Northfield A-5 Special and Collings MT-2 Comparison

[Luna Pick]

Accounting for variance between individual mandolins of the same model and recognizing they have different top wood (Italian vs red spruce), has anyone made a direct, hands-on comparison between these two mandolins? I'm considering them both, haven't been able to play them side by side. The Northfield is a good value, but there are occasionally good prices on used MT-2s.

Thanks in advance.

[Mandobar]

There is a used Northfield here:

http://www.mandomutt.com/products-pa...ld-a-5-special

[Gary Leonard]

I played an A5 special at the Northfield shop last year. I thought it sounded better than all other mandolins hanging on the wall, including a big mon and an Artist. I was at the Marshall Mandolin Summit. Dan, who is here on the café as user "dang", had an MT-2 with him. I hope he sees this thread and replies. Or drop him a message through the site. He was the person who initially turned me onto the A5 special, I am sure he could give you some good details on the comparison.

[yankees1]

At the lower end of the mandolin market there can be and most often is a difference in sound between mandolins by the same builder. Often the lower number Eastman mandolins can and do sound better than the higher number ones. Only your ear can distinguish the difference ! At the higher end of the mandolin market I have found that the sound is more uniform between the different models such as an Ellis. All models great !

[Pittsburgh Bill]

Last October I played nearly every Mandolin/mandola hanging at Elderly Instruments. An F style Northfield was to my ears the best sounding/playing instrument in house.
Had it been an A style Northfield I would have likely taken it home.

[Br1ck]

Gryphon had a Northfield A 5 special a week or so ago, and they always have a variety of Collings MTs.

[wsugai]

Some info on Northfield A5 Special comparisons here:

https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/t...hfield+special

[Charles E.]

You might want to consider a Girouard as well.......

http://www.mandomutt.com/products-pa...-studio-deluxe

Max and Lauri make a great mandolin.

NFI

[dang]

I played an A5 special at the Northfield shop last year. I thought it sounded better than all other mandolins hanging on the wall, including a big mon and an Artist. I was at the Marshall Mandolin Summit. Dan, who is here on the café as user "dang", had an MT-2 with him. I hope he sees this thread and replies. Or drop him a message through the site. He was the person who initially turned me onto the A5 special, I am sure he could give you some good details on the comparison.

Hi Gary! Played a gig at a distillery on Saturday night, I think we are all recovered by Monday... Lol

Difficult to compare to the MT2 I had with me because it was an oval hole, but I also own an F hole MT2 so there are some comparisons I feel comfortable making. And I am pretty sure there was an MT on the wall at elderly when I played the A5 special there also. I thought the A5 specials were the best sounding mandos of the northfields I played (except the 4.0 which I didn't play but heard up close) and of the stock they had at elderly. There were some expensive mando's at elderly. The A5 special was right up there with all of them on sound.

If I had to pick my Collings MT2 vs a Northfield A5 special I would be looking very closely at the prices. Both are killer instruments, I do have some modifications to my MT2 (wider fretboard, speed neck, strap button, pickup) that make it easy to say I am keeping my MT2, but if I was looking for an A style in that price range at best I could say they are different instruments. They do have different tonal palates and in my experience mandolins can sound vastly different depending on the player.

I really like the Northfield octave mando I bought, (and I really want a 4.0 with a wide fretboard but I don't know how likely that will ever be... I have difficulties on anything less then 1 3/16") The Northfield fit and finish are good, but not Collings good... There are gaps in my binding of my octave mandolin, but the Collings seem to be made with lasers somehow and are incomprehensibly precise.

A very subjective take would be that my MT2 sounded brighter when I got it and mellowed into a great smooth tone with age and playing. The A5 specials I played were not as bright "out of the box" as they say, and had a nice lively tone, but I obviously can't speak as to the aging. I would also add, and I hate to get this subjective, but I felt a little bit drawn to the Northfield sound. Not all the models but A5 specials seemed to have it, and the 4.0 had it for sure. The Webers and Collings I have played all seemed a bit bright, and to benefit from age and being played in - but the Northfields seemed to be ready to go, makes me wonder how a well played in one sounds.

Not sure if that helps any. Obviously, play both if you ever get the chance. Let us know how it goes.

[Luna Pick]

Thanks Gary and Dang. Appreciate the hands-on descriptions, and Dang, thanks so much for the detailed reply. Very helpful. I'll report back if I grab one of either.