KM1000 Spec Question -- side width?

[bjewell]

Years ago, I had a Kentucky KM1000. The body was narrower than most mandolins. SAGA said that they copied the owner's Loar F5 which had its Virzi removed and in the process the instrument had been cut open and re-glued leaving the sides a bit narrower.

I don't know if this is true or not but I do know the mandolin was not as deep as a Gibson. Now I have a 2012 KM1000 (varnish) and wonder if it is the same as the previous one. I have no mandolins to compare it to. Does anyone know? Big thanks as always.

[BrianWilliam]

The depth of the Kentucky Master models varied but the ones I owned all needed the shorter barrels for my arm rests from hill country string works.

I miss my 2012 km1000

[lenf12]

Now I have a 2012 KM1000 (varnish) and wonder if it is the same as the previous one. I have no mandolins to compare it to. Does anyone know? Big thanks as always.

What is the width (probably mean depth) of the body on your current KM1000? Maybe somebody with a Loar Gibson will chime in.

Len B.
Clearwater, FL

[vanguard]

I had one from 2008 that had the narrower sides. Killer sounding bluegrass mando!

[Johnny60]

Just measured my wife’s KM1000, which is a 2012 model. The side walls on hers are exactly 4cm (just over 1.5 inches) deep.

[bjewell]

Thanks Len. Yeah, depth is the proper word. I like the mandolin, can't play it for beans. I'm a guitar player and the mandolin kicks my dyslexia into overdrive.

[illinoisfiddler]

Yep, I've got a 2003 and it is a great sounding bluegrass instrument for sure, especially for the money.

I had one from 2008 that had the narrower sides. Killer sounding bluegrass mando!

[CES]

Thanks Len. Yeah, depth is the proper word. I like the mandolin, can't play it for beans. I'm a guitar player and the mandolin kicks my dyslexia into overdrive.

Everyone’s brain works differently, so take this FWIW, but it really helped me to forget the “upside down guitar” thing and just approach the mandolin like a completely new instrument. Your flat picking and strumming skills will translate well, and you’ll eventually get to the point where you think “fluent mandolin,” but it does take some time, at least for those of us who aren’t Chris Thile, lol. I remember my French teacher telling us that we’d one day reach a point where, when speaking French, we’d find ourselves thinking in French rather than thinking up an English response and then translating it. An “ah ha” moment, for sure. It will come on mandolin as well!!

Sorry, nothing to contribute about the KM 1000’s comparative widths.