Re: Testing Kentucky KM 900
That doesn't sound like the typical one I get. I prefer the KM950. All benefit greatly from a real setup - and the bridges have been good on the ones I've gotten in the last year. Europe could be getting different stock, I suppose. They respond very well to the work I do.
Re: Testing Kentucky KM 900
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Stephen Perry
That doesn't sound like the typical one I get.
I thought so, too. But here in Germany there are not many places where I can try the KM 900. There's another one I know of in a store in Berlin, but that is 600 Km from where I live...
Peter
Re: Testing Kentucky KM 900
Agree with Steve that the ones I've seen around recently didn't have issues to the degree you've described above. I have an older KM-675-S that was an eBay disaster that had many of the same issues you describe (and then some), but it was apparently built the first year they moved to China. More recent builds have been much better. But, your experience highlights why it's so important to play before you buy whenever possible, and, if not, to buy from a reputable dealer who will stand behind their work (and hopefully weed out these issues before they pass them along to the customer).
I recently bought an Eastman 315 on clearance at a big box store here (one of GC's subsidiaries) because it's a really good sounding/playing mandolin (regardless of the price point), I was in need of a decent "beater," and the price was too good to pass up. I'm not always an Eastman fan, but they got this one right. I'm planning on doing some minor nut filing, but otherwise it's good to go.
Thanks for the in depth review!
Re: Testing Kentucky KM 900
Once you get into the next tier of quality mandolins, you will not be able to go back to a Chinese made mandolin.
Re: Testing Kentucky KM 900
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Relio
Once you get into the next tier of quality mandolins, you will not be able to go back to a Chinese made mandolin.
So that rules Northfield's out then? :popcorn:
Re: Testing Kentucky KM 900
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Relio
Once you get into the next tier of quality mandolins, you will not be able to go back to a Chinese made mandolin.
I'd qualify that by specifying a Chinese-made under four figures, maybe. :whistling:
Re: Testing Kentucky KM 900
I try to buy American made products as much as I can but I just have to say that the KM-900 that I have is as good as all three of the American made mandolins that I have, including sound, playability and construction, I own two Gibson made mandolins that are nice but don`t put the KM-900 to shame that's for sure...If it only had bigger frets I would be more satisfied...
That's just my opinion and only one mandolin ..SO...
Willie
Re: Testing Kentucky KM 900
I'd like to respectfully disagree (and I do mean that sincerely) with the idea of "not being able to go back" to Chinese-made mandolins. It just seems like that kind of talk is unhelpful and discouraging to many who come here for inspiration, no matter what they play or can afford. In my home we have 2 USA-built mandolins (Collings and Breedlove) and 2 from China (Eastman and Paris Swing). They are all great mandolins, and none "for the money." They all do what they do particularly well. The Eastman was my main instrument for many years and if I had to "go back to it" my music wouldn't suffer any real loss.
A few years ago I was in Fiddler's Green in Austin and played a Kentucky KM950 was that honestly as good as most of what hung on the wall, and much better than some of it. There are great instruments being built by every maker these days.
Re: Testing Kentucky KM 900
I agree with Caleb,when I was getting started in the 60's and 70's good mandolins were few and far between. Gibson had the name but new Gibsons were for the most part junk. Which left vintage Gibsons or the few handmade. Along came the PAC rim and we suddenly had a decent sounding mandolin that we could afford. Thru the years the PAC Rim improved ad did the Gibsons and more people were hand making good mandolins. Today we have more choice of good to great instruments in each category than at any other time in my life.
Re: Testing Kentucky KM 900
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Caleb
I'd like to respectfully disagree (and I do mean that sincerely) with the idea of "not being able to go back" to Chinese-made mandolins. It just seems like that kind of talk is unhelpful and discouraging to many who come here for inspiration, no matter what they play or can afford. In my home we have 2 USA-built mandolins (Collings and Breedlove) and 2 from China (Eastman and Paris Swing). They are all great mandolins, and none "for the money." They all do what they do particularly well. The Eastman was my main instrument for many years and if I had to "go back to it" my music wouldn't suffer any real loss.
A few years ago I was in Fiddler's Green in Austin and played a Kentucky KM950 was that honestly as good as most of what hung on the wall, and much better than some of it. There are great instruments being built by every maker these days.
Edit: The Kentucky I played at FG was a KM900, not a KM950. The principle remains no matter what though.
Re: Testing Kentucky KM 900
I have to agree with the florida, if you are going to build an instrument with one then scoop it. The flat fretboard and standard frets, some people prefer them over radius and larger frets so I can see why they build both.
I have a Kentucky KM1050. It does have the radius fretboard and larger frets which I prefer. The florida is also scooped which is nice. I was fortunate to get mine used and it was setup by Cumberland Acoustics with one of their bridges and plays great with a low action. The bridge is upright and fit correctly to the top. When I got it the owner said that he had not been playing it and I would need to play it to wake it up. Being new to the mandolin I did not really understand this, but when I first played it sounded DEAD. After all the great things I read I was wondering what was going on. It took several days and a new set of strings for it to come to life and if I left it for a few days it would take a day or two to get the sound back. I have played if for almost a year and it is broke in and it is ready to go when ever I pick it up and sounds great. You might have found a dud but I am guessing a proper set-up and some serious playing and that 900 would come to life.
By the way my first mandolin was an Eastman 305 and I liked it a lot, but it is not in the same time zone as my 1050 (3X more expensive also) for sound or playability.
Re: Testing Kentucky KM 900
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Stephen Perry
All benefit greatly from a real setup...
This is so true with mandolins. I walked into a store one time a few years ago and they had a brand new Weber Fern with a price tag of nearly $6000. When I excitedly pulled it down to play it, the bridge was about 1/4" out position, the strings were old, and the action was pretty high. Not only was it difficult to play, it sounded awful. If I didn't know what it was I was playing I wouldn't have paid $500 for it.
I've never played one of the KM 900's or 950's, but have heard several recordings and all sounded very good. One in particular was amazing.
Re: Testing Kentucky KM 900
Played a 900 sometime last year and was very, very impressed with the finish. Played and sounded superb. The OP must have played a dud, or it was very badly in need of a setup.
My wife has recently acquired a KM1000 (the 900's equivalent f-style model) and it's also a lovely instrument with a quality finish and a really punchy tone. We find that the vintage frets are a little harder to play on than my Northfield, but it's a great instrument.
Re: Testing Kentucky KM 900
Old thread, but I have a question...I have a KM900 a couple of years old, and really like the sound. The A string will not intonate well, which is a bridge problem, and I would like larger frets plus maybe a pickguard. Should I have those items addressed or talk to a builder about something "better"? I can afford something more expensive, but I don't want to do that for just a label? Will good luthiers work on a Chinese instrument?
The only other f hole mandolin I've had was a Carlson Flatiron A5 Artist, and one friend has a Gilchrist F5, another a Collings. The Kentucky is clearly better than the Flatiron to me, but I haven't spent a lot of time playing the Gilchrist or Collings.
Re: Testing Kentucky KM 900
I'm sure you could find a good luthier to put you a new bridge (CA or otherwise, or fix the issue with your present saddle) and refret your 900 in larger fret wire (which may also require a new nut depending on your present nut height). The price would probably vary depending on who did the work. Unfortunately, I don't know much about your neck of the woods, so can't make any good recommendations local to you.
The question of whether it's worth it to you depends on how much you really like the 900. If you feel like you'd have to jump substantially in price to improve upon its tone, then it's probably worth having the work done. If not, then maybe buy something better and have someone just fix the bridge saddle/intonation issue. Then you'd have the "nice one" as well as a very good beater. I'd like to have larger frets on my Eastman 315, but I get used to the tiny ones pretty quickly when I play it, so probably won't put the $$ into it. My Silverangel, however, compares favorably with instruments I've played in the 2500-5000 range. I'm sure MAS will strike eventually, but I'd definitely be willing to put some money into the SA if it needed it.
Good luck!
Re: Testing Kentucky KM 900
I don't 'get out' all that much - in terms of opportunities to try a variety of great mandolins. But I've been pretty happy with the KM900 I bought from the MC classifieds a few years ago, based mainly on reviews by a number of MC members, several of whom do 'get out' quite a bit and who own or have played much higher end instruments.
The KM900 is intended to be a faithful (tho affordable..) recreation of the original Gibson Loar A5, fretboard extension, vintage frets and all. Kentucky also builds models with modern specs for those who prefer.
Respectfully, considering the condition of the instrument, I think the review offered in the OP is of dubious value to folks seriously considering the KM900. They may want to search a bit deeper in the archives, where they will find a majority of experienced mando pickers who think pretty highly of this Kentucky model.
Re: Testing Kentucky KM 900
A new fret job will be around $400 give or take... a new bridge plus fitting another $150 or so and a CA pick guard + installation will be over $100 as well. So now we are adding $700 to the price of a $600-$900 mandolin.
Re: Testing Kentucky KM 900
The km900 I had sounded better than the md515 I owned. But, these instruments can wildly vary.
Re: Testing Kentucky KM 900
I like my km900 well enough, it's worth what i paid for it but when I put it up against Northfields and Collings at my local dealer, I really heard a distince improvement in their voices. But that's a $700 used Kentucky vs a Collings that I might be able to find used at 3x the price.
They have pretty good resale value so I would sell as is, all that stuff, .080/.043 evo frets, pickguard, radiused board, adds up. you can look for a 950 or 1050 new or used and be happy with that. But I think you should try instruments from those next tier makers if you can (Northfields, Pava, Collings)
Re: Testing Kentucky KM 900
I bought a KM956 this past year and it is an excellent instrument. I haven't touched the setup as it came from Saga except to raise the height of the bridge. I had Steve Hartz make a custom ebony pick guard and install it. I couldn't be more pleased with this mandolin.
Re: Testing Kentucky KM 900
I know this is a older thread, but I'll use it instead of starting a new one. Just purchased an "Open Box" "Scratch and Dent" Kentucky KM-900 from Music 123, for $725.00, shipped, with a Musician's Gear HSC. I can do most of what is done in a set-up myself. Plus there is a 30 day trial, so all I would be out is return shipping if I didn't want it.
Re: Testing Kentucky KM 900
I had posted earlier that I didn`t like the small frets on the KM-900 so when I heard that the KM-950`s and 956`s had larger frets plus a radius fret board and a scalloped Florida extension I sold the 900 and bought a 956, it also has a darker finish, although I did like the light color on the 900, anyway I do not see too much difference in the two models as far a s sound goes...
Willie
Re: Testing Kentucky KM 900
I think the reason the km900 has a Florida FB extension is because the Griffith A5 Loar, which the km900 is modeled after, has one so they were trying to keep it authentic. Same goes for the flat FB, the f hole placement, and small fret wire.
Re: Testing Kentucky KM 900
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Steve Ostrander
I think the reason the km900 has a Florida FB extension is because the Griffith A5 Loar, which the km900 is modeled after, has one so they were trying to keep it authentic. Same goes for the flat FB, the f hole placement, and small fret wire.
That is exactly true. Copy of that A5. Explains that in the Saga description of the KM-900. Down to the Snakehead. BTW. My wife had never heard of a Bouzouki. I explained what it was and told her about your signature TSA comment.
I worked as a contracted facilities manager at the DOI in Washington DC for the last ten years of my working career. The Prez often came there to play basketball and give speeches, due to the close proximity to the WH. The auditorium was in the 1st wing. The place would be crawling with SS agents. All house calls in the 1st wing had to be handled by me or the Chief Engineer, as per DOI.
I had a Laser Temperature "gun" I carried in a holster. I'm leaving for a "Too Cold" call in the first wing, and one of the mechanics says, "Boss. I'd take off your Holster and put your laser out of sight. Whatever you do, don't point it at the agent when you get off the elevator."