Tahara san was a TRUE old world MASTER, to imply otherwise shows extreme lack of fact, and its insulting:(
Scott
Type: Posts; User: Desert Rose
Tahara san was a TRUE old world MASTER, to imply otherwise shows extreme lack of fact, and its insulting:(
Scott
Kentucky mandolins km 1000 and above were made in the Maruko workshop under the eye of master Tahara san. They were and are really good instruments
Search this site there are countless posts about...
Ive been off the cafe for a while, just saw this thread and thought Id shed some light.
In China when a manufacturing company is formed you must set up either as an export or domestic sales and...
The Japanese Kentucky mandolins went thru a few different numbering systems, even within the same maker. The Maruko mandolins system changed about three times and the Kasuga made instruments were a...
If the mandolin was built before 1987 Sumi had a substantial amount of work in it as he was the primary carver in the Maruko shop. If it was built after 1987 he built it one hundred percent as the...
The Ibanez mandolins of the seventys must be viewed in the context in which they existed. They were easily on a par with the mandolins they were copyed from the same era Gibsons. Yes a little...
Little bit of ground work.
Greco is the brand owned by Kanda Shokai, the second biggest music distributor in Japan. They own Fender Japan as well. They made their fortune by making those now...
I believe I already know the answer to the mandocello question but Ill call tomorrow to get it fresh. Sumi made a few mandocellos a few years ago and had one at IBMA. He also made an A Dawg mandola...
As usual when these questions come Up I called Sumi today to get the answer from the horses mouth. This question made him pause and think longer than most when asking about Kentucky history and...
Well well, this Wikipedia article has to be the award winner of absolute junk. More holes in it than a screen door on a sub.
To start, Penco DID have a connection to Hoshino Gakki. Penco...
There WAS an agreement between Bill and Ibanez. Bill and Ibanez agreed on a compensation sum and he was given the instruments as well. His likeness appeared on the catalog (s) for the agreed upon...
Actually chinese workers do get a full hour for lunch, in addition to three REALLY good meals a day, every day, and free living conditions in the company dorm, along with health insurance. Just like...
Your mandolin was made at the Kasuga factory in Japan, they made all Kentucky mandolins below KM 1000
Scott
Pictures would remove a lot of speculation, model makes a lot of difference
Kentuckys were made in Japan until roughly 1993. KM 1000 until about 1990 and Km 1500 until late 1992 or early 1993. The...
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OK bottom line to your question, no no database of information exists to help you. The reason is its impossible to expect such data would be available and accurate.
The Asian music market is...
Since this thread was brought up, let me state for the records
Kentucky built 48 TOTAL Dawg style mandolins. They were labeled BOTH KM Dawg and KM- 2000
There were so many serial numbering...
Regarding the Sumi Loar. While there were two made Musiclink only took delivery of ONE. The mandolin was a Sumi S5 in all respects with only the Loar logo added. When the second mandolin was never...
Jab said
"Do you know if the Kentucky 1000 and Loar necks are very different or are they very similar in size (same manufacturer right?). "
Just to be clear NO they are not in any way the same...
If you are going to the effort to collect serial numbers of the Maruko shop PLEASE do yourself a favor.
Ive spent the better part of five years or more trying to correct the MASSIVE misinformation...
I noticed one comment in this thread that needs repling
To be clear and to the point
Sumi had NOTHING to do with ANY aspect of these mandolins AT ALL
His involvement with any Saga project...
There is a HUGE bluegrass and mandolin and banjo etc world in Tokyo!
You can see live bluegrass every night of the week at Rocky Top in the Ginza. As well there are a few more live houses that...
Boy for those of us who lust over F4s, this is a SERIOUS let down.
Kind of ranks up there with the Gibson Jimmy Hendrix Strat (g)
Update
Ok I went upstairs today and discussed this point with one of the guys in charge of doing the finish work on the Ibanez and Bluebell mandolins back in the old days
He stopped for a...
Ivan
Absolutely NOT
Instrument finishes can be grouped loosely into the following DISTINCT familys
Shellac and varnish ( spirit and oil)
Lacquer ( nitrocellulose and acrylic)