SB55/V SB

[Nik the Greek]

Newbie here.  Veteran player and serious collector as well.  Found a SB55 locally, and besides the incredible deal I got on it, I struck gold with one the original owner had only a few months.   What an amazing instrument to say the least.  I have a 1958 LP Junior as a baseline, but I must say they are really not the same guitar for many reasons.  Readers already familiar with the SB55 are aware the comparisons are slight.  

The Eastman neck is big. Baseball bat big. But super comfortable and welcoming to play.  Finish and hardware speak for themselves and have been discussed many times over from what Ive seen on the net.  Ebony fingerboard is lucious. One piece body and neck... our friends in Nashville charge thousands for that layout.  I will only make one comment on the Lollar.  If you are looking for a screaming P-90 ala Leslie, this isnt the one.  It is a lower wind and more articulate. Chimey in the clean mode, and digs in pretty good dirty, but it is not going to set anything on fire.    Im on the fence about going with a hotter model and will wait until I run it through a few of my different rigs.   Regardless, the 50s wind does a beautiful job.

Im knocked out by the suede like case as well and all the tools for the Faber bridge are included.  I have Faber ABR-1 style bridges on a couple other guitars and love the quality and perfection in intonation properties they offer.  Huge upgrade for any G style guitar.   I think there will continue to be gear snobs by the name on the headstock or country of origin, but take it from a collector that has over 50 vintage and modern guitars including ones built by our friends in Maryland, Nashville, North Carolina etc...  These Eastman guitars are superb in all ways.  Yes, I have played one of their jazz archtops, and also a dual humbucker LP style as well. I would have grabbed the LP (SB59) if it werent for a tight wad seller.   When you can find one that is less than advertised prices, I highly recommend at least getting one in your hands.  Ditch the hype. These are totally legit.

[Zeiss]

Very cool to hear firsthand , thanks

[Nik the Greek]

Update. Took to a gig and sounded amazing.  I did notice that with a set of 9s on there, it is pretty slinky.  I may try a set of 10s next and raise the action on the high E side as the bends were too easy and didnt fret out but felt and sounded thin.  I may have set the action too low as well.  Regardless, I had another player try the guitar and he fell in love with it immediately.   A great guitar.

[14strings]

Update. Took to a gig and sounded amazing.  I did notice that with a set of 9s on there, it is pretty slinky.  I may try a set of 10s next and raise the action on the high E side as the bends were too easy and didnt fret out but felt and sounded thin.  I may have set the action too low as well.  Regardless, I had another player try the guitar and he fell in love with it immediately.   A great guitar.

I string my SB55V with 11’s as I do all my electrics. The 24.75 scale length and 11’s are a good match.

[Charlieb]

and I quit playing electric a few years back...but dang, I'd really need to know

[Nik the Greek]

Update. 1+ year honeymoon over.  Yes, it is still as fantastic as I reviewed it in Aug of 2021.  Not seeing a lot of traffic on this site for this model so thought I would just do a basic catch up.   I changed from 9s to 10s and raised the high E side a smidge. Did the trick.   Although I appreciate any player who uses 11s, I cant do it.  I put 11s on a Jaguar and a Jazzmaster and it seems fitting for those guitars.  However this Rock n Roll machine with my old hands needs a little help from lighter guage.   Hard to believe I was using Dean Markley 8s in the late 70s.    Regardless, never changed a single thing on this guitar.   A great workhorse, and yes, Ive taken it to gigs as the only guitar and it makes you manipulate the tone knob for warmer tones if needed.   Get one if you can find it out there.

[14strings]

Update. 1+ year honeymoon over.  Yes, it is still as fantastic as I reviewed it in Aug of 2021.  Not seeing a lot of traffic on this site for this model so thought I would just do a basic catch up.   I changed from 9s to 10s and raised the high E side a smidge. Did the trick.   Although I appreciate any player who uses 11s, I cant do it.  I put 11s on a Jaguar and a Jazzmaster and it seems fitting for those guitars.  However this Rock n Roll machine with my old hands needs a little help from lighter guage.   Hard to believe I was using Dean Markley 8s in the late 70s.    Regardless, never changed a single thing on this guitar.   A great workhorse, and yes, Ive taken it to gigs as the only guitar and it makes you manipulate the tone knob for warmer tones if needed.   Get one if you can find it out there.

I still love mine and often use it as my unplugged couch guitar. Great resonance unplugged. When I am the only guitar player in the band I bring my SB55/V. It is phat. I love that acoustic type sound you can get when you roll off the volume. Plenty of spank when you by-pass the tone knob. I also love the vibration transfer of the wrap around bridge. A far superior guitar to the new Gibson versions IMO.

[Charlieb]

Glad you liking this guitar. I'd like to play one just to see how I liked it. I still seldom amplify and play my 335 or Eastman Archtop occasionally. On acoustic I always up the E&B string gauge, on acoustic I buy a 12 gauge set and up the E&B to a 13&17, on electric I like the 10 gauge DR Pure Blues set and up the E&B to an 11&14 and G sometimes up to an 18. I like the extra fullness on the 1-2-3 strings and half-step bends are ah plenty and gives it a nice cotton field blues tone lol

[Pura Vida]

Those are great guitars.  I have a T185MX, but I think I'm more of a solid body player.  So, if I get back into electric playing, I need to look closely at these SB55 models.