1983 Kentucky KM-Dawg (with video): Monteleone designed / Grisman endorsed / Sumi made

1 of 48 made. John Monteleone designed this Grand Artist-style mandolin to Dawg’s specifications and provided the carving plate templates, then the instrument was crafted in Sumi’s workshop.

A rare and outstanding sounding F-style mandolin. The sound is crisp, great pop to the notes and bell like highs. Works as well for fiddle tunes as it does for jazz.

In excellent condition with the expected wear for an instrument this age. Finish checking, minor scratches, etc. No sign of structural damage or repairs. The only work I’ve had done to it is a professional fret dress a few months back.

Comes with original case, and what the shop I purchased from believes is the original pickguard. The case is solid but the feet have fallen off, so be careful of scraping the bottom against any scratchable surfaces!

The action is currently set such that a 1.4mm pick just slides under the G strings at the 12th fret, but is held by the E strings at the 12th. Comfortable action that lets you dig in without intrusive buzz. Has a bit of a fretboard hump (common to these instruments) that’s more pronounced on the treble side where the neck meets the body, but the fret dress addressed a lot of the concerns around how this could impact playability. Your mileage may vary for buzz if you want to bottom out the action (but that’s not a tradeoff unique to this instrument). At the current setup I find the E strings ring out clearly with great projection.

Listing the item as “As-Described” to save this vintage instrument from the dangers of potential multiple rounds of shipping. As such, Ive tried to describe this as thoroughly as possible. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions. Happy to answer in detail, provide photos and sound clips, etc., whatever necessary for buyers to feel comfortable making a purchase.

There is a video included in this ad for additional context. I also have a SoundCloud link with more audio samples if you are interested. All were recorded on my cellphone, so not perfect examples of the depth of this instrument, but still provide a decent idea of the sound.

Instrument will be shipped with the bridge off and tailpiece padded, to protect the top in transit. Buyer will need to setup the instrument upon arrival.

This is a unique instrument and has been a pleasure to play. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have. Thank you