Kentucky km900 top

[Teletodd]

Is it red spruce ? I've seen ads that say select spruce and others that say red spruce. I think the km1000 is red spruce.

[Bill Snyder]

H E R E is Saga's (Kentucky's parent company) page on that mandolin. It says select spruce.
I suppose "select" spruce could be anything. Sounds like marketing speak to me to suggest to the buyer that the spruce in this instrument has been specifically chosen for these instruments.

[Ben Milne]

Recent threads discussed the fact that at certain points, specs/descriptions are altered, and resellers don't nessescarily update their descriptions on websites etc.
The answer to your question may depend on manufacture date etc.

[almeriastrings]

Previous thread:

http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...M-900-top-wood

Original product announcement:

http://bluegrasstoday.com/10106/kent...-900-mandolin/

"select" is just a word tonewood suppliers and instrument manufacturers throw in for extra impact. It has no meaning at all. If you think about it, every mandolin, violin or guitar top has been "selected" at some point in the chain.

Currently, the only ones they actually specify as "red spruce" are the KM-1000 (one one part of their website, however they now say "American spruce" - again pretty meaningless), KM-1500 and KM-5000.

[Stephen Perry]

That's interesting. I thought the KM900 was still red spruce. I usually look at specs when something is introduced. Wholesalers don't necessarily mention when specs or prices are changed for specific products. Unless there's a reason to look, original descriptions persist!

[Teletodd]

Assuming the top is no longer red spruce, what is it now? Sitka, alpine, Italian? When did it change. year or better yet last red spruce serial number. Is red spruce visably distinguishable, ie striped like Carpathian. Moreover has anyone compared a red spruce model to whatever top they apparantly have now? Inquiring minds want to know!

[houseworker]

Assuming the top is no longer red spruce, what is it now? Sitka, alpine, Italian? When did it change. year or better yet last red spruce serial number. Is red spruce visibly distinguishable, ie striped like Carpathian. Moreover has anyone compared a red spruce model to whatever top they apparently have now? Inquiring minds want to know!

The tops may well still be red spruce, Saga just prefer to leave their options open when it comes to allocating their best wood across their Master Model range. Other than the change to the published spec, nobody's reported any obvious changes to the actual instruments yet, which remain superb.

[Teletodd]

I'll rephrase my question. Since the change in the published specs, has anyone noticed any difference, including sonic and visual, in the km 900?