Needle In A Haystack - Eastman El Rey 0

[Sam Sherry]

Otto D'Ambrosio's Eastman El Rey line isn't that hard to find. There's the ER-1, a 14" Benedetto Bambino-inspired guitar. The ER-2 added a second pickup and better balance. The ER-3 was Eastman's first step toward a Les Paul-style guitar. A few years later came the El Rey 4, an interesting, highly-successful 16" medium-thin modern instrument which is not a copy of anything and no, you cannot have mine!

The hidden item in this collection was the El Rey 0. As Otto noted a few weeks ago, "They cannot have made very many of those." But a few weeks ago @40bpm posted one up for sale and I hit the button. Thank you, Jan!

The tweaks are done and it's ready to show. Got a drumroll please?




Around fifteen years ago Eastman has a run of hinged tailpieces which broke. This guitar left the shop with one and yah, it broke. Jan left the pieces in the case. Because the ER-0 reminded me of a pint-size Solomon Phidelity, I shaped and drilled-out the stub to point in a similar direction. As @NeverShouldHaveSoldIt notes, the rig benefits from robust attachment so it now includes a combination 1/4" jack / #12 brass lag-bolt:




Yesterday I finally finished installing a vintage Kent Armstrong Vermont-wound Slimbucker, courtesy of @KSihlanick. Very nice pickup and thank you Kevin!




The result is a 14.25" x 2.25" x 25" oval-hole non-cutaway archtop jazz guitar. A set of open-gear tuners goes a long way to curing the neck-dive and it brings the guitar in at a svelte 4.2 pounds!

It's got a lot of acoustic volume -- not tons of bottom but it does bark. With the KA pickup it sounds like jazz to me. The neck joins the body at the 16th fret so I don't miss the cutaway. And that long afterlength adds a beautiful, airy ring to the sound.

Here's the thing: I've never played a Solomon Phidelity or one of Otto's custom full-size 17" oval-hole models. I bet they sound better than this ER-0. But it does point straight in their direction, and that is it's own brand of fun.

I may not be the last owner, but for now (to pull a quote from Dr. Seuss), "Fun is good."

[Stringswinger]

An interesting and unusual instrument to be sure. May she inspire your playing for many years to come.

I hope your source for long guitar strings can supply you for many years to come as well.

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

Now that’s one truly cool guitar! I’ve been looking for an El Rey 7 forever, but they’re not as interesting as yours. You may even find it to be a keeper.

I hope your source for long guitar strings can supply you for many years to come as well.

Maybe this one will let you use TIs without having to cut off their entire silk-wrapped ends. Even my 17” Eastman 7 isn’t that long.

[Max405]

I love it Sam!
Otto is one of the hidden gems of Luthery.
I’d love to hear your guitar. It has to sound very unique. With no mass on the tailpiece end and all that string length south of the bridge, I can’t even imagine what it sounds like.
It’s a beauty though. And you are right. A copy of nothing.
Enjoy Sam. And thanks for sharing.
JD

[markb]

Beautiful instrument! Well done!

[NSJ]

Now that’s one truly cool guitar! I’ve been looking for an El Rey 7 forever, but they’re not as interesting as yours. You may even find it to be a keeper.


Maybe this one will let you use TIs without having to cut off their entire silk-wrapped ends. Even my 17” Eastman 7 isn’t that long.

I have an El Rey 7 string I had lent for years to someone. Got it back. Needs a set up. I should get it set up properly.

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

I have an El Rey 7 string I had lent for years to someone. Got it back. Needs a set up. I should get it set up properly.

Or you could save yourself the trouble and expense and just send it to me ...

[Sam Sherry]

I hope your source for long guitar strings can supply you for many years to come as well.

Straight-up D'Addario set. Just barely, but it works. I get the requisite three turns on the D and G but that's all the way to the end of the winding.

Maybe this one will let you use TIs without having to cut off their entire silk-wrapped ends. Even my 17” Eastman 7 isn’t that long.

37.5" from the ball to the peg!

Please know that I heard your earlier comment about really nailing it in. Thank you. It was something I had not paid enough attention to earlier.

Now that’s one truly cool guitar! I’ve been looking for an El Rey 7 forever, but they’re not as interesting as yours. You may even find it to be a keeper.

Wow, that is truly a rare bird!

As always, the goal is to see what I can learn from each guitar.
It's not just about, "Is this the guitar I would grab when the fire alarm is ringing and I know my family is already out?" That guitar is the ER-4, which continually surprises me.
This ER-0 has something to say. Maybe at last I'm far enough along to hear it.

I’d love to hear your guitar. It has to sound very unique. With no mass on the tailpiece end and all that string length south of the bridge, I can’t even imagine what it sounds like.

I'd love to hear you play it, Joe. That might not be mutual . . . .

I'll see what I can cludge together. Perhaps that's one of the things I start to learn from this guitar!
But there are a lot of solid players around here.
I am just one more advanced beginner (with a zest for taking on guitar projects).

Gotta play !!

[Pierrot]

I'm completely in love with mine.

It mounts a Benedetto B6 floating humbucker with tone and volume controls hidden under the pickguard.
Sounds great, plays like butter.

[Hammertone]

I love it, but the cold water wash would have been better.

[GuyBoden]

I so regret not buying an El Rey 7 from Jeff Hale of J Hale Music, when they were available.