I believe the Eastwood Astro-jet is modelled on the Gretsch Astro-jet, not the Gibson model. I have the non-Bigsby version (currently tuned in ukulele GCEA tuning) - great instrument.
G'day.@@twistedgreymatterI use the top 4 electric guitar strings ( of a set of 8s) to give G C E a. These might feel a little light but I'm sure a set of 9s would also work & give a firmer feel.
This is gonna be long, so bear with me.... I got my first Eastwood Astrojet after they were discontinued. It was a white one with the Bigsby tail and whammy bar. I kept it to Chicago tuning. (E B G D). I have big hands, and "Sausage" fingers, so it was rather difficult for me to play. I put it away for a while, but then decided to pick it up again and have another go at it. I'm still having some difficulty playing it, but I'm not giving up, and I'm having fun along the way. Anyhoo.... in case you haven't heard the news, Eastwood has made some new Astrojet tenor guitars but in VERY LIMITED EDITIONS! (24 standards and 20 deluxe editions) When I learn about this, I went and immediately got THREE more! One is the standard one in red, (NO WHAMMY BAR) and two deluxe editions. GET THIS: The new deluxe editions have TWO volumes, TWO tones, AND P-90 PICK UPS! (I HAD TO HAVE THOSE!) Two of my guitars are in Chicago tuning, and two are in Arkansas tuning, like yours. (G D A E) I'm glad to see that you have yours in Arkansas tuning, and I hope you're not getting any flack from tenor snobs who look down at both Chicago and Arkansas tunings. (People who tend to tune their tenor guitars like mandolins, or violas can be very elitist and look down on others who choose the tunings we chose) I sort of wished you had distorted your guitar, because these things sound gnarly when distorted, but I understand that it might not be your style. (As somebody who plays punk rock, it's my style, though) And, as people commented earlier, the shape of the body is more based on the old Guild guitars, than they are a Gibson SG. (I own quite a few SGs so I don't know why Gibson would care about this. Sheesh. Maybe Gibson should go back to making the tenor SG. I mean Neko Case has certainly popularized it, so it would be a good product for them to come out with. I'd buy one) I find the whammy bars bothersome,only because I don't use them. I feel they're only good for Smoke On The Water, surf music, and maybe a couple of Jimi Hendrix or Van Halen covers, none of which I have any desire to play. (Plus I already have a Fender Stratocaster with a whammy bar, so if I really wanna play Smoke On The Water, I'll use that instead) So, to all you people who missed out the first time around, Eastwood has the Astrojet again, but get them quick! Thanks for the cool video, and for being brave enough to tune your tenor guitar to Arkansas tuning. (Highly recommended for a beginner, or somebody getting used to a tenor guitar for the very first time. Chicago tuning is also easy, but some people might not take to it immediately, even though it's easy to master if you remember your early guitar lessons where you learned "Folk" or "Cowboy" chords)
I hate to break it to you but the "People who tend to tune their tenor guitars like mandolins" are NOT going to disagree with your GDAE tuning....because that's how a mandolin is tuned...GDAE. Also Fiddle / violin is also GDAE....It is also considered "low irish" for the tenor Banjo. :)
@@cgreeneblue Remember that with guitars, up is down and low is high. It can be difficult to comprehend if one is dyslexic. Think about how a regular standard guitar is tuned, with e being the lowest of strings. (Bottom is top)
Thanks! I like the sound of the Astrojet so much, but I find I'm not using it so much lately due to the narrow neck. My fingers are a little too wide, and my technique maybe could be cleaner, If I could really use the finger tips. You are right-they sound great distorted!
The asymmetrical offset on the horns is actually the design Guild used on their S-100 and Polaris models to stand out as a little different from Gibson’s “devil” looking symmetrical design.
Hi, i’m a french guitar Tenor player, please ignore my bad english … thanks so much for all yours videos ! I have a white Astrojet, and soon a Fender Telecaster😀! Could you recommend me a site witch explains in details how to fix the Bigsby ? Thanks a lot !
Hello, and thanks for the kind words. Here is the website for the "bigs fix" bricksbiggsfix.com. I forgot to mention in the video that I also replaced the spring with a softer one that is easier to press for subtle vibrato. These are also available on his site and I would recommend it. He calls them "squishy"
Hi Fred. I can't remember. It's been a few years. But the last I looked, on his site, there were two models to choose from. It's explained clearly on his website-which model to pick for which Bigsby. Check out bigsfix.com. It's a major improvement!
Here is the website for the "bigs fix" bricksbiggsfix.com. I forgot to mention in the video that I also replaced the spring with a softer one that is easier to press for subtle vibrato. These are also available on his site and I would recommend it. He calls them "squishy"
Thank you very much for your speedy respons !
Pretty tone!
I believe the Eastwood Astro-jet is modelled on the Gretsch Astro-jet, not the Gibson model. I have the non-Bigsby version (currently tuned in ukulele GCEA tuning) - great instrument.
What strings do you use for the uke tuning?
Yes, I agree! The Astrojet is very solid and definitely a keeper! My only slight complaint is that I wish the neck was just a bit wider.
G'day.@@twistedgreymatterI use the top 4 electric guitar strings ( of a set of 8s) to give G C E a. These might feel a little light but I'm sure a set of 9s would also work & give a firmer feel.
@@denishaberley2509 I would say the body is straight up Gibson SG style not Getsch.
This is gonna be long, so bear with me....
I got my first Eastwood Astrojet after they were discontinued. It was a white one with the Bigsby tail and whammy bar. I kept it to Chicago tuning. (E B G D). I have big hands, and "Sausage" fingers, so it was rather difficult for me to play. I put it away for a while, but then decided to pick it up again and have another go at it. I'm still having some difficulty playing it, but I'm not giving up, and I'm having fun along the way. Anyhoo.... in case you haven't heard the news, Eastwood has made some new Astrojet tenor guitars but in VERY LIMITED EDITIONS! (24 standards and 20 deluxe editions) When I learn about this, I went and immediately got THREE more! One is the standard one in red, (NO WHAMMY BAR) and two deluxe editions. GET THIS: The new deluxe editions have TWO volumes, TWO tones, AND P-90 PICK UPS! (I HAD TO HAVE THOSE!)
Two of my guitars are in Chicago tuning, and two are in Arkansas tuning, like yours. (G D A E) I'm glad to see that you have yours in Arkansas tuning, and I hope you're not getting any flack from tenor snobs who look down at both Chicago and Arkansas tunings. (People who tend to tune their tenor guitars like mandolins, or violas can be very elitist and look down on others who choose the tunings we chose)
I sort of wished you had distorted your guitar, because these things sound gnarly when distorted, but I understand that it might not be your style. (As somebody who plays punk rock, it's my style, though)
And, as people commented earlier, the shape of the body is more based on the old Guild guitars, than they are a Gibson SG. (I own quite a few SGs so I don't know why Gibson would care about this. Sheesh. Maybe Gibson should go back to making the tenor SG. I mean Neko Case has certainly popularized it, so it would be a good product for them to come out with. I'd buy one)
I find the whammy bars bothersome,only because I don't use them. I feel they're only good for Smoke On The Water, surf music, and maybe a couple of Jimi Hendrix or Van Halen covers, none of which I have any desire to play. (Plus I already have a Fender Stratocaster with a whammy bar, so if I really wanna play Smoke On The Water, I'll use that instead)
So, to all you people who missed out the first time around, Eastwood has the Astrojet again, but get them quick!
Thanks for the cool video, and for being brave enough to tune your tenor guitar to Arkansas tuning. (Highly recommended for a beginner, or somebody getting used to a tenor guitar for the very first time. Chicago tuning is also easy, but some people might not take to it immediately, even though it's easy to master if you remember your early guitar lessons where you learned "Folk" or "Cowboy" chords)
I hate to break it to you but the "People who tend to tune their tenor guitars like mandolins" are NOT going to disagree with your GDAE tuning....because that's how a mandolin is tuned...GDAE. Also Fiddle / violin is also GDAE....It is also considered "low irish" for the tenor Banjo. :)
Or are you talking EADG low to hi like on a Bass?
@@cgreeneblue Remember that with guitars, up is down and low is high. It can be difficult to comprehend if one is dyslexic. Think about how a regular standard guitar is tuned, with e being the lowest of strings. (Bottom is top)
Thanks! I like the sound of the Astrojet so much, but I find I'm not using it so much lately due to the narrow neck. My fingers are a little too wide, and my technique maybe could be cleaner, If I could really use the finger tips. You are right-they sound great distorted!
The asymmetrical offset on the horns is actually the design Guild used on their S-100 and Polaris models to stand out as a little different from Gibson’s “devil” looking symmetrical design.
I did not know that. Thanks. I personally like the off-set Guild design better than the Gibson.
Hi, i’m a french guitar Tenor player, please ignore my bad english … thanks so much for all yours videos ! I have a white Astrojet, and soon a Fender Telecaster😀! Could you recommend me a site witch explains in details how to fix the Bigsby ?
Thanks a lot !
Hello, and thanks for the kind words.
Here is the website for the "bigs fix" bricksbiggsfix.com.
I forgot to mention in the video that I also replaced the spring with a softer one that is easier to press for subtle vibrato. These are also available on his site and I would recommend it. He calls them "squishy"
As far as i know , this model went out of production . And when it was available, i have never found the left handed version .
Hi Patrick, Yes I heard that also that they are not making them anymore. It's too bad because I think it's one of their best tenor guitars.
What model bigs fix is that.?
Hi Fred. I can't remember. It's been a few years. But the last I looked, on his site, there were two models to choose from. It's explained clearly on his website-which model to pick for which Bigsby. Check out bigsfix.com. It's a major improvement!
Here is the website for the "bigs fix" bricksbiggsfix.com.
I forgot to mention in the video that I also replaced the spring with a softer one that is easier to press for subtle vibrato. These are also available on his site and I would recommend it. He calls them "squishy"
Looks more as a Guild Polar than a Gibson GS
Yes, I think you are right. The SG is very symmetrical, but the Polar has that little offset wiggle shape to it.