Can anyone in the know please tell me why the Kentucky KM900 is being discontinued?
Thanks!
Can anyone in the know please tell me why the Kentucky KM900 is being discontinued?
Thanks!
where did you hear that?
Russ Jordan
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Last edited by MikeEdgerton; Jul-18-2018 at 10:51am.
Over the years they've recycled model numbers for dissimilar instruments and used different numbers for very similar instruments.
It is still listed on the saga website.
Ky was also making the KM-950 and 956 models, the same as the KM-900 except they have a radius fretboard, larger frets and a scooped fingerboard extension, BUT I have also read where even those models will be discontinued...It could be true because I have had a few people contact me wanting to buy my KM-956, these are great bluegrass sounding mandolins and maybe some people are speculating that they will go up in value, the last KM-956 that I saw for sale was $1050 used...Hmmm...
Willie
They'll still have/make something similar I'd bet. They made many over the years so there are many out there that people will sell or trade up. Some of those A-5 styles from Kentucky are just as good as mandolins costing
3-4x's! I had older Korean builds but never the newer models and what I've heard the newer builds have it going on to my ear anyway!
I hadn't heard anything about the 900 being dropped from the line.
Robert Fear
http://www.folkmusician.com
"Education is when you read the fine print; experience is what you get when you don't.
" - Pete Seeger
Hi sorry, I'm a bit of a newbie here! A friend of mine had said they were being discontinued but when I asked him about it he said he wasn't sure. I guess they still are being sold. Sorry! I should check my facts before posting :S
I'm glad that these 900 series instruments are not being discontinued. I've had my KM956 for almost a year and I couldn't be more pleased with it.
Folks, that settles it. If there were any truth to this Robert Fear would certainly know.
Don
2016 Weber Custom Bitterroot F
2011 Weber Bitterroot A
1974 Martin Style A
We were told a few weeks ago that the KM900 is being discontinued by our contact at SAGA music. There are many changes coming in the line including a hefty price increase effective August 1st on the higher end models.
I suspect that the sales of the KM950 are so much higher that it didn't make sense to continue making the KM900. We have a few KM900's left and a few more coming from the handful they had left in production.
Regards
Dennis
I'm also guessing that the KM950 is a higher margin product. It is essentially the same as the KM900 but has a radiused fingerboard and larger fretwire, which is only slightly more expensive to make, however the delta is $600. If more people are buying your higher margin product, why continue making the equivalent lower margin one?
I am very pleased with mine, have no current plans to sell it, only to modify it cause I don’t exactly like the flat fretboard and small frets. Once I get my custom build I will turn it into a 950 as far as the specs. It sounds too good to risk selling it and finding a used 950 that might not sound as good! And besides I will gain some more experience for when I decide to build mandolins myself.
2019 Tyler White custom F5 #17
2012 Huss and Dalton RD-M
2019 Gann resonator guitar
https://www.youtube.com/user/kinmanknives
I am “Surprise”-d Dennis knew this but Robert did not.
Don
2016 Weber Custom Bitterroot F
2011 Weber Bitterroot A
1974 Martin Style A
I suppose it is only fair Saga is cutting the line. I hear tell that some retailers are starting to cut the brand, at least as far as mandolins.
Axes: Eastman MD-515 & El Rey; Eastwood S Mandola
Amps: Fishman Loudbox 100; Rivera Clubster Royale Recording Head & R212 cab; Laney Cub 10
From colorado_al - " ....why continue making the equivalent lower margin one ?" . Mostly because it's what some folks can only afford - so you have a foot in both camps. IMHO - 'a sale is a sale',& if you can sell 2 or more mandolins at $1,000 each,why not ?. Also,not everybody wants a radiussed fingerboard or larger frets !.
The KM900 has been one of the Kentucky brands best selling instruments,receiving high praise from their owners - so why cut it ?. I know that manufacturers like to 'refresh' their product lines every now & again,but if you've got a ''best seller'',to me it makes little sense to discontinue it,
Ivan
Weber F-5 'Fern'.
Lebeda F-5 "Special".
Stelling Bellflower BANJO
Tokai - 'Tele-alike'.
Ellis DeLuxe "A" style.
Hummm - I guess this is not a good time to have MAS since I am on short-term-disability for the next month.
I am curious if the will be a 'hefty price increase' because there will be a hefty increase in quality, or because of other economic factors . . . maybe both?
Gibson F5 'Harvey' Fern, Gibson F5 'Derrington' Fern
Distressed Silverangel F 'Esmerelda' aka 'Maxx'
Northfield Big Mon #127
Ellis F5 Special #288
'39 & '45 D-18's, 1950 D-28.
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Len B.
Clearwater, FL
Last edited by MikeEdgerton; Jul-20-2018 at 7:22pm.
Last edited by MikeEdgerton; Jul-20-2018 at 7:22pm.
If anyone feels the need to discuss any hot button issues it's a big old Internet and there are lots of places to do it. The Cafe isn't one of them. Thanks. Carry on.
"It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
--M. Stillion
"Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
--J. Garber
I'm headed to Carters Vintage come Sept.... you guys have me thinking I deffo wanna put my hands on a 900 or 950 if they have one!
aka: Spencer
Silverangel Econo A #429
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Soliver Hand Crafted Mandolins and Mandolin Armrests
Armrests Here -- Mandolins Here
"You can never cross the ocean unless you have the courage
to lose sight of the shore, ...and also a boat with no holes in it.” -anonymous
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