Strange Kentucky oval hole KM-180SC

**Eric Platt** · Jan-21-2018, 9:02am

First off - not mine and NFI on this. Was just checking out mandolins on Reverb and this showed up. Can't find any info on this particular model. Not really that interested in buying. More interested in getting some information on it. Tried searching and the only 180S all are F hole models. Couldn't even find a reference through the Cafe search.

Japan made? Solid top? (Would assume so by the S in the model designation). No truss rod, and 5 digit s/n so guessing earlier than the description.

https://reverb.com/item/9710119-kent...2000-s-classic

Thanks for any insight. With my luck, probably missed a huge thread on this forum.

**pops1** · Jan-21-2018, 9:40am

The label shows 180SC which I would assume means solid/classic, hence the oval hole.

**fatt-dad** · Jan-21-2018, 11:36am

I'd think by the 5 digit s/n it is Japanese. I think it'd also be from the '80s or early '90s. Not sure when they moved to Korea from Japan? I think it's solid top and laminated sides and back. I owned a black f-hole 180 from Japan. Dude I sold it to still likes it. I think it's likely a good mandolin.

f-d

**belbein** · Feb-01-2018, 4:48pm

I once almost bought a The Loar that I happened to pick up in a music pawn shop that played like a Weber. Absolutely beautiful sound. Great instrument. With a label that claimed to be a "Bruce Weber." I won't bore you with the whole story, but it turned out that at one point Bruce Weber was flirting with doing a deal with The Loar to make instruments and this was a prototype. Unfortunately, I made the mistake of not grabbing it based on sound alone ... and when I went back, the seller figured out it was worth a lot more than he'd priced it at. There may have been other reasons beyond my signaling my interest, too, but that mandolin disappeared as fast as a 16 point lead over the Patriots. (Wait, is that considered "political"?) My point is that sometimes these oddities are frauds, and sometimes they're the results of historical accidents.

**George R. Lane** · Feb-01-2018, 5:02pm

I have the #8 The Loar prototype on loan from Bruce while he works on my Yellowstone. The label says "8 of 9, The Loar"and is signed by Bruce. It sounds great, but that neck is just too big for my hands. I have had it for a couple of weeks and will still have it for couple of more. Bruce is putting on a set of Rubner tuners and he wanted to refinish the head stock. I loaned it to a friend and it came back with some finish damage, last time I loan it to anyone.

**MikeZito** · Feb-01-2018, 5:13pm

Am I the only one that got a chuckle out of 'Early 2000's Classic'? When did 15 or 16-year old foreign made mandolins become 'Classics'? I can see calling them 'nice', or 'good' or 'great value', etc. - but 'classic'?

Anyhow, I am a sucker for oval holes, and a Kentucky at $220 fits nicely into my budget, but that 'crack' (more like a big 'split') scares me . . . .