Collings info

[duffey is my hero]

posted this on the end of an old thread but thought I would try a fresh one for the question. The MT2 i just bought is #124 signed by Bill Collings. On the label it says MT2S. Does anyone know what the S stands for?

[bradeinhorn]

sunburst probably

[Jonathan James]

or, Sassy http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[Glassweb]

probably relates to the wood used for the sides and back... maybe sugar maple.

[duffey is my hero]

oooh sassy. you are probably right.

[duffey is my hero]

I noticed on a list from another post about serial numbers, some people with MT2's from about the same time had MT2H on the label. I think sunburst sounds like a good idea for the MT2S. I can't find anything about it though.

[Joe Mendel]

If I remember correctly, H was for Hard Maple, S was for Sugar Maple. I don't think they label them that way any longer.

[duffey is my hero]

Thanks. Is there any difference between Hard and Sugar Maple as far as tone or anything?

[Glassweb]

If I remember correctly, H was for Hard Maple, S was for Sugar Maple. I don't think they label them that way any longer.
That's correct... and I think sugar maple is what Gibson used for the Loar F5s and H5s... I think...

[sunburst]

Sugar maple is hard maple. (Acer saccharum)

[red7flag]

Sugar maple is hard as John said and is often used for banjos.
Tony

[Rick Schmidlin]

Email Collings and I am sure they will give a fast reply.

[Frank Russell]

I remembered it being H for hard maple, S for soft maple, but I could be wrong. Frank

[duffey is my hero]

I just emailed Collings and they got back to me within the hour. On some of the earlier mandolins they wrote "S" indicating a Sunburst finish, but no longer do that. They said that all of their mandolins come with a standard sunburst, so it's not necessary. So what did the H stand for I wonder?

[shadco]

H stands for herringbone on their line

[Bluegrass Boy]

The H is herringbone for their guitars but the early MT2s did have modifying letter for the wood, H was for hard. They dropped the modifier at some point after mine, #152, was made. I think they had S and A as well if I remember correctly. I think whoever emailed you from Collings got it wrong, but of course, I could be wrong. So, we're still in the dark.

[Lee]

I understand the same as Frank. I have an MT2-S #118 and inquired at the time too. I was told they wanted to differentiate the soft maple backs from the hard maple backs, but eventually realized the differences in tone between each individual mandolin had more of an influence than the actual hard vs. soft back that was used, therefore there was no good reason to differentiate with the suffix and it was dropped.

[Crowder]

I think there was also a "G" designation (for German something maybe?).

IIRC the MF-5's were all made the same way, but the MT-2's had the choice of tone woods in the beginning. I took it as an incentive for customers to see them as something other than the poor cousin of the MF-5.

[fiddler59]

I bought a MF-5 used. It was serial #70 and I emailed them about when it was made and they said 2005 which I know ain't right....moral of the story the kid behind the keyboard is WAGin it !!!

db

[duffey is my hero]

So what is the difference soundwise between hard and soft maple?

[red7flag]

I am no wood expert, but from what I know the harder the wood, like rock maple, the sharper the sound. Softer woods like mahogany give a softer rounder sound. I know there are exceptions, but this is true in banjos, guitars and mandos from what I have seen. There are always exceptions, like my Tippen guitar with 70 year old sunken (underwater in Fla.) quilted Cuban mahogany, which sounds much like my friend's pre-war Martins with Brazilian rosewood.
Tony