# General Mandolin Topics > Looking for Information About Mandolins >  A Kentucky KM900 Review

## Don Grieser

I spotted a used KM900 at the Mandolin Store last week and thought I'd give it a try. I'm very pleased with this mandolin, and like others have mentioned, it plays and sounds as good as mandolins that cost a lot more.

Woods/Hardware: The top has some very nice cross-grain silking in it. The sides and back have very nicely flamed maple. The neck is plain maple. The tuners are nice (look like the ones that come on the Ellis A5) and the tailpiece seems sturdy for that 2 piece type. It's not thin metal that bends easily. They are using quality woods and hardware on this mandolin.

Fit/Finish: The finish is thin--you can see the grain lines in the top in the finish. The workmanship overall is very good to excellent. All the ff holes are clean and finished up nicely, and the binding isn't perfect, but it’s fit much better than a more expensive import A5 I returned to Elderly. This KM900 is side bound on the top, back, neck and top of the headstock. The mandolin looks great, and I'm glad they're making a mandolin in the style of the Lloyd Loar A5.

Playability/Tone: I'm used to a radiused fretboard and bigger frets, but I find this flat board and small frets very easy to get around on. The neck has a V to it, but not real deep and the shoulders on the neck aren't chunky. It's very comfortable. I'm not used to the long extension and will probably do something about it eventually. It's definitely sweeter up on the extension. The tone is quite good, and I have no doubt this thing will cut in a band setting. It is a little tight but it's very good for one week old, and I feel like it will develop quite well, maybe even become a monster.

Brian at the Mandolin Store was great to work with and the setup on the mandolin is excellent. They shipped from AZ on last Wednesday and I had it in NM on last Thursday. Amazing.

I’ll try to post a video and some photos.

I think the KM900 has a great mando/buck ratio and a good deal in an A5.

----------


## Ed Goist

Thanks for the excellent review Don.
Congrats! Looks and sounds like a good one! 
Oh, and very sweet tone, and some fine playing on the video!

----------


## Don Grieser

Thanks, Ed. Here's a couple photos. It's not so yellow in person, a very nice Cremona type finish. 

The video was shot with a Kodak Zi8, and there was no other processing of the audio--just what was recorded by the camera.

----------


## Earl Gamage

It already sounds good.  Maybe a tad tight.  It would be cool to post again playing the same piece after a year or so breaking it in.

Nice mandolin.

----------


## f5loar

In fact if I didn't already know that was you playing that song on that mandolin I would swear it was me playing that song on my KM900.  You described my 900 in every way you could from fit to finish to the sound.  These are not your beginner model As.  Far from it, they are pro mandolins for great pickers.

----------


## Fretbear

Smooth, nice picking; it already sounds great new so it can only get better with time.

----------


## Ivan Kelsall

Several months ago,i played one of the KM-900's 'little sisters',a KM-505 & it too sounded very good indeed & played very well 'right out of the box' (off the wall). I haven't seen too many Kentuckys,but they still seem to be holding up quality wise with the best of the Pac-rim made instruments judging by what folk are saying on here,
                                                                                              Ivan

----------


## Darren Bailey

Sounds great. I agre with Ivan - as someone who recently acquired a 505 I can confirm their quality.

----------


## almeriastrings

Nice Dusty Miller... brings out the nice, dry woody tone there. They definitely do loosen up a lot the more you play them. I would say that they are more than holding up with other imports from that part of the world. They are up there at the top of the heap. Really fine mandolins by any standard.

----------


## Mandobar

Totally different animal than the KM505.  It's got that warmth that you get from higher priced instruments.  It was a real boon to get these over Xmas for nearly the price of a 505.  Waiting for the warmer weather here so I can sit and pick outside with it.

----------


## Cackmandu

Don, Really sweet look and sound! I'm a newbie and don't have any mando players around to talk with and was just wondering how long have you been playing and what type of practice does it take to get to your level? Thanks

----------


## Don Grieser

f5loar, if I could only pick like you and Evan...and thanks to all for the kind comments. I played with a couple guitar players today, and the KM900 kept up easily. You can really dig in too and it doesn't break up. It will put out some sound.

Cackmandu, I'll send you a PM.

----------


## Teletodd

My km900 has a flamed neck and 3d flame on the back. It sounds like a grand Piano. Absolutely awesome.

----------


## houseworker

Just another very satisfied Kentucky owner wanting to say "great picking".

----------


## f5loar

You used the term " dig in and it doesn't break up" which is usually heard from banjo pickers talking about going down the neck.  Many banjos and mandolins too seem to loose it as you go down the neck.  It's important to play the B, E, F and C keys that your mandolin keeps on cutting it down the neck not breaking up on you.  That's what I hear in these 900's.  It cuts all the way down and doesn't break up on you.  Many of these imports just fall apart once you go past the 6th fret.

----------


## evanreilly

Awww, Don....
You pick just like me and F5Loar, cuz we both have KM900s also.
I bought a used one the end of last year and am very impressed with it.  
As a matter of fact, I suspect that after F5Loar played mine, he jumped on one of the bargain ones on Amazon(?).

----------


## Clement Barrera-Ng

My experience with KM900 mirrors all those who've posted about their experiences, and I've been meaning to post some pictures of my own KM900.  This is the second one I have, and is an earlier model from 2010, and has the lighter burst finish that I recalled seeing when the model was first introduced, before Kentucky went to the darker stain that you see today. It also has binding on both the top and back as well as the side, while the later models have side binding only.  Other than these cosmetic differences, both models I've owned have similar neck profile, playability as well as volume and tone, and I would have been happy with either one.  The mandolin got a CA bridge upgrade and some 'florida scooping' over the holiday from Robert at folkmusician.com (who's great to work with BTW), and while there wasn't a huge improvement in tone, the new bridge definitely corrected some leaning and sagging issues that the original bridge was developing. All in all I'm very happy with the mandolin, and to hear that other people such as f5loar received theirs in a paper box and was able to simply put on the bridge, tune it up and start playing it with little or no difficulty, I wonder why anyone would bother with some of the other brands that require so much tweaking post-purchase to get it playing properly. But I digress  :Smile:

----------


## Teletodd

Does the serial number indicate what year they were made? Do the tops look any different. I started another thread about the spec change frm red spruce toP to select spruce top. Looks like the earlier ones are nicer

----------


## houseworker

> Does the serial number indicate what year they were made? Do the tops look any different. I started another thread about the spec change from red spruce to to select spruce top. Looks like the earlier ones are nicer


First two digits of the serial number are the year of manufacture for the Chinese instruments.  There's no visible difference in the wood used for the top that's manifested itself since the broadening of the spec to 'select' this far.

Yes, those earlier Master Models look fantastic.

----------


## Bernie Daniel

I was in the local Guitar Center yesterday and played a range of 4 Kentucky mandolins from a KM150S  up to a KM805 (no KM900 or KM1000 in the place) --all were excellent.  The KM805 was about $700 or so and it was just amazing!  That  quality at that price is outstanding.  I feel the Kentucky mandolins shine best on the treble end -- I do not think they have the woody bassy Gibson bark --  but be that as it may they are certainly bargains!  The build quality was very nice too.

----------


## Clement Barrera-Ng

> Does the serial number indicate what year they were made? Do the tops look any different. I started another thread about the spec change frm red spruce toP to select spruce top. Looks like the earlier ones are nicer


I do remember the thread about the top. The first 2 digits of the serial number for my KM900 is 10, so I believe that's 2010.  As for the top, I actually got to see my first one again tonight along side my current one, and they look very similar.  Both have very tight grain across the top, though it's beyond my ability to tell whether it's sitka, red, or some other type of spruce.

I'm getting a finger rest installed on the KM900 this week.  While I seem to remember pictures of the original A5 Loar doesn't usually feature one, I always wanted one on an A5.  After seeing the owner of my first KM900 putting one on his and how it really complements the whole mandolin, I decided to spring for one as well.  I"ll see about getting a pic posted here when it's done.

----------


## Teletodd

How do these compare with the Eastman 804 f hole?

----------


## evanreilly

Actually, the original A-5 Loar mandolin (#74003)  did have a pickguard.
I am considering one for mine as well; post info as to where you find the best one.I am thinking Cumberland.

----------


## Clement Barrera-Ng

> [SIZE=2]Actually, the original A-5 Loar mandolin (#74003)  did have a pickguard.
> I am considering one for mine as well; post info as to where you find the best one.I am thinking Cumberland.


Evan - Thanks for posting the picture of the original A5 Loar with the pickguard; I vaguely remember seeing that in the Archive. 

Also, my friend and I are both using the small, Ebony A style pickguard from Stewmac, which happens to be on sale right now: 
http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Hardware...ickguards.html

They also have a large ebony A style pickguard (also on sale) which would match the one in the picture you posted.

----------


## Clement Barrera-Ng

> How do these compare with the Eastman 804 f hole?


I have never played an Eastman 805 (I believe 804 would be oval hole), so I can't give any feedback on that. I have played a couple of 315, 515, 505, and I believe a 605 (two point), and I much, much prefer the Kentucky to all of them.  To my ear, there's more depth and woodiness to the tone that the Eastman. YMMV.

----------


## Don Grieser

barrangatan, are you going to use the clamp with the abbreviated ebony guard? or just the pins? I have one on another mandolin but it used screws, not pins.

----------


## Clement Barrera-Ng

> barrangatan, are you going to use the clamp with the abbreviated ebony guard? or just the pins? I have one on another mandolin but it used screws, not pins.


Don - no clamps, just the pins. The Stewmac small ebony A pickguard uses 2 pins, and it has a pretty thick reinforcement strip on the side of the pickguard adjacent to the mandolin fingerboard to keep it stable without the need for a clamp.

----------


## Don Grieser

Thanks for the info. I may have to get one for mine.

----------


## J Mangio

I' m not able to put my hands on one of these fine sounding mandolins.
Can one of you fine folks give a profile of the neck, and the width of the nut?
I play a Gibson F-9 that has a slim v shape to it, and hope to get another mando
with a similar profile.

----------


## Clement Barrera-Ng

> Can one of you fine folks give a profile of the neck, and the width of the nut?


The nut width on mine is 1 1/16". I've never played a Gibson F9 before so I can't comment on the neck profile between the two.  The KM900 has a fairly pronounced V to the neck shape that, to me, feels great.  I've taken some quick measurement of the depth of the neck at a couple of points along the fretboard that may be of use to you as a point of reference: 

- Depth of the neck measured at the nut: 0.975"
- Depth of the neck measured at the 5th fret: 0.991" 

Both measurements were done with strings on the mandolin.

----------


## Hillsdale Leroy

Thanks for the great review.  I can't say enough good things about the service from the crew at the Mandolin Store.  Enjoy your Kentucky.

----------


## f5loar

My 900 has a sleak lightning fast slick thin neck.  It allows my left hand to pop off notes like a machine gun.

----------


## J Mangio

Thanks for reaching out guys..with that nut width and thin neck profile, I'm sold!
Back in '02 I owned a KM-675; it had a chunky neck that I didn't like, sold it off and 
bought the F-9.

----------


## f5loar

I see one popped up on the cafe today from a dealer in TX today for $900 including case.  Good price for a 900!  Looks like an earlier model with the lighter tobbaco cremona sunburst.

----------


## Clement Barrera-Ng

Saw that too f5loar, and definitely seems like a good deal.  However, anyone buying this hoping for an earlier one should contact the dealer to find out first.  I know that they use stock photos on their site and may not be most up to date.  In any case - seems like a good buy no matter what, and it's from a reputable dealer to boot.

----------


## Steve Ostrander

I have previously owned a km505, km855 and a km900 (all from TMS) since 2008. The km900 is the the best of the bunch. Every time I take it out and play it, I marvel at how good it sounds for the price. I have never ABd it with a km1000 but I bet it hang with it.

----------


## f5loar

That's the way mine is.  I let it sit a few days and then pick it up and WOW!  I'm thinking it gets better just sitting in the case unplayed if that's possible.

----------


## mandotrout777

You guys are killing me. I had a KM1000 that was absolutely great, but it developed an "issue" and I sent it back to Saga. They tried to repair it and weren't satisfied with the repair, so they sent me a new one. This one is good but not as good as the first one. You have me wondering if these KM-900s aren't a little more consistent and maybe I should just snag one and then decide which one to keep.

----------


## Mark Seale

> Saw that too f5loar, and definitely seems like a good deal.  However, anyone buying this hoping for an earlier one should contact the dealer to find out first.  I know that they use stock photos on their site and may not be most up to date.  In any case - seems like a good buy no matter what, and it's from a reputable dealer to boot.


I played BOTH KM-900's at Fiddler's Green yesterday.  This light tobacco one is the better of the two and has a spectacular piece of maple on the back.  It's a very good instrument.  The other one is no slouch, I just happened to like the one pictured better.

----------


## Teletodd

Sober why Saga changed the finish from Cremona (light tobacco burst ) to whatever it's called now? I think the Cremona may be the more historically correct color, I could be wrong.

----------


## Clement Barrera-Ng

> Sober why Saga changed the finish from Cremona (light tobacco burst ) to whatever it's called now? I think the Cremona may be the more historically correct color, I could be wrong.


I happen to like the lighter finish better (hence that's the one I kept out of the two I had), but the darker finish may actually be more historically accurate than the lighter one. See this picture.

----------


## Teletodd

Thanks. Great picture. There's an entire thread here about the history of that mandolin with photos.

----------


## Teletodd

I found several threads here about the iconic Griffith A5 signEd by Lloyd Loar. One in particular discussed that the front was more red, and the back more yellow. Curiously the Cremona km900 looks moe yellow, and the newer darker burst km900 seem to have more red. I like them both.  As an aside, I only learned of the Griffith Loar from researching the km900. How fortuitous.

----------


## Clement Barrera-Ng

Finally got the finger-rest installed.  I'm really liking how much it seems to add to the overall look of the instrument:

----------


## Ed Goist

Wow - That is a beautiful instrument!
Congratulations.

----------


## Clement Barrera-Ng

By now I'm sure many of you had seen the KM900 that came up in the classifieds today.  I just want to post some pictures here for posterity, as I think it's one of the best example of the workmanship that goes into this model:

----------

Glassweb

----------


## Willie Poole

Those pix look just like mine...

   I do have one question for anyone that might have seen or played the original A-5 Loar....

   Where the neck joins the body on the KM-900 there is small block of wood under the neck that touches the top of the mandolin, does the A-5 Loar have that block also?  I always figured it would be a floating fingerboard without touching the top....

   Thanks for any info.....Willie

----------


## Killian King

I bought Don's KM900 which was the original subject of this thread. I could not be happier with it.

Thanks again Don!

----------


## Irénée

Hello !
Do you know what is the difference  :Confused:  between Kentucky KM900 https://themandolinstore.com/product...mandolin-case/,
and KM906 https://themandolinstore.com/product...mandolin-case/ 
Thank you by advance,

----------


## gtani7

> Hello !
> Do you know what is the difference  between Kentucky KM900 https://themandolinstore.com/product...mandolin-case/,
> and KM906 https://themandolinstore.com/product...mandolin-case/ 
> Thank you by advance,


I think user Robert F of the Folk Muisician store has given some details about the new workshop that's producing these, you can dig through his posts.  The model numbers differentiate instruments with the same wood/construction by color/finish. The only overt difference between 900 and 906 is wider nut (I've only seen one 900 in my whole life and a handful of other Kentucky Master models so I'm certainly not an authority.

----------


## Phil Goodson

> ... The only overt difference between 900 and 906 is wider nut ....


The links above show BOTH models as having a 1 1/8 in. nut.  :Confused: 

906 looks like it has a scooped Florida.

----------


## Br1ck

Have the new revamped Kentuckys hit the stores yet? When I was last in Gryphon, there was narry a Kentucky in the store. That was right before Christmas, so maybe they were all sold. If I were a retailer, I'd perhaps want to wait for the new revamped mandolins.

----------

