Eastman SB59 vs Gibson LP

[Tim Farney]

They’re indistinguishable with a lot of gain, but clean, yeah the Eastman is clearer, brighter, more complex. Not surprised I feel that way. I like most SD pickups better than stock Gibsons.

[Doth]

I am new to the forum, thank you for allowing me to join.

I have a SB59/V and a 2016 Les Paul Standard HP.  Prior to getting the Eastman, I really liked my LP, except for the ridiculously small frets.  I had it refretted with Stainless Steel and was super happy with all the sounds.  I like the Titanium Nut and Saddles, the heel access, and I even liked the Robot Tuners.  I thought it was a great guitar.

And then.....I played the SB59/V.  What an amazing guitar for half the price.  I love the SD Antiquities and the varnish.  It plays better than any Les Paul I have played.  I will probably hold onto the LP just because I don't think Gibson will be around in the same way we know them now.  Maybe my son will like it when he is old enough.  He sure isn't going to get my Eastman!

[tamerlane]

Welcome to the forum Doth! I was a hardcore Gibson guy for a very long time & owned quite a few and know how you feel, as I too own a SB/59-V. Best Les Paul I have ever played bar none. And you're in good company here! Glad you joined.
Anderson

[Doth]

Welcome to the forum Doth! I was a hardcore Gibson guy for a very long time & owned quite a few and know how you feel, as I too own a SB/59-V. Best Les Paul I have ever played bar none. And you're in good company here! Glad you joined.
Anderson

Thank you, Anderson. I think I have finally figured out how to post photos. Hopefully they have come through.

Here is my SB and my new T58/V

[Bert]

Welcome to the forum Don, your pics will cause a ton of gas around here.  My first guitar was a TV Yellow Gibson way back when.  I had a couple of fallouts with Gibson over the years and have nothing good to say in recent years.
 
Eastman rocks, Gibson's deep hole is getting wider / deeper.... link came from Gibson forum:

https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/tronica...50-million

[Doth]

Hi Bert,

I saw the news on that lawsuit. Gibson was not in a great financial position before, and this doesn’t help. I think the irony here is that Gibson has been trying to push these tuners on their buyers for several years and I may be the only person that likes them. However, I am not a gigging musician. I just like hitting a button and being in tune or changing to G or drop D. If I were a gigging musician, the first thing I would change is to switch to licking tuners.

The Les Paul is not a horrible guitar. The challenge is that there are a lot of manufacturers that make much better guitars for the price. The PRS 594 Singlecut is a far better Modern LP. The SB59 is a far better traditional LP. I hope something happens to keep this historical, American company afloat, but I won’t be buying another Gibson. In fact, I have a T486 on order because I want a 335 style guitar and I am not willing to pay $3,500 for it (and still have to worry about the quality of the product).

Thank you for the welcome!

[tamerlane]

Don--

That's a fine looking T58 as well. I'm retired and build a few custom speaker cabs for extra income so new guitars are a luxury, but the T58 and T59 (and T64 too) are giving  me very bad GAS. Haven't played a 486, but my brother (housemate and fellow retiree) has T184mx with Lollars that is just killer all the way around. I hear you on the Gibson's. I don't own any anymore, something I thought that would never occur. But discovered Eastman's and that was all she wrote. And good looking SB/59-V as well--- mine is hard to put down, a good thing. How is the weight on the T58?
Anderson

---

Welcome to the forum Don, your pics will cause a ton of gas around here.  My first guitar was a TV Yellow Gibson way back when.  I had a couple of fallouts with Gibson over the years and have nothing good to say in recent years.
 
Eastman rocks, Gibson's deep hole is getting wider / deeper.... link came from Gibson forum:

https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/tronica...50-million

Thanks Bert--- sounds like more fuel for the funeral pyre for the Big G. And though I don't anticipate owning another, barring winning the lottery (which I don't play) I would buy a real '59 LP, I still hope they'll be able to turn it around and make good quality guitars at accessible prices again. Yet i don't see how they can get out of all the creditors heading their way. I remember thinking they were doomed back in the Norlin era--- that was a lot of junk then that was not cheap for the time either. Thing is, as a company under King Henry, they ignored the First Rule of Holes: When you're in one, quit digging!

[aant]

Now that Gibson announced their new 2019 line up, I'm really eager to see how the Eastman LPs will compare to the new Standards for instance, especially the 50s specs LP. Looks like the old brand really tries hard to nail what made a LP a great guitar before they lost themselves in the process these last years. 

In MusicRadar's NAMM interview, the new CEO basically says that they get back to the basis, get rid of the superfluous, and address the QC issues. That was expected but still is intriguing; wish there'd be some shops around where I could play the Gibson and Eastman LPs and compare.