Kentucky KM1000 or The Loar LM700VS

[Jim Ferguson]

Hi all.........I'm pondering an upgrade.........ive been scoping out a variety of mandos for under $1500.00........to those who have played both of these instruments.....which would you pick for mostly bluegrass playing........pros & cons appreciated.........looking at new not used.
Peace,

[almeriastrings]

KM-1000

Classic 'dry' tone. Plenty of volume. Very focused. Red spruce tops on all those I have seen. Very nicely made, consistently good (sometimes great) materials. Thin, 100% nitro finish. Good quality bridge, no need to change. Nice tuners. Decent tailpiece.

LM700 VS

More low end. More overtones. Not as dry or focused. Sitka tops. QC very variable. Very thick finish (nitro wash over poly on every one I have seen to date). Bridges range from atrocious to OK. Nice tuners. Thin, flimsy tailpiece.

Played numerous examples of both.

I haven't seen one yet over here, but those J Bovier's also sound like they are worth checking out.

[tburcham]

I have owned both. For Bluegrass, I would go with the KM-1000 every time. They are astonishingly good to great.

[Andrew B. Carlson]

I far prefer my km-1000 to all The Loars I've played. The Loar seem to "dip" finish their mandolins. Lots of finish on em. The Kentucky is nice and thin. Finger nails mark it up without much effort. The Kentuckys also sound pretty darn nice! Check out the new Kentucky KM-1050 too BTW. They have a more modern neck set-up with radiused fretboard, larger frets and a scooped florida extension with faux frets. I like the flatboard and tiny frets just fine on mine, but many don't.

[f5loar]

Is this a serious question? 700 not even in the same league as the 1000. Bump up to the 1500 and it knocks the 700 out of the park.

[Jim Ferguson]

Thanks all.......you've confirmed my own thinking.......just wanted to get some outside input.
Peace,

[bjewell]

The 1000 I had some years ago was thin in the ribs, much thinner than other F-5 copies -- the body was shallower. They must have changed because I didn't like mine at all, really plinky sounding. It was a Chinese job suppossedly copied from the owner of Saga's Virzi-less original F-5. I'm glad the new ones are better. A good F-5 at a decent price is a wonderful thing...

[Jim Nollman]

If you can find an old Kentucky 850, 1000, 900, 1500 built in Japan during the 1980s, (before Kentucky moved its operations to China) that may be your best possible bet for optimizing the price/quality ratio.

[shortymack]

I played a bunch of mandos yesterday among them a 700 for the first time and it wasnt bad nor great either. The thing about the the loars that really make them feel weird to me is the finish. Its just on too thick almost making them feel waterproof. No KM1000 there to compare to but a 505 that was pretty nice sounding. Got to play my first Collings' as well. An MT which really didnt do anything for me and a MF that knocked my socks off. Priced a $5050 it better have knocked on something other than the pocketbook, lol.

[sachmo63]

OK, i'll chime in.

I had a pretty good KM1000, just sold it matter of fact. It had a really really really great open tone, very airy and hollow in fact i've owned many instruments and this really stood out. At first I really liked the mandolin, it was traditional sounding very dry and traditional looking but there was "something" that didn't do it for me. Not sure if it was the thinness of the neck or the lack of projection although people in front of me said it projected wonderfully, I had a hard time hearing it.

On the other hand, I have a bovier special that while it doesn't have the hollowness, its still a power house I would put up against a lot of instruments in its class or above.

IMHO, for the 1500 price tag the bovier is hard to beat I wouldn't overlook the choice but like I said the Ky I had was really special

[raycan2]

If you can find an old Kentucky 850, 1000, 900, 1500 built in Japan during the 1980s, (before Kentucky moved its operations to China) that may be your best possible bet for optimizing the price/quality ratio.

I agree...I had a Loar LM 700VS and it did the job but it does not compare to my Kentucky KM-850

[f5loar]

If you can find an old Kentucky 850, 1000, 900, 1500 built in Japan during the 1980s, (before Kentucky moved its operations to China) that may be your best possible bet for optimizing the price/quality ratio.

You don't see many of the these coming up for sale due to the owners still liking them. When they do I've seen prices higher than the new ones. I had a really good '86 1500 and the newer China made 1500 I now own is far superior to the old 80's models. I had the chance to pick from a batch of 6 made at the same time in 1986. In order to not be influenced by the "maple flame" I was binding folded to pick out the best one based on sound and how it played. The new one I got a few years ago was straight in the mail for Saga and it was a good one.

[almeriastrings]

I have played quite a few of the Japanese-era ones, and even more of the Chinese-built examples... to me, the recent ones are every bit as good if not better. Obviously, though, as with any make, you are going to get individual variation... some good, some better and some really outstanding. On the whole, though, I think their QC has been very consistent. I must say I have yet to see one I'd rate as "poor" and never anything with shoddy workmanship. That in itself says a lot. The KM-850 is real sleeper too (if you can find one). Those were some really nice mandolins.

[raycan2]

Their is an 850 at a music store in Houston Texas that I called on and the guy said it was up on the wall just as a show model.he said he would sell it but he never gave me a price...Later the dude said it is not for sell that the 1000s and 1500 come and go but the 850s are very rare and hard to find.
I will try to find the # to the store and let you know maybe someone can talk him into selling it.

[Jim Nollman]

KM850 from about 1984:







I got it on EBay about a year ago at a low low price because the binding on the points was broken. It was easy to repair. I was attracted to it first, by the world class sunburst which, apparently they all have. I've done some work to make it my own, including redoing all the broken binding, giving the fretboard a complex radius, and scooping the "florida", carving an osage orange burl for both the pickguard and the armrest,and adding new gold EVO frets. It has the classic sound I never thought I'd find, without spending at least 5 times more money.

I have a friend who owns a brand new 1500. It is also a great mandolin. I would think that these various Kentuckys, and (from what I've read here) some of the Northridges as well, ought to make serious F5 players think twice before spending several thousand dollars more for the more prestigious brands.

[John Adrihan]

KM1000 hands down. Now of course play it first. And another point to be made, with the addition of the 950 and 1050 it is of my opion, that should be enough to put ANY other PACRIM mandolin choices out of the equation for ever.

[vegas]

I will never buy another Loar. The poster who said they look like they are "dipped" because the finish is so thick is absolutely right. I love the sounds my Eastman 815 makes but if you are a true blue grasser, The Kentucky Master Models have that woody sound you will prefer. Before you jump, however, check out the new JBoviers. They also have that woody sound and you just may prefer it. I seriously doubt you will regret owning a Kentucky Master model based on what I've heard from anybody who owned one.

[Mike Scott]

PM sent

[Pete Counter]

Kentucky Master Model.... I'd even take the KM-900 over the Loar!
<------ KM-1500 Varnished

[Jim Ferguson]

Great input from all.........thanks so much.
Peace,

[raycan2]

KM850 from about 1984:







I got it on EBay about a year ago at a low low price because the binding on the points was broken. It was easy to repair. I was attracted to it first, by the world class sunburst which, apparently they all have. I've done some work to make it my own, including redoing all the broken binding, giving the fretboard a complex radius, and scooping the "florida", carving an osage orange burl for both the pickguard and the armrest,and adding new gold EVO frets. It has the classic sound I never thought I'd find, without spending at least 5 times more money.

I have a friend who owns a brand new 1500. It is also a great mandolin. I would think that these various Kentuckys, and (from what I've read here) some of the Northridges as well, ought to make serious F5 players think twice before spending several thousand dollars more for the more prestigious brands.

Wow I have not seen many of the 850s...She is a cool looking...It seams like it is a little different color than mine..How do I find out what year mine is? I was just told it was early 80s.

[Timmando]

I've had a KM1000 but the neck was too thin and the strings too close together for me. It had good trebles but not enough on the low end for me. I then played a Loar 700VS and it worked for me. The neck is thicker, a bit wider fretboard, great tone (it was used and played well). I took off alot of the finish with steel wool and now it looks like a satin finish. I'm very happy with it, got it used with a great case for around $900.