Loar 700 or Kentucky 855?

[LoneStarMandolin]

ready to buy that next mandolin. am a bluegrass player. have narrowed the choice down to a Loar 700 or a Kentucky 855. the problem is I cannot play a Loar here in Dallas. have played the Kentucky and liked it a lot. but have no way to get to a Loar. it's so hard to buy a mandolin on someone's recommendation but I'd at least like to get some feedback here. is there a clear winner in the race between a Loar 700 and a Kentucky 855?

[Folkmusician.com]

A new shipment of LM-700 mandolins just started shipping to dealers Thursday. This came right on the tail of the last shipment a couple of weeks back. These should begin to be easier to find.

[Clement Barrera-Ng]

I would really recommend waiting to get a LM700 if you can wait a bit. As Rob had said, new shipments are coming in and I think you will not be disappointed. Hopefully you'll either find a store locally that carries it (go to http://www.theloar.com/localstores.html to find one in TX), or get one from an online shop like Robert's and take advantage of the return policy in the off chance that you may not like it.

[tburcham]

The700's are great mandolins, but I've recently purchased a used Kentucky KM-1000 that is the equal of the Loar 700 I recently sold. I'm still in the evaluation phase and I'll be posting some photos and thoughts on the KM-1000 in the coming days...but I wouldn't rule that mandolin out of your choices...the one I have is an outstanding mandolin and has a richness to the tone that is so very.....Big G...ish, if you like that tone. The 1000 is very focused in the mid-range (like original Loar's were designed to be), so I think it is going to be great in a Jam setting...really seems to cut well. My initial comparison with the 700 would give the nod on the bass side to the 700....D-string to the 1000 by a "mile".

Tim

[LoneStarMandolin]

The700's are great mandolins, but I've recently purchased a used Kentucky KM-1000 that is the equal of the Loar 700 I recently sold. I'm still in the evaluation phase and I'll be posting some photos and thoughts on the KM-1000 in the coming days...but I wouldn't rule that mandolin out of your choices...the one I have is an outstanding mandolin and has a richness to the tone that is so very.....Big G...ish, if you like that tone. The 1000 is very focused in the mid-range (like original Loar's were designed to be), so I think it is going to be great in a Jam setting...really seems to cut well. My initial comparison with the 700 would give the nod on the bass side to the 700....D-string to the 1000 by a "mile".

Tim

that is interesting - but I don't think I can afford a 1000. so the comparison is to an 855 or 800. anybody played both of them?

[D C Blood]

I'd go with the Loar 700, based on the ones I've sampled at Big Joe's...