Shout out to Collings

[ABmando]

I bought an MT in 2002. I sold it several years ago. A huge mistake. It had the best sound of any mandolin I ever heard. It was a fluke perhaps, but I did not know it.
And the flame did look like it would be on a $5000 plus mando. Maybe it is floating around somewhere. I would buy it back!

After a long search it came down to a Northfield NF5S or a Collings MT. Both are great value and I suspect I would have been happy with either. I've played and heard a lot of MTs since then but no desire to move on from NF5S.

I will say this though, that Collings stash of maple! The flamed maple on the standard MT for sale in the classifieds looks like it belongs on a 5k+ mando!

[Denman John]

I recently played a Collings A and an Ellis F side by side and I would have taken the Collings in a heartbeat. Much more fuller sounding than the Ellis.

[Aaron Bohnen]

I'm impressed by how consistent the Collings I've played have been. They've all sounded good (with the Collings flavour) and have had high quality build and excellent finish. Fancier or more basic, satin or gloss they've all sounded good, were well made from really nice wood and exquisitely finished. I find that level of repeatability very impressive.

Some must be better and worse than others as would only be expected, but at least to me the consistently high quality they produce is really amazing. I know there's an idea on the Cafe that a Collings MT is easy to recommend. Maybe that's why?

Enjoy!

[Br1ck]

With Collings there is no anxiety, you are going to get fine materials, impeccable build quality, quality tone, good (and easy) resale value, and great playability. The MT is the perfect jump into the good stuff. What you won’t get is Gibson tone if that is what you crave. If you haven’t gotten to the point you really know what you want, buy one. It will either be the tone you crave long term, or it will teach you the direction you want to go.

[Barry Canada]

You have all motivated me to take my lonely MT2V out of it’s case!
It has been missing attention for quite sometime. Lovely tone! Bell like quality in the upper positions.
It really sings! I’ll just have to give it more attention. Thanks for reminding me about the wonders of this fine instrument.
It would be nice to know what most cafe members are stringing their MT2V’s or Collings in general with these days? It is time for a string change! ANY SUGGESTIONS?
Best to all during these trying times. Great to have a wonderful hobby like music to help chill us out and keep our minds active in a positive way.
STAY SAFE and BE CAREFUL.......

[KMaynard]

It would be nice to know what most cafe members are stringing their MT2V’s or Collings in general with these days? It is time for a string change! ANY SUGGESTIONS?

My opinion, but Monel's tone down some the brightness on my MT2 Torrefied Top and make it sound awesome with a good easy playing feel. On my MT2V, all torrefied, J74's some to be the preferred tone and feel I like. Monels are great on it as well, but I think I prefer the J74's here.

[V70416]

Good to hear all the references to Monel strings in relation to Collings mandolins.

I love monel strings(Daddario)on my Gibson F5. Look forward to the day I can play a Collings mandolin.

The only Collings instrument I have ever owned was a D3 Brazilian. It was a scarey-good guitar.

[ABmando]

A little off topic - but I started this thread
So I notice there is a monel at 11 and 11.5
I ordered some 11.5 ones to try on my mt2V.
I do not know if others have had preferences on the monel strings. Thank you.

[Kevin Briggs]

I hear you on the new ones. Although, I liked min a lot when it was new, I played the heck out of it for three months, a few hours a day, and each new set of strings was a revelation. It has a wonderful tone and plenty of volume.

[Michael H Geimer]

I joined the Collings club a few months back and could not be happier. Had some concerns about the neck profile, and flat fingerboard. Neither has been an issue, and it has become the daily player around the house. Weber is now the gig-mando and that's great too because its radius-ed fretboard feels like nothing under the fingers.

[DougC]

A little off topic - but I started this thread
So I notice there is a monel at 11 and 11.5
I ordered some 11.5 ones to try on my mt2V.
I do not know if others have had preferences on the monel strings. Thank you.

Lane Pryce is buying some Monels. I prefer flatwound strings for the type of music I'm playing. And I'm very happy with EFW74's and Thomastik 154's. GHS N250's are my top pick for wound strings next to the original 74's. It's really nice to have the mandolin be responsive to any type of string. And that's a huge compliment to Collings.
Many mandolins will not show any change at all...

[Russ Jordan]

I joined the Collings club a few months back and could not be happier. Had some concerns about the neck profile, and flat fingerboard. Neither has been an issue, and it has become the daily player around the house. Weber is now the gig-mando and that's great too because its radius-ed fretboard feels like nothing under the fingers.

Flat fingerboard on a Collings?

[Doug Brock]

Flat fingerboard on a Collings?

I wondered the same thing. Maybe Collings’ compound radius feels flat to Michael? I don’t see a flat fretboard as an option on the Collings site, but maybe that’s an unpublished option. They do mention contacting a dealer if you need a special neck profile (but nothing about different fretboard options).

[Michael H Geimer]

Flat fingerboard on a Collings?

Whaddya know? It does have a radius, but nowhere near as curved as the Weber, and so assumed it was flat. Not so! Thanks for the heads up.

[Br1ck]

Well it doesn't play any different than it did yesterday. When I play mandolins I try not to pay attention to nut width or fretboard radius. Sometimes things jump ot at you, sometimes they don't.

[mandocaster]

I got my Collings new from Elderly back in 2007. Addy top, before you could have them toasted. I loved it when I got it, but I admit there was a time where I missed the 1983 Givens A that I sold to cover part of the cost of the Collings. That Givens was a cannon when it needed to be. I know there are skeptics on the topic of “break-in”, but a few years later I think it bloomed. I have to back way off in BG jam sessions, and roars in solos. A little adjustment towards the neck with my right hand sweetens the tone significantly.
Anyway, I’m definitely in the fan club. I still miss that Givens, though.

[LadysSolo]

I got my Collings new from Elderly back in 2007. Addy top, before you could have them toasted. I loved it when I got it, but I admit there was a time where I missed the 1983 Givens A that I sold to cover part of the cost of the Collings. That Givens was a cannon when it needed to be. I know there are skeptics on the topic of “break-in”, but a few years later I think it bloomed. I have to back way off in BG jam sessions, and roars in solos.

I was wondering, because I can push my Collings pretty hard and it's really loud! It also will play extremely soft, and very different sound from playing near the bridge versus near the fretboard.

[wormpicker]

I just purchased a new MT a couple months ago and have loved it from the start. If it gets even better over time (and hopefully, I will as well), WOOHOO!!

[ABmando]

Having had an MT since 2002 to about 2016 - it sounded great at the beginning but there was little need for improvement and I am not sure it did. My Italian Spruce MT2V top has improved over time - and imho - for my work - it needed to do so. A bluegrass person would have liked it at the beginning. So please do not expect too much in terms of changes from your MT - as the Englemann tends to have that "broken in" feel at the beginning - but also that it is likely an awesome instrument right out of the gate. My 2 cents. I could be wrong like anyone else.

I just purchased a new MT a couple months ago and have loved it from the start. If it gets even better over time (and hopefully, I will as well), WOOHOO!!

[lflngpicker]

I love my MT! It is a gloss top, bound in ivory, with a wide nut. A ‘17. I just love the loud and warm tone, with even volume across the courses. The wood selection sounds exceptional. It is so easy to play and I have settled on D’Addario 11-40 Monel strings as my go to feel and sound. I had to sell it or my Ratliff, which I loved both, but chose to keep the MT. Medical costs prompted me to sell three amplifiers, a semi -hollow electric guitar and my Ratliff. My Collings is keeping me practicing now that I am home from the Rehab hospital. I appreciate the post. The MT2 is a dream for the time being, but I would hold on to the MT Gloss Top. I confess I had a bit of cash left over from my sales and med. bills and grabbed a new Eastman Octave. Haven’t put it down. Dan

[DougC]

So the question is, "When is Collings going to make an Octave Mandolin?"