I know this is too broad a topic, but oh well. I am only asking about current models. An example would be evaluating the difference between the "Ferns" as they are supposed to be the same type models. #But also, would like opinions in workmanship, consistency of sound, evaluation of highs and lows. #Thanks you in advance. #
Tony
Tony Huber
1930 Martin Style C #14783
2011 Mowry GOM
2013 Hester F4 #31
2014 Ellis F5 #322
2017 Nyberg Mandola #172
..pass the popcorn...Im going to sit back and enjoy this one..
Collings Mandolins, in terms of fit and finish are about as perfect as perfect can be. They seem to have pretty consistent tone - both the A styles and F styles. Gibsons on the other hand don't show the level of fit and finish that Collings do and their tone may not be as consistent from instrument to instrument. As usual, play, listen and compare before you buy. I like the Mandolins from both of these companies. Would like to own one of each! Gibson's sound is different from the Collings sound. Depends on what you like. IMHO, YMMV, etc. etc.
I'm pretty sure they'll both hold about the same amount of water.
...or even HS. #Originally Posted by (Jim Hilburn @ Mar. 29 2005, 08:28)
Well seriously, it's consistency man. #The Collings mandolins are incredibly consistent. #I have played a number of MF-5's (mine being #39) and they all sound remarkably alike. #The fit and finish are (as always) impeccable. #My only criticism would be that the tailpiece is a real bugger and the tuning gears on mine leave a lot to be desired.
YMMV.
2015 Chevy Silverado
2 bottles of Knob Creek bourbon
1953 modified Kay string bass named "Bambi"
..Ive personally have played maybe 3 Collings MF5s...they have a more "modern" sound as compared to a Gibson....in that I mean..they seem to be more mellow, woodier...and have a fatter tone...so its really like comparing apples to oranges....If I were you..I would find me a stable of each brand and decide for yourself what "sound" you prefer...they both have their pros and cons depending on ones preference.
"Play them and see for yourself," is always good advice, but it seems like it's getting harder and harder to find a store where you can try out a Gibson.
IMHO, Gibson and Collings are making the best production level mandolins out there. They are both awesome mandolins. I would love to own one of each. (Of the mandolins I have had the pleasure to play, Phoenix would be right up there with them.) The differences to my eye and ear are not so much in "fit and finish." Both are exceptional in that regard. The differences are in tone. And there is a definite difference there.
The Collings mandolins that I have played (perhaps 15) have indeed seemed to be quite consistent. Frankly, that in and of itself does not inspire me. Consistency may sometimes be achieved at the expense of exceptionalism. But they do sound good. I have a hard time describing the tone, as I hear it. I want to use the word "woody," but I'm not sure what that word means to other people. They sound good, they sound consistent, they sound even, balanced, pleasing, easy to listen to.
I have played about the same number of new Gibsons -- well, actually about twice that many, I guess. (In both cases here, I'm talking about new instruments, played mostly in music stores.) The Gibsons, to my ear, sound "stronger." To me, the Gibsons get better, clearer trebles, just crisp, bright, crystal clear ringing highs. The mid-ranges in the ones I have played were also remarkable. The bass has tended to vary more, as I think is common with mandolins generally (for obvious reasons). But overall, the Gibsons that I have played have just seemed to me to be more powerful instruments in certain respects -- not necessarily in "volume" at all points, but in something else. Strength of tone....
I sat for several hours with a half-dozen Collings' and a half-dozen Gibsons a couple of months ago. I went in the store expecting to buy a Collings. I ended up getting a Gibson (not at that store, but from a Cafe member). The Gibsons just spoke to me more. I am very pleased with that decision. And the damn thing is beautiful, too (fit and finish very fine).
Mark
J. Mark Lane
Stanley #10 F5
Pomeroy #72 F4
Brian Dean #30 Bowlback
in terms of tone,,if i was going to make big broad genralizations-- i would say the traditional gibson sound has more of a predominant primary note. where the collings has more overtones -fatter note.. both brands can be great..but the collings is way more consistant on workmanship and tone..the traditional gibson can have better projection (being heard across the field) because of the predominant primary tone..the collings can be better up close and on a microphone.. because of the fatter tone...with all them overtones
mike conroy--
1980 Monteleone m-5 (#46)
Collings mf-5 (#88)
This is absolutely a matter of personal preference. Except for the Master Model, which is nothing short of phenomenal in my limited experience, my ear prefers the Collings to the Gibson. I've never played the new Varnish Deluxe Collings, so I can't say how that would stack up against the MM. Of the Gibson's I've played (which is just about all of the currently available models), the Wayne Benson has been the one I liked best, other than the MM. But the high-end Gibsons I've played and all of the Collings F's and A's I've played, have been fine instruments. I can hear a difference between the Gibsons and the Collingses and I tend to prefer the latter. The Collings instruments also do seem to be more consistent in my experience. But that's not to take anything away from the Gibsons. The good ones are very nice instruments. No no-MM Gibson has ever called out to me like the Collings has, but that's more about my personal preferences for tone and feel than about one being categorically better than the other.
Bob DeVellis
I did an "A" "B" with the top-of-the-line A models. The Gibson A5L was actually louder and felt better in my left hand. Keep in mind, it was just two of each instruments. I think Gibson has finally come around to building some phenomenal instruments.
George
That there may be the argument. Collings consistency seems to be the most agreed-upon point. And if you like that sound, you're likely to find it in each mandolin.
The same cannot be said for Gibson in my opinion. I've played Master Models and other signature models along with F5-L's and such and there is quite a bit of variation. You will just have to play a number of Gibsons to find the one that suits you tastes.
That may make this notion of the "exception" as being the rule. I find it difficult to generalize anout the tone of any Gibson mandolins.
2015 Chevy Silverado
2 bottles of Knob Creek bourbon
1953 modified Kay string bass named "Bambi"
I have tried some of each and generally agree with most of the other posts.
One "affecianado" told me that Collings "had no soul". I would not agree, but I think his meaning was that they are so consistent there is not any individuality. This would be good in some foks eyes and not as good in others eyes. Mandolin owners are "proud" of their instruments, and many I know had rather have one that has an individual sound rather than a "cookie cutter" sound. Others had not rather take a "chance" and make sure they know what the sound will be like.
Bottom line is that they are both fine mandolins and personal taste is the only factor that makes any difference!
Linksmaker
The idea that Collings has "consistency" in sound is a myth. They are consistent in quality of materials and workmanship, and each one has been well voiced. But each Collings sounds different: they all sound good, but different. Go to a place where you can audition a number of Collings (Buffalo Brothers has several after NAMM) and you will be impressed with the different voices of each instrument. I can compare it to listening to several different first class sopranos sing: they are consistent in the quality, and each one is a joy to listen to, but they all sound different. I auditioned several Collings and a fewer number of Gibsons (New Gibsons being more difficult to find) had a hard job picking one over the other, but I finally did.
Having said that the most impressive sound I ever produced myself out of a new mandoln did not come out of a Collings, but a Gibson. But at the time I couldn't afford it, and then I couldn't find that sound again, no matter how many Gibsons I tried.
But what do I know. The moral is, when you find an instrument with a sound you like, buy it, because you may never find it again. Now, tell my why I am wrong.
Ha, ha! keep time: how sour sweet music is,
When time is broke and no proportion kept!
--William Shakespeare
..your so far from wrong Yodel Man....
I regret not buying a Gibson I saw at Elderly about five years back. If I remember right it was a F5-V signed by Bruce Weber. I liked everything about it, it was a perfect balance of everything that makes a great Mandolin. Is what I didn't like was the price. A week later a friend of mine had the same exact story about a Gibson at Elderly. Today I play a Brentrup and he plays a Nugget but we both still remember that Gibson. Never have had, but hope to some day, have a Collings speak to me like that.
Bill
"Consistancy, thou art a jewel"...
Collings MF5 s.n. 270.
As for Gibson's, in my opinion, the most consistant mandolin in their whole line, from instrument to instrument, is either the F9 or the F5G.
Last Saturday night Ken Cartwright and I had a job with the Emerald Valley Boys playing for the NW Alpaca Breeders. We only get the good jobs. Ken and I split mandolin and guitar duties, Ken with a Colling MF-5, beautiful blacktop and me with my Bush. Both fabulous mandolins and different as night and day. I love them both, the Collings is brighter and very consistant (duh!) with no real weak spots.
The Gibson is darker, woodier and has some weak spots, but also has some scarry strong spots, low end hurts banjo players the high end is a little harsh and stiff, but it suits my playing style just fine. And it's loud, jumps right on top of even a big jam with just a little prodding.
There you go!
Now, thinking about this a bit and from my own personal perspective, I would venture further to say:
..when you find a Gibson mandolin with a sound you like, buy it, because you may never find it again.
Now don't take this wrong way, there are some killer Gibson mandolins in every model category, but when you find one that suits your fancy, then bingo!
One of the biggest differences here that no one has brought up is the fingerboard. #I believe that the Gibson's are flat , while the Collings is radiused.
2015 Chevy Silverado
2 bottles of Knob Creek bourbon
1953 modified Kay string bass named "Bambi"
Actually...Gibsons can be either flat or radiused. Your choice. Isn't that a wonderful thing!
Have a Great Day!
Joe Vest
Are there any dealers in the Southeast who have a Collings selection on hand?
willi
willi
Fat Sound Guitars in Cary, NC gets them in on a regular basis...can't tell you how many at any given time, but they do carry them. Last time I was in there, 4 or 5 months ago, there was an MF and and MT.
Good point, but the only NEW Gibson that made my sap flow so much that I regretted my vow of poverty was a Sam Bush with a radiused fingerboard.
O.K. so we can pretty much conclude that unless we compare equivalent models, we can't compare Gibsons with Collings. I submit that there aren't equivalent models. Bill Collings is positioning his 4 models into places without Gibson equivalents, except perhaps to compare the MT5 with the A5L. But why would you want to compare those two excellent mandolins in cyberspace when you could have a lot more fun going to a dealer and auditioning them?
Ha, ha! keep time: how sour sweet music is,
When time is broke and no proportion kept!
--William Shakespeare
Thanks for the info Joe, I was not aware that Gibson offered a radiused fingerboard.
Yes, it is difficult to compare, they really are two different things and it really just comes down to a matter of taste, doesn't it?
The band that I'm playing in has two mandolin players (we switch between guitar and mandolin). #My counterpart has a Gibson F5 that sounds great! #He had the fingerboard radiused as that was his only complaint. #But I feel this really gives us a "best of both worlds" approach when it comes to mandolin.
Now we both play Martin guitars #
2015 Chevy Silverado
2 bottles of Knob Creek bourbon
1953 modified Kay string bass named "Bambi"
[QUOTE]mandowilli
Are there any dealers in the Southeast who have a Collings selection on hand?
First Quality, Louisville - Collings and Gibson.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks