NMD: Collings MT

[darylcrisp]

having started mandolin about 9 months ago, I played and played until I found a perfect fit. Had this at home for nearly 2 months now.

Collings MT with wide nut ( 1 3/16"), englemann spruce top, maple back, grained ivoroid top binding.
The Tonegard works great in helping the A style balance perfectly while playing seated-I don't use a strap or play standing-the lower two mounting prongs take place of the points of a F style and hold the mandolin effortlessly in position.

Love the tone, ease of playability(I adjusted 0 relief and low action at the bridge)and clear notes everywhere on the fretboard. It has what I consider a soft V neck profile and that fits me extremely well.

Love this mandolin! Sold the others.

slideshow:http://s299.photobucket.com/user/darylcrisp/slideshow/Collings%20MT

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm310/darylcrisp/Collings%20MT/ae0a1948-31bd-42e5-ba4d-a21f121e3d0c.jpg (http://s299.photobucket.com/user/darylcrisp/media/Collings%20MT/ae0a1948-31bd-42e5-ba4d-a21f121e3d0c.jpg.html)
http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm310/darylcrisp/Collings%20MT/36dfe2f0-568c-47d4-88f0-4fe0343e56ef.jpg (http://s299.photobucket.com/user/darylcrisp/media/Collings%20MT/36dfe2f0-568c-47d4-88f0-4fe0343e56ef.jpg.html)
http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm310/darylcrisp/Collings%20MT/f2cef3cb-7404-4587-9030-4a0c2f8e2bfe.jpg (http://s299.photobucket.com/user/darylcrisp/media/Collings%20MT/f2cef3cb-7404-4587-9030-4a0c2f8e2bfe.jpg.html)

[F-2 Dave]

Nice. I love my MT. Hope you love yours as well.

[JeffD]

I have really liked every MT I have tasted.

[pheffernan]

Love this mandolin! Sold the others.

:disbelief: I understand and share your appreciation for a Collings MT, as mine might be my most comfortable instrument to play. But while I remember you selling your Pava, the last I heard you were part of a three Weber family, including a Black Ice model that you picked up from The Mandolin Store. Did you move that one as well?

[Grommet]

OOOh, you knooow what I Liiiike!!

Scott

[darylcrisp]

:disbelief: I understand and share your appreciation for a Collings MT, as mine might be my most comfortable instrument to play. But while I remember you selling your Pava, the last I heard you were part of a three Weber family, including a Black Ice model that you picked up from The Mandolin Store. Did you move that one as well?

still have the daughters Weber F(sitka/mahogany-although i'm starting to think it might be englemann top as well). everything else other than the MT-gone!

don't get me wrong-i love a good Weber, actually was looking at the vintage black top A Dennis has used(wide nut). i'm trying to hold true to "one instrument per type"(one mandolin, one weissenborn, one banjo-open back(open mind).
i honestly don't "need" but one of an instrument, timewise. i just need to play them more. this Collings does it all for me. i would like to explore an oval hole wide nut Collings A someday(or F if the price were right).

the Black Ice #7:
was a great mandolin. a strong easy playing Weber. knockout looks.
the story.

father in law(a wonderful human, i'm blessed to have such a person in my life-whole family are excellent folk)played my MT. kept playing my MT for about 20 minutes and didn't say a word. stood up, walked over to me and said, "this is the best playing mandolin i've had my hands on, what would it take to get one of these".
i told him what they cost and didn't think much of it. next day he shows up at the house. " will give you two Martins or anything else i have if you want to trade that Collings".
I knew he was taken with it and quite serious at that point. I almost handed him the MT but knew exactly what to do. Told him to give me a week or so. Checked inventory at TheMandolinStore and emailed Dennis. They had one base MT in stock-nice sound clip as well and wide nut.
Dennis and i made a trade and his MT and my Black Ice went out next day. The Black Ice did not last but a day or two on his used listing(whomever has it got a "good" one).
Couple days later an extremely nice looking(darker shade overall, a very tough looking burst), nice playing MT shows up. Called the father-in-law and he has been in mandolin heaven now for a couple weeks.

I am firmly bitten by the Collings bug.

d

[bigskygirl]

Wow, nice! I remember your Webers but glad you have found another nice mandolin. I too love the Collings MT, played one a few months a ago and almost went for it......I may still someday but for now have a Northfield custom F on order. Enjoy, and nice story about your FIL too!

[Clement Barrera-Ng]

Nicely done Daryl. MTs are great instrument and I'm glad you found a good one. Congrats. And welcome (back) to the A style family :)

[darylcrisp]

thanks folks

i would like to send out a high 5 for Tony at Tonegard. This simple tool made the A style mandolin available for me to use.

always loved the looks of the A style-and the huge bang for the buck value.

the tonegard has opened up a lot of doors for me now. i no longer need to look for the F style to use the bottom points for position and balance. The two bottom prongs-with the clear tube cover, sit perfectly in the correct place and allow the mandolin to balance headstock up-tension free in my body.

i haven't even considered tone enhancement, which is what its design is used for by most-icing on the cake.

my father in law has a tonegard on his as well.

thanks Pat and Clement for your thoughts in the past when i sent you a question-you guys have been extremely helpful.

d