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Thread: Collings F Mandolin Case

  1. #26

    Default Re: Collings F Mandolin Case

    I got my A case this morning. I will take a few shots this afternoon. It's pretty overcast here today, so we will see how they turn out. You have to marvel at the craftsmanship of these cases.
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  3. #27
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Collings F Mandolin Case

    Very interesting. I am sure that the workmanship on these is impeccable. Personally, I am not in the market for such a case, esp since the TKL's I use are more than perfectly adequate for me. I would hope that the price for these would go down somewhat over time. The price for A and F cases seem the same as for a custom Calton.

    It is interesting that the nice cushy handle is available on these cases. That makes a lot of sense. However, tho the TKL mandolin cases I have all seem to have the hard plastic handles, the TKL guitar cases have similar handles to the Collings mandolin cases. Much better IMHO.
    Last edited by Jim Garber; Jul-27-2017 at 11:16am.
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  4. #28
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    Default Re: Collings F Mandolin Case

    A few years ago I went and visited with Bill as a part of the Collings Gathering group....a bunch of folks that congregate once a year in Dripping Springs/Wimberley to celebrate their common bond. We spent an entire afternoon with Bill at his bench and listened to him go on (and on...) very excitedly about nothing but his new case designs. He put an incredible amount of time and thought into them. At that point he had the cases themselves figured out and had his first prototype there for us to try out and was very interested in our feedback...and he took the feedback seriously. His main hangup at that point were the latches....he hated every latch available because it was not up to his standards and he was brutal in in assessment of them. He had decided to design and tool up for his own latches and cost be damned. His point was (my paraphrase) "If you are spending that much on one of my instruments, you should have a case that will protect it properly and still be light enough to carry around comfortably.......and I don't care if I lose money on every single one". The man was a joy to be around. Took the tour of the place and you could definitely tell his influence on every person in the place. Another highlight was that when we were sitting around talking to him somebody noticed an older Collings guitar sitting in his repair stand....with the strings left long and curly at the tuners. Somebody asked if it was Lyle Lovetts instrument....he said "Yes....he beats the hell out of it and it comes back all the time for repairs. Duct tape on the body ruins the finish etc.....want to play it?" So we all took turns......while he ignored that and went right back into talking about cases and latches.
    A fun afternoon.

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  6. #29
    Natural Born Tar Heel Perilous Deep's Avatar
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    Default Re: Collings F Mandolin Case

    Quote Originally Posted by MandoAblyss View Post
    You ask, Bill provides! Hangs perfectly.

    Note three feet--can't wobble (as does my otherwise-terrific Austin C...n with four uneven rubber stubs).
    Ah ha. Looks workable to me. A shoulder strap is crucial for those of us who sometimes venture out on crowded public transit with our mandos. See you on the el!

  7. #30

    Default Re: Collings F Mandolin Case

    His main hangup at that point were the latches....he hated every latch available because it was not up to his standards and he was brutal in in assessment of them. He had decided to design and tool up for his own latches and cost be damned.
    I looked into having latches made. I can tell you that having the stamping dies created would cost several thousand dollars. Then the stamping company wanted a minimum run of 12,000 pieces. No small investment. Notice that Bill did NOT include the traditional oval center lock on his new cases. That probably would have tripled his hardware cost.

    Steve

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  9. #31
    Registered User doc holiday's Avatar
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    Default Re: Collings F Mandolin Case

    I was lucky enough to have gotten one of the prototypes with the centre latch. It's a great home for my Ellis A. Sold my Hoffee gibsonesque shaped-case to John R. I too had the benefit of an advanced case session with Bill one day. It's a memory i will always treasure. And come to think of it....with Bill's drive for perfection...there is never just one prototype...
    Last edited by doc holiday; Jul-27-2017 at 6:34pm.

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  11. #32
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    Default Re: Collings F Mandolin Case

    Quote Originally Posted by Loudloar View Post
    I looked into having latches made. I can tell you that having the stamping dies created would cost several thousand dollars. Then the stamping company wanted a minimum run of 12,000 pieces. No small investment. Notice that Bill did NOT include the traditional oval center lock on his new cases. That probably would have tripled his hardware cost.

    Steve
    Yep...I retired as a senior mechanical designer about 6 years ago and when Bill said he was going to start from scratch and tool up for latches I was amazed. You are not talking about a couple thousand....to go from scratch to design to final design to hard tooling to finishing to packaging to shipping, etc is going to run at least 5k (and that is including the efficiencies of current cad design). That is up front cost for each individual stamped part. Size difference is pretty immaterial at that scale. Amortize it any which way and the economics were horrible. He was well aware of it. And just plain did not care. He was smiling and dead serious when questioned about the economics.

  12. #33
    My Florida is scooped pheffernan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Collings F Mandolin Case

    So this is what CAS feels like.
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  14. #34
    Registered User doc holiday's Avatar
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    Default Re: Collings F Mandolin Case

    Quote Originally Posted by pheffernan View Post
    So this is what CAS feels like.
    Click image for larger version. 

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  16. #35
    My Florida is scooped pheffernan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Collings F Mandolin Case

    Thanks doc, but which A5 would get to claim it? Or do I simply fool myself that its versatility in being able to house / transport multiple instruments is an added value for such an investment?
    1924 Gibson A Snakehead
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  17. #36
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    Default Re: Collings F Mandolin Case

    I would use it to transport any of my As outside the house to wherever I took them to play. I am sure they would be very protected in one of these cases.

  18. #37
    My Florida is scooped pheffernan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Collings F Mandolin Case

    Quote Originally Posted by LadysSolo View Post
    I would use it to transport any of my As outside the house to wherever I took them to play. I am sure they would be very protected in one of these cases.
    While I'm confident your As would arrive safely, I'm not sure that the ability to "protect" is the strength of these Collings deluxe cases' skill sets considering the competition in that price range.
    1924 Gibson A Snakehead
    2005 National RM-1
    2007 Hester A5
    2009 Passernig A5
    2015 Black A2-z
    2010 Black GBOM
    2017 Poe Scout
    2014 Smart F-Style Mandola
    2018 Vessel TM5
    2019 Hogan F5

  19. #38

    Default Re: Collings F Mandolin Case

    Quote Originally Posted by LadysSolo View Post
    I would use it to transport any of my As outside the house to wherever I took them to play. I am sure they would be very protected in one of these cases.
    Seems too nice to be taken outside and risk being scuffed, IMHO........

  20. #39
    coprolite mandroid's Avatar
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    Default Re: Collings F Mandolin Case

    Getting a Case cover for that case can offer a strap set on the cover, too..

    Have a webbing based sewn back pack carry harness for guitar cases, that also will work on wooden mandolin cases, too..

    Although one of the things I like about Fiberglass cases is the D rings to add straps..
    Pegasus adds a D ring on the hinge side of the case, that + clipping into a handle D ring , lets you carry it on your back,

    with the strap running diagonally across your chest. useful if you use a bike* to get to your Jam Session.

    * 'push' bike or motor bike..


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  22. #40
    Scroll Lock Austin Bob's Avatar
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    Default Re: Collings F Mandolin Case

    I was in Fiddler's Green last week and was told they have some on order, expected to arrive in a few weeks. They had one there that was paired to a mandolin they were selling, but I got a chance to look at it. Like Scott said in the original post, pictures just can't reflect the quality that makes these cases so special.

    I've committed to buying one for my Apitius. I'll still use the Hoffee when that level of protection is needed, but now I'll have a special case for a special mandolin.
    A quarter tone flat and a half a beat behind.

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