New! ELMC Jacket Highway Star®️ Horsehide

[Marc mndt]

The 40 is closer but as you state, too short overall. Do they make a "40-long"?

Eastman does make long sizes for this jacket. However, size 40 is also too tight in the chest for me.

 

[Marc mndt]

No offence to anyone but at some point you need to be able to just decide "I really like the jacket even if the obsessive compulsives don't think its a perfect fit" and wear the jackets you like...the fit is fine, the 42 isn't perfect but it doesn't look "bad" or the wrong size.

I agree with you if this were an eBay find for €600 or so. But this is a €1400 jacket. I can have a jacket custom made for that money.

 

[Monitor]

I can have a jacket custom made for that money.

Thing is, you don't. Neither need one or can get it, not for that kind of money. Custom made jacket, I mean. 92% of people don't. Maybe two people on this forum need a custom made jacket and that's another thing - nobody is really making one.

Anyway, I think the 42 looks good on you but it is a bit wide, yeah. The 40 fits tighter and I like it more but it is too short. What @AeroFan_07 says, I'd go for the Roadstar fit.

 

[Marc mndt]

Thing is, you don't. Neither need one or can get it, not for that kind of money. Custom made jacket, I mean. 92% of people don't. Maybe two people on this forum need a custom made jacket and that's another thing - nobody is really making one.

Aren't all Aero's, Thedi's, Field leathers etc etc custom made? Custom as in, standard pattern with minor adjustments.
Or did you mean bespoke? I'm pretty sure you can't get a bespoke jacket for this money. I don't even know a bespoke jacket maker.

 

[Edward]

I know the feeling...
I have been looking for a Greco version of that recording bass for a while, i have never played one but i really like the look of them.

The T-bird sounds awesome, but it is an awkward bass to play, it neck dives like no other and because of the shape the neck feels very far out. You have to stretch your fretting hand an extra few inches out to reach the same note. I would say the F on the E string is a good three inches further out compared to a Fender.
It doesn't sound like much, but between the extra stretch and the fact that you have to hold the neck up constantly it isn't super comfortable to play.
Personally i only use it when i know i will mostly play with a pick that night, to me it is what it does best.
If it's a mostly fingers night then i would rather play a different bass.
They are great though, a bit like a very awkward angry jazz bass. They really cut through and growl...

My favourite "gibson" bass is actually a Greco SG, these two are awesome! Especially the one with the chicken knob.
If you can get an old Greco for a good deal go for it, they are amazing, just as well made as Gibson if not better and cheaper. (these also have horrible balance, but better than a T-bird)

edit: No more derails i promise, i just really like basses too...

There was a trhead on the Observation Bar about member's guitars at one time - worth ading a few photos there!

 

[Edward]

Aren't all Aero's, Thedi's, Field leathers etc etc custom made? Custom as in, standard pattern with minor adjustments.
Or did you mean bespoke? I'm pretty sure you can't get a bespoke jacket for this money. I don't even know a bespoke jacket maker.

Always nice to see folks still know the difference between made to measure and bespoke, no matter what the court said when it ruled for King & Allen against Savile Row. (Sometimes, the law truly is an ass.)

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Aren't all Aero's, Thedi's, Field leathers etc etc custom made? Custom as in, standard pattern with minor adjustments.
Or did you mean bespoke? I'm pretty sure you can't get a bespoke jacket for this money. I don't even know a bespoke jacket maker.

I've always added sleeve and body length to stock measurements of an Aero and Thedi. No way would I pay that kind of money for an 'off the rack' jacket fit.
HD

 

[JMax]

ELMC is all OTR, correct?

 

[Marc mndt]

I've always added sleeve and body length to stock measurements of an Aero and Thedi. No way would I pay that kind of money for an 'off the rack' jacket fit.
HD

I'm actually thinking of asking Theodoros whether he could make this model with a different back panel.

 

[Marc mndt]

ELMC is all OTR, correct?

Only customization option is adding 1 inch to the back and sleeves.

 

[Monitor]

Aren't all Aero's, Thedi's, Field leathers etc etc custom made? Custom as in, standard pattern with minor adjustments.
Or did you mean bespoke? I'm pretty sure you can't get a bespoke jacket for this money. I don't even know a bespoke jacket maker.

That's what I mean, bespoke since I wouldn't really call a standard pattern with added inch to the sleeves a custom jacket. It's more of a marketing tactic. I know that some companies charge extra for their "custom" work which makes zero sense considering since they don't have the jacket made, it makes no difference for the creation process as they never actually deviate from the pattern. It's still an OTR size, so to speak. The length customization is a welcomed feature of course but not really needed for most people. I initially believed my jackets need extensive modifications and it turns out I'm as standard as it gets. Literally anything OTR would be a perfect fit for me.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

It's not just 'adding an inch'. Aero, Thedi and others will add exactly what you prefer to body or sleeve length. That is 'customizing' from the norm...stock, off the rack, or Long sizing. There are many of us who only go with jacket companies who specialize in that kind of fit service. Some others probably should..but don't seem to mind sleeves well above the wrist and body length well above the belt.

 

[El Marro]

It's not just 'adding an inch'. Aero, Thedi and others will add exactly what you prefer to body or sleeve length. That is 'customizing' from the norm...stock, off the rack, or Long sizing. There are many of us who only go with jacket companies who specialize in that kind of fit service. Some others probably should..but don't seem to mind sleeves well above the wrist and body length well above the belt.

That’s true and it’s something I am happy to pay for with my leather jackets. I paid extra on both of my LW’s to add body and sleeve length because in both cases the stock versions were too short all around for me.

 

[Marc mndt]

It's not just 'adding an inch'. Aero, Thedi and others will add exactly what you prefer to body or sleeve length. That is 'customizing' from the norm...stock, off the rack, or Long sizing. There are many of us who only go with jacket companies who specialize in that kind of fit service. Some others probably should..but don't seem to mind sleeves well above the wrist and body length well above the belt.

When I ordered my Thedi jacket, I had to provide the following :
-Chest circumference
-Abdomen circumference
-Circumference at hight of my shoulder straps
-shoulder width
-arm length
-hight
-weight

I wonder how they use those measurements. Would they use them to decide whether to take the base pattern of a size medium or a size large while adding or removing some body/ sleeve length. Or would they also make other adjustments like adding some extra chest width?

 

[El Marro]

I wonder how they use those measurements. Would they use them to decide whether to take the base pattern of a size medium or a size large while adding or removing some body/ sleeve length. Or would they also make other adjustments like adding some extra chest width?

That’s something I have wondered about myself. I think some makers use those numbers just to figure out which stock size you are closest to and then maybe add or subtract sleeve and body length accordingly. Others, like Langlitz, use them to make a jacket that is really built to fit your exact body measurements.
When I ordered my CHP from LW, Laurence sent me a stock size 46 to try on. I thought the fit was good everywhere except the shoulders where it seemed a little tight. I asked him about the possibility of adding an inch to that area and he told me that it was not possible, that I would have to go up to a size 48 if I needed more room. He explained that any tweaks or changes like that would require modifications to the pattern as a whole. In the end I stuck with the 46 and I’m glad I did, plenty of room everywhere and the other jacket would’ve been comically oversized.
Back to your question, I too would be really curious to know how much someome like Thedi uses all of the measurements that you provided in order to customize a jacket for you.

 

[AeroFan_07]

If this Eastman Highwaystar was around $600-900 USD, and not the $1500+ it really is to get one here, I would be tempted to buy a size 44 L and then let Dena at Great Leather give the waist and lower area a go. Perhaps she could work a little magic with it. However it's Lost-Worlds or Langlitz money, both of which thier respective makes will indeed make it to fit you. Although no-one here makes quite that style. Not sure what it is, there is just something about this jacket that draws me - in a neat yet still un-defined way.

 

[AeroFan_07]

I'll hazard an idea here, which could both add to and also take away an element of the attraction of this jacket. I seriously wonder if anyone from Eastman is watching this thread, taking notes on ideas. If so, here is one many may or may not like:

-- Add side lacing and interior expansion/contraction pockets. See the example in my 60 year old Taubers jacket:

As you can see here, this jacket also already has a similar 3" over-stitched hem area, so this may be a viable addition. You would not want to add the belt loops, unless you really wanted a belt with it. Inside this would look like this:



I believe this could work, however Dena did indicate that installing the new jacket lining into this jacket was very difficult due to these exapansion pockets for the laced sides. I think overall, this Highwaystar drew me to pick up this old Tauber's due to it's style which, at least to some extent has similarites to the Eastman jacket this thread is interetested in. It is a fairly short jacket in a size 42.



Ok back to your regurally-scheduled thread topic.

 

[Marc mndt]

I'll hazard an idea here, which could both add to and also take away an element of the attraction of this jacket. I seriously wonder if anyone from Eastman is watching this thread, taking notes on ideas. If so, here is one many may or may not like:

-- Add side lacing and interior expansion/contraction pockets. See the example in my 60 year old Taubers jacket:

View attachment 246815

As you can see here, this jacket also already has a similar 3" over-stitched hem area, so this may be a viable addition. You would not want to add the belt loops, unless you really wanted a belt with it. Inside this would look like this:

View attachment 246816

I believe this could work, however Dena did indicate that installing the new jacket lining into this jacket was very difficult due to these exapansion pockets for the laced sides. I think overall, this Highwaystar drew me to pick up this old Tauber's due to it's style which, at least to some extent has similarites to the Eastman jacket this thread is interetested in. It is a fairly short jacket in a size 42.

View attachment 246817 View attachment 246818

Ok back to your regurally-scheduled thread topic.

When I first had the jacket in my hands I was excited to see that where your jacket has the laces, the elmc jacket had an opening in the bottom hem. The front part of the hem was connected to the back part by the side tab. Just like the construction on vintage cossack jackets. I was excited because at first it looked like the tabs were actually functional. But then when I adjusted them, it looked ridiculous because the pattern was not made to do so. It was like trying to adjust a buttoned cuff. Too bad I didn't take pictures of it.

 

[Carlos840]

When I first had the jacket in my hands I was excited to see that where your jacket has the laces, the elmc jacket had an opening in the bottom hem. The front part of the hem was connected to the back part by the side tab. Just like the construction on vintage cossack jackets. I was excited because at first it looked like the tabs were actually functional. But then when I adjusted them, it looked ridiculous because the pattern was not made to do so. It was like trying to adjust a buttoned cuff. Too bad I didn't take pictures of it.

I had the same experience...
These tabs looked great on the first button but a mess on the second, they are really designed to be kept on button 1. When i tried it on Garry Eastman was verry insistant that they were functional and didn't see a problem with how the jacket looked when used on button number 2.
It was weird, because i could see in the mirror that it looked bad, but Garry was looking at the same mirror telling me it looked great and all i needed was to order the L version with 1" extra, which to my eyes was not going to be enough.

 

[Marc mndt]

It was weird, because i could see in the mirror that it looked bad, but Garry was looking at the same mirror telling me it looked great

It's not just us. The Paris shop owner told me right away the tabs were non-functional.

About the leather... I absolutely loved it. No top coat. It's a bit heavier than what they use on their other elmc jackets but not too heavy. No break in required. I also liked that it feels oily to the touch. @Carlos840 is this what shinki leather looks/feels like? (I dont have a shinki jacket, yet. So I can't tell)