Collings mandolin thoughts?

[Br1ck]

Gryphon had a creamy white MTO a while back that was just wonderful, but they have all sounded better to me played solo than the MT. The MT is a better playmate IMHO.

[Dave Sheets]

Gryphon had a creamy white MTO a while back that was just wonderful, but they have all sounded better to me played solo than the MT. The MT is a better playmate IMHO.

Yep, I'd agree with this, my son's MT works better in a band setting than my MTO- cuts better, a little more versatile. But playing solo, I just love what the MTO sounds like to me, just a lush sound. I'm not a bluegrass player though. If I could only have one mandolin, it would have to be the f-hole A body over the oval hole, because of the versatility. But I'd really miss the MTO for solo playing and practicing.

I'd also agree on the tuner issue, they are rather stiff, they kinda let the rest of the instrument down.

[kwd]

Looks like Gryphon has several MT-O's at the moment. If you don't mind my asking, which one in particular did you like? Sorry, hope this isn't a thread hijack, but I guess it's still about Collings mandos.

I played the satin natural finish one only. There was a lighter colored model but it didn’t appeal to me so I didn’t try it. If I look at the Collings website they have a black top model representing the MT-O. I did not see one like that yesterday.

[Lane Pryce]

I’ve never played a bad or even marginal one. They’ve all been excellent. Lp

[Sherry Cadenhead]

Thanks for everyone's input on OP's thread! I'm looking forward to trying out the MF at this Wednesday's jam session. Have mixed emotions, though. Had planned to learn a lot about different styles, etc. and play different brands over the next couple of years. If the price is attractive enough, this one might be hard to pass up.

Just thought I'd report back after playing the MF at yesterday's jam session. I played it after the jam and found it to have a very rich tone. Laurie, who owns the MF, took a video of me playing Thanksgiving Waltz both on the MF and on my Alvarez A-100. Having an untrained ear, listening to the video, I don't detect a lot of difference between the 2 instruments.

Laurie agreed I should try a lot of different instruments - and suggested I might prefer an A style. I did ask about the price of the MF and she said if I am interested she'd come up with something. She said I may borrow the MF at anytime to play for a few days. I don't believe I'll do that anytime soon.

I thought I would be chomping at the bit for an upgrade after playing the Collings. I found, however, I'm OK to continue with the Alvarez for a good while longer. Don't know that I can't wait 2 or so more years, but I'm good for now. If my playing were better, I would probably be anxious for a better instrument.

[CES]

Played a couple of MTs, an MT2, a couple of MFs, and one MF5V yesterday. The MF and MF5V were awesome, but the MT2 was the best of the bunch IMHO. The MTs were good, but a little too bright for my taste, though they just come in and had new strings as well. All looked perfectly built and finished. 'Twas a load of fun, but hard to leave that MT2 behind...

[Willie Poole]

At a festival one year a guitar playing friend of mine told me there was fellow in a jam that was playing a Collings and he said that I just had to hear it, I didn`t get around to it that day but the next day the three of us got together, I was playing a Flatiron Festival which was made by Gibson and that fellow played his Collings and then I played it and the Flatiron was hands down a better bluegrass instrument as far as I was concerned, I will say that on the day we did that jam it was over cast and muggy and that might have had a lot to do with the Collings not sounding as good as I had heard that they do, also it may not have been set up correctly but that I don`t know...I have read a lot of great things about them though, I would say if you have the chance to play it and compare it to a Gibson, do it before you buy it....Also if it is used find out why the seller is offering it up for sale and what condition it is in....

Willie

[CES]

Agree, Willie. Collings/Gibson mandos is kind of like Taylor/Martin guitars, esp with the MT line. Both very good, but very different, and, intentionally so. The MT2 I played Wednesday was a bluegrass beast (heck, a beast for anything you might want to play) though still a slightly different tone from the trad Gibson sound.

[RobP]

My progression was Tacoma (remember those?) --> Rigel A+ Deluxe --> Breedlove FF --> Collings MT. I've had the Collings 6 years. It's my only mandolin, and it may be the last one I own. Now I just have to replace those pesky tuners!

Cheers,

Rob

[Jim Garber]

A few years ago I went to Acoustic Music in CT. They had quite a few Collings mandolins. The only one I really liked was one honeyburst MT2. Not sure why. I would have thought they were very consistent in their sound.

[John Soper]

I had my MT-2 for 9 years and only sold it because I found a Duff F5 that fit my hand better and sounded as good (in some ways better to my ears & for my music). The gent who bought the MT-2 plays only bluegrass & loves its tone. It has a great chop and really cuts through the mix. If I weren't mandolin sufficient at the moment, I'd be on the lookout for a Collings F... or an Ellis, etc.

To the OP: MAS is inevitable. Play a bunch of instruments and find the one (or 3) that have your sound in it/them.

[RobP]

I can't seem to figure out how to edit.. so i'm correcting myself here:

My progression was Tacoma (remember those?) --> Rigel A+ Deluxe --> Breedlove FF --> Weber Yellowstone --> Collings MT. I've had the Collings 6 years. It's my only mandolin, and it may be the last one I own. Now I just have to replace those pesky tuners!

Cheers,

Rob

[billykatzz]

RobP: I had the same issues with the Stew-Mac Golden Age tuners on my 2015 MT. I actually bought a set of replacement Gotoh MA-40 tuners, but discovered I'd have to rout the tuner hole slightly to allow them to fit flush on the back of the peghead.

Months before purchasing the replacement Gotohs I contacted Collings complaining about the tuners and they referred me to Stew-Mac, who sent me a new set. When I received them I was skeptical that they were any better than the ones on my MT, but a few weeks ago I decided "what the heck" and swapped them out. Wow, major improvement! Much easier to use than the other set, even though they looked dead-identical.

Granted, the Golden Age tuners are not as silky as the Gotoh tuners on my MTO, but they're so much better that I've decided not to muck around with the peghead of my MT. Now I'm just playing and enjoying my instrument(s).

Just my personal experience. YMMV

[LastMohican]

This is anecdotal. But a member of the church where I attended in Austin actually was the commercial realtor that secured the location where Collings guitars and mandolins are made. A few months ago, he took me to the factory and we walked the entire facility and were able to stop and talk to any of the craftsmen we wanted. There is no other way to say it...I was absolutely blown away. Until I was exposed to the actual process, I had NO idea regarding the number of hand-crafting man hours that goes into each and every instrument. I left that day understanding why they cost what they do! And, particularly for the larger body guitars...the cases are every bit as much a work of art as the instruments. That's why the cases are all serialized! I don't know if I'll every get to a point financially where I could justify the money for a Collings. But, I can not give a higher endorsement regarding how they are built! Good luck!