Proud Kentucky Pickers - Let's see 'em!!

[Ken Olmstead]

I am frankly amazed at the tone and build quality of my Kentucky 1050 and I am sure I am not the only Kentucky player that is proud of their instrument! Let's see those Pacific Rim works of art!

Below is my KM1050 and significantly modified 4 string electric! Looking to possibly round the collection out with an oval hole!

[almeriastrings]

I've posted these before, but a rather nice example of a KM-1000.









Sounds really good with GHS "Silk & Bronze" strings.

[BenShavers]

I've had this km650 since last october and it's the best one I've owned
yet!

[Eric Michael Pfeiffer]

I'm a proud Kentucky picker......come from a long line of proud Kentuckians since the late 1700's

[Ken Olmstead]

I've posted these before, but a rather nice example of a KM-1000.

Sounds really good with GHS "Silk & Bronze" strings.

Man, it sure is!! It looks like it was built by a small, custom builder and should cost about $10k! Does it sound as good as it looks?

[almeriastrings]

Man, it sure is!! It looks like it was built by a small, custom builder and should cost about $10k! Does it sound as good as it looks?

Yes. Very dry, excellent volume, projection and 'cut', strongly in the "Loar" camp tonally. A few years old now, and has really opened up and everyone who plays it loves it. It is a "Made In China" example. They certainly pulled all the stops out on this one. If you were stranded on a desert island with just this mandolin, most folks would not find much to complain about, I think, even if used to instruments at many times the price. It is a good one.

[Ken Olmstead]

This thread needs an oval hole, preferably a 172!

While I'm waiting, here is my 2009 KM-1000 that I sold to acquire something else. Mistake. This one sounded good too, although my KM-1050 sounds better to me. The 1000 had the noticeable thinner body and I think that made a difference in the chop but it still sang in a very Loar like manner!

Edit: I can't remember but it looks like I may have swapped out the truss rod cover to a more traditionally shaped one. hmmm….



This is thread is not only or F model Kentuckys…lets see those A's too!! I'd love to see those MIJ and MIK ones too!

[yankees1]

Anyone tried the 1500 ? I may try one out !

[bajasteve]

Very recent used KM 505. Setting up at the moment (nut file to do next).

[MANDOLINMYSTER]

Here's my ole DAWG. Its been good to me.

[yankees1]

ARE THE NEW 1500'S, 1050'S VARNISH OR nitro ? Any sound difference if they are different from the prior models ?

[Eric C.]

Here are some pictures of my KM950 (with the Dudette strap). Sorry for the photo quality!

[Meadowview]

Left to right KM-1000 from Japan, KM-1500 from Japan and KM-1000 from China. I love everyone one of them!!!!

[Darren Bailey]

Here are my three Kentucky mandolins - KM630, 505 and my littlle 150 which sits in my cupboard at work so I don't waste my lunch times! I have fallen in love with this brand of mandoin. I was at a local guitar store recently and got to try a few similarly priced instruments - none of them came close! To my surprise the 150 is a great little mandoin to play.

[9lbShellhamer]

Here are some pics of my new KM-950. (Well...almost 2 months old.) I also have a KM-160 circa 2007 that was my starter and honestly, its the loudest Mandolin I've ever played, and the tone is pretty good too. I think I really lucked out with the KM-160 as my starter, and as far as the "myth" of opening up goes...I don't doubt it one bit. That thing, (The KM-160), has REALLY come to life in the past year. It's pretty amazing. Alas. Here are pics of the KM-950. My local shop only sells Breedlove and Eastman and turns their noses up at Kentucky. I don't care though! I love this beauty... (I even sold a nice American made mandolin for it!)

[Steve Ostrander]

My 2008 km900. A fabulous mandolin.

[Ken Olmstead]

Ooooo, now we are cooking'!! I would love to get my hands on a Dawg model that is for sure!!!!

Those 505s are such great sounding mandolins! May be the best value in the mando world period!

Drooling hard on the 900 series too! Still looking for the oval!

[Tiderider]

KM900 Varnish model. Sounds and plays very well.

[Pete Counter]

I have a 2012 Varnished KM-1500. I scooped the extention and put in a K&K Internal Twin with the endpin jack and it after a year and a half, My MAS has not returned, I am still loving this mandolin, maybe more now than when I got it! It holds its own against my buddies Sam Bush model, and his students 96 Gibson Fern, and could care less about trading up.

[BenShavers]

To hear my KM650 go to
https://soundcloud.com/ben-shavers/dark

I need to redo the track soon but anyways..

[Frank Farley]

That is a good sounding mandolin and some nice picking as well.

[Bassaholic]

Hi Pete,

I saw your post and pictures of your KM-1500. Really nice. I Just traded for a 2013 KM-1500 that I believe is varnish as well. It is very thin and you can feel the Adirondack wood grain through the top finish. How do you know for sure? I really like the scooped extension too. My opinion is like yours; this is a lot of mandolin and way more mandolin than I am a mandolin player.

mike

[Bassaholic]

Recent KM-1500. It looks like varnish to me, but I'm not sure. Nice Superior case with dust cover.

[Drewsey]

Mine is not as high end as the others posted in this thread, but I received my km-172 last week, and have been enjoying it so far. Personally I prefer the look of oval hole A-style mandolins, but that's not to say I wouldn't love to own an F someday.

No picture at the moment to show, but there is a bear playing my 172 in my avatar.

[Pete Counter]

I guess the easist way to tell if its the varnish finish is by how easy it get blemishes, on mine I dont have anything serious but little one just seemed to appear fairly quickly.