kentucky serial no.

[bluegrassman3.0]

Does anyone know the years corresponding to serial no. on Kentucky mandos?

[J Mangio]

I believe, from the left, the first two is the year, the third and fourth the month and the rest are the production.

[bluegrassman3.0]

I don't think that's the case, or with mine anyway. The first two digits are 22.

[FLATROCK HILL]

All that I know for sure about it is that there is nothing for sure about it.
The Japan-built Kentuckys from the late '70s and through the '80s were not numbered with much consistancy. Some show the system mentioned above (post #2), some have a completely different number system. According to the info I have, even the people who built the instruments cannot be sure of the build year/sequence of some of those models.

The more recent models from China seem to have more consistancy...first two numbers being the year.

[Willie Poole]

Since Ky. has mandolins made in two or more factories maybe they use different serial number sequences so they don`t end up with two with the same number....In one factory when they finsih a mandolin and want to give it a serial number they would he to check and see what number the other factory used last....That would be time consuming, one thing they could do is after they have finished one would be to send it to a central holding place and then have serial numbers assigned....

I have a KM-900 and I can`t make out the serial number on the label, I know it was new in 2010...

willie

[Desert Rose]

The Japanese Kentucky mandolins went thru a few different numbering systems, even within the same maker. The Maruko mandolins system changed about three times and the Kasuga made instruments were a totally different system that likely changd as well. Some can be determined by the style of the number some not
Scott

[Jim Nollman]

so can anyone tell me the precise year of my KM850: #13734?

All I know from the original owner, is it is mid-1980s, from Japan.

[J Mangio]

I believe, from the left, the first two is the year, the third and fourth the month and the rest are the production.

I was told this applies to late model Master models, how late i'm not sure.
My 2012 KM-1000 is 1210xxxx

[John Rosett]

I just bought a used KM-150s, and the serial number is 000782, hand written in ink. I know that they stopped using the "s" designation a few years ago. Any ideas on where this one was made?

[Jim Nollman]

I emailed Saga over the weekend, trying to extract any info they might have regarding my own KM-850. The company's first response was that serial numbers from instruments made in Japan expressed no clues whatsoever about the actual year it was made. Tom at Saga mentioned that he could give me some relevant info if I emailed him pics of my top plate, the peghead, and the paper inside the body. Here's his subsequent answer:

This Kentucky is definitely from that factory in Japan (Sumi was the inlay guy in that period), which shut down sometime in the late 1980s-the label inside confirms that. I can narrow this one down to 1983-1986 approximately, but there's no fool-proof way to know for sure. I've seen 4 digit SN's from the early '80s and 5 digits starting with 19XXX from the mid to late '80s, so this is the best estimate I can come up with. We have very few records from that period of production when the company was much smaller than it is today. For the last 15 years or so the serial numbers begin with the year of production, but before that it is hard to pinpoint the exact year of manufacture.

One thing jumps at me from this email. Respondents to past threads on the Cafe have been rather emphatic that the celebrated Sumi was a builder only of KM900s, 1000s, and 1500s, but NOT the KM850. So Tom's response may add some new heat to this ongoing debate. By the way, the inlay on my peghead is world class (a Fern), as is likewise, the sunburst, the woods, and the tone).

[Eric C.]

So...my KM950 with 1303007 would be the 7th ever made? I "think" the 950 was introduced this year?

[FLATROCK HILL]

One thing jumps at me from this email. Respondents to past threads on the Cafe have been rather emphatic that the celebrated Sumi was a builder only of KM900s, 1000s, and 1500s, but NOT the KM850. So Tom's response may add some new heat to this ongoing debate.

The response from SAGA is interesting. One would think that they would know their own history best. In this case however, I think that 'Desert Rose' who actually worked with the original team back in the '70s and '80s is the more reliable resource. He seems adamant that the 850 wasn't built in the same plant (Maruko plant with the so-called 'Sumi' team) as the 1000s and 1500s.
In any case Jim, I'm with you on the quality of the KM-850...beautiful woods, inlay etc. I love mine regardless of where they built it.

So...my KM950 with 1303007 would be the 7th ever made? I "think" the 950 was introduced this year?

Must be 'lucky number 7' Eric. I know first hand that it is a great mandolin!

[Jim Nollman]

Maybe Desert Rose can offer a response to Mike at Saga.

[Fiddleplay]

So I have a Kentucky KM-700S with a serial number of 311286729. I know it was made in China as the label says that. Its got a single piece back. Anyone have an idea how old it might be? It also has the word "used" stamped into the back of the headstock.

[MikeEdgerton]

... It also has the word "used" stamped into the back of the headstock.

Kentucky has a few accounts on eBay where they sell their seconds and returns. I believe your mandolin was one of those. You can contact Saga and and aske about the serial number. There is a contact form on their site:

www.sagamusic.com