Eastman 605 Jim Fisch model vs. Peerless Jazz City

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telewacker

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I'm interested in these two archtops. The Eastman has a carved spruce top with mahogany sides, back, and neck, and a floating pickup.

The peerless has a solid but pressed maple top, maple back, sides, and neck, and a humbucker mounted in the top.

Pros and cons of both? There is a $150 difference (the used Eastman is more than the NOS Peerless). I'm sure they sound different.

My favorite jazz tone is Wes Montgomery's and I also play with my thumb.

Tell me what you guys think.
 
Shark Sandwich

Shark Sandwich

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I've never played a Peerless so I can't comment on them, but I have played some Eastmans. In fact, my first Eastman is being delivered today by UPS. It's an 803CE-15 with a neck humbucker. I'm really excited to get it. I gotta say, I think these Eastmans are tremendous guitars. They're all carved by hand with solid woods. The workmanship is great and they sound great as well. I would go for the Eastman for those reasons, plus since its used you won't lose as much much if you ever resell.
 
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jazzrat

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The Peerless guitars are nice(I've heard) but I think they come out of the Korean factory system. Nothing wrong with that but I've become an Eastman fan because
they seem to have more of a sense of craftmanship and artistry. I had an 805 and now have an Ar803CE. Very nice guitars
 
backdrifter

backdrifter

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I was in a similar situation just a few days ago, though I was actually considering an Eastman and a Loar guitar.

I ended up purchasing a used Eastman AR904 oval hole acoustic archtop with no cutaway and no electronics. I haven't received it yet, but it looks absolutely stunning and I can't wait to have it in hand. I'll do a full write up and review once I do have it.

Everyone I spoke to said hands down Eastman when compared to other Asian jazz guitars. Eastman has been making violins and other stringed instruments for decades upon decades, and seems to have the experience and history. I have heard very few complaints about their instruments.

Not to mention, if it was me, I would much prefer a solid wood instrument to a pressed top every time. You'll get more acoustic volume (though you may get more feedback when plugged in).

Good luck!
 
T

telewacker

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Shark Sandwich said:
I've never played a Peerless so I can't comment on them, but I have played some Eastmans. In fact, my first Eastman is being delivered today by UPS. It's an 803CE-15 with a neck humbucker. I'm really excited to get it. I gotta say, I think these Eastmans are tremendous guitars. They're all carved by hand with solid woods. The workmanship is great and they sound great as well. I would go for the Eastman for those reasons, plus since its used you won't lose as much much if you ever resell.
Click to expand...

All true but the an x-braced carved top will be bright and prone to feedback.

jazzrat said:
The Peerless guitars are nice(I've heard) but I think they come out of the Korean factory system. Nothing wrong with that but I've become an Eastman fan because
they seem to have more of a sense of craftmanship and artistry. I had an 805 and now have an Ar803CE. Very nice guitars
Click to expand...

Also made in Asia ,no?

musicofanatic5 said:
Carved spruce top vs. pressed maple top? Completely different creatures, no? Apples and rutabagas. G'luck.
Click to expand...

Of course they are very different. Floating pup with an x-brace vs. set h-bucker and sound post. Mahogany vs. maple in the side, back, and neck too. I'm leaning towards the Peerless as the more useful and possibly better tone wise, for me, as an amplified guitar, especially in organ trios.

Hoping someone has played them both and can provide descriptions?
 
J

jazzrat

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OK...your comment about how you will use the guitar is telling. As much as I love the tone and playability of my Eastman, it still has a woody acoustic'ness to it, and will
feedback at anything more than small room volume.
If you are talking organ trio and a more electric tone then a laminated top and built-in pickup are the way to go. IMHO
 
T

telewacker

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jazzrat said:
OK...your comment about how you will use the guitar is telling. As much as I love the tone and playability of my Eastman, it still has a woody acoustic'ness to it, and will
feedback at anything more than small room volume.
If you are talking organ trio and a more electric tone then a laminated top and built-in pickup are the way to go. IMHO
Click to expand...

I think so...although the Peerless top is solid wood, pressed not carved.
 
J

jzucker

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peerless guitars also have spliced necks and spliced on heels. Bad investment IMO. Eastmans are bad investments too unless you buy used. And the QC varies quite a bit. Make sure you try before you buy. The model you refer to has limited upper fret access as do most of their singlecuts other than the el-rey

P.S.

An ibanez benson will get you more into wes territory than either of those and is a much better constructed instrument.
 
T

telewacker

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jzucker said:
peerless guitars also have spliced necks and spliced on heels. Bad investment IMO. Eastmans are bad investments too unless you buy used. And the QC varies quite a bit. Make sure you try before you buy. The model you refer to has limited upper fret access as do most of their singlecuts other than the el-rey

P.S.

An ibanez benson will get you more into wes territory than either of those and is a much better constructed instrument.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info, though I had the Benson and just never liked the tone and sold it a couple of years ago.
 
arnie65

arnie65

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I've own a Peerless "Monarch" which has the solid spruce top, the sound is descent and the guitar is well built. I upgraded the pick up to a custom wound Seymour Duncan "George Benson" with no modifications, and added a tone control. The guitar now sounds as good as my uncle's Gibson "Johnny Smith" or any L5 I've owned. Peerless is a new name, not a new company and they've built tons of guitars for Ibanez, Gretch, Fender, Gibson etc.. I have played the Eastman you mentioned, a guy in the monthly Jazz ensemble I go to has one and is not a bad guitar either, however the sound is a little brighter than the Peerless "Jazz City", which I tried before settling on the "Monarch". I have to agree with Jack Zucker, that neither is a good investment, but neither was Heritage when they started, although for a $1,000 or so, you're getting a lot of guitar, you won't find an Ibanez "Benson" of any model for that price. Ed Cherry, who played with the Dizzy Gillespie band for years, and who's a monster player, is currently playing a Peerless "Jazz City", and he's not even endorsed by Peerless.
 
T

telewacker

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arnie65 said:
I've own a Peerless "Monarch" which has the solid spruce top, the sound is descent and the guitar is well built. I upgraded the pick up to a custom wound Seymour Duncan "George Benson" with no modifications, and added a tone control. The guitar now sounds as good as my uncle's Gibson "Johnny Smith" or any L5 I've owned. Peerless is a new name, not a new company and they've built tons of guitars for Ibanez, Gretch, Fender, Gibson etc.. I have played the Eastman you mentioned, a guy in the monthly Jazz ensemble I go to has one and is not a bad guitar either, however the sound is a little brighter than the Peerless "Jazz City", which I tried before settling on the "Monarch". I have to agree with Jack Zucker, that neither is a good investment, but neither was Heritage when they started, although for a $1,000 or so, you're getting a lot of guitar, you won't find an Ibanez "Benson" of any model for that price. Ed Cherry, who played with the Dizzy Gillespie band for years, and who's a monster player, is currently playing a Peerless "Jazz City", and he's not even endorsed by Peerless.
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What did you like better about the Monarch? I generally don't care for floating mini humbuckers, and I figure the Jazz City might be better playing at Hammond B3 volume with the top mounted humbucker and sound post. I like full size humbuckers better as a rule. There is a thinline Eastman that I'm considering as well with a thin carved spuce top and two top mounted humbuckers that might give me a sweet tone while providing resistance to feedback.
 
arnie65

arnie65

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The "Jazz City" is a 16" inch and more like a Gibson 175 sound, the "Monarch" is 17" inch and has a fuller sound with some acoustic qualities. If you're into the "Wes" tone you might want to rethink going with a thinner guitar, even it it has humbuckers. IMO.
 
T

telewacker

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arnie65 said:
The "Jazz City" is a 16" inch and more like a Gibson 175 sound, the "Monarch" is 17" inch and has a fuller sound with some acoustic qualities. If you're into the "Wes" tone you might want to rethink going with a thinner guitar, even it it has humbuckers. IMO.
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The Jazz City is 17" according to the website. They have a 175 type guitar also...Jouneyman I think.

http://www.peerlessguitars.co.uk/#/jazz-city/4523582504

Anything I do will be a compromise in some way I suppose. Reviewers mentioned Wes with that thinline I guess because of the top? I dunno. Wish I could try them all out. The good thing about a used guitar like the Eastman is if I decide to sell it i'll get most of my money back.
 
arnie65

arnie65

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The "Jazz City" I tried was one of the first ones, must have been a custom model, but it was 16". Buy something you feel comfortable playing and that sounds good to you, guitars are a lot like shoes!




Cheers, Arnie..
 
bri237

bri237

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I owned a journeyman for about a year then had to sell due to some unexpected bills. It was a well constructed guitar. However the electronics were crap.
 
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