Printable View
I played myself up the Collings line today. Know what? There was a direct tonal correlation to price. All the F styles were adirondack topped. Of course the variation ranged from very good to superb. The tone improved even on the MF to MF gloss top. Pure subjective judgement on my part? Perhaps, but I recently had the same experience with Webers.
They have to be grading tops, I think.
By the way, there is a very nice used MT Black Top at Gryphon.
Makes sense to me, although I’ve played some great MTs, and played a MF for a week once that I thought was very good but not great. I do think it’s subjective, even to the degree that we can’t control for. Perhaps better woods are used on the pricier models. They are at least visually. I do t think it’s intentional though.
You mentioned Weber.... I owned a few back in the day and liked them all. But, a cedar topped Yellowstone A was amongst the best, along with my Fern which had some customizations to make it even pricier.
I’ll add, another factor on any acoustic instrument, especially new ones, is how much it’s been played and how much recently. My Fern opened up before my eyes and ears over a period of days, weeks, months, and years. My new MT2 is doing it right now. I’m playing it a ton, changing strings, etc. It seems each time I pick it up is something new.
Based on what I was told by a dealer, on what I read, and what seems reasonable, I think the more expensive the model the more attention is given to voicing/tone tapping the tops. I read on the Weber website that they even voice/tone tap after the finish is applied on their more expensive mandolins.
As far as i know, Collings doesn't tone tap their tops. BTW what good would it do to 'voice/tone tap' after an instrument is completed.....?Quote:
Originally Posted by archerscreek
Well, I recently bought a bare bone ( my favourite aesthetic ) MT t , how did it fare
Jens Denmark
The black top MT I played fared very favorably with the MF. Now let be be very clear, they were all mandolins I'd be proud to own. The MT was Engelman vs the adi topped MF. I know first hand how adi can change over a year of playing.
People do it or have it done all the time on finished guitars. They shave the braces until the top responds the way they want it to. Weber does the same on some of their mandolins. I can't imagine they're the first persons to ever shave braces on a finished mandolin.Quote:
Originally Posted by doc holiday
"People do it"........ That's not Collings style on either guitars or mandolins. Time to fact check.
I don't think this is the exact article I read regarding Weber's practice, but it briefly touches on it.
https://webermandolins.com/blog/webe...tage-mondolins
Go to 5:35. Collings voices their tops.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2hcI8LpD5V0
Archer..... the point i had issue with was your comment - about tap toning & shaving braces - " do it or have it done all the time on finished guitars."
I've been the Collings shop many times & I've never seen it done....or heard about being done & I've been playing their guitars for 20yrs.
I can see that. Do like my MT with gloss top. But have played an MT2 that was incredible. That said, the best sounding Collings I've heard is a regular MF that was bought new and has been played very consistently for the past 7 or 8 years. That one has turned into a monster instrument.
FWIW, I do prefer the overall voicing of the newer Collings (both guitars and mandolins). Went through a number of the guitars early on and could never get comfortable with the tone. That said, the first all mahogany D they made was and is possibly the best Collings I've ever heard. And that includes some of the CW models.
Hey Brick and all
I had an Engelmann MT topped about 5 years ago -- sold it and missed it -- thought I would try the torrefied Sitka ( It still smells "sauna" ) -- Memory is a fickle thing, this is different, me thinks, but I am smiling -- since this is probably the last mando I will be able to buy - and I have to buy unseen - I would play safe a buy a Collings -and now I feel confirmed in doing the right thing -- Love the Cafe though mostly lurking .
Jens