Eastman SB56/S-GD

An SB56 Designed for "Classic Rock"... Without Being Stuck in the Past

With its solid carved maple top, glued neck, and pair of V90s, the SB56/S-GD fits into the great tradition of single-cut guitars focused on sustain and character. The idea is simple: retain the responsiveness and warmth of classic luthiery while adding modern and coherent components (Gotoh hardware, braided wiring, CTS potentiometers) for an instrument ready to withstand rehearsals, studio sessions, and concerts.

For Which Guitarist and Styles?

The SB56/S-GD is particularly suitable for intermediate to advanced guitarists seeking an expressive guitar sensitive to right-hand nuances and instrument volume. The V90s excel in blues, classic rock, indie, soul, and anything requiring lively cleans or a crunch that "bites" without collapsing. At higher gain, you get a dense, gritty drive, ideal for thick riffs and leads that remain clear. Thanks to dual volume and dual tone controls, the guitar adapts very well to quick changes (darker rhythm, more open solo) without touching the amp.

Sound Character: Carved Maple + Okoumé + V90, the Cutting Combo

The solid carved maple top provides definition, attack, and a clear response in the upper mids: perfect for making a riff stand out in a mix. The one-piece okoumé back and sides contribute a warmer foundation, with present mids and clean lows, balancing the natural brightness of the maple. The okoumé neck and rosewood fingerboard complete the set with a "woody" feel and nice roundness on sustained notes.
On the electronics side, the Tonerider V90N-CR (neck) and V90B-CR (bridge) deliver the typical P90 signature: more body than a single coil, more openness and bite than a humbucker. The neck pickup offers thick, singing cleans, very responsive to light attacks. The bridge pickup brings sharpness and punch, ideal for crunch and tight rhythms. The 0.022 Orange Drop capacitors and CTS 250K pots provide a usable tone sweep, useful for shifting from a bright sound to a warmer register without losing all definition.

Recommended Compatible Accessories

To get the most out of this SB56/S-GD, you can plan for a set of 10-46 strings (same gauge as the original setup), a quality 6.35 mm jack cable to exploit the dynamics of the V90s, and a standard strap (nickel strap buttons) for standing play. A tuner and some picks of varying thickness will also help you explore the full range between snappy attack and rounder playing.

Technical specifications

Category	Single cut	Nbr of strings	6
Left handed	No	Scalloped	Simple
Strings	Steel

Format	single-cut	Nut width	1.68" / 42.8 mm
Body dimensions	13" x 1 7/8" / 330.2 mm x 47.6 mm	Inlays	mother-of-pearl "Crowns"
Top	solid carved maple	Side dots	black
Back and sides	one-piece okoumé	Logo	mother-of-pearl (headstock)
Binding	body	Frets	Jescar FW47104
Binding material	ivoroid	Scale length	24 3/4" / 628.7 mm
Finish	Truetone Satin	String height at 1st fret	0.022" / 0.56 mm
Color	Gold	String height at 12th fret	bass 0.078" / 1.98 mm; treble 0.062" / 1.57 mm
Backplates	black plastic	Action (12th fret)	bass 3/32" / 2.38 mm; treble 2/32" / 1.59 mm
Neck wood	okoumé	Hardware color	nickel
Neck/body joint	Dovetail (glued neck)	Tailpiece	Gotoh GE101A-NI
Profile	Traditional Even "C"	Bridge	Gotoh GE-104B-NI
Truss rod	double action	Tuners	Derjung Vintage Style Tuners
Fingerboard	rosewood	Knobs	Gold Speed Knobs
Radius	12" / 304.8 mm	Strap buttons	nickel
Nut	bone	Case	padded gig bag