Trying to decide...MAS kicked in early

[Chuck Leyda]

The Kentucky is a good sensible upgrade.

But....do you like it? Like how it looks? It's smart to upgrade reasonably but I find if the mandolin doesn't "speak" to me somehow, I'm looking for the next upgrade pretty quickly.

[Br1ck]

It kind of depends on what your hobby is. Is the hobby is speculating on the open mandolin market, or playing the dern thing. It's much easier to get a good mandolin at a great price than it is to get good at playing mandolin, at any price.

Forgive me. I am in a bad mood this morning. Had to go shopping for coffee this morning. Ahhhhhhhhhh.

Somewhat true, but I think you can do both if you split your efforts 70/30 in favor of playing.

I spend a lot of time looking at mandolins online, but I also spend so much time playing that I have physical issues. Lately my picking index finger is chronically sore, but even then it is forcing me to lighten my grip. I also limit my Gryphon visits to quarterly.

[Folkmusician.com]

If there are no major issues and it is $130? yes please!

It will be a big upgrade, and you can resale it for a small profit later.

[JeffD]

If there are no major issues and it is $130? yes please!

It will be a big upgrade, and you can resale it for a small profit later.

Or immediately.

[RodCH]

I bought 7 mandolins in my first year of playing, going up in price each time. Ended with a $2400 A5 by Matt Lackey that I got off the classifieds here and that has kept me satisfied for a few months. I think to better it I'll have to go about $8000 or so. I'm working up the courage to lay out that kind of cash. But if I live long enough I'm sure it will happen.

[Dave Sheets]

Go for the KM-150, the solid top is big upgrade from the Rogue, and it's a good deal. At that price, you will be able to get your money back out of it, as long as it's structurally sound. More responsive instruments are more fun to play.

[B381]

MAS got me....but I got one hell of a deal, even better than the first post. Kentucky KM-150

[Teak]

I find myself in a position where I could pick up a kentucky 140 or 150, there's one of each, for about $130. Picking one would be the other decision.

So....3.5 weeks....still a beginner but picking up fast.....

Thoughts?

Well, you know where this is going, right?

Go pick one out between $5,000 and $10,000 and you'll maybe never have to do this again.

[Eric Platt]

Ha! Good for you. Am going to be looking at a KM-150 after work. Unless that's the same instrument. Then you got it first. Which would be good. Don't need another mandolin right now.

[Eric Platt]

Yup. That was the same one. Congrats. That looks to be an incredible deal.

[B381]

Sorry about that.....I missed two last week, dang someone watches the site....man, I was typing fast and my connection kept crashing. If I decide it's not for me, I'll holler at ya!

[Eric Platt]

Sorry about that.....I missed two last week, dang someone watches the site....man, I was typing fast and my connection kept crashing. If I decide it's not for me, I'll holler at ya!

Don't worry about it. This was just a pure spur of the moment urge. My wife is looking at getting a Finnish Kantele, so she's happy I'm not getting any more mandolins. (The particular GC is my local one.) As I said earlier, that was one fantastic deal. Hoping everything works out for you.

[Seter]

Don't worry about it. This was just a pure spur of the moment urge. My wife is looking at getting a Finnish Kantele, so she's happy I'm not getting any more mandolins. (The particular GC is my local one.) As I said earlier, that was one fantastic deal. Hoping everything works out for you.

A kantele is next on my list, what kantele is your wife wanting to get? I'm planning on getting the kit from Musicmakers.

[Eric Platt]

A kantele is next on my list, what kantele is your wife wanting to get? I'm planning on getting the kit from Musicmakers.

Probably one from here http://www.kantele.com/ We tried out a few from this maker this past weekend and she seems hooked. It helped that we had a master player demonstrate.

[William Smith]

Nice Kentucky, when I started out pickin seriously about 13 years old, I played on a rough mando my gramps made, my first upgrade was a 1914 Gibson F-2 "wish I still had her!" then in 01 bought a brand new F5-G Gibson for 3300 bucks, then about 50 different ones came and went some cheap and some not so cheap, its a fun sickness/disease that I don't believe there is a cure and hell if there was one I wouldn't want it! Is this what someone who is an addict goes through? I'm very happy with what I play some old 7 conversions and a 36 Fern F-5 but darn I still look at all the classifieds at not just the cafe
I do love me my mando porn! any and all shapes and sizes. lately I've been having a powerful lust for a mandola or mandocello-I really can't help it.

[Cochiti Don]

I live in a mandolin desert here in NM. I'd love to drive somewhere to ply a number of them but I don't know where to go.

[pheffernan]

I live in a mandolin desert here in NM. I'd love to drive somewhere to ply a number of them but I don't know where to go.

Head to Caballo and the shop of Bill Bussmann.

[colorado_al]

I live in a mandolin desert here in NM. I'd love to drive somewhere to ply a number of them but I don't know where to go.

Where in NM?

[Torpedotom]

A Kentucky KM-150 for $130-140 -- less than half the deepest discounted dealer price? And you have experience doing set-up, so that's not an issue?

No-brainer, IMHO; go for it. You could probably re-sell it for more than you paid for it, if you didn't find it a substantial improvement over the Rogue. Which you almost certainly will.

Generally, "save your money" is good advice. But by purchasing the KM-150, you actually are "saving your money" -- because you're almost certain to get at least that purchase price in a re-sale or a trade. The Kentucky is a good baseline mandolin: solid woods, carved, recognized and respected brand. It's by far the most recommended "first mandolin" here on the Cafe.

If you play the KM-150 for a year, take care of it, and then decide you want to take another step up, it should return its purchase price -- maybe more -- in a trade-in or private sale. If you were paying dealer price for it, I'd agree with some of the posts above that say, "Save up for a couple more years before you let MAS kick in; get a mandolin at the $500-$1K price point." But at the price you quote, I can't see a reason to pass it up.

+1 I have a KM150 and love it. If you can upgrade to this KM150, not the 140, then do it. Not only are you saving money, but when you sell it, you make money.