Among the high-end mandolin brands, Eastman is one of the most affordable because their instruments are made in China. Despite being made in China, Eastman mandolins are not mass produced and are instead individually handcrafted to maintain high standards of quality, which makes them the top import brand. For these reasons, they are a great choice for an avid musician that doesn’t have thousands or even tens of thousands to spend on a domestic high-end mandolin like a Gibson.

Eastman Strings was founded by Qian Ni, a professional flute player from China. After completing music college in the USA, he started this company out of the back of his car in 1992 and has grown it into a worldwide producer of top-quality instruments. Qian has maintained his vision to provide “world class instruments for musicians” ever since.

Since their mandolins are hand-crafted works of art, each one comes with a hard shell carrying case. This accessory is typically an optional add-on purchase for cheap brands, so it’s small touches like this that really set these apart from the competition, especially considering these nice cases aren’t cheap either.

Eastman MD615 F-Style
Musicians that want a quality mandolin that rivals domestic brands that cost $3,000 but do not want to pay anywhere close to that price will want to take a look at the MD615.

This is one of the higher end models available from Eastman, so you’re getting some of the best equipment, such as pickups and tailpieces, they offer in this instrument.

• Full Ivoroid Body Bindings
• Top Made of Solid Spruce
• Flamed Maple Sides & Back & Maple Neck
• Adjustable Ebony Bridge and Fingerboard
• Excellent Projection & Warm Tones
• Limited Lifetime Warranty from Eastman

Eastman MD515 F-Style
The MD515 is an excellent intermediate mandolin that is good for many different kinds of music.

If you play a wide variety of genres and want something with a loud, clear tone for under $1,000, then this is a great choice. A lot of first-time players that do not want a cheap, mass produced mandolin will also choose this particular instrument.

• Aged Tonewoods Carved By Hand
• Bound Maple Neck With Ebony Bridge & Fingerboard
• Hard Shell Case With Interior Storage
• Limited Lifetime Warranty from Eastman

Eastman MD404 A-Style
The MD404 features a classic design with an oval hole that produces a unique sound that a lot of musicians enjoy.

Compared with many of the other instruments from this brand, this is one of their most affordable models and yet it still offers a lot of the same high-level craftsmanship seen in the higher priced models.

Highly recommended for beginners looking for a good quality axe to start.

• Solid Spruce Top
• Solid Maple Sides & Back
• Ebony Fingerboard & Adjustable Bridge
• Warm Tone w/Less Bite
• Limited Lifetime Warranty from Eastman

There are a lot more models available from this brands. Take a look at more Eastman mandolins here.