What kind of finish does Eastman use?
Eastman hand brushes fine traditional spirit varnish on all their mandolins and archtop guitars, rather than spraying on hard nitrocellulose or plastic finish. Eastman craftsmen have many years of experience with this traditional finish – a finish that doesn’t damp vibration and sound. After spirit varnishing, some Eastman archtop instruments are very lightly coated with lacquer then buffed out to provide a slightly more durable uppermost surface and the shine mandolin players have grown accustomed to. Some are left with the varnish surface. Thin varnish isn’t bombproof like thickly coated instruments, but lets the instrument breathe and vibrate. This varnish will wear and will not tolerate abuse – just like the varnish on the originals from the 1920s and 1930s. Gentle cleaning with microfiber cloth slightly dampened should keep the finish working well for decades. Should it wear through, it can be retouched with standard violin spirit varnish by a trained professional.
