Kentucky KM-1000 Japanese-era All Black

[JLeather]

Just picked this mandolin up today. Trying to answer a few questions. I have read all the Japanese-era Kentucky threads I could find. My guess is it was a mid-80's build? It says "Kentucky" and not "The Kentucky" on the headstock, but it has the long tail "K" and it has a serial number that doesn't include the date. Looks like it used to have worm-over tuners which were changed, and it also looks like it used to have a whole different tailpiece. I've read other threads that said the early Kentucky's had something different about the tailpiece but not sure what. It needs a good set-up, the strings are years old and it hasn't been played much in months. Once it's all tuned up I need to see how it stacks up against my Bitterroot (can't keep them all...) The Kentucky seems to have had a fair amount of play time. I don't think the fat frets on it are original, so it's had at least one full refret and there's a fair amount of wear on these too.

The big question, aside from when it was made, is why it's all black? No evidence of a refinish, and it's black on the back and sides as well as the top. Special order perhaps? From the inside the wood looks nice and flamey, so I don't think it was done to cover up any inferior woods.

Anyway, everyone likes pics:

[jim simpson]

I thought I had a photo of the one that I used to own but haven't found it (yet).

[FLATROCK HILL]

JLeather, Thanks for posting pics; nice looking mandolin.

I would agree with all of your conclusions. I would guess it to be early to mid '80s, refretted with the bigger frets, non-original tailpiece and upgraded (although the original Gotohs were good ones) tuners.

I'm sure you know that there are modern KM-1000s available in black (blacktop). I believe there were some Japanese KM-1000s that came with black tops/face. I've seen a few that were black like yours (might have just been the top though). Never a KM-1500. If I had to bet, I'd say it was refinished. Hope it turns out to be a good mandolin for you.

There is one thing you said that I don't agree with. The part about..."Can't keep them all."

[lenf12]

Great looking axe JL!! Never saw one like it before this post. How about a side by side review of the K vs. the W. I'll bet they're different enough for you to want to keep them both.

Best of luck,
Len B.

ps I'd love to see it with a white pick guard for that tuxedo vibe...

[vic-victor]

Not sure if this is the case, but as you have guessed, factories sometimes use black finish to conceal the woods that do not match well aestetically. For example the neck heel is sometimes a different tone and grain, the back is not bookmatched and so on.

[lenf12]

They had the good sense to hide any flaws. If you're not going to strip the finish to find out then, so what? It's still a good looker. To me, the only real debate is how does it sound? Did they shoot a really thick finish on it?

Len B.
Clearwater, FL

[jim simpson]

These aren't great pictures of my all black KM-1000 but I can tell from the photos that I had swapped out the original tailpiece to a 1st generation Price tailpiece. I also added a bone saddle that I had made. I scalloped the fingerboard extension later as the photos show it pre-scalloped. I believe I put the original tailpiece and bridge back on it when I passed it on.

[FLATROCK HILL]

So Jim,
Was yours an early (Japanese built) KM-1000? And do you know if it had been refinished or it left the Maruko shop that way.

Thanks,

Clark

[jim simpson]

Yes, it was an early Japanese built model. I have no reason to think that it was refinished. The back maple looks so striking viewed through the f-holes. I often wondered what it might have looked like with a regular non-painted finish. This could be the same mandolin.

[JLeather]

Jim, I do believe this is the same mandolin you used to own. You mentioned in an earlier PM to me that there were two small dings in the finish from the case latch. This mandolin has two small dings in the top, one above the bass side f-hole and one near the fretboard extension. Also, not sure if it is the same case it had when you owned it, but it's in an old Canadian-made tweed shaped case.

[jim simpson]

How cool to confirm that it is the same mandolin that I owned. The case must have been replaced at some point. I wonder how many hands it might have passed through. If mandolins could talk!

[tryingtopick]

Your Kentucky mandolin is a model KM-1000B. The factory offered a black finish option, but did not stamp the label with the B suffix. Also of interest, the KM-1004 models (short scale F-4 style) were affixed with the same KM-1000 label. I have been fortunate to acquire a number of the Maruko factory Japanese Kentucky instruments, and I enjoy playing them. I have never seen a black finished example. It looks nice! The original hardware was silver plated and engraved. Your KM-1000B has the Kentucky logo positioned in the low position. The later Japanese crafted instruments had the logo a bit higher on the headstock. The "high logo" instruments I have played have different tonal characteristics than the earlier ones. My KM-1000 #18438 has the high position logo. I believe your mandolin #19723 was made in the late 1980s. Stay tuned.... Sam

[mandobajo]

I would google more Kentucky serials this could be also middle 90s made in Korea

[jim simpson]

I would google more Kentucky serials this could be also middle 90s made in Korea

Not based on when I owned it.

[JLeather]

I would google more Kentucky serials this could be also middle 90s made in Korea

Dating a Kentucky by the s/n alone is like dating a 60's Gibson by the s/n alone They repeat, change format, and differ depending on the factory they came from. I'm pretty sure that when they moved the production to Korea (or possibly even a bit earlier than that) they changed the headstock inlay to read "The Kentucky" which is the best tell that it's a fairly early instrument.

[JLeather]

Your Kentucky mandolin is a model KM-1000B. The factory offered a black finish option, but did not stamp the label with the B suffix. Also of interest, the KM-1004 models (short scale F-4 style) were affixed with the same KM-1000 label. I have been fortunate to acquire a number of the Maruko factory Japanese Kentucky instruments, and I enjoy playing them. I have never seen a black finished example. It looks nice! The original hardware was silver plated and engraved. Your KM-1000B has the Kentucky logo positioned in the low position. The later Japanese crafted instruments had the logo a bit higher on the headstock. The "high logo" instruments I have played have different tonal characteristics than the earlier ones. My KM-1000 #18438 has the high position logo. I believe your mandolin #19723 was made in the late 1980s. Stay tuned.... Sam

Thanks for all the great info! Strange that it would have a different logo placement than your 18XXX KM-1000, when the s/n would indicate that it was a later build? Also, any idea when the KM-1000B changed from all black like mine to the more traditional black-top only? Or was that too different from one mandolin to the next?

[JLeather]

How about a side by side review of the K vs. the W. I'll bet they're different enough for you to want to keep them both.

Len, you're right that they're very different. The Kentucky still needs a lot of "catching up" playing, but it's a great instrument. The weber is definitely louder and cleaner sounding. The Kentucky has a much richer tone, a bit more mid-range at the cost of some treble. I'm always a sucker for an oddball mando, so the Kentucky will be staying and the Weber will be finding a new home. I'm sorry but I don't have the video equipment nor the skill for a decent side-by-side video.

[GTison]

I've got a catalog around here somewhere from the late '80s. I think it has the black model Km-1000B listed.

On Korean makes the Flower pot inlay is very different.

Personally I kinda think this is a late 1980s model Km-1000B. If it had the tuners and the case those would also be clues. From what Ive read here on the Cafe, ALL serial numbers on these " handmade" models are useless ( even if it seems like a year is indicated.) Seems like this one has more buffing or sanding on the edges in places. I may have to look closer at mine to see how it compares.

It is a good mandolin if you like it better than a Weber.

[MikeEdgerton]

I'm going to guess that the original tuners were worm over.

[GTison]

Mike I think you are correct after looking at old catalog pictures. I only have 3 catalogs. An '84, an '88 and a '95. The 84 and 88 catalogs don't list the 1000B, but the 95 does list it. So the manufacture date of this black one is likely somewhere in those years I'd guess. The tuner holes, the way the edges are buffed, the "Kentucky" inlay, the moon cut out, all these are clues to me.

Seems to me the japan workshop was shut down in the early 90s. Also, the exchange rate for the USA made these mandolins cost go up and the sales went down. Then they moved production to Korea. But the Korean ones were quite different. Most of this can be searched on the cafe. Desert Rose knew Sumi who remembered some of the details about the shop. His statements are authoritative. Mine, not so much.

[claudejones]

Wow, what a fascinating thread. I am now the new owner of this instrument, having purchased it from "JLeather" just yesterday. I have convinced myself that the 30 years of aging this instrument has had counts for something. Can't wait to see how it 'fills out' as I start playing it. It's been living in its case now for three years.

[Johnny60]

Congrats! The Kentucky Master Models are very nice instruments.