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A Tribute to Eastman’s Original Chief Endorser





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Celebrating 30 years of Eastman instruments, the AR480CE John Pisano 30th-anniversary edition delivers premium archtop excellence from headstock to end pin. A gorgeous flamed maple laminate top, back, and sides result in a tone that strikes a perfect balance between traditional archtop warmth and crisp, vibrant clarity. As an unabashed jazz box, the AR480CE sports a single humbucking pickup in the neck position: a Seymour Duncan Seth Lover humbucker that perfectly captures the bright and airy response of a legendary humbucking pickup from the late 1950s. On the opposite end, you get a comfortable ebony-topped maple neck complete with an art-deco-inspired headstock, Gotoh SG360 tuners, and John’s signature inlaid with stunning pearl on the 19th fret. Finish it all off with a wealth of handpicked Pisano appointments ? including wooden knobs and an ebony bridge with John’s signature frog inlay ? and the Eastman AR480CE John Pisano 30th-anniversary edition is a top-shelf archtop ready to go toe-to-toe with any dedicated jazz box out there.





John Pisano: jazz guitar virtuoso and Eastman’s chief endorser





When Eastman first ventured into the world of archtop guitars back in 2002, one of the first players to recognize the superior quality and performance of their instruments was the late, great John Pisano ? one of the most accomplished jazz guitarists of the 20th century, who recorded and performed extensively with Herb Alpert, Joe Pass, Peggy Lee, and countless others. Thus, the AR480CE John Pisano 30th-anniversary edition is the perfect instrument to celebrate Eastman’s three decades of excellence. What sets it apart from Eastman’s standard set of high-class archtops? From the elegant ebony Pisano-style bridge with John’s signature frog inlay to the pearl John Pisano signature at the 19th fret, the AR480CE pays tribute to Eastman’s chief endorser and 6-string spokesman with an exquisite set of aesthetic appointments that are sure to catch the eye of any audience.





An archtop through and through





Fully hollow by design, the AR480CE boasts a single-cutaway body that’s exceptionally resonant with the articulate vividity to enable crystalline natural expressiveness. A classic 16-inch body comprised of wonderfully flamed maple top, back, and sides supplies a crisp attack and midrange-rich voice that keeps lightning-fast lead lines and complex coming clear, clean, and articulate. Its bright and vivid note response is further accentuated courtesy of a stout maple neck, topped with a sleek ebony fingerboard emblazoned with John’s signature in sparkling pearl on the 19th fret. Finally, it’s all wrapped with eye-catching flamed maple binding, a traditional floating ebony archtop bridge, and even John Pisano signature wooden knobs.





Two coils do the trick





When electric archtops first surfaced, many guitars housed just one pickup in what would ultimately become known as the rhythm position, or neck position ? and that’s just the vibe Eastman achieved with the AR480CE. A solitary Seth Lover humbucker is positioned right beneath the neck, a dual-coil beauty designed by Seymour Duncan to feature an alnico II bar magnet, vintage output coils, and an unpotted nickel cover. The sonic results facilitate heaps of smooth tone, linking warm richness to perfectly fulfill its neck position duties with an inspiring degree of articulation and top-end harmonic response. Dial in the best of both tonal realms via the onboard Tone control, and level the master Volume knob for more or less definition and grit.





Eastman Guitars: thinking inside the box





Many know the Eastman Music Company as a trusted name in the realm of band and orchestra instruments. Fortunately for all guitar lovers, Eastman Guitars has attained a similar stature with its steadfast dedication to the guitar-building process. Similar to how Sweetwater got its start, Eastman founder Qian Ni grew his business from its humble origins in the back of his car to its status as a burgeoning, reputable company. Today, Eastman is also the proud owner of Bourgeois Guitars ? as a matter of fact, Eastman’s high-end guitars are voiced by hand by luthiers trained under the multitalented Dana Bourgeois. True to Ni’s vision, Eastman Guitars meticulously approaches each instrument, backing them with a lifetime warranty. From hand-scalloped bracing to fine tonewoods to precision tap tuning, an Eastman guitar is a feature-rich instrument that will grow with you musically for years to come!





Eastman AR480CE John Pisano 30th-anniversary Edition Archtop Hollowbody Electric Guitar Features:


Celebrating 30 years of Eastman instruments with a tribute to the brand’s chief 6-string endorser


Hollow archtop body comprised of a flamed maple top, back, and sides delivers a crisp and full-bodied tone, along with attention-grabbing looks


Maple neck topped with a sleek ebony fingerboard in a traditional 12-inch radius


A single neck-position Seymour Duncan Seth Lover humbucker supplies a rich, dynamic, and articulate tone that harkens back to the humbucker’s earliest era


Compensated ebony floating bridge for superior intonation


High-class Gotoh SG360 tuning machines deliver rock-solid performance


John Pisano signature appointments include an ebony bridge with John’s signature frog inlay, wooden knobs, a pearl inlay “John Pisano” signature on the 19th fret, and a custom “P” truss rod cover


Gorgeous flamed maple binding


Wide 1.72-inch nut width gives you plenty of space to work with