Info about my Kentucky KM-700s

[caimrl]

Hi All. I am welcoming a new Kentucky KM-700s into my home tonight and was wondering what you guys might be able to tell me about it. There are plenty of pics on Reverb where I bought it at this link: https://reverb.com/item/2250355-kent...maple-sunburst

The serial number is 03060111 which means it was likely built in 2003?

The only other mandolin I have ever played is my Fender FM-25E so I don't have a lot to go off of but I love the feel and sound of my new Kentucky.

Let me know if additional pics or info is needed.

Thanks all!

[Bill Kammerzell]

I am pretty sure 03 is the year and 06 the month. Looks very nice. I have no clue what is going on with the spot on the back of the neck. I think I owned a 2008 version, but the top of that was a wreck. Had a gouge above the bass side F hole. That sounded nice. Loud with a good tone. It was made in China. I can't recall if a 2003 would be early Chinese or late Korea. It is overall pretty clean. I'm glad you like the sound and feel. Always important. Looks like you got some case candy and bling with it as well as a nice tailpiece. I paid around $400.00 for mine, but it was banged up and nowhere as nice as this.

[caimrl]

Thanks for the info willkamm!

Ahh, nice. If that is true this mandolin and I may share a birthday which is also cool.

That spot on the neck... I checked with the seller about it and he wasn't sure either (said he got it that way). He said it wasn't a crack, though. Now that I am holding it I definitely think it is a scratch/dent and not a crack. It almost looks like it had some sort of braided wire around the neck which left an impression and a few scratches when it was removed. It doesn't seem structural and is hard to see so it doesn't bother me.

It is so much louder than my Fender. I keep having to tone it down to avoid waking up the kids, haha. Nice woody tone too.

[Bill Kammerzell]

Thanks for the info willkamm!

Ahh, nice. If that is true this mandolin and I may share a birthday which is also cool.

That spot on the neck... I checked with the seller about it and he wasn't sure either (said he got it that way). He said it wasn't a crack, though. Now that I am holding it I definitely think it is a scratch/dent and not a crack. It almost looks like it had some sort of braided wire around the neck which left an impression and a few scratches when it was removed. It doesn't seem structural and is hard to see so it doesn't bother me.

It is so much louder than my Fender. I keep having to tone it down to avoid waking up the kids, haha. Nice woody tone too.

Nothing wrong with a scratch/dent at all. Nice woody tone, and plenty of volume that's great. I recall my 700 sounding real good too. Your's looks much better. That is in real nice shape for an '03.

[multidon]

Hopefully Robert Fear will chime in here. If anyone knows whether it's late Korean or early Chinese, it would be him.

[AMandolin]

My first F mandolin was a Kentucky 700. I still own it, been thinking of selling it, it is powerful. It can cut through almost anything.
SAGA said it was a Loar era remake or something. I thought the c shape neck was comfortable.
Good job, you'll love playing it.

[Bill Kammerzell]

Hopefully Robert Fear will chime in here. If anyone knows whether it's late Korean or early Chinese, it would be him.

Yup. He helped me ID one without a label in it one time.

[Bill Kammerzell]

I am pretty sure 03 is the year and 06 the month. Looks very nice. I have no clue what is going on with the spot on the back of the neck. I think I owned a 2008 version, but the top of that was a wreck. Had a gouge above the bass side F hole. That sounded nice. Loud with a good tone. It was made in China. I can't recall if a 2003 would be early Chinese or late Korea. It is overall pretty clean. I'm glad you like the sound and feel. Always important. Looks like you got some case candy and bling with it as well as a nice tailpiece. I paid around $400.00 for mine, but it was banged up and nowhere as nice as this.

I have had good luck with this email address; info@sagamusic.com
They can generally answer most questions as to where an instrument was made. Then there is Robert at Folk Musician;

sales@folkmusician.com

Both great sources as to what country your mandolin was made in.

[caimrl]

Wow, thanks for all the help guys!

willkamm - I will definitely try those email addresses, thanks a million!

AMandolin - For sure. I can't wait to jam with some others on this instrument. It's got a great chop!

multidon - Would that be the same Robert who works at folk musician? The one willkamm gave me an email for?

Interestingly enough, I have a suspicion this mandolin has been posted about here on this thread: https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/a...p/t-92471.html . I can't be positive but both mandolins are Kentucky 700s instruments with an Allen gold tailpiece upgrade. The poster of that thread and the guy I bought this from on Reverb both have "Carolina" in their name. Guess this is a small community.

[Bill Kammerzell]

Yes Robert, Robert Fear and Folk Musician are all the same guy. Has a pretty nice stock of mandolins. Yes, that is an interesting thread.

[caimrl]

Yes Robert, Robert Fear and Folk Musician are all the same guy. Has a pretty nice stock of mandolins. Yes, that is an interesting thread.

I have read great reviews about folkmusician. I discovered them because somebody put a comment on musicians friend saying to go buy the mando on folkmusician instead. Then I jumped on the forum here and saw rave reviews. It was my preference to buy there but I had a list of requirements and a price range and the first mando to check all the boxes was the one I found on reverb. I'm still keeping an eye on folkmusician for future purchases.

[Folkmusician.com]

Thanks for the kind words!

2003, is early Chinese. I was selling these at the time, but don't recall specifics. Nice tailpiece upgrade. That is a CA armrest. I don't remember those tuners being stock, but they may have been. Might be the lighting, but the side looks like it may have been partially refinished?

And lastly, I recognize the case. It was a vintage replica that Saga was selling around the same year, so that does reinforce the circa 2003.

It should make a for a great mandolin!

[caimrl]

Thanks for the kind words!

2003, is early Chinese. I was selling these at the time, but don't recall specifics. Nice tailpiece upgrade. That is a CA armrest. I don't remember those tuners being stock, but they may have been. Might be the lighting, but the side looks like it may have been partially refinished?

And lastly, I recognize the case. It was a vintage replica that Saga was selling around the same year, so that does reinforce the circa 2003.

It should make a for a great mandolin!

Wow, thanks for the great info Robert!

I would venture a guess that the tuners are stock because the tailpiece and armrest are gold while the tuners are chrome. It seems like the previous owner liked to gold color metal. I could be wrong, though.

It is a really nice case. I am a fan.

I think so. I have enjoyed it a ton this last week. I did find 1 fret that could use some work. When I fret 12 on the A string the bottom string of the pair touches the 13th fret. I think a good setup should fix that, though. Saving up for the setup now!

[Brock.lennon]

Hey Bill! I still have that exact Km-700 I bought off you a couple of years ago. She’s a little dinged up, but man does she sound good. I’ve taken it to some festivals and always get compliments on how robust it is. It’s been around the world and the allied military members I work with always get a kick out of it.

[Bill Kammerzell]

Brock! I thought I recognized your name! That is great to hear man! I am so glad to hear you are still enjoying it. If I recall correctly it was a "little dinged up" when I sold it to you? I remember you were living in California then, but stationed in Iraq, in the USMC, and I shipped it to the Cali address? Well I am so glad to hear from you Brock. This is a great place to get information on Mandolins. Are you still playing in the church band in California?
Interesting thing about your mandolin. I cannot find the photo, maybe my wife might have it. Not long before I sold it to you, I took it on a trip to Kentucky and Tennessee. In late June of 2016 I sat on the porch of Bill Monroe's ancestral home in Rosine, KY and played that mandolin. Here is a photo from the trip.