1980s Kentucky KM-200S Archtop A-Style Mandolin

This is an older, Japanese-made Kentucky KM-200S. These are a lot nicer than the current fare and this one features solid-wood construction (spruce over mahogany) throughout. It's in very good shape thought it does have a tight, glued-up 1" hairline crack on the back and it's missing its original pickguard. It has sound at least comparable to a midrange modern Eastman A-style and perhaps with a bit more pop and vigor. I'd easily call it comparable to an old Gibson A-50 from the '50s or '60s, though perhaps it doesn't have as much charm, no?

Work included: a fret level/dress, cleaning, light adjustment to bridge base, and a good setup with 34w-10 gauges. The neck had a teensy minor amount of relief when it came in with 40w-11s on it, but the 34w-10s have let the neck go back to straight. Action is spot-on at 1/16" GD and hair-under 1/16" AE at the 12th fret.

Scale length: 13 7/8"
Nut width: 1 1/8"
String spacing at nut: 7/8"
String spacing at saddle: 1 1/2"

Body length: 13 1/2"
Body width: 10"

Side depth at endpin: 1 3/4"+

Neck wood: solid mahogany

Top wood: solid spruce (press-arched?)

Back/sides wood: solid mahogany
Fretboard: ebonized rosewood

Neck shape: flat board, medium C/V rear shape

Bridge: ebonized rosewood adjustable

Nut: original synthetic

Condition notes: one tiny, tight hairline crack on the back (hard to see), and missing its original pickguard. The only weak spot on the instrument are its factory tuners -- they're good enough but not as firm or accurate as StewMac or modern Grover tuners -- both of which would be a nice upgrade.

It comes with: a presumably-original black chip case in decent shape.

I like the subtle, violin-style "brownburst" finish.

There's plenty of adjustment room up/down on the bridge.