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When I met him in 1990 he was of course sole solitary builder making the last few 1000 and mostly 1500 and Dawg complete and had been since the team breakup I personally dont remember when the Dawg started but I do know he worked with Monteleone directly to learn the EXACT top back and scroll carvings which he alone did on ALL those, Ill find out specific details and post here When in fact he is just a craftsman doing his best to do his best Either they make him out as walking on water, or nothing but a floor sweeper He always loves these points that come up here. I believe he began making complete mandolins by himself about 85 but Ill talk to him tomorrow and ask specifically to get a year. When it wasnt the prototype and Sumi had never heard of the mandolinĪt that time with Sumis direct input we put that to rest, that he couldnt make a complete mandolin at that time only Tahara san could do that and nobody had ever made a proto Remember the thread last year when someone was trying to pass off the "original 1500 prototype" as being totally handmade by Sumi. I hope the cafe doesnt go the way of the banjo hangout where frivilous uninformed postings by annonamous members becomes popular I told Sumi about the recent thread about the style 4 Kentuckys recently here and he remembers them well, said they made a total of about 20 or so over a year or more and when I described the pictures posted he said " Oh yea, I did the soundhole rings on all of them " I believe Sumi was the only one outside the shop Master Tahara san to be able to eventually build complete instruments by the time the shop stopped the team Sumis primary job was carving, detailed carving, tops backs tonebars scrolls etc The early shop was a team, no one built complete instruments but everybody could do most or all jobs to some degree. As Richard Keldsen told me " He hit the ground running" refering to his abilities He alone was a schooled master woodcarver before the Kentucky project was started. To reply to F5Loars incorrect assumption posted as implied factĪs was mentioned Sumi was VERY involved in all aspects of the mandolin from day ONE. I'll put my 1000 up against the newer Chinese Kentuckys anyday! Sumi spent more time with these than the Chinese do now and after nearly 29 years, my 1000 sounds 60 years old with even tone across the strings and plenty of bark and bite! He is an excellent builder and now builds under his own name. Sumi had a hand in building these old KM-1000's as he did the 1500's and the DAWG models. Yours is probably a 1981 model.Īs far as your mandolin goes, it is worth at least $2000.
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KENTUCKY MANDOLIN KM 1000 SERIAL NUMBERS
I was told that it was built in July of 1980, so the serial numbers back then didn't reflect the year.
KENTUCKY MANDOLIN KM 1000 SERIAL NUMBER
San Francisco and inquired about the serial number and when it was built. I bought it in 1987 and a few days after I bought it, I called SAGA in S. I have a 1980 KM-1000 with a serial number of 206 09. Last edited by Matt B Mar-10-2009 at 8:45pm. I see some newer KM1000 going for $2000 but I heard the old ones are more valuable?Īnyone have any experience with these old Kentucky's? My music store said they can't offer me what it is worth but wouldn't even give me an estimate. What would be a good starting price on ebay? Or would that even be a good place to sell it. It is a sweet instrument but I need to sell it to put a down payment on my new custom made A5 mandolin that I have ordered. It has a couple of finish cracks due to age but he said the wood is fine. Does this indicate the year? It has a solid maple top instead of spruce which my luthier friend has said is unusual for mandolins. I have had this mandolin since 1981(gift) but I don't know the year it was made. I have a Kentucky KM1000 with the flowerpot on the head and silver plated tailpiece (which I had to replace due to corrosion with a gold colored Kentucky tailpiece since they no longer made the silver!) I also had the nut replaced with a MOP due to wear that caused a slight buzz on the e string.