Collings MT2 en Route! ;-)

Hi, Everyone!

Well, I’m in full-on giddy mode. After a brief bought of MAS, including some still present seller’s remorse for a sale from a few years ago, I’m waiting in high anticipation for the next step in my mandolin journey, an amber/tortoise Collings MT2 with torrefied top, back, and sides.

Ever since I sold a beloved mandolin a few years ago I’ve been on quite a mando-coaster, going from a Weber Fern to a Kentucky 900, Rigel A Natural, Breedlove OF, Morris A, Red Line A5, and Collings MT. I also got divorced somewhere in there... bad, and was very down and out for a few years, and kinda’ far away from my mandolin. However, the MT was the first of all of those I mentioned that felt like I was finally back into something special, but an opportunity came up to indulge my MAS with a shift to the MT2, and it was calling my name.

Thanks to Dennis and Brian at the Mandolin Store for treating this repeat customer right. The deal was good, and they both indicate it’s a killer mandolin. I know it’s a sight unseen purchase, but those guys have always been dead-on in their descriptions, and I am all geeked out about the mandolin that is coming my way!

Collings MT2 stories are welcomed and encouraged... please!

Got a used 2017 MT2 this spring and I absolutely adore it. Sweet, resonant, and it goes from whisper to well over 11 and everything in between. Holds its own with customs.

I hope you enjoy yours as much as I do mine.

I too recently got a MT2 (blonde). It’s everything I imagined it would be and then some!

Well I know you excited and impatiently waiting. I just received my new mandolin a few days ago. I strongly considered the Collins as I read so many good reviews on them. Congrats!

Thanks, Everyone!

Yes, waiting is a challenge, but also is perhaps a crucial part of the thrill. Thursday....

How about some reviews or descriptions of your MT2s, or even one/some you’ve played at one point. Volume? Clarity? Tone? Playability? How it hangs with others in a jam/playing setting? Any and all of it if you’re so inclined.

I own an MT2-O and love everything about it. Not that that helps here any, apples oranges and all that.

I played this MT2 for over an hour at Elderly and was blown away by how good it was. I put it down for awhile, wandered around the store and when I came back to play it again it was gone. I had no intentions of buying it but I still panicked a bit. Turns out the guy in the video was taking it on his break to go play it. He remarked how astonishing it was also. If yours is anything like this one you’re in for one heck of a good time.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Met1hYuLi8Y

Ahh, sweet!

That’s not the exact mandolin I got, but it’s the same color scheme, so I appreciate “seeing” it in action. I’m sure it’s going to be killer, and if sounds that incredible I’ll be one happy picker. I’ve been scouring the Internet for MT2 reviews and appreciate this video very much.

Thank ya!

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Originally Posted by Kevin Briggs

Ahh, sweet!

That’s not the exact mandolin I got, but it’s the same color scheme, so I appreciate “seeing” it in action. I’m sure it’s going to be killer, and if sounds that incredible I’ll be one happy picker. I’ve been scouring the Internet for MT2 reviews and appreciate this video very much.

Thank ya!

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Yeah, sorry, I didn’t mean I played your mandolin, meant I played the one at elderly. It was sick how good at it was. The fact that an employee of the place thought it was amazing speaks volumes too.

Kevin
the key word I see in your description is torrefied. I picked up a standard MT with torrefied top about a year ago from Ave guitars(Tejonstreet music), and having owned a few MTs of the past, I can tell a very positive difference and I attribute that to the torrefication. Sean and John had told me it was different and in a really good way, and they were correct. I've heard nothing but good things about the current mandos coming out of the Collings workshop-something good has been happening lately there and maybe its whomever is voicing the mandos or whatever they are doing, they just seem deeper, thicker, richer tone. I love the blonde models, the wood grain will blow you away. Cant wait to see the pics! and hear what you think. Likewise, Dennis and Brian are top shelf, mult repeat customer here also.

best of luck in sleeping the next few nights, ha, ha
d

Thanks, Daryl!

It's great to message with you again. :-)

Yes, according to Dennis the top, sides, and back are all torrefied. It's new to me, so I don't have much of an opinion, yet. I can say I am as open to this new process/technology as I am to having an instrument built out of a piece of 80 year old wood. The jury is still out on long term implications, but I decided a few years ago that it was more fun and often more rewarding to be open to new things, which includes the torrefication process.

My Mt was built in 2016, and I bought it about a year later, used, in wonderful shape. It sounded awesome when I first got it and I am still very happy with it, I just know there are tons of tonal possibilities, so on with the MT2 and all of this great anticipation. It will be interesting to see how the two stack up next to eachother when I A/B them. I'll likely ressurect my YouTube page to do a comparison and then post it here or somewhere close. ;-)

Good news, on the MT2 front....

I checked the shipping information last night and it’ll be here two days sooner, which means today, which means I’ll playing that thing by tomorrow. I’m going to do the right thing and wait a full 24 hours before opening it, but man o’ man, the lust is real, haha.

but to answer your question, no I did not wait 24 hours...I dunno, it left the store in Arizona at store temp and went into a fedex truck at whatever temp changes along the way (could that cause damage?, I dunno, don't see any)...temps were kinda mild here and the case did not feel much different from truck and home temp. It was a little warmer feeling. I unlatched it for a bit, the humidifier gauge in the case showed normal so it came out. I'm not real ocd on these matters, my acoustic never leaves my couch, now it's on one end of the couch and the mandolin on the other end. I just never put an instrument back in a case because I'm constantly picking one or the other up and playing it.

This time of the year there is not reason to wait to open your new heartthrob. Winter when it could have been in freezing temps for days is a definite time to wait. Now I'd tear the box open and play it.

You don’t need to wait 24 hours to open a mandolin in the middle of the summer. As for the mandolin, those Collings fully torrified instruments are stunning. I have a torrified top on my Collings guitar and it’s beautiful and sounds amazing. Enjoy!

Concur. Might wait until the case reaches room temperature. But really, just play that thing!

Just got here!
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Originally Posted by sgarrity

You don’t need to wait 24 hours to open a mandolin in the middle of the summer.

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Totally. Unless of course you’re into self-inflicted pain :crying: lets see it!

My guess is we won't hear from Kevin for some time while he plays his new mandolin and smiles a lot.

Kevin, I know you will do that MT2 justice with your talent. I always enjoy your videos-- i am you friend on You Tube "danstune." Have a great time breakin' 'er in!

Kevin I just now listened to some of your recording on the tube, man I dig where you coming from...

Ahh, man. Thanks, everyone. What a thrill it is to be in this mando-world. It’s currently sitting in my house, staring at me.... The good news is, I’ll have most of the morning tomorrow to start to get acquainted, and then I have two jam sessions this week (Thursday and Sunday), so I’ll get to hear it with others right quick!