Collings MT or Weber Yellowstone A

[Mike Scott]

I am toying with selling two mandolins and going to one. Curious as to opinions on the Collings and Weber. I have played a Weber but not the Collings, although I have heard the Collings being played. I am a fairly new mando player and am not sure a) what style I will settle on (play mainly old time fiddle tunes for now) and b) what good tone really is. I have also listened to clips of both being played, but they are new and not opened up as yet.

Thanks,

[Shawn Gambrel]

Hmmmm. My personal opinion is Colling necks are to big and Webers are to fat. I would try a Gibson Jam A

[250sc]

LOL. So Shawn, you finally made up your mind. Congrats.

Colling necks are fine for me.

Mike,
Try to get your hands on some more instruments and choose the one you like the best in your price range.

[John Flynn]

MT, hands down, IMHO.

[Rick Schmidlin]

The MT plays like butter, my hand never got sore with a MF5 :)

[doc holiday]

In my mando-quest I had both a Weber (varnish yellowstone), and a Collings MT. I'll give you my personal opinion with no offense intended to the many happy Weber owners. The Collings had a better chop, more volume, and responded to a much lighter touch. Collings are also well-known for the consistency of their instruments, so finding a great MT is not very difficult.

[raulb]

I have played both and prefer the Collings. In general, I don't really like Weber mandos. The Collings I played, as said above, played and felt like butter, and sounded tremendous. If I had had the money, it would have been mine. I have never felt that way about any Weber I have played.

That having been said, do not go by what a bunch a yahoos say (and that includes me) you should pick. Go, play both. Then make up your own mind.

[Payit Forward]

Hmmmm. My personal opinion is Colling necks are to big and Webers are to fat. I would try a Gibson Jam A

I have owned a Weber Hyalite, a Bitterroot F, a Bitterroot A, and a Collings MT.

I did not notice anything negative about any of the necks, other than they were a little small (in my personal opinion). ;)

Seriously, I thought 2 of the Webers were very nice. The other was a little thin in tone. My Collings has great tone. Fit and finish on the Webers is quite good. The Collings is perfection.

[Chris Biorkman]

Collings necks are too big? I can see not liking the sharp v shape, but I wouldn't call their necks big at all.

[red7flag]

I find the Webers and Collings are really different approaches. The Webers, to me, have more of a singing voice and the Collings cut. I really agree with the Colling being great for the gentle touch. Webers vary more by style. I have played F5 slyle Yellowstone and it is a very nice grass instrument. Listen to Rhonda Vincent or Vincent and Dailey for Webers playing great grass. The Collings can get a bit harsh for me when I bear down, my normal style. When I force myself to play soft the results are great. This is more an indication of my style than a problem with Collings, but for me is a problem. I have had an MF and MF5 and both were great. Have had 2 Webers which I both have now. Notice that both are not grass instruments, but are great at what they do. As far as deciding between the MT and Yellowstone A, I would have to determine what role I was going to use it for. Grass => MT Celtic => Yellowstone Eclectic = either. Bottom line is both are strong instruments. Try them both and see which feels more comfortable.

[spenser]

Mike-been where you are right now. went with Collings, great sound, sold for a Weber because I had to have an F, sold the weber to go back to the Collings, which is on it's way. I have large hands, and I use the Wide Nut, and it does have a pronounced V to it, not sure about their normal size necks but think I read that that has a more radiused, rounded shape than V on wide.

[Andrew DeMarco]

I love my MT. Like butta.....!

[lespaul_79]

I love my MT. Got a awesome mando and saved $$$.

Go to a store and spend sometime playing a bunch of mandos. For the money, I feel the MT is the best you can do. With new strings, it rings like a bell. A loud one....

It's like a cheap Porsche. It's cheaper, but still bad ###.

[Eric F.]

I think you need to play each. We can't really tell you whether you'll be happier with the ribeye or the halibut - only which we like better.

My .2 cents is that I've never played a Collings that was not a very good mandolin, but I've also never played one that made me just have to have it. I've played plenty of Webers that did little for me, and some that were exceptional. I think that over the past two years Weber has really improved, as most of the newer ones I've played have had it. I own a Fern, and it's among the finest mandolins I've ever had my hands on, but if a Collings had sung to me more instead I wouldn't have hesitated to buy it.

[Andrew Roberts]

Mike,
I can't give a direct comparison because I haven't played the Yellowstone A. The only Webers I have played were a Bitterroot F and a Gallatin F. I would say that if I were making the decision, I would choose any of the Collings MTs that I have played over those two Webers. The Collings MT is one of my favorite mandolins that I have played. It plays very easy. It has a very balanced tone, and one of the best chops on a mandolin that I have played. Very robust sound. I wouldn't say it is as woody as some mandos I have played, but still a VERY nice sounding instrument.

[DeamhanFola]

I am a fairly new mando player and am not sure a) what style I will settle on (play mainly old time fiddle tunes for now) and b) what good tone really is.

Thanks,

The above being the case, don't limit yourself to f-hole instruments from either of these two makers. My custom Weber Bridger A has essentially cured my MAS (though somewhere down the line I wouldn't turn my nose up at a Gibson A3). I've heard great things about Collings's oval hole mandos too, but have never tried one. Collings is second to none in construction, fit & finish--I've got a custom Collings D guitar that has effectively cured my GAS.

[Mike Scott]

Thanks for all the replies. I played an MT on Saturday. They didn't have any Weber A's with f holes. However, they did have both a Collings and a Weber with an oval hole. I liked both better than the MT and the Collings better than the Weber. Any of the three of them were better than what I have now. Both the Weber and the oval hole Collings were out of my price range,but they were awesome. Now I am confused. Maybe I'll just start saving or try some other less expensive oval hole mandolins. Hmmmm.........:confused:

[Rick Schmidlin]

Thanks for all the replies. I played an MT on Saturday. They didn't have any Weber A's with f holes. However, they did have both a Collings and a Weber with an oval hole. I liked both better than the MT and the Collings better than the Weber. Any of the three of them were better than what I have now. Both the Weber and the oval hole Collings were out of my price range,but they were awesome. Now I am confused. Maybe I'll just start saving or try some other less expensive oval hole mandolins. Hmmmm.........:confused:

Hard to get better then those two. My dream is a Weber Old Wood O:mandosmiley:

[Russ Partain]

I have played a Collings Mt Natural that kicked GRass! I am an F Guy and ordered a MF Honey tortoise. It will Arrive in the nest couple of weeks.

[John Malayter]

Wow it looks like many people are in love with the collings, i've also had both but F styles. The weber I had was a custom yellowstone with block inlay i got from Dennis Vance. I really liked it but the "community" hated it, not sure why but it played well and to my ears sounded great. Something better imo and there it went. The collings was a MF, very very nice with a wicked chop. It also was a super mandolin but something didn't sit right with me, maybe cause it was just too perfect I don't know so I traded it on what I found to be the best mando I've ever had, a Stanley but thats another story.

Between the Weber and Collings, i'd buy the weber back TODAY. But the collings had a better chop.

Both are great, but different.

JM

[NuGrass]

Everybody has a different ear...there was a used Yellowstone A on ebay but was cheaper at The Mando Store in Az. Looks like a good buy, and should be much better than my current mando....now I just have to get the cash.

[GTG]

Wow it looks like many people are in love with the collings, i've also had both but F styles. The weber I had was a custom yellowstone with block inlay i got from Dennis Vance. I really liked it but the "community" hated it, not sure why but it played well and to my ears sounded great. Something better imo and there it went. The collings was a MF, very very nice with a wicked chop. It also was a super mandolin but something didn't sit right with me, maybe cause it was just too perfect I don't know so I traded it on what I found to be the best mando I've ever had, a Stanley but thats another story.

Between the Weber and Collings, i'd buy the weber back TODAY. But the collings had a better chop.

Both are great, but different.

JM

A couple of things about your post are kinda funny, John. The 'community' hated your Yellowstone? As in, us, here on the MC? Or maybe your jam friends? Your in-laws? The mob? It seems really odd to me that you would play and really like a mandolin, and other people would actually hate it. Could it have been jealousy, because it was *too* good?

And the Collings - it was 'too perfect'? Was the finish too clean or something? You wanted a 'distressed' instrument, then? Hey, whatever floats your boat, but I don't really understand such problems.

[Doug Edwards]

You could buy a plane ticket and fly to Austin. Fiddler's Green has both. Or, call them and have Ben play them over the phone. 512.452.3900

[CelticDude]

Thanks for all the replies. I played an MT on Saturday. They didn't have any Weber A's with f holes. However, they did have both a Collings and a Weber with an oval hole. I liked both better than the MT and the Collings better than the Weber. Any of the three of them were better than what I have now. Both the Weber and the oval hole Collings were out of my price range,but they were awesome. Now I am confused. Maybe I'll just start saving or try some other less expensive oval hole mandolins. Hmmmm.........:confused:

Collings did just come out with an oval hole MT, which is about a $1000 less than their MT2 O. I haven't played one yet, but lots of people here have raved about them.

OTOH, if the MT2 O, or the Weber, is the sound you like, I say keep saving and get it when you can afford it. Cheaper in the long run than buying one that's not quite perfect, when you know there's one out there that is.

DWP

[Shawn Gambrel]

Well a Standard Weber has a chunky neck and the Collings I played I didnt like at all. To me it felt cheap I kno everybody start yelling at me :redface:

[Chris Biorkman]

Well a Standard Weber has a chunky neck and the Collings I played I didnt like at all. To me it felt cheap I kno everybody start yelling at me :redface:

You need lessons in diplomatic speaking.

[Douglas McMullin]

the Collings I played I didnt like at all. To me it felt cheap

Was it an MT and what specifically felt cheap about it?

[Chris Biorkman]

Was it an MT and what specifically felt cheap about it?

Maybe it was the flawless construction and high-grade woods. :))

[red7flag]

When I was first into mandos, I remember being underwelmed by the MT and F9 mostly due to the subdued appearance. Time would show me those models as being really nice sounding and playing instruments and way better than some very glitzy F models from across the pond that sounded like they were made of cardboard. It is time and experience that teaches us what real value is.

[oldtimestrings]

I like Weber F models and also the 2-point, but I've never played a Weber A that did anything for me. Without having two specific mandolins in my hands to compare, so just gnerally comparing the companies and the models, I would say Collings MT, no question. They are just about the best bang for your buck in the mandolin world, as many, many people on the Cafe have already pointed out.

[oldtimestrings]

I can't speak for the poster who said the Collings felt cheap, but the only thing about an MT I imagine could even possibly cause such a reaction would be the matte finish. Doesn't bother me a bit, but some people equate matte finishes with budget instruments. Keep in mind that the finish can be buffed out to a gloss if you really want. Where it really counts (woods, materials, playability, design, and tone), there is nothing cheap about a Collings MT. On the contrary, in those respects it seems like it should cost WAY more than it does.

[Rick Schmidlin]

I still would someday love to have a MT. If it was Weber it would be an Oval Old Wood.

[red7flag]

Rick, I have been fortunate to have an "Oval Old Wood" also called a Vintage A. I find that I play it more and more as my writing seems to gravitate to more Celtic sounding sounds. I have heard some negative reviews at the Cafe. It does not sound like a Gibson, Collings, or any other brand. It sings. It seems to love to play Celtic music. I just feel at home with it when a touch of the Irish hits my soul.

[Nick Triesch]

This is easy! Just buy the mandolin that sounds the best!!! Then in a frew years, when you want to move up, buy the next mandolin that sounds the best again! Nick

[Greg H.]

Collings in general seem have a particular sound. For many people that is one of Collings benefits. For me, I've never been a big fan of Collings sound (and I've played everything from the MT to their top of the line Varnish models). But, there are some people that aren't particularly fond of the Gibson sound either.

That said. . . . I never felt there was anything particularly 'Cheap' about a Collings. . . . . . . . .