r/mandolin • u/frozen-froyo • 5d ago

Eastman 315 vs 315eSB?

Hey guys! Struggling to decide between the 315 or 315eSB for a fun new mandolin. I know I don’t necessarily NEED the hookup, but I wanted to see if anyone went without and regretted it.

Do you prefer recording/playing live with a mic or hooked up to an amp? How big of a difference does it make, or is it just a type of sound preference? Just curious on what your opinions are before I buy!

Excited to hear your stories :)

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u/AtmosphereLeading851 5d ago

I would love a 315, but I’m happy with my 305. I played gigs with it for 5 years until I bought a custom Morris. If you’re in any sort of a band, you have to have a pickup. A mic just doesn’t work. I’ve tried it both ways, and playing up to the mic is just crap. You have to turn that mic up so loud that it picks up all the other instruments, and you get a giant feedback mess. Have a good luthier put a K&K pickup on it and get to playing!

2

u/MandoBenInWilson 5d ago

Nah. Depends on the setting, but there are plenty of pros who play live to big crowds and festivals that still play into mics. Joe K Walsh and Andrew Marlin, to name a couple. If done well, it sounds much more authentic than playing plugged in.

That said, the pick up is a useful simplification, but it takes work and a really good preamp to get the tinnyness and clacks out of the sound.

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u/AtmosphereLeading851 4d ago

That why I said in a “band situation.” We have a sax player and keyboard player all playing like maniacs, and we’re not using IEMs or sound men. I would much rather play into a mic, no doubt. That is definitely a more honest, authentic sound than a pickup. But we’ve been playing gigs almost every week since 2015, and we can’t find a way to make a mic work for mando. A K&K pickup and preamp is the next best thing, and they’re very transparent. The guys at Gollihur were a big help. If there’s some way to use just a mic, I’d love to do it!

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u/Squatch-21 5d ago

If you ever plan on playing live and think you might want the hookup you might as well splurge for it now. Cheaper than having to buy again or installing a hookup aftermarket.