Thoughts: Eastman MD 815 / Kentucky KM 1050 as next step

[SMWMS]

Good day all,
Long time reader, but first post here. I was just looking to tap some of the collective knowledge of the group. I have already scoured the forums around these two mandolins and would appreciate your thoughts.

A bit of background and context, I have been playing for about a year now and started with a Kentucky 250 to test the waters and make sure it was something that I wanted to keep going with. Needless to say the bug bit and I enjoy playing and practicing whenever I get a chance (I even take it to work and my office mate kindly puts up with me whenever I have some down time or need to take a mental break).

Anyhow, at this point I am ready to make a larger commitment and step into the next level and am looking at an Eastman 815 in classic or a Kentucky 1050. The Kentucky though is at the top of my budget. I would like to find something to carry me through the next few years, until I am ready (and able to save up) to move onwards.

While I wish I could have the chance to try both in person, unfortunately that is not doable as there are no options without dedicating a 2 day trip and buying both and returning one. is not in the cards.

I have been speaking with the folks at The Mandolin Shop and they have been very helpful, but I would love to hear what you all might have to say.

One thing I wonder about with them is the narrow nut/neck on the Eastman. I have mid to large/fat fingers, but they are also short. The nut on my current Mando is 1 1/8 (same as the KM 1050) but the Eastman 815 is 1 3/32. Just wondering if this difference is all that noticeable. The other factor would be eventual re-sale or trade. Both seem fairly comparable, but wondering if the Kentucky would hold enough value difference to justify the additional $400.

Anyhow, thank you all for the input, it is much appreciated.
-S

[SMWMS]

One other thing I forgot to mention in the post. I read someplace that the string spacing is wider on the Eastmans even though they use a 1 3/32 nut as compared to the Kentucky with a 1 1/8 nut. Just wondering if anyone has experience with this or if this is actually the case.
Thanks again all
-S

[Dan in NH]

I was firmly in the "Next mando must have a wide nut" camp until very recently. I played a used Tacoma flat top mandolin in a local store about a week ago (Strings & Things in Concord, NH, 90% sure it's still there). It seemed to me to have a wider nut, and after several minutes of playing I wasn't enamored with the spacing.

I had played an older Eastman 815/v in the same shop, which to my fingers seemed to have a more narrow nut than the Kentucky 250 I was playing at the time (and still occasionally play, it's my couch mandolin). I managed on that just fine. Broke my heart that I couldn't buy it.

IMO you'll be happy with either one.

[Dan in NH]

Also, while I am one of the forum's biggest Eastman boosters, and while an Eastman 815/v is still on my radar as a milestone birthday present to myself in a couple of years, if there's one thing that I DON'T LIKE about my current Eastman 514, it's the neck profile. The neck is deep, more of a V than a D or a C. My Kentucky's neck isn't AS deep, more of a D. But they're both deeper than I would prefer.

[SMWMS]

I was firmly in the "Next mando must have a wide nut" camp until very recently. I played a used Tacoma flat top mandolin in a local store about a week ago (Strings & Things in Concord, NH, 90% sure it's still there). It seemed to me to have a wider nut, and after several minutes of playing I wasn't enamored with the spacing.

I had played an older Eastman 815/v in the same shop, which to my fingers seemed to have a more narrow nut than the Kentucky 250 I was playing at the time (and still occasionally play, it's my couch mandolin). I managed on that just fine. Broke my heart that I couldn't buy it.

IMO you'll be happy with either one.

Thanks for your Thoughts Dan! Much appreciated

[keith.rogers]

I had a couple Eastmans (605 from 2010-ish, and more recently, a 2009 815v), so can't say if they have changed a lot as I have not played a new one, but the descriptions sound like what I found on the 815v that I had around up until not that long ago, i.e., they definitely are more of a V-shape. I now have a newer Kentucky and find its neck is more to my liking, but not having had it and the previous Eastman at the same time, I can't say anything about the width. I was "ok" with the Eastman until I got the Northfield, and then I found I really knew what I liked in a neck, and the Eastman was not it. I got the KM-950 (used) not so long ago because on paper it sounded like more of what I wanted, and it is definitely a bit more C/D-like and with larger frets than the Eastman, so I'm very happy with it.

As always, finding one used is your better financial option, if it's in good shape, of course. As I recently mentioned in a similar thread, near the [new] KM-1050 price point, there are used NF-F5S models, so I'd be looking at those if you can be patient. A used KM-1050 would probably be a nice mandolin if you find one, though!

[Charles E.]

I don't think you could go wrong with either mandolin. However if you didn't have to have the scroll there are A models available, used that be quite a bargain...

https://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/203147#203147

NFI

Slightly above the range of the Kentucky and you could get a Northfield model M.

[Charles E.]

A used Kentucky 1050 just hit the classifieds today...

https://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/204340#204340

Looks to be in great shape and comes with a toneguard.

NFI

[musicofanatic]

I will elaborate on the suggestion from Charles E. with my own mantra: if you have less than $5000 to spend, you stand a decent chance of getting TWICE the mandolin (in terms of sound, playability, quality of build, etc) by skipping the curlicue strap-holder deal-y and buying used. For the same price as the instruments you mention in your opening post, you can likely get a second hand mandolin built by one human, by hand, in this country.

[David Rambo]

I haven't played a 815v, but I have an 805D and a 814v, and I love both of them. My fingers are not long or slim, and the neck feels good to me. Double stops are no problem, either. I have no experience with any of the Kentucky's, so I can't compare them, but personally, I'd go with Eastman.

[SMWMS]

Thanks for the input Kieth, Charley, Musicfanatic and David! Your thoughts are all very much appreciated and give me a number of things to consider.
All the best and thanks again!
-S

[Charles E.]

Good luck with your search for the next mandolin, let us know how it turns out.

[Charles E.]

A used Kentucky 1050 just hit the classifieds today...

https://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/204340#204340

Looks to be in great shape and comes with a toneguard.

NFI

And its gone.

[CES]

Consider a Silverangel Econo…massive step up from my Kentucky 675-S, and suppressed MAS for about 1 years or so…

[SMWMS]

And its gone.

Yep, it is...

So when that one appeared, it kind of made my mind up for for me. Was in the price range I was looking for, looked to be in great condition and a nice used model was my preferred. So I had a good long talk with the folks at Elderly yesterday about it and pulled the trigger. As I won't be back home until early next week, they were good enough to hold off a bit on shipping it out so that I have time to give it a try within the return period. Looking forward to getting home and getting my hands on it. I'll let you all know how it comes out :-)

Thanks again for your thoughts all :-)

All the best
-S

[Dan in NH]

Nice. I consider the 1050 for a while.

Post pics when you get it!

[keith.rogers]

...
So when that one appeared, it kind of made my mind up for for me. Was in the price range I was looking for, looked to be in great condition and a nice used model was my preferred. So I had a good long talk with the folks at Elderly yesterday about it and pulled the trigger. As I won't be back home until early next week, they were good enough to hold off a bit on shipping it out so that I have time to give it a try within the return period. Looking forward to getting home and getting my hands on it. I'll let you all know how it comes out :-)
...

Be careful to go over it thoroughly and play the heck out of it (also carefully). If it's anything like the [used] 950 I got earlier this year, it should be a great mando for a long time. (I honestly haven't had the NF out of its case in a couple months! Feeling a little bad about that, but after my next travels, with a guitar, it'll get back in use.)

[SMWMS]

Nice. I consider the 1050 for a while.

Post pics when you get it!

Definitely will do Dan :-)

[SMWMS]

Be careful to go over it thoroughly and play the heck out of it (also carefully). If it's anything like the [used] 950 I got earlier this year, it should be a great mando for a long time. (I honestly haven't had the NF out of its case in a couple months! Feeling a little bad about that, but after my next travels, with a guitar, it'll get back in use.)

Most definitely will Keith. Given I won't be back home until next week I was glad the folks at Elderly were willing to work with me and delay sending it out so that I would have time to do just that. I'll be sure to let y'all know how I come out. Thanks again everyone.
-S

[EdHanrahan]

... current Mando is 1 1/8 (same as the KM 1050) but the Eastman 815 is 1 3/32. Just wondering if this difference is all that noticeable.

Not speaking to these exact instruments but...

DO note that flat-vs-radiused fretboard can make a difference in both feel and effect. A radius miniscually "lowers" the courses adjacent to the course being fretted, thus allowing more finger room. That makes it "effectively" wider than it measures while not feeling wider.

[Dan in NH]

AFAIK and FWIW both the 815 and the 1050 are radiused.

The only mandolin I can think of off the top of my head without a radiused fretboard is the Gibson F9. And the Acoustic Shoppe offers an an exclusive Gibson F9 with a radiused fretboard, wide nut, and jumbo frets.

Actually now that I think about it the Kentucky 1000 has a flat fretboard and “regular size” frets & nut.

[Mark Gunter]

These things are very personal preferences, I think. As Ed admits in his post, on a tiny mandolin fretboard the differences between radiuses vs. flat is minuscule. I’m in the camp that believes neck profile makes way more difference. Personally, I’m as comfortable with a flat board as I am a radiused one, but I find that certain necks work for me while others don’t. I know some folks tend to prefer a radiused board so YMMV. BTW I played guitar over 50 years before picking up a mandolin.

[SMWMS]

So I just thought I would post an update if anyone is interested. I spent some time with the used (2019) Kentucky 1050 from Elderly. It had great tone and volume and was a really nice instrument, but it just didn't "feel" right. as much as I wanted to bond with it, I couldn't, something int he feel was just off. Ultimately I ended up sending it back, but I am sure it will find a good home. If you see it up again for sale, I can certainly say it is a nice piece if it feels right for you. Next I order an Eastman 815 from TMS and Zach there was great to work with. I received it the other day and it playing it was night and day compared to the 1050 for me. It immediately just felt right. While it may not have the full tone and volume of the 1050 yet, it is already opening up and I am enjoying it and always look forward to picking it up and playing. The moral of the story is the old, try them if you can. I can certainly say that both Elderly and TMS are great to work with and, as someone who doesn't have a shop nearby to try them in, I can say that the process of trying them out and returning if needed is smooth. Find one you bond with and if not, don't feel that you are stuck. Thank you all for your input and thoughts!
-Scott

[Dan in NH]

Regular 815 or varnish finish?

[SMWMS]

Regular 815 or varnish finish?

Hello Dan,
I went with the regular 815. I know a number of folks like the varnish, but it just isn't my cup of tea.
All the best
-Scott