Happy 70th birthday today to Mike Kemnitzer of Nugget Mandolins

Sending 70th birthday greetings out to Mike Kemnitzer of Nugget Mandolins today. I'd already owned my first Nugget for two years when the Mandolin Cafe was launched in November of 1995. My first was #159, now owned by a musician in Boston and since 2001 its been #233, ordered by my wife for me the day after we were married. The mandolin, like her, both keepers.

Thanks for making the mandolin that makes me happy every time I pick it up to this day, Mike. Playing it plenty this afternoon. And have a great birthday!

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Every great instrument leaves an indelible impression, but that is dedication!

Proud owner of #70. Happy Birthday, Mike. Sorry, no tat.

Happy Birthday Mr. K..... Your instruments are lovely. Build on! R/

Only four years and a day youger than you know who; and we all know who builds better mandolins!

Happy birthday Mike from just up the road in Boyne City. So glad I finally got to meet you and play one of your legendary mandolins at the Great Lakes Music Camp. I was truly smitten. May you have many more trips around the sun.

Happy Birthday to you Mr. Kemnitzer. This 1978 A model (not numbered) was purchased from you by a dear friend of mine When you lived in Nederland, CO. I bought it from my friend in 1981 and it has been my reliable companion ever since. Many thanks for building my Nugget with such skill and dedication and may you continue to enjoy many more birthdays.

Happy Birthday, Nugget. Love #162; MAS killer!

Greetings from Tucson! Happy day, Mike. Still diggin' #267 from 2008. Mine is a little roughed up for no older than it is, but I let everyone play it that wants to. I love to watch their faces light up when they do. My favorite comments are "This thing plays like butter" or "This thing plays itself", which is very interesting. Happy day, man.

Happy Bday Mike! :mandosmiley:
The Nugget sound has been in so much music that has influenced me over the years, thank you! :cool:

Happy birthday Mike! I thank my lucky stars #116 (a MAS killer) came my way a few years back, which I acquired from fellow mandolin enthusiast and gentleman Bob Blanchard (RIP).

Happy 70th from #43, also a Nederland babe, who has matured into a MAS killer, too. She now resides in Denver close to where she came from.

Happy Birthday Mike! Thanks for building such wonderful mandolins. Not even close to being in the same league but my current mandolin, one of my builds, is a black topped A model inspired by Tim O'Brien's Nugget. Thanks for being the inspiration.

Happy Birthday,Nugget! I'll hit the big seven-oh in two weeks! God willing.

Wish I coulda kept Nugget #223. Such is life. Glad I had it for a while anyway. Such a great instrument.

Was able, years ago, to get Will Kimble to build me a blacktop A5-style mando(#12) with haircut headstock as a tip o' the hat to Tim O's Nugget. Will didn't want to completely copy so he put the "part" in the haircut on the opposite side(and an Art-Deco/Gibsonish inlay). It was his first blacktop mandolin. Come to think of it I cannot recall seeing another black Kimble.

Thank you Scott and to everybody for the kind words. Thanks also to those who contacted me personally. Your thoughts and wishes made turning 70 a happy milestone. Best, Mike