Collings MF 5

[Rick Schmidlin]

I have been playing a few and really like them. For those who own one what do you think? Should I hold out for a varnish?
When testing at fest's how do they compare and what mandolins rate better for you at a testing at thier price range? I play a Pruch F now that I love but MAS is always folling me around!

Thanks,
Rick

[troika]

I bought one of the first MF-5's made a couple years ago and ABed it with my Gilchrist. It was easily as loud or louder, especially in the trebles, than the Gil. I would desscribe the sound as very focused, if somewhat unrefined. I ended up selling the Gilchrist and keeping the Collings. I then sold the Collings to a fellow mandolin player and bought a Gibson Master Model. The Gibson had solid tone and a great neck. The workmanship wasn't nearly as good as Collings, especially when you took the endpin out and peered inside. I sold the Gibson and got a KILLER blonde mf-5 that just blew the doors off of any mando I've tried. Superior volume, playability, workmanship, and woods. Collings mandos are extremely consistent in their construction and tone. I bet the varnished models are just outstanding. Uh oh MAS is coming again. No.....NOOOOOOOO

[Windflite]

For 30 odd years, my perceived holy grail of mandolins was always a Gibson F5. #When I finally had the means to acquire my 'dream mando' I fully expected to buy a Gibson. # #Aside from the aformentioned facts/debates about the pro's and cons of perfect joinery, inlay, etc...For me, the deciding factors for the Collings were simple preferences of 1) Tone, 2)Playability (you either like the Collings deep 'V' neck or you don't!) and 3) the opinions of several other mandolin players that were in the 'tasting' room when I blind played (and had other players play for me) the final 4 choices before buying the Collings. # #As other Collings owners have reported, the instrument has exceeded all of my expectations...even to the point of acquiring a matching Collings Winfield guitar! # With all of that said, there are an awful lot of GREAT mando's out there these days! #Best of luck!

[mandoman4807]

I have never played a Collings mandolin, but If they are anything like the Collings guitar I just bought, then I would say they are awesome. I just happen to be a Gibsonite when it comes to mandolins. What can I say!

Darrell

[Scotti Adams]

..Played my first Collings last saturday night...yea, yea..I dont get out much....very nice feel and response..nice sound over all...

[Mike Bunting]

I've had my MF5 going on two years now and the more I play it the better it sounds.... literally, I had a little blues gig and played A jr for a few days, and it took a couple of hours to wake the Collings up again. They say lots of good mandos are like that, and it's not a problem for me cause I don't want to put it down anyhow ;-)

[JAK]

I've never "met" a Collings I didn't like! I have yet to hear from anybody who has played a nitro next to a varnish finish and give an evaluation. There are not many Collings varnished out there, so probably that is why. I've heard Collings is only going to produce six (6) varnish models a year, so it appears we will have to wait awhile to get a comparison of the varnish to the regular finish models....

[JAK]

Well I just read the post from ashemando on "Varnished mandolins from Collings, Pictures." So we have one comparison and opinion.

[onlyagibsonisgoodenuff]

From what I've been able to deduce, they only make the varnished ones for the trade shows. NAMM, SPBGMA, etc.

[mandopete]

...you either like the Collings deep 'V' neck or you don't!

This is the first time I've heard this mentioned. For me, that's only detraction. The "V" on the Collings is the most pronounced I've encountered. I have been contemplating having the neck re-shaped, but I just can't fully bring myself to it.

Anyone else?

[carolynbeth]

I have an MT2 and had the neck reshaped -- like mandopete, that sharp V was the only thing that was bugging me about an otherwise great mandolin.

The luthier I brought it to wouldn't even touch it until he had personally talked to Bill Collings to make sure the truss rod placement left enough room for a bit of a trim, which it did. He shaved off between 1/16 and 1/32 of an inch -- not much, but it definitely made a difference for me. Collings even shipped him an MT2 neckpiece so he could see exactly how much room he had to work with -- a nice customer service touch, I thought....

Now if only I could afford an MF -- those scroll thingys sure are purty.

Carolyn

[Mando Medic]

Hey Pete, I'll do it for you. Mine was done and the finish stripped off before I got it and I love it. I had a master model that had that darned V and I took that off too. By the way, I love my MF-5. Kicks butt; I would love to put it up against a Varnished Collings at Mandofest. Any body have one that wants to put it in the Mandolin Tasting in April? Kenc

[Jim Roberts]

I'll take you up on that offer, Ken! #The neck on my MF5 varnish is a bit rounder, not as deep and certainly not as veed as a stock Collings and is 1 3/16" at the nut. #It's comfortable, but to me not as comfortable as a stock V necked Collings. #I talked with the folks at Collings about reshaping the neck to give it a more V profile, but the volume and tone is out of this world and I don't want to mess with the mass of the instrument.

BTW, the neck on your blacktop MF5 is stock except for the finish being removed.

See you at the airport at Mandofest!

Carolyn: I'd be suprised if you can find an MF that has the tone of your MT2!

[carolynbeth]

Jim, how about that blonde MF5 of yours?? trade ya...

Carolyn

[fangsdaddy]

i came to the mandolin after 25 years as an electric guitarist so i still think of things in those terms. i think of my mf5 as a little les paul. once i added a tonegard & and wegan 1.5 picks, i think of it as a les paul thru a marshall.
i've had my mf5 for a little over a year now. it continues to open up. the workmanship is flawless. i love the neck & the fingerboard. to my ears, it doesn't have that gibson bluegrass sound, but i'm not a bluegrasser. it has it's own distinct voice. it cuts thru at jams. it's sweet if i play it soft. it distorts if i play it hard. someday, i'll get another gibson oval hole (sold mine to help pay for mr. collings) but i'm more than happy. i couldn't ask for a nicer instrument. i guess you say i'm another satisfied customer.
sam

[Jack Roberts]

I played three MF5s on Thursday. Each one different, but all of them spectacular. I can't afford them myself, but maybe some day...

Jack

[AeroJoe]

I have had mine, s.n. 270 (MF5) since this past October...I could not be happier with a mandolin. In addition to everything said above in regards to craftsmanship and sound to which I very heartily agree, the playability is another thing I like about mine. That V-neck, radiused board, and large frets just fit me...

[mike_c]

i spent years looking for a second mando that bother me to play after i play my primary mando, a 1980 m-5 monteleone....a both many mandolins..givens,cole, ziedler, 1977 monteleone f-5. 1990 monteleone GA..stiver gibson f-5...all of these were fine mandolins, but when i bought my collings mf-5..the hunt was over..it is not as great as my old 1980 monte..but it is the second mandolin i spent years trying to find..

[Rick Schmidlin]

Has anybody played a flat finished MF5 or the one Greg Boyd has in stock now?

Rick

[Cary Fagan]

I'd be interested to hear any comparisons between MT2s and MF5s. Anyone hear a difference? And between these higher end models and the less expensive MF and MT models. I own an MT2 myself but it's hard to compare it to the other models in my local store because my mando has opened up so much. Collings says that the MFs and MTs are just as good sound-wise. Do you agree? Do you think (as one person hear suggests) that moving from an MT2 to an MF would be to sacrifice sound for a scroll?

[diamond ace]

I played a varnished collins at Bishop Violins and it is AMAZING!! The tone, voice,....everything about it is unbelivable. He had it in the classifieds for a while. I don't know if its still there or not. No financial intrest. He is a dealer so they are making them for more than just NAMM shows.

[mike_c]

i think the mf-5 sounds much like the mt-2, only bigger.. they seem to have more depth, volume and overtones..maybe it's the red spruce in the mf-5 top that has something to do with it..i don't know