teleking36
Nov-17-2005, 6:15pm
Anyone had any experience with the Kentucky KM-750? For those who don't know, this is the block inlay mandolin. The Sam Bush model is my favorite mandolin of all time, but I don't have the chops nor the money to get one of those. This Kentucky seems right up my alley, but is it a decent mando? I'd love to get a decent F-style for under $1k.
357mag
Nov-17-2005, 6:36pm
Go Eastman young man. Go Eastman. I think there is even a couple in the classifieds. They get real high marks in that price range.
teleking36
Nov-17-2005, 6:41pm
I'm actually a HUGE fan of Eastman. I'm big on the 615/815s. I've played a few that play and sound wonderful! I'd just like to see how the Kentucky fairs. I love those block inlays!
357mag
Nov-17-2005, 7:06pm
I like em too. I have a MK Classic that has them. Dont know much about Kentuckys except what Ive read. Wouldnt mind having one of those early Japanese made ones. They are supposed to be excellent. Good luck with your search.
Tom Coletti
Nov-25-2012, 7:08pm
I have a Savannah SF-100 BK and a used Kentucky KM-750. From what I understand, the 750s were discontinued and most people turn to 675s or 855s. I was able to get the 750 for under $600, and if you shop around enough, you may be able to find one for a similar price. It is definitely much more responsive than the Savannah, and the action is great after some adjustment of the bridge and nut. The tone is a bit thin, but it's clearer than the Savannah. I've switched to a thicker (1.14 mm) pick and changed my right-hand technique to pull a better tone. I'm not sure how old my KM is, but some of the frets have hints of grooves under the strings, but they haven't affected my playing at all. There was a very slight dip in the neck on the bass side between frets 7-9 (not sure if it's from the factory or the previous owner or just wear over time), and this caused the D strings to buzz at the seventh fret. I filed down frets 8 and 9 a bit and was able to remove most of the buzzing on fret 7, without compromising frets 8 and 9.
If you buy it used, always give it a once-over for any signs of wear or defects, but in the four years that I've had my KM, It's improved a bit in terms of tone and volume, so it may get better in another four. Overall, I'd recommend this mandolin. Be sure to play around, though, and try everything until you find the one that's best suited to you. I've also had some good experiences with some midrange Eastmans and Loars as well, the latter having a thicker neck like the Savannah, which tends to create a more earthy tome from my experience. happy hunting!