden Age of guitar making.
Instruments from this
period are coveted for their brilliance of tone and beauty of craftsmanship.
The luthiers at Eastman Strings, famous for building some of the
most highly regarded violins and cellos of the late 20th century,
have now
turned their attention and time honored skills towards the handcrafting
of archtop guitars. If you are searching for unequaled tonal brilliance,
ease of playing and beautiful woodcraft you will find all these things
and more in the Eastman Uptown Professional Series. Welcome to the
New Jazz Guitar Golden Age.
Eastman Uptown Luxury Series Guitars feature the outstanding
craftsmanship of our Professional
Series with upgrades in materials and finish to create beautiful
instruments of unsurpassed quality. These upgrades include the finest select
tonewoods, wood binding, 5 piece maple neck, an ebony tailpiece, and Schaller
tuners with ebony buttons. Uptown Luxury Archtop Guitars feature
Eastman’s innovative
Spirit Varnish/Rich Lacquer hybrid finish. Our luthiers developed
this process as a way of combining
the acoustic qualities and timeless beauty of spirit varnish with the durability
of lacquer.
These instruments are hand-polished using the same techniques that
violin makers have used for generations. The guitars are then sprayed with
two layers of lacquer, which is then buffed back nearly to the spirit
varnish beneath.
Eastman Uptown Luxury archtop guitars are available exclusively in our Natural
finish, which is as durable as it is breathtakingly beautiful.
Add a tone control to your Eastman Guitar - Same 'under the pickguard' style
as the standard volume control. $65.00 !!
Finish Chart for Eastman Guitar
Standard Eastman Archtops, Semi Hollow, Thinline and El Rey Guitars. All Eastman instruments feature solid hand carved tops and hand carved flame backs with solid rims. All instruments from J Hale are professionally setup by master luthier Denny Rauen of Rauen Guitars. Also included are custom instruments which are available only from J Hale Music. If you don't see the model or features that you want, please contact us and we will get it for you!
El Rey ER1-7 Golden Age: Instrument features 14" hand carved construction with carved solid spruce top, solid highly flamed maple rims, 2 piece highly flamed carved maple back, rim depth is 2", ebony tailpiece, compensated ebony bridge, ebony pickguard, twin Benedetto B7 humbucking pickups with coil tap controls, ebony fingerboard, 3 piece figured maple neck, Gotoh tuners, nut width is 2 1/16", scale length 25", Eastman nitrocellulose Golden Age finish. Includes Eastman hardshell case. Click on video below for a demonstration of this instrument, click on thumbnail pictures for a full size view
AR805CE Natural Finish: Instrument features 16" hand carved construction with carved solid spruce top, solid highly flamed maple rims, 2 piece highly flamed carved maple back, rim depth is 3 1/4", ebony tailpiece, compensated ebony bridge, ebony pickguard, single floating Kent Armstrong pickup, ebony fingerboard, 3 piece figured maple neck, Gotoh tuners, nut width is 1 3/4", scale length 25", Eastman nitrocellulose Natural finish. Includes Eastman hardshell case. Click on video below for a demonstration of this instrument, click on thumbnail pictures for a full size view
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AR903CE Custom: Instrument features 15" hand carved construction with carved solid spruce top, solid highly flamed maple rims, 2 piece highly flamed carved maple back, rim depth is 2 3/4", custom reverse contour ebony tailpiece and wide compensated ebony bridge from Mirabella Guitars, ebony pickguard, single mounted Jason Lollar HW pickup, coil tapped control via push/pull tone control, ebony fingerboard, 3 piece figured maple neck, Gotoh tuners, nut width is 1 3/4", scale length 25", custom J Hale nitrocellulose Caramel finish. Includes Eastman hardshell case. Click on video below for a demonstration of this instrument, click on thumbnail pictures for a full size view
AR810CE: Instrument features 17" hand carved construction with carved solid spruce top, solid highly flamed maple rims, 2 piece highly flamed carved maple back, rim depth is 3 1/4", ebony tailpiece, compensated ebony bridge, bound ebony pickguard, single floating Kent Armstrong pickup, volume/tone controls beneath pickguard, ebony fingerboard, 3 piece figured maple neck, Gotoh tuners with ebony caps, nut width is 1 3/4", scale length 25", Eastman nitrocellulose Classic finish. Includes Eastman hardshell case. Click on video below for a demonstration of this instrument, click on thumbnail pictures for a full size view
AR803CE-15 Custom: Instrument features 15" hand carved construction with carved solid spruce top, solid highly flamed maple rims, 2 piece highly flamed carved maple back, rim depth is 2 3/4", ebony tailpiece, compensated ebony bridge, bound ebony pickguard, single built in Duncan Seth Lover pickup with push/pull coil tap control, ebony control knobs, ebony fingerboard, 3 piece figured maple neck, Gotoh tuners with ebony caps, nut width is 1 3/4", scale length 25", Eastman nitrocellulose Classic finish. Includes Eastman hardshell case. Click on video below for a demonstration of this instrument, click on thumbnail pictures for a full size view
AR803CE-15: Instrument features 15" hand carved construction with carved solid spruce top, solid highly flamed maple rims, 2 piece highly flamed carved maple back, rim depth is 2 3/4", ebony tailpiece, compensated ebony bridge, bound ebony pickguard, single built in Kent Armstrong designed pickup, top hat control knobs, ebony fingerboard, 3 piece figured maple neck, Gotoh tuners with ebony caps, nut width is 1 11/16+", scale length 25", Eastman nitrocellulose Sapphire Blue finish. Includes Eastman hardshell case. Click on video below for a demonstration of this instrument, click on thumbnail pictures for a full size view
El Rey ER2 Custom: Instrument features 14" hand carved construction with carved solid spruce top, solid highly flamed maple rims, 2 piece highly flamed carved maple back, rim depth is 2", Striped ebony pieces from Cris Mirabella including tailpiece, wide compensated bridge,pickguard, and truss cover with twin built-in Duncan Seth Lover pickups, dual volume/tone controls with 3 way switch, 22 fret ebony fingerboard, 3 piece figured maple neck, Gotoh tuners with ebony caps, nut width is 1 3/4", scale length 25", Eastman nitrocellulose Natural finish. Includes Eastman hardshell case. Click on video below for a demonstration of this instrument, click on thumbnail pictures for a full size view
El Rey ER3 Goldtop Custom: Instrument features 14" hand carved construction with carved maple top, solid figured mahogany rims, 2 piece figured carved mahogany back, rim depth is 2", Gotoh stop style bridge/tailpiece, cream pickguard, twin built-in Duncan Seth Lover pickups, dual volume/tone controls with Switchcraft 3 way switch, 22 fret ebony fingerboard, 3 piece figured mahogany neck, Sperzel locking tuners, nut width is 1 3/4", scale length 25" custom nitrocellulose finish with metallic gold top and mahogany back/sides. Includes Eastman hardshell case. Click on video below for a demonstration of this instrument, click on thumbnail pictures for a full size view
El Rey ER3 Tangerineburst Custom: Instrument features 14" hand carved construction with carved maple top, solid figured mahogany rims, 2 piece figured carved mahogany back, rim depth is 2", Gotoh stop style bridge/tailpiece, twin built-in Duncan Seth Lover pickups with coil tap controls, dual volume/tone controls with Switchcraft 3 way switch, 22 fret ebony fingerboard, 3 piece figured mahogany neck, Sperzel locking tuners, nut width is 1 3/4", scale length 25" custom nitrocellulose Tangerineburst finish with mahogany back/sides. Includes Eastman hardshell case. Click on video below for a demonstration of this instrument, click on thumbnail pictures for a full size view
Here is a brief tutorial and demonstration regarding Eastman El Rey instruments. This small archtop is my favorite guitar and I use mine on almost every gig I play. In the video we cover the differences between the (3) major El Rey models. In addition you can see a few of the Custom White Wood instruments we have including 7 string versions. Finally, we discuss and demonstrate the balance of El Rey instruments.
- El Rey ER1 - Mahogany back/sides, spruce top. Most instruments have 1 pickup, special order for 2 pickups
- El Rey ER2 - Flame maple back/sides, spruce top. Most instruments have 2 pickups, special order for 1 pickup.
- El Rey ER3 - Mahogany back/sides, flame maple top, Small block under stop-style tailpiece, 2 pickups only.
- El Rey ERO - Similar to ER2 except with oval sound hole and Fishman jazz bridge pickup.
All El Reys have the following features: 14" body with 2" rims All solid wood, hand carved. 3 piece neck ebony fingerboard 25" scale length.
Below are a few videos from recently sold instruments. If you would like an instrument like one of these, just give us a call.
AR803CE-16 Custom: Instrument features 16" hand carved construction with carved solid spruce top, solid highly flamed maple rims, 2 piece highly flamed carved maple back, rim depth is 2 3/4", ebony tailpiece, compensated ebony bridge, bound ebony pickguard, single built in Duncan Seth Lover pickup with coil split control, ebony control knobs, ebony fingerboard, 3 piece figured maple neck, Gotoh tuners with gold caps, nut width is 1 3/4", scale length 25", Eastman nitrocellulose Sapphire Blue finish. Includes Eastman hardshell case. Click on video below for a demonstration of this instrument, click on thumbnail pictures for a full size view
AR905CE: Instrument features 16" hand carved construction with carved solid spruce top, solid highly flamed maple rims, 2 piece highly flamed carved maple back, rim depth is 3 1/4", ebony tailpiece, compensated ebony bridge, bound ebony pickguard, single floating Kent Armstrong pickup, volume/tone controls beneath pickguard, ebony fingerboard, 5 piece figured maple neck, Schaller tuners with ebony caps, nut width is 1 3/4", scale length 25", Eastman nitrocellulose Sunburst finish. Includes Eastman hardshell case. Click on video below for a demonstration of this instrument, click on thumbnail pictures for a full size view
AR910CE: Instrument features 17" hand carved construction with carved solid spruce top, solid highly flamed maple rims, 2 piece highly flamed carved maple back, rim depth is 3 1/4", ebony tailpiece, compensated ebony bridge, bound ebony pickguard, single floating Kent Armstrong pickup, volume/tone controls beneath pickguard, ebony fingerboard, 5 piece figured maple neck, Schaller tuners with ebony caps, nut width is 1 3/4", scale length 25", Eastman nitrocellulose Natural finish. Includes Eastman hardshell case. Click on video below for a demonstration of this instrument, click on thumbnail pictures for a full size view
This Instrument Has Been SOLD
AR903CE Custom: Instrument features 16" hand carved construction with carved solid spruce top, solid highly flamed maple rims, 2 piece highly flamed carved maple back, rim depth is 2 3/4", ebony tailpiece, compensated ebony bridge, bound ebony pickguard, single built in Duncan Seth Lover pickup with push/pull coil tap control, ebony control knobs, ebony fingerboard with split block MOP inlays, 3 piece figured maple neck, Grover Imperial tuners with ebony caps, nut width is 1 3/4", scale length 25", custom nitrocellulose teaburst finish. Includes Eastman hardshell case. Click on video below for a demonstration of this instrument, click on thumbnail pictures for a full size view
This Instrument Has Been Sold
AR803CE Custom: Instrument features 16" hand carved construction with carved solid spruce top, solid highly flamed maple rims, 2 piece highly flamed carved maple back, rim depth is 2 3/4", gold fingered tailpiece, compensated ebony bridge, bound ebony pickguard, single built in Duncan Seth Lover pickup with push/pull coil tap control, ebony control knobs, ebony fingerboard with split block MOP inlays, 3 piece figured maple neck, Gotoh tuners with ebony caps, nut width is 1 3/4", scale length 25", Eastman nitrocellulose "Classic" finish. Includes Eastman hardshell case.
This Instrument Has Been Sold
AR803CE-15 Custom: Instrument features 15" hand carved construction with carved solid spruce top, solid highly flamed maple rims, 2 piece highly flamed carved maple back, rim depth is 2 3/4", ebony tailpiece, compensated ebony bridge, bound ebony pickguard, single built in Duncan Seth Lover pickup with push/pull coil tap control, ebony control knobs, ebony fingerboard, 3 piece figured maple neck, Gotoh tuners with ebony caps, nut width is 1 3/4", scale length 25", Eastman nitrocellulose Classic finish. Includes Eastman hardshell case. Click on video below for a demonstration of this instrument, click on thumbnail pictures for a full size view
This Instrument Has Been Sold
El Rey ER2 Custom: Instrument features 14" hand carved construction with carved solid spruce top, solid highly flamed maple rims, 2 piece highly flamed carved maple back, rim depth is 2", ebony configuration including tailpiece, compensated bridge, pickguard, and truss cover with twin built-in Duncan Seth Lover pickups, dual volume/tone controls with 3 way switch, 22 fret ebony fingerboard, 3 piece figured maple neck, Sperzel locking tuners with gold caps, nut width is 1 3/4", scale length 25", Eastman nitrocellulose Golden Age finish. Includes Eastman hardshell case. Click on video below for a demonstration of this instrument, click on thumbnail pictures for a full size view
This Instrument Has Been Sold
More video product demonstrations are coming!
Our most current inventory of new, custom and used Eastman instruments appears on our eBay store. Use the links below to review our current offerings. You can purchase directly from the eBay Store or just give us a call to purchase off line. Click on the link below to see ALL of our new Eastman instruments listed on our eBay Store.
Previously owned and other specially priced Eastman Instruments. Click on this link to see all of our used Eastman instruments as listed on our eBay store
