Got two quite different Collings MT2's

[holden]

I had never played a Collings mandolin before. I've owned Gilchrists, Weber, Nuggets, Stanley, and a Henderson. All sounded different. I just got 2 recent/barely played MT2's
One MT2 is varnish/engelman the other is lacquer/adirondack. They sound quite different. The varnish/eng is much louder. I expected the adi top to be louder but maybe the varnish makes the bigger difference? The lacquer/adi is much woodier which I also didn't expect (the couple englemans I've owned have been more woody/mellow) As they are barely played, I don't know how they would sound after years of play. I'm going to keep one of them but not sure which. I would say that both are a very good value. A used MT2 is a lot of mandolin for the money (especially the non varnish)
Btw...one has the wider Collings nut...my first experience with that. Love it on the fretting hand, not as much on the picking hand.

[colorado_al]

Every Collings I have ever played has been good. So when people talk about Collings consistency, I think that is what they mean. If you buy a Collings, it will always be a good mandolin. That being said, I have played many Collings side by side with others of the same model, and same finish and while all are good, some are exceptional! I think the differences in wood and finish on the ones you are trying will surely accentuate the different possible sounds one can get. It is great to see/hear a good builder making different possibilities available at such a good price. Certainly shows how playing them before buying them still makes a difference.

[Billy Packard]

Sound and feel! At one point I thought sound was all that mattered and I can adjust. Now, after owning a few amazing instruments I know the range for the "feel" factor is critical. I have 3 mandos, with nut widths being, 1.1", 1 1/8', and 1 3/16', all with radius fingerboards, (essential to me is the radius.) After playing them all for several years I've decided the 1 1/8' works best for me. The 1 3/16" I can get along with but I don't love it. The 1.1" I've spent the most time on and I'm ok with.
After all that said, go for the sound because that's what calls to our heart!
Billy
billypackardmandolin.com

[samlyman]

I have owned a number of Collings mandolins... two MTs with Engelmann tops, two Adi MT2Vs and two Adi MT2s. All were great and two were exceptional. In my experience the Adirondack top instruments always take a long time and a lot of play to fully mature in tone and volume. The 2005 MT2V that is my main instrument is truly exceptional in tone and volume while a brand new MT2V that I got new in 2005 was quiet and did not have the wonderful warm tone my current Collings has after 11 years of regular playing.

If you have to choose soon then go with what sounds best now. Unfortunately, the Adi top MT2 might sound even more amazing in time but you might not find out first-hand if you have to get rid of it.

I personally prefer the varnish finished Collings instruments as they seem to consistently have a more complex tone, more akin to the Heiden I sold last year but with more volume than that mandolin.