Kentucky KM 100 or J Bovier?

[trob0417]

Played a 2008 Kentucky KK1000 at Gruhns in Nashville. Very nice tone and pretty fair volume. Playability was excellent. Have played a J Bovier at SPGMA a couple of years ago and was impressed. My budget is less than $1500 and I'm trying to decide which one. I know both of these are Asian made. Any owners of either out there with any comments.

[J Mangio]

I bought a near mint 2012 KM-1000 back in '13 from the classifieds for 1K. I thought it had good tone, looked great, and the profile
matched my Gibson f-9; which is what I was looking for as a back up mandolin. My '02 f-9 had always been my go to mando, therefore the 1000 sat with no call to play, until the other day when i switched gears and called on the 1000. I new then that it was a keeper.
These are pro quality mandolins for a reasonable cost.

[sachmo63]

I've had both but sold te km1000 cause the neck was pretty thin. I now have a jbovier that I'm happy with. It plays great and sounds wonderful. It has a throaty pop to its sound and its is loud. I've been happy with my bovier for over a year now.

[lflngpicker]

I have owned both. The Kentucky KM-1000 is an excellent import version of a Gibson F5. I loved its tone and punchy chop. I wanted an archtop oval Morris, so I sold my KM-1000 to finance my handmade Morris A4 with a pickup installed by Howard Morris.

I do own and continue to love and play my J Bovier A5 Special. That is a great mandolin! It has tremendously rich tone and the action plays like a dream. It takes medium J74 strings and the action remains low with no buzzing of frets. Jeff Cowherd makes an excellent import mandolin. J Bovier mandolins are a great value and there are plenty of Cafe members who would attest to their quality.

I would come down on the side of recommending a J Bovier F5 Special when compared to the KM-1000, if an F style is what you are seeking. It is just a matter of taste, as both are excellent.

Another option in that price range is a Howard Morris F5, which comes in around $1500, and is handmade in the USA. Their tone is incredible and the fit and finish is hard to beat.

[Michael Bridges]

What Sachmo & Dan said! I'm sold on the JB as the best bang for the back going.

[darrylicshon]

I haven't played that model Kentucky but the ones i have i liked. But i own a 2015 J Bovier F5-T and love it

[terzinator]

Can't speak to the F-styles specifically, but if you were asking about the Kentucky KM-950 vs the JBovier A5 Special, which are pretty close, pricewise, I would say there is no comparison.

The Kentucky, by a country mile.

(We've owned both, so I can speak with a little experience.)

The Kentucky has better fit and finish, more pleasing tone (to my ears), playability that rivals mandolins twice its price. I wouldn't have a problem playing the KM-950 on stage. A great, great mandolin.

The Bovier isn't a slouch, but I think the Kentucky is better.

IMO, YMMV, all examples are different, gotta try em for yourself, yada yada

[bbaker2050]

I've never played a KM-1000, but I have the JBovier F5-T and it's loud, rich, and very balanced. Plus, Jeff Cowherd is a great guy!

[Tommcgtx]

I haven't played a Kentucky, but my JBovier continues to impress me daily.