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Thread: "New" KM-DAWG

  1. #1
    Registered User Todd Bowman's Avatar
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    Default "New" KM-DAWG

    I have wanted a KM-DAWG since the day I received the Saga Master Model brochure back in the 80's. I settled for a KM-1000 and that was streching my budget back then. Every once in a while I google "KM-DAWG" to see what turns up. I typically find myself late to the party to buy one when they do show up for sale. As Maxwell Smart used to say "Missed it by that much!"

    Around the end of year holidays, I found myself with free-time and running the search again, following numerous google image results until I stumbled on KM-DAWG 90803 sitting in the "Last Guitar" shop in Tokyo, Japan. My heart leaped. Have I found one for sale, and can it be shipped here? The answer to both those questions were "yes".

    I secured the purchase on 12/26/17. I downloaded all the photos from Last Guitar's website and sat night after night studying them while impatiently waiting for 90803 to arrive. Because of the holidays, it took longer to arrive here -- sitting in customs -- and who knows where else. I started to worry with thoughts like "Did I get taken?" "It's a fake, the model and serial number are handwritten, it must be a fake."

    Then yesterday, it finally arrived. I knew from studying the photos that 90803 has seen its share of the road -- dings all over the front, worn finish off the back, finish crazing, all the signs of a 27? year old well used mandolin. It must have had a refret as there is no visible fretware.

    I played it a while, then decided to re-string it with my favorit EXP74s. After playing it for the past two days, there is no doubt in my mind that it is authentic and the work of Sumi. The tone is absolutely amazing. I got it for an amazing price and would have been happy paying 2-3 times more. Sumi is a master!

    Here she is:
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    ========================
    2012 Gibson F5 Master Model
    2019 Northfield F5 Artist 5 Bar
    2019 Northfield Arched Octave Maple
    2020 Northfield F5 4.0

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  3. #2
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    Default Re: "New" KM-DAWG

    Looks like the real deal to me.
    Congratulations on the sweet mandolin!

  4. #3

    Default Re: "New" KM-DAWG

    Good on you my friend.

  5. #4
    Quietly Making Noise Dave Greenspoon's Avatar
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    Default Re: "New" KM-DAWG

    You are one lucky dawg. ;-)
    Axes: Eastman MD-515 & El Rey; Eastwood S Mandola
    Amps: Fishman Loudbox 100; Rivera Clubster Royale Recording Head & R212 cab; Laney Cub 10

  6. #5
    ************** Caleb's Avatar
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    Default Re: "New" KM-DAWG

    Cool story! Play it in good health.
    ...

  7. #6
    Worlds ok-ist mando playr Zach Wilson's Avatar
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    Default Re: "New" KM-DAWG

    Right on! I love the finger board extension 🤓
    Last edited by Zach Wilson; Jan-13-2018 at 8:37am.

  8. #7
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    Default Re: "New" KM-DAWG

    Congratulations!! Looks great, even with the road rash!
    Chuck

  9. #8

    Default Re: "New" KM-DAWG

    may the great Dawg be with you. an one question the rash on the back, is it down to bare wood ?.

  10. #9
    Gibson F5L Gibson A5L
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    Default Re: "New" KM-DAWG

    Congratulations. Sumi is indeed a Master Luthier. You have a new friend for life. R/
    I love hanging out with mandolin nerds . . . . . Thanks peeps ...

  11. #10
    two t's and one hyphen fatt-dad's Avatar
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    Default Re: "New" KM-DAWG

    great story! A story of perseverance! Such dedication - well rewarded!

    f-d
    ¡papá gordo ain’t no madre flaca!

    '20 A3, '30 L-1, '97 914, 2012 Cohen A5, 2012 Muth A5, '14 OM28A

  12. #11
    Registered User Glassweb's Avatar
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    Default Re: "New" KM-DAWG

    Score!

  13. #12
    Registered User Todd Bowman's Avatar
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    Default Re: "New" KM-DAWG

    Quote Originally Posted by mandolin tony View Post
    may the great Dawg be with you. an one question the rash on the back, is it down to bare wood ?.
    The road rash is down to the bare wood in two spots. Not too worried about it. I have a 250+ year old fiddle that has lots of bare wood. Adds to the character.
    ========================
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  14. #13
    Registered User William Smith's Avatar
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    Default Re: "New" KM-DAWG

    Great Score! I've always wanted one of these K-Dawgs, just plain KOOL Man!, There was one quite a while back in the classifieds maybe less than a year but hey I can't buy everything I would like to! Also there was one on Reverb about 6 months ago I believe? I think that place in England has one but I don't believe they ship to USA? "The Acoustic Music Company" I enquired but didn't want the hassle of an overseas deal. And since I'm a vintage Gibson nut that usually supersedes what I buy. Very nice mandolin for sure you bought, 1 of 48 I've heard/read!

  15. #14

    Default Re: "New" KM-DAWG

    Nice! Don't know what kind of deal you got, but that Dawg is the real deal.
    "I play BG so that's what I can talk intelligently about." A line I loved and pirated from Mandoplumb

  16. #15
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    Default Re: "New" KM-DAWG

    Quote Originally Posted by tbown View Post
    I have wanted a KM-DAWG since the day I received the Saga Master Model brochure back in the 80's. I settled for a KM-1000 and that was streching my budget back then. Every once in a while I google "KM-DAWG" to see what turns up. I typically find myself late to the party to buy one when they do show up for sale. As Maxwell Smart used to say "Missed it by that much!"

    Around the end of year holidays, I found myself with free-time and running the search again, following numerous google image results until I stumbled on KM-DAWG 90803 sitting in the "Last Guitar" shop in Tokyo, Japan. My heart leaped. Have I found one for sale, and can it be shipped here? The answer to both those questions were "yes".

    I secured the purchase on 12/26/17. I downloaded all the photos from Last Guitar's website and sat night after night studying them while impatiently waiting for 90803 to arrive. Because of the holidays, it took longer to arrive here -- sitting in customs -- and who knows where else. I started to worry with thoughts like "Did I get taken?" "It's a fake, the model and serial number are handwritten, it must be a fake."

    Then yesterday, it finally arrived. I knew from studying the photos that 90803 has seen its share of the road -- dings all over the front, worn finish off the back, finish crazing, all the signs of a 27? year old well used mandolin. It must have had a refret as there is no visible fretware.

    I played it a while, then decided to re-string it with my favorit EXP74s. After playing it for the past two days, there is no doubt in my mind that it is authentic and the work of Sumi. The tone is absolutely amazing. I got it for an amazing price and would have been happy paying 2-3 times more. Sumi is a master!

    Here she is:
    As a fellow KM Dawg owner, I know you will be happy forever! Congratulations. Just in passing, did you have any trouble with customs? I am thinking of getting an instrument from England, but was wondering about customs and duty. Again, enjoy your Dawg. Just in passing, I actually took mine to Sumi when I was in Japan and he insisted it had to have bigger frets than it originally had. He put them on. He was right. It plays very differently.

  17. #16
    Registered User Todd Bowman's Avatar
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    Default Re: "New" KM-DAWG

    Quote Originally Posted by RustyPickup View Post
    As a fellow KM Dawg owner, I know you will be happy forever! Congratulations. Just in passing, did you have any trouble with customs? I am thinking of getting an instrument from England, but was wondering about customs and duty. Again, enjoy your Dawg. Just in passing, I actually took mine to Sumi when I was in Japan and he insisted it had to have bigger frets than it originally had. He put them on. He was right. It plays very differently.
    Been away from the computer for a while...

    I didn't have any problems with customs. I was expecting to have to do something but never had to. I sent my payment along with what amounted to about $40 in yen and it arrived without any further action on my part. I was a bit nervous after the purchase and reading the info on the US customs website realizing I didn't fill out any forms. No issues what so ever.
    ========================
    2012 Gibson F5 Master Model
    2019 Northfield F5 Artist 5 Bar
    2019 Northfield Arched Octave Maple
    2020 Northfield F5 4.0

  18. #17

    Default Re: "New" KM-DAWG

    I think there is one of these for sale near me.
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    Here is the ad: https://www.kijiji.ca/v-string-instr...lin/1369906459
    I have contacted the seller and received a brief reply, but I have not been able to go see it or play it. I have been sitting on this for a few weeks, but I really don't know if I can get the cash together, so I thought I would post it to see if someone else might have better luck. Even if this is a KM-2000, it is a steal at $2000 Canadian dollars (see this thread on the KM-2000 https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/s...y-KM-2000-Dawg).

  19. #18
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    Default Re: "New" KM-DAWG

    Quote Originally Posted by vetus scotia View Post
    I think there is one of these for sale near me.
    Click image for larger version. 

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    Here is the ad: https://www.kijiji.ca/v-string-instr...lin/1369906459
    I have contacted the seller and received a brief reply, but I have not been able to go see it or play it. I have been sitting on this for a few weeks, but I really don't know if I can get the cash together, so I thought I would post it to see if someone else might have better luck. Even if this is a KM-2000, it is a steal at $2000 Canadian dollars (see this thread on the KM-2000 https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/s...y-KM-2000-Dawg).
    I'd ask for a picture of the label to see if it is a KM-Dawg or KM-2000.

  20. #19

    Default Re: "New" KM-DAWG

    I have asked but received no reply. Either it is sold and the ad was left up, or they are just really bad at getting back to people, who knows. I’m not optimistic I’ll hear back, but maybe someone else will have luck. I have found that on kijiji some sellers don’t bother with people who just want to have a look. They only respond to ‘I’ll take it.’

    I know the KM-DAWG has all the cache, but from the account Desert Rose gives, the 2000 is the real deal. Though the post-Grisman relationship probably sours some people a little.

  21. #20
    Registered User Ivan Kelsall's Avatar
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    Default Re: "New" KM-DAWG

    Trevor at TAMCO UK have had this one in for a while. To me it looks great. I really love the 'alternative' styling,
    Ivan
    Click image for larger version. 

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  22. #21
    Registered User William Smith's Avatar
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    Default Re: "New" KM-DAWG

    Sure looks like a KM-DAWG to me. Great buy on it if its a nice one I think as there isn't many around.

  23. #22

    Default Re: "New" KM-DAWG

    Yep. $2000 candadian is ~1500 US. My original thought was to buy it and then turn around and post it in the classifieds here. Would have paid for the Weber I bought recently and then some. But I am also always curious when an instrument like this shows up for sale near me. How did one of these end up here? And this one, according to the seller, is mint. I take it that the seller is not the original owner, and probably not a mandolin player. Don’t know where you come up with $2000 as an asking price: too high for most Kentuckys, even f styles, but obviously low for this particular KM. Anyway, I have now sent two messages that have gone unanswered, but you never know...

  24. #23
    Registered User William Smith's Avatar
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    Default Re: "New" KM-DAWG

    Quote Originally Posted by vetus scotia View Post
    Yep. $2000 candadian is ~1500 US. My original thought was to buy it and then turn around and post it in the classifieds here. Would have paid for the Weber I bought recently and then some. But I am also always curious when an instrument like this shows up for sale near me. How did one of these end up here? And this one, according to the seller, is mint. I take it that the seller is not the original owner, and probably not a mandolin player. Don’t know where you come up with $2000 as an asking price: too high for most Kentuckys, even f styles, but obviously low for this particular KM. Anyway, I have now sent two messages that have gone unanswered, but you never know...
    That is a GREAT price for a Dawg, If I didn't have too much wood in the fire, deals and projects going I'd buy it for sure! Many old Gibson's from the beginning of the company were exported out of the US to Canada, South Africa, Mexico etc...But many going to Canada for sure, many old Gibson's have been found up there, I know for a fact. F's and A's, I even heard of a 30's left handed F-7 that's up that way. The Gibson's had a very small "Made in USA" stamp on the back of the peghead that were being exported, my 36 F-5 fern has one. Quite a few 30's F-5's have been found up that way. Some lower end mandolins had a little "Made in USA" sticker/label on the inside also that I've seen. Ya just never know where these old things will turn up! Some that have the stamp or sticker may have never left the states?

  25. #24
    Registered User Todd Bowman's Avatar
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    Default Re: "New" KM-DAWG

    I made an "I'll take it" offer yesterday, even offered to pay 2K US $s, but got no reply. I suspect it is gone to a lucky local bloke!
    ========================
    2012 Gibson F5 Master Model
    2019 Northfield F5 Artist 5 Bar
    2019 Northfield Arched Octave Maple
    2020 Northfield F5 4.0

  26. #25

    Default Re: "New" KM-DAWG

    Quote Originally Posted by tbown View Post
    I made an "I'll take it" offer yesterday, even offered to pay 2K US $s, but got no reply. I suspect it is gone to a lucky local bloke!
    Well, if it was, then maybe I have some hope of seeing it pop up for sale again sometime.

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