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2014 Eastman John Pisano AR-680CE
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Serial #: 14790653
Body size at lower bout: 16" Body Depth: 2 3/4" Scale length: 25" Nut: 1 3/4" Neck depth: .88/.90, 1st/10th frets
Materials: Solid bookmatched handcarved fine grain spruce top; handcarved figured mahogany body and neck; solid ebony fingerboard; curly maple truss rod cover and body binding; triple bound f-holes; solid graphite nut.
Hardware: Solid ebony tailpiece and finger rest; gold Gotoh 14:1 tuners with ebony keys; compensated adjustable ebony bridge; built-in Armstrong humbucking PAF pickup with ebony volume and tone controls.
Notes: All solid. All carved. Hand built, one at a time, with remarkable high-figure tonewoods. Eastman archtop guitars are individually crafted by violin-trained luthiers, without shortcuts, the old-fashioned way. And they share the appointments of the costliest high-end guitars. Solid ebony finger rest, tailpiece and fingerboard like a Benedetto. An X-braced top and 1 3/4" nut, like a Johnny Smith. Even triple bound f-holes, like the Super 400. All at a price point previously dominated by factory plywood boxes.
The Eastman John Pisano Model honors the legacy of one of the most accomplished and beloved guitarists in the jazz pantheon. Over a career spanning some six decades John has accompanied an A-list roster of musical legends including Joe Pass, Frank Sinatra, Benny Goodman, Peggy Lee, Tony Bennett, Barbara Streisand, Chico Hamilton, Herb Alpert and many more. As teacher, mentor and impresario, John has been an inspiration to several generations of outstanding jazz guitarists. His warm personality and generous spirit have made him a personal hero here at archtop.com as well.
Built to his exacting specifications, the Eastman John Pisano sports a comfy 16" body, slightly slimmed in depth, with a finely graduated solid bookmatched carved spruce soundboard. With its highly figured mahogany body and neck, the AR-680 is one of the lightest archtops available today at any price: this featherweight example weighs in at an astounding 5lb. 9oz. in total. Carefully graduated, the solid spruce soundboard produces a lively acoustic voice, with excellent balance and clarity. The neck profile is sweetly tailored to the palm in a comfy, traditional C profile.
This gleaming example appears virtually unplayed, with all original hardware and violin finish, and is accompanied with its original hardshell case and Certificate of Authenticity. If you've wanted to step up to the range and depth of a true hand carved archtop, or are just looking for a superb backup instrument for gigs and travel, here's your chance to experience the real thing, at an unbeatable price. We know of no other instrument that offers this level of quality anywhere near this price range: a true best buy in a genuine pro-quality archtop.
And the frog? That's John's idea, too. He likes frogs. One only: call now.
Setup: This instrument is strung with medium gauge nickel roundwound strings (.012-.054). The guitar will accommodate lighter or heavier gauge strings, according to preference. String action is set at 4/64" to 5/64" at the 12th fret, with moderate relief for acoustic playing with medium strings. The action may be lowered or raised to your requirements with the adjustable bridge.
