Eastman Model VL305 Violin – Eastman Strings 2024

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The Eastman Model 305 is an intermediate step-up level violin featuring European and Asian tonewoods. The wood is selected by a master luthier and then the instrument is handcrafted. The instrument has a medium grain spruce top that widens towards each flank. The back is two-piece moderately flame maple with matching ribs. The instrument is made with a combination of 19th and 20th century techniques with the final set up completed here in our workshop. The fittings are ebony, and the spirit varnish is a darker amber/brown on a golden yellow base that shines through. We have completed this Eastman 305 violin with a German Wittner tail piece and a set of Dominant violin strings with a Pirastro Wondertone Gold Label E string.

Eastman Strings was founded in 1992 by Qian Ni. Qian graduated from Boston University School of Music in 1992 as a flutist- yup, not strings. He had many friends back in China who were violin makers and began selling many of these handmade instruments 4 to 6 at a time in the Boston area. This venture took off and within two years Qian developed a musical instrument company into a global firm.

Corpus 356.0 mm., Major Width 209.0mm., Minor Width 169.0mm., Rib Height 30.0mm.

The violin is comfortable to play on and has excellent resonance. The bottom end is big and bold and delivers sustain and a responsive tone. The treble side is sweet and brilliant. A player can totally be aggressive in playing the violin and it can easily handle the extra weight into the strings. Crisp articulations also happen with a light touch in the bow arm. The sound is on the brighter side of the spectrum, and many teachers recommend this violin as well as the Eastman 405 as good intermediate violin to play. Two very good sounding violins in the Eastman line.