Kentucky km 250 and 254

[roysboy]

Hey Folks . I can find very little in the way of user/owner feedback on the Kentucky models KM 250 and Km 254 mandolins and I have not had the opportunity to play one myself . I would appreciate hearing thoughts from the above on tone , quality , playability etc. The solid wood construction , the radiused fretboard and the Kentucky name make them attractive at the 400.oo price point that most new ones are offered at and I'm curious about why I haven't seen or heard too much about them ? Thanks for weighing in .

[Folkmusician.com]

Not that long ago, The KM-250 stood out as the best mandolin at the price point. Two important things happened since then.

#1. The model went through a complete makeover and is an entirely new mandolin (actually much better than the older versions)
#2. The level of competition exploded, even within the Kentucky Brand. They have a whole lot of models available right now.

So there are just a lot of choices out there. I do still see a few reviews here and there about these. They are great mandolins, just choose your dealer wisely. :)

[dusty miller]

I own the $400 dollar Kentucky (250 I guess) and I am really happy with it. Good tone and easy to play, nice sounding chop chords when playing it. At this point my favorite mandolin to play. I think the quality and playability is great. Very nice for $400. Try one out if you get a chance, great buy for the money and really good starter mandolin and beyond.

Kris

[brent1308]

Good one's are pretty nice but they are variable so choosing a good dealer, checking that there are no bumps in the fretboard, that the tailpiece is centered, etc. is important. I had one and really enjoyed playing it for some months before I needed more. If you can swing it, a used km-900 is a lot more mandolin, but the 250 is a pleasure to learn on.

[roysboy]

Good one's are pretty nice but they are variable so choosing a good dealer, checking that there are no bumps in the fretboard, that the tailpiece is centered, etc. is important. I had one and really enjoyed playing it for some months before I needed more. If you can swing it, a used km-900 is a lot more mandolin, but the 250 is a pleasure to learn on.

Good advice about choosing a reputable dealer , Brent . The thought above ( fretboard bumps and off -centered tailpieces scares the hell outa me.....

[MandoPlayer]

I bought my KM-254 at a folk music store in Tucson, AZ in 2008. They told me it was a good quality beginner mandolin. I like the "woody", full tone and I haven't had any problems with it. I took it to the Mandolin Store to see if it needed to be set up, but all it really needed was a new set of strings. I was told that it buzzed when played at the higher frets and that that was common with these mandolins, but I hadn't noticed it as I don't play those frets. All in all, I haven't heard anyone say anything bad about them and I'm glad I bought it.