km-150 vs km-1000

[jfrebel]

Hi!

I have a kentucky km-150 right now. pretty good mandolin for the money. thinking of upgrading to the km-1000.


is there a noticeable improvement in volume and tone or is it just the aesthetics of an F shape and pretty looking that sets these mandolins apart?

I'm hoping for better volume and richness on the low end and more bell like and louder highs too.


bluegrass and fiddle tunes are my preference of music.


also are there other mandolins in this price range that I should consider?


thanks for any input!

John

[George R. Lane]

I haven't played either of these mandolins. That being said I cannot imagine the KM 1000 is miles above and entry level instrument. I am sure thee are 150's out there that sound great, but not at the level of the 1000. If it was me I would go for the KM 1000. I would also check the classifieds here on the Café for something in that price range. Just remember you get more bang for the buck with a high quality A model.

[f5joe]

I've owned/played both. The 150 is a very good introductory level mandolin. The 1000 is much better in construction, finish and most definitely better in tone and playability.

[jfrebel]

Thanks for the replies!

I just found out my local guitar center now carries a Washburn M118SW F mandolin.

the advantage here is I can actually go try it out. nobody I know around here has a kentucky, so I'd have to order one. I'm gonna compare the washburn to my km-150, but I'm no expert player.

anybody here know if the washburn in question is better than the km-150? even if its not quite a km-1000 it's also half the price. a new km-1000 is 1600 bucks. the washburn is like $900. if I can get a noticable jump and save some money that'd be good. because I'm not loaded. LOL

[almeriastrings]

anybody here know if the washburn in question is better than the km-150? even if its not quite a km-1000 it's also half the price. a new km-1000 is 1600 bucks. the washburn is like $900. if I can get a noticable jump and save some money that'd be good.

I would not recommend the Washburn mandolins, and certainly not at $900. You could get a Kentucky KM-900 for around that, and it would be no contest as which is the better instrument. Not even close. Never encountered a Washburn I would rate.. they were all pretty dire. They seem to concentrate on making them look OK, as opposed to sounding good.

If you want a 'natural step up' from the KM-150, try to find a KM-505. Those are really excellent.

[Ivan Kelsall]

From Almeria - "If you want a 'natural step up' from the KM-150, try to find a KM-505.". I totally agree. I've played one & it sounded as though it should have been at least twice the price !. I've not played a KM-900 but from what i've read on here,you might never need another mandolin if you buy one of those,
Ivan

[Darren Bailey]

I have a few Kentucky mandolins, including a 150. I also recently played a KM1000 for the first time at a recent festival. First off the KM150 is the mandolin I have lying around the house or at work, I don't store it in a case so it gets picked up more often than my other mandolins. I am never disappointed with it, but I am aware that my others are better. I have a 505 which is is so much easier to play. Not just because of set up, but the neck profile feels much more comfortable for me. My other Kentucky is an F model (630) I suppose because I always wanted an F model! It has a better chop than the other two to my ears and for my taste better looks too (though the 505 is a beautiful instrument imo).
I got to play a KM1000 for a fw minutes in September. It was out in a field so the "acoustics" were againsts it. Even under these conditions I could hear the difference to anything I own. It barked deeper and louder than my Kentuckies despite a low action and there was a tone to individual notes that was clearly an improvement. The fit and finish was perfect and I would gladly have traded my three plus lots of money for this instrument (which is probably what I'll end up doing).
So my conclusion is that you can make real improvements by moving to a better Kentucky, and if you keep moving up the line to the 1000 you'll be happy. The usual caviat must be added that individual instruments can vary dramatically and my experience is based on the particular mandolins not every one in the line. By the way, I bought all of my Kentucky mandolins over the internet, two here from the Cafe and one from Ebay. No worries in any of these experiences (although I did buy a 4th Knetucky 630 from Ebay which arrived with a broken neck but gort a full refund).
I hve only tried one Washburn, a lower end model without a set up in a shop: it was awful. I have a video I made a while back comparing my Kentuckies which I shall add below as it may help. All the best.

[Johnny60]

My first mandolin was a KM 162 (not a 150, but very close in terms of spec). I still get to play it regularly, as I sold it to a relative. Nice mando. We also now have a KM1000 in the house And it's a very significant step up.

The 162 is a nice Mando with a nice sound. The 1000 has a better fit and finish, and the sound is gorgeous. It's got a much "deeper" and "woodier" voice than the 162. Played gently, it has beautiful ringing tones. Played hard it just rocks. I also played a km900 last year for around half an hour, and it sounded very similar to the 1000

Hope this helps,

John

[Steve Ostrander]

I've owned km505, km855 and km900. The km900 was the best volume and tone of the three, but they were all good.

[J Mangio]

Check out the 2014 KM-1000 in the classifieds for $975 (NFI),
I pick a '12 1000 I bought used from the classifieds in 2013
and it sidelines my F 9 on occasion.
For the price there selling for, there a bargain for a pro level instrument.

[George R. Lane]

This one I think is a great buy.

http://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/91120#91120

[Northwest Steve]

I was lucky enough to get a used Kentucky 1050 from another Café member. It was upgraded to a Cumberland bridge before I received it, so can not say how that effects the sound? It sounds great, very balanced, even, good chop and loud. If you push it just keeps getting louder with a more cutting sound, but has a sweetness when you play it lightly. I am a fairly new player so not a lot of experience with playing different mandolins. But my current teacher is a great player and has some fantastic instruments, including 1920's Gibson's. He has remarked several times on the sound of my mandolin and the complement was unsolicited. Last fall I bought a 150 for a beater. It does amaze me how good a value those are, hard to imagine there is a better value in mandolin. But it does not compare in sound, fit or finish to my 1050. The only thing is since the price has gone up on these for new ones you are approaching the price you can buy a nice used made in the US(new in some cases Morris, June, come to mind) A models and I have seen a few nice F5 models (Summit, Ratliff, Northfield) close in price.

You might post where you are from, you never know there might be someone local who has one that could play.
Good Luck in the search.

[jfrebel]

thanks for the info!

I think a km-1000 is in my future. I'm leary of buying from online strangers. I could get a great deal or I could run into a scammer and get ripped off. not worth it.

I can order one from the mandolin store or folkmusican.com or guitar center or some such and its a safer bet.

now I may opt for the cheaper km 900 if it sounds the same.

whats the pros and cons of the 950 vsw 900 or 1000 vs 1050?


right now based on the input I'm seeing here, I'm leaning for the km-1000

[almeriastrings]

http://www.sagamusic.com/products/pr...x?item=KM-1050

Key differences in the '050' models are a wider board, 'scooped' Florida, compound radius, and wider/taller frets than the 'thinner' frets on the regular series. Many people prefer these options, though it is entirely down to personal choice. Both are good - just depends what you (and your fingers) get on with best. Sound-wise they are identical. The impact is on 'feel' and playability.

[jfrebel]

from what I understand the 1000 model is "traditional" and the 1050" model isn't.

now that could mean that the 1050 is really better at playability for any genre or subset genre, but some people are conservative and want it played exactly like the old timers did. in which case I'd like the newer version if it's easier to play.


on the other hand it could be that the 1050 is is only easier to play modern tunes and isn't suited for traditional music. in which case I'd like the traditional model.


I don't think I can get my hands on both to try so i'll have to just go off what I see here. I know my km-150 has a flat fingerboard. if nothing else the km-1000 wouldn't be harder to play. but a 1050 could be easier. or I could find its easiest to play fancy newgrass and harder to play traditional bluegrass.


kind of like how a flattened fiddle bridge makes it easier for drones and triple stops but harder to play individual notes like a classical violinist.

so with all that in mind what can you tell me?

[almeriastrings]

It really has absolutely nothing at all do do with what kinds of music you can play on them. Neither kind is "better" or "worse" for any kind of music. It is totally, 100%, down to personal preference and to what feels most comfortable under your fingers. The only way to know that is to try a few (good) mandolins and to personally compare various necks, fingerboards, etc.

[Emmett Marshall]

Definitely one of the best "comparison" videos I've seen/heard Darren, and good recording. I think your KM-630 stands out when compared to the others. I owned a 675 and a 1500. They both sounded great. I really miss that 1500, but it's in great hands. The 900 and 1000 seem to be very popular amongst the gigging musicians. I also know that the old 675 would more than hold it's own in any live performance.

[Northwest Steve]

The main differences between the 900/1000 and 950/1050 -
- slightly wider neck (I think earlier 1000"s had a 1 1/6" neck and now is a little wider?)
- radius vs flat fingerboard
- scooped Florida on the fingerboard
http://www.sagamusic.com/products/pr...rand=mandolins

There are no differenced that should effect sound, it should only be the difference between individual instruments. In the last year I have only seen 3 used 1050's for sale and I own one of them. There was nice looking used 1500 in the classifieds for a fair price.

I have bought two used instruments off the café and sold one, all went smoothly. You could get a bad one but I think dealing with the café members is much safer/better than with ebay or craigslist.

[jfrebel]

I'm at work right now so don't have time to read replies till I get home tonight but wanted to add a quick question. A store nearby has a loar lm700. How does this compare with the KM900-1000?

[almeriastrings]

A store nearby has a loar lm700. How does this compare with the KM900-1000?

Having played quite a few of both, I'd go with the Kentucky KM900 or KM1000 any day.

[jfrebel]

ok. so based on what I've read above, anything past the km900 and I can't go wrong and kentucky seems to be winning out against potential competitors. like the loar. and washburn.


okay so it's settled. I'm going kentucky!

now then I'm still not quite clear on the pros and cons of the 1000 vs 1050. I see that they sound the same and only how easy they are to play differs.

I don't have an option to try them both out. is the 1050 generally supposed to be easier to play? why did they design it differently and who did they have in mind when they did. it sounds like from what I'm reading here in this thread and elsewhere online that the 1000 is based on the traditional mandolin and the 1050 is supposed to be a new and improved version taking the best of the old with newer easier playability? is that right or wrong? take the bigger frets. does that make pressing down strings easier? does the rounded fingerboard make chording harder, or droning? etc.

[Caleb]

Over the years I've played several of the higher-end Kentucky mandolins in shops (KM900, KM1000 et al). These are seriously good instruments, and not "for the money" (a phrase that never makes much sense to me). Anything from their higher-end lineup could easily become a lifelong keeper for anyone.

[Eric F.]

it sounds like from what I'm reading here in this thread and elsewhere online that the 1000 is based on the traditional mandolin and the 1050 is supposed to be a new and improved version taking the best of the old with newer easier playability? is that right or wrong? take the bigger frets. does that make pressing down strings easier? does the rounded fingerboard make chording harder, or droning? etc.

It's neither right nor wrong. To some, a flat board, narrow nut and thin frets are comfortable. To others, a radiused board, wide nut and fat frets help. And some don't care much one way or the other. It's all personal preference.

[Emmett Marshall]

I see that they sound the same and only how easy they are to play differs.

For me, the verdict is still out on how easy they are to play. I really do think this comes down to the personal preference category. I own a Gibson with a flat board and narrow frets, and a Silverangel with a radius board and .80 frets. To be honest, neither is easier to play than the other for me. For the life of me, I can't discern that I have a "preference" for either. I can switch back and forth and I don't notice any dramatic difference in "playability" at all.

[Flame Maple]

I bought my Kentucky KM1000 B Master series after reading the comments from those cafe members who own or are familiar with these Mandolins.My first Mandolin was the Eastman MD 315 ,I never touched a Mandolin before it arrived in mid July 2015 and it sounded very good to me .When the Kentucky arrived about a week ago it is a very different sound.More low end ,more mellow and a better top end sound ,if thats the correct terminology.The Action on the Eastman is lower than the Kentucky because the dealer where I bought it set it up ,not by much but noticeable when picking a note on the 14th fret. I am still a novice. I am still learning the basics but the Kentucky is by far the best sounding of the 2 but not any easier to play,maybe he KM still needs a bit more of a set up.