Every Sunday we are posting a single video demo paired with a recent review from Harmony Central. This week it is the Eastwood Sidejack DLX- I have no idea who did this, but it is cool and entitled “Wankin’ on my Eastwood Sidejack.”
Product: Eastwood Guitars Sidejack
Price Paid: $479
Submitted 04/28/2006 at 02:26pm by John W.
Features : 10
This is a follow-up to my review (John W. 2-28-05)
Same as review. Everything is working perfectly with no complaints. I am desparately trying to wear this thing out! I will perish before it does, place your bets now.
I didn’t know I would become accustomed to this flat (12.00″+) fretboard and slightly chunky neck (slightly larger than “standard thin”).I have gits from 7.500″ radius to 16.000″ and still play them and enjoy each one, but this particular set up at the 24.750″ scale is perfect for my hand @ 9.500″ hand spread (pinky to thumb).
I still dream about a Wizard neck with compound radius and a 24.750″ scale. Maybe someday I’ll throw some money at it. It would be soooo nice to have the best of both radius worlds! (I’m trying to get Warmoth to make one of these, but they don’t make a Wizard at shorter than 25.500″). Maybe Mike Robinson (Eastwood) will make us one??
One extremely nice change for the Sidejack has been loading it with D’Addario Chromes (ECG24). These are High finish ribbon wound that are ground FLAT. They call them jazz light gauge @ .011, .015, .022, .030, .040, .050″. These strings sound bright and clean and play so smoothly (NO FRICTION) that it is truly effortless which makes playing easier with obvious technique improvement. They bend very easily considering their gauge and chords blend so well it makes standard ribbon wounds sound terribly bad. Single notes have a quality that is clean with no overtones and they require LESS pressure to note, removing intonation sharping that can occur with light gauge strings.
I put a set of Chromes (ECB82) on my Bronco bass also. Perfect sound! Slap, flap, clean, mellow; it’s all in the tone knob and playing technique.
Sound : 10
You can get any sound out of this guitar with good amps, etc. It needs no mods or “hot rodding”. The pups are clear!
Action, Fit, & Finish : No Opinion
Constructed better than all the things I’ve played for years. I require extremely low action with no buzz. I have it with this guitar.
I always pay attention to the left or right of torso centering of the guitar’s scale. (Too far left of center chest, you have to reach abnormally far with the left arm as a RH player). It occurs on guitar models like the Mosrite and others. Just look at the amount of body real estate to the right of the bridge on some guitars (from playing position) and where the body relief shaping is located).
This guitar does shift the scale to the left 2.000″ more than my Fenders and Dano, so it would be a problem EXCEPT that it’s a mid-scale length at 24.750″. There is some extra reach but it’s ok with the shorter scale.
Reliability/Durability : 10
Durable period.
Customer Support : 10
Better than perfect. Just like my wife! (she will read this).
Overall Rating : 10
Bonus clip: The Baseball Project on the David Letterman show (June 19, 2008, Steve Wynn, Scott McCaughey, Peter Buck and Linda Pitmon):
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