Eastman hybrid split side

[petebassist]

Hi, I just noticed that the side on one of the shoulders of my Eastman has slightly pulled away from the back, and there's a slight crack about one centimetre long at the bottom, which I've highlighted.

The odd thing is, it's a hybrid bass with carved front and back and laminate sides, so I wouldn't have expected the laminate to have moved if anything, yet that's how it looks.

Also the back hasn't come away from the side, the side just seems to have contracted, but it all seems pretty solid. so I'm not massively concerned at the moment but you never know.

Has anyone had a similar issue? Would you be concerned?

BTW It's around eight years old.

Thanks, Pete

Edited December 1, 2025 by petebassist

[petebassist]

@BassBags I'd be interested what you thought as an Eastman supplier. Thanks

[Staggering on]

Apparently there are a lot of opinions about hybrid basses but usually the basses sound better than all laminate ones so that is very positive. My teacher and others think that the mix of solid wood and laminate can cause some problems because they do not expand and contract the same way when temperature or humidity changes and this can lead to stresses on the top and bottom, especially on hybrids with laminate sides and backs. I wonder if a bass like yours with solid top and back might have the same problem, perhaps a luthier will join in here and give us some ideas. I guess the best thing is that the top and back have not cracked and only the side seam has opened a bit, there must be some stress somewhere.

Full disclosure, I was interested in buying a hybrid but after doing some research I now have two laminates. I live in a house that is heated by wood so the temp can be a bit erratic, I use a humidifier 24/7 all winter, I live in northern Ontario where winters are very cold. My luthier thinks I take proper care of my basses but both my Shen (2010) and Czech(70's) basses have had a bit of seam separation that my luthier repaired.

My conclusion is that even with good care any bass can have a seam problem, the good thing is that it is easy to repair and there is no damage to the top or bottom.

[Paddy Morris]

This happened to my all-laminate bass last year.  It's a rough-ass gigging bass and has had a pretty hard life to be fair.   A friend who is more of a guitar tech, injected some hide glue in the gap and clamped it for a couple of days and it has been good as gold ever since.

Edited 22 hours ago by Paddy Morris

[petebassist]

On 05/12/2025 at 16:45, Paddy Morris said:

This happened to my all-laminate bass last year.  It's a rough-ass gigging bass and has had a pretty hard life to be fair.   A friend who is more of a guitar tech, injected some hyde glue in the gap and clamped it for a couple of days and it has been good as gold ever since.

An update, as recommended, I put some Titebond hide.glue along the gap, clamped it, & wiped off excess with a damp cloth, and it’s holding well.

[NickA]

This is pretty normal on basses and cellos.  It just needs gluing and clamping.  It's almost regular maintenance ( regular being decade hopefully).

 

My (all wood) cello had it several times, especially when I lived in South Korea with 5% humidity.  A £10,000 bass I borrowed from Tim Tofts had a side split like that ( would have been fixed if I'd bought it ).q

[petebassist]

I've had the bass about eight years and it's been fine, but recently moved from a cold drafty Victorian house to a more modern place with better insulation, so I'm guessing that's why the wood has moved. 

[Duckyincarnate]

18 hours ago, petebassist said:

An update, as recommended, I put some Titebond hide.glue along the gap, clamped it, & wiped off excess with a damp cloth, and it’s holding well.

In future, I highly recommend using hide glue rather than Titebond as the former can be dissolved without much hassle, making any luthier repairs much easier.  

[petebassist]

3 hours ago, Duckyincarnate said:

In future, I highly recommend using hide glue rather than Titebond as the former can be dissolved without much hassle, making any luthier repairs much easier.  

Thanks for the tip.

The one I used is supposed to be reversible, so hopefully it'll be easy to melt, but I'm no expert.

[NickA]

10 hours ago, petebassist said:

I've had the bass about eight years a

I got my cello aged 12.  It only opened a seam when I started uni age 19 and moved to a cold damp bedsit.  Then did it again 12 years later when I moved to Seoul.  8 years is nowt to a stringed instrument.

 

They don't like house moves!