Results 1 to 14 of 14

Thread: Huzzah! New Mando Day! Kentucky KM-272 from The Mandolin Store!

  1. #1

    Default Huzzah! New Mando Day! Kentucky KM-272 from The Mandolin Store!

    Nothing like unboxing a new instrument...

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	20210619_121704.jpg 
Views:	91 
Size:	1.22 MB 
ID:	194797 Click image for larger version. 

Name:	20210619_122005.jpg 
Views:	104 
Size:	1.42 MB 
ID:	194798 Click image for larger version. 

Name:	20210619_131621.jpg 
Views:	114 
Size:	1.49 MB 
ID:	194799 Click image for larger version. 

Name:	20210619_122128.jpg 
Views:	113 
Size:	1.53 MB 
ID:	194800 Click image for larger version. 

Name:	20210619_122117.jpg 
Views:	137 
Size:	1.38 MB 
ID:	194801 Click image for larger version. 

Name:	20210619_125514.jpg 
Views:	137 
Size:	1.48 MB 
ID:	194802Click image for larger version. 

Name:	20210619_125753.jpg 
Views:	115 
Size:	1.63 MB 
ID:	194803 Click image for larger version. 

Name:	20210619_125531.jpg 
Views:	107 
Size:	1.36 MB 
ID:	194804 Click image for larger version. 

Name:	20210619_125548.jpg 
Views:	112 
Size:	1.57 MB 
ID:	194805 Click image for larger version. 

Name:	20210619_125654.jpg 
Views:	120 
Size:	1.06 MB 
ID:	194806 Click image for larger version. 

Name:	20210619_125704.jpg 
Views:	100 
Size:	1.69 MB 
ID:	194807 Click image for larger version. 

Name:	20210619_125611.jpg 
Views:	99 
Size:	1.06 MB 
ID:	194808

    Even though I tend to prefer F-style mandolins with f-holes, I was inspired to acquire one of these KM-272's after seeing a couple previous cafe posts about it. One was from mando_dan which you can read here. The other was from MikeZito which can be read here. Another good review was done by Jimmy Gaudreau which you can watch here.

    Every review I've seen of this mandolin says that it punches above its weight. And at $500 USD, it seemed like a nice low-risk purchase, so I grabbed one from The Mandolin Store.

    Right out of the box it plays great and feels great. In terms of sound, this mandolin is sweet and has notable sustain from the oval-hole design. It may not be ideal for bluegrass chopping, but it's really great for slower songs where you want each note to "breathe". I imagine that Celtic or classical players would like this mandolin. I agree with Jimmy Gaudreau that the sound has an interesting sort of "compression" to it. To my (admittedly novice) ear, it has nice depth and complexity to it.

    Thanks to mando_dan and MikeZito for putting this instrument on my radar, and thanks to The Mandolin Store for an easy transaction
    and a nice setup. This mandolin should serve me well for quite a while.

  2. The Following 10 Users Say Thank You to J.R. Jersey For This Useful Post:


  3. #2
    Resident Hack
    Join Date
    Jul 2020
    Location
    Chicago
    Posts
    295

    Default Re: Huzzah! New Mando Day! Kentucky KM-272 from The Mandolin Stor

    Beautiful lookin mando and ringing endorsement
    What I play
    2021 Skip Kelley Two-Point
    Eastwood 'Ricky'
    Morgan Monroe RT-1E
    Epiphone Genesis guitars
    Various Basses

  4. #3
    Fingers of Concrete ccravens's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    Crockett, TX
    Posts
    1,058

    Default Re: Huzzah! New Mando Day! Kentucky KM-272 from The Mandolin Stor

    Congrats!!
    Chris Cravens

    Girouard A5
    Montana Flatiron A-Jr.
    Passernig Mandola
    Leo Posch D-18

  5. #4
    Registered User Sue Rieter's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2020
    Location
    New Hampshire
    Posts
    1,985

    Default Re: Huzzah! New Mando Day! Kentucky KM-272 from The Mandolin Stor

    Sure looks like fun!

  6. #5
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Location
    Chicagoland north
    Posts
    277

    Default Re: Huzzah! New Mando Day! Kentucky KM-272 from The Mandolin Stor

    Nice photos, and a fine looking instrument! Thanks for sharing it with us. An oval hole will be a fine addition to the toolbox, and as you say, pretty reasonably priced for a well regarded instrument. We'll look forward to your followup report, and maybe some clips.

  7. #6
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Tangent OR
    Posts
    842

    Default Re: Huzzah! New Mando Day! Kentucky KM-272 from The Mandolin Stor

    Congrats - I had one in brown for a while that I bought used from a Cafe member. Played great, but wasn't the sound I was looking for, so I let it go. Enjoy!
    Follow the Flatt Stanley Incident on Facebook

    Listen to original tune "When You Fly" by my old band The Kindreds

  8. #7
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Dec 2020
    Location
    Lewiston NY
    Posts
    269

    Default Re: Huzzah! New Mando Day! Kentucky KM-272 from The Mandolin Stor

    Thanks for the pics, especially starting with the cardboard box. We've all experienced the anticipation of that moment it arrives and you say "Ok, here we go". Made me want get out my pocket knife and cut up some cardboard.
    Beautiful instrument. Certainly shows you researched your purchase and got great value in return.
    Ratliff R5 2007, Capek A5 2003, Washburn M5S-SB Jethro Burns 1982, Mid-Mo M-2, Epiphone MM 30 Bk mandolins, Harmony Batwing 1970's, George Bauer bowlback early 1900's Philadelphia.


    "Don't cloud the issue with facts!" Groucho Marx

  9. #8
    Dan Sampson mando_dan's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Beverly, MA
    Posts
    246

    Default Re: Huzzah! New Mando Day! Kentucky KM-272 from The Mandolin Stor

    How are you liking it?!
    1999 Buckeye #18 (Bucky)
    198x Flatiron pancake mandola (no name)
    2020 Kentucky 252 oval hole (Aurum)

  10. #9
    Registered User Frankdolin's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    near Boston, MA
    Posts
    859

    Default Re: Huzzah! New Mando Day! Kentucky KM-272 from The Mandolin Stor

    Sweet!

  11. #10

    Default Re: Huzzah! New Mando Day! Kentucky KM-272 from The Mandolin Stor

    Quote Originally Posted by mando_dan View Post
    How are you liking it?!
    It's tonal quality is nice, but now that the honeymoon period has ended I've noticed some issues with it.

    1) The tailpiece cover doesn't fit. It apparently wasn't shaped properly. It doesn't fall off, but it sits somewhat askew on the tailpiece. I could probably hammer it to fix this, but that's kind of annoying to see from a new instrument.

    2) The pickguard buzzed a lot, so I took it off.

    3) I think the action is a little too high. I think it could be lowered fairly significantly without incurring any buzzing.

    4) The tuning is noticeably off with fretted notes (probably somewhat related to the high action). For example, if I use a tuner to tune all my open notes perfectly to GDAE, then a fretted G note on the 5th fret of the D string will be noticeably out of tune with the open G, and so on for all the strings. I know that this is somewhat inevitable with mandolins, but I feel like it could be better.

    5) I get some thumb pain after playing this mandolin for a while, so I think the neck style doesn't quite agree with me.

    I don't have much experience with mandolins except my old Rogue, so this 272 has not cured my MAS. I want to get a 300 or 500 level Eastman next.

  12. #11
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Oct 2015
    Location
    Pacific NW, slightly outside BC
    Posts
    814

    Default Re: Huzzah! New Mando Day! Kentucky KM-272 from The Mandolin Stor

    Quote Originally Posted by J.R. Jersey View Post
    It's tonal quality is nice, but now that the honeymoon period has ended I've noticed some issues with it.

    ......

    5) I get some thumb pain after playing this mandolin for a while, so I think the neck style doesn't quite agree with me.
    Does the neck hav a pretty sharp V towards the nut? My 900 has that and it didnt' bother me until i read on the Cafe that it bothered somebody else...
    Kentucky km900
    Yamaha piano, clarinet, violin; generic cello;
    a pedal steel (highly recommended); banjo, dobro don't get played much cause i'm considerate ;}

    Shopping/monitoring prices: vibraphone/marimbas, rhodes, synths, Yamaha brass and double reeds

  13. #12

    Default Re: Huzzah! New Mando Day! Kentucky KM-272 from The Mandolin Stor

    Yes indeed it is a V-neck.

  14. #13

    Default Re: Huzzah! New Mando Day! Kentucky KM-272 from The Mandolin Stor

    In picture 5 the Kentucky logo appears to run off the headstock, very strange.

    Dave H
    Eastman 615 mandola
    2011 Weber Bitteroot A5
    2012 Weber Bitteroot F5
    Eastman MD 915V
    Gibson F9
    2016 Capek ' Bob ' standard scale tenor banjo
    Ibanez Artist 5 string
    2001 Paul Shippey oval hole

  15. #14
    Registered User Eric Platt's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    St. Paul, MN
    Posts
    2,044

    Default Re: Huzzah! New Mando Day! Kentucky KM-272 from The Mandolin Stor

    Quote Originally Posted by Dave Hanson View Post
    In picture 5 the Kentucky logo appears to run off the headstock, very strange.

    Dave H
    That's just dark shade at the top of the headstock. I looked at it on my computer and it appears fine.

    Those are nice little mandolins. Maybe yours needs a setup. The few I've heard in person have sounded good. I keep thinking about getting once just to have a modern oval hole.
    Brentrup Model 23, Boeh A5 #37, Gibson A Jr., Big Muddy M-11, Coombe Classical flattop, Strad-O-Lin
    https://www.facebook.com/LauluAika/
    https://www.lauluaika.com/
    https://www.facebook.com/Longtine-Am...14404553312723

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •