When I was teaching, I sold a lot of these. OK, the carving isn't as nice, finish work isn't as good and it spends more time on my setup bench to become playable. The SA-120 comes from the same shop as the Loar and they sound surprisingly good. Carved top, solid maple B/S A mandolin with a list price that's less than the dealer cost for a KM-150. The absolute BEST buy is the Savannah SA120, hands down.
#Eastman vs kentucky mandolin series#
If you want a carved top and back, the KM-250 series is where that starts for Kentucky. The current version is pretty good and is now that the woods are solid-the price has gone up to reflect this, also. Kentucky also has some models with heavier frets as an option. The absolutely BEST buy for an inexpensive mandolin is the Kentucky 150.
#Eastman vs kentucky mandolin plus#
Kentucky has some modern designs if you want something less traditional plus others that copy vintage mandolins quite closely.īoth Eastman and Kentucky offer mandolins with wider necks than normal but none are as wide as 'teens Gibsons like my A-1. Sometimes there are minor finish issues around the scroll not as apparent on the more expensive Mandy's from the other two. I sell far more than the other two put together. Also, most of the Fs have corresponding As with the same construction. Generally, the hand carved Loars are available at lower prices than the other two lines. The 700 has a modern, open sound while the 520 is a plain looking hand-carved F at a very nice price. The LM-600 is my first choice when it comes to sounding like a 1920s F-5 without breaking the bank. Loars seem to be quite even from instrument to instrument and are the closest to looking like a vintage LL. If you play a few of them, one will usually stand out by being brighter or mellower or with a punchy mid. I find Eastman very well made but inconsistent in tone.
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