Shanghai to Beijing - Eastman Guitars 2012

A trip to China is always interesting, but visiting as a guest of the Eastman musical instrument company is a real treat. Amazing food and hospitality, just a bit of beer drinking, and foot massages aplenty are the norm. Thanks to my affiliation with Johnson String Instrument, I've developed a relationship with Qian Ni & Saul Friedgood of Eastman over the past few years. Qian really knows how to treat his employees and it is evident at the factory by the smiling faces and productivity that is seldom seem on our side of the pond. The level at which these folks are working is truly humbling to a small independent maker like myself and I am so proud that these people consider me someone worth listening to. I look forward to a continued relationship with this emerging musical instrument powerhouse.

Maple logos freshly cut by laser

A shooting board and hand plane is still used to
join the top, just as it has been done for centuries

Top bracing is hand-carved by well trained artisans

Vacuum presses to speed up top bracing

A sea of guitars move through the process

Just a few Adirondack spruce tops, good wood is the key
 to good tone. This building was packed with tonewood.

An impressive jig to glue scarf joints at the peghead

A correct hand-rubbed sunburst was one of
my small contributions. Their varnish person
is amazingly skilled and nailed it right away.

A technicolor sunrise over Alaska allowed for some quiet reflection on another amazing trip to China.
Life is what you make of it, thanks to Qian, Saul, and Johnson String Instrument