MT upgrade to MF

**gabe** · Mar-07-2012, 9:17am

Would appreciate knowing if an upgrade from Collings MT to MF is worthwhile soundwise. Thanks.
Gabe

**Rob Ray** · Mar-07-2012, 9:31am

Hi Gabe,

I have an MF and have been jonesing for an MT. I wouldn't call the MF sound an upgrade from the MT. In fact I think I like the sound of the MT that I have played in a local music shop better than the MF. Better play an MF before deciding. I sort of like the "plain" looks of the MT as well. But if you need a "reason" for an MF....upgrade sounds OK to me!

Rob Ray

**gabe** · Mar-07-2012, 9:44am

Thanks Rob. My problem is that I'm a lefty and I would be buying a MF sight unseen and unplayed. Comments such as yours are very helpful to me. I also enjoy my MT and figured if you 'get what you pay for', then a MF being twice the price should be a leap upwards.
Gabe

**Raggle Taggle** · Mar-07-2012, 9:57am

As you probably know, the MT top is Englemann spruce and the MF is Adirondack spruce. Englemann is ready to go out of the box and Adirondack takes time to get played in. Other than that you are paying quite a bit extra for a scroll.

**rgray** · Mar-07-2012, 10:18am

Originally Posted by gabe

Thanks Rob. My problem is that I'm a lefty and I would be buying a MF sight unseen and unplayed. Comments such as yours are very helpful to me. I also enjoy my MT and figured if you 'get what you pay for', then a MF being twice the price should be a leap upwards.
Gabe

Even with the difference in wood, I think you will find the MF is priced higher simply because it is an F-style. And conventional wisdom is that, all other things equal, no appreciable sound difference between an F and an A.

**PJ Doland** · Mar-07-2012, 10:21am

Not that it should affect your decision, but do you lefties have any idea how strange a left-handed F-style mandolin looks to us righties?

Stick to the MT.

**drbluegrass** · Mar-07-2012, 10:24am

Not sure if MFs are consistently better sounding vs MTs (I just traded an MT-2A and 2 guitars in on a Red Diamond). But I can tell you I recently played an MF honey 'burst that really knocked my socks off. It sounded exemplary. One of the best sounding mandolins I've recently played. But I've also heard some outstanding MTs. Something about that MF honey 'burst though. Great sounding mandolin.

Tom

**gabe** · Mar-07-2012, 10:49am

[I]Not that it should affect your decision, but do you lefties have any idea how strange a left-handed F-style mandolin looks to us righties?
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Well PJ, I do have an Eastman 615 lefty. When I look in the mirror (as all us mando players do) :o), I appear normal eh.
Gabe

**citeog** · Mar-07-2012, 11:07am

Originally Posted by gabe

[I]Not that it should affect your decision, but do you lefties have any idea how strange a left-handed F-style mandolin looks to us righties?
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Well PJ, I do have an Eastman 615 lefty. When I look in the mirror (as all us mando players do) :o), I appear normal eh.
Gabe

If appearing normal is the price of playing right-handed, then I'm out of luck. I can't even think right-handed:o) And when you look like I do, the mirror doesn't get much use...

I have a lefty MT. I'm very happy with it. I'm not a bluegrasser so an F-model doesn't appeal to me. Even if I was, playing bluegrass on an A-model doesn't seem to hinder the likes of Tim O'Brien, Jody Stecher, Peter Ostrousko etc. Although Collings instruments are reknowned for their consistency, what happens if you fork out the extra money for the MF and then you don't like it? Good luck with your conundrum.

Paul

**Scott Holt** · Mar-07-2012, 11:29am

I own a MF and I love it. However I would not expect a major change in sound between the two models. Yes, some MFs are adirondack spruce and MTs are generally engelman; however, I can't easily detect a big difference when I do get the chance to play a MT. In fact, all the MTs I have played sound darn near identical to my MF. If you want to shell out the bucks for a scroll, go for it, but I wouldn't expect a big leap in sound quality at all.

**tburcham** · Mar-07-2012, 7:59pm

I don't think there is any sound upgrade from MT to MF. The MF just includes a loop (the scroll) to attach your strap more easily, if you are into that kind of thing. I agree with others on this thread, the Collings MT line of mandolins is hard to beat and may be sonically superior to the MF line from Collings. Remember, I'm biased...I have a MT2v that is a bombshell....loud when called on, but also has the ability to deliver subtle passages with tone that is to die for!

**Grommet** · Mar-08-2012, 3:57am

Gabe-That's a fun problem to have! I really liked the few MTs I've played. I've not played an MF. Imagining one that sounded as good as an MT, but with a scroll? What's not to like? But, if a sound upgrade in that price range is truly the goal, then you may want to look for an oppurtunity to try some MT2s and MT2-Vs. I will say that I played only two MT2s and the fancier woods were very nice, but they didn't seem at all like great leaps ahead of the MT in tone or volume. On the other hand, I have heard others recommend the MT2-V as a real hoss. At that price point, I hope you will find an oppurtunuty to make a road trip to a good dealer to lay on hands.

Scott

**EarlG** · Mar-08-2012, 5:46am

I agree with the apparent general concensus that there is no upgrade in sound going MT to MF. In fact, you can argue it's the other way around.

To me, the MT sound is slightly different, I guess because of the wood differences. MT's are great mandolins if you don't need a scroll.

**terzinator** · Mar-08-2012, 3:36pm

Unless you really have scroll-envy, I would upgrade to an MT2V -- not to an MF.

Might be a couple of hundred dollars difference either way, but that's the route I'd go for sure.

**Buck** · Mar-08-2012, 8:48pm

IME the MT's are some of the most consistently good sounding mandolins out there, even more so than Collings F-styles. I wouldnt trade sight unseen.

**if6was9** · Mar-09-2012, 1:19am

Originally Posted by rgray

And conventional wisdom is that, all other things equal, no appreciable sound difference between an F and an A.

That may be the conventional wisdom but when I worked at [unnamed but well known music store] I had the opportunity to play many Collings MT's and MF's. I believe they do have different characteristic sounds, though it is difficult to describe the difference in words. I'd say the same regarding A's and F's generally except that "all other things equal" never happens :-)

All that being said, I wouldn't necessarily say an MF is better than an MT. My main onstage mandolin for many years has been an MT2 (#245) and I haven't felt any need to upgrade it.

**gabe** · Mar-15-2012, 3:55pm

I thank all you folks who responded to my original post about MT vs MF. I've decided to go with an MT2V Deluxe. A question I might ask again is there a big difference sonically between lacquer and varnish? Would an MT2 standard model hold it's own against the varnish model. Again many thanks.
Gabe

**JeffD** · Mar-15-2012, 5:31pm

Originally Posted by if6was9

That may be the conventional wisdom but when I worked at [unnamed but well known music store] I had the opportunity to play many Collings MT's and MF's. I believe they do have different characteristic sounds, though it is difficult to describe the difference in words. I'd say the same regarding A's and F's generally except that "all other things equal" never happens :-).

You are right. And there are specific differences between MTs and MFs other than their shape that do make a difference.

As you probably know, the MT top is Englemann spruce and the MF is Adirondack spruce.

That alone could make a huge difference.

What the conventional wisdom means is that what ever difference you hear between an F style instrument and an A style instrument is not due to the scroll. All mandolins sound different, no two are identical, but the difference in sound between two A style instruments could easily be a lot more than the difference between either one of them and an F style. There isn't really an F style characteristic sound, or tone or sustain or projection, that is consistent with most F style instruments and absent in most A style instruments. So its not that they're not different, its that the scroll isn't what makes the difference.

**JeffD** · Mar-15-2012, 5:35pm

All that being said.. an MT is a hellishly fantastic instrument, and I have had my eyes on them for years.

**Tomando** · Mar-17-2012, 9:32pm

I'm a sucker for a beautiful body. So I got an MF. But my 1995 Flatiron Festival A sounds amazingly good for a 700 buck mando. Just not quite as sweetly nuanced in sound, but the perfect gig instrument.

**if6was9** · Mar-18-2012, 2:38am

Originally Posted by JeffD

the scroll isn't what makes the difference.

Anyone want to volunteer their F model for a scroll-ectomy to test this theory? Just kidding!

**tburcham** · Mar-18-2012, 8:26am

Originally Posted by gabe

I thank all you folks who responded to my original post about MT vs MF. I've decided to go with an MT2V Deluxe. A question I might ask again is there a big difference sonically between lacquer and varnish? Would an MT2 standard model hold it's own against the varnish model. Again many thanks.
Gabe

Now that's a good decision! With regard to the varnish versus lacquer, there are hundreds of threads on here that have debated this at length.....in the Collings MT line the MT2v stands out with a woody and dry tone...is this the varnish or wood selection and tuning...I don't know the answer...I just know the results are spectacular.