Collings MT vs Pava A

[ColdBeerGoCubs]

I've owned (and own) more than a few Collings of all varieties and I am a fan. I also have a satin Pava in my possesion right now (and an MT2-O) - build quality on both is top notch. Both are loud - I read comments about the Pava not being loud and I don't get it nor agree. The Collings (talking about the MT here) is more mid-range and treble heavy - 'bright' - while the Pava is more bass and mid-heavy - 'Dark'. This makes sense as the Pava body is larger than the Collings by a fair amount. The Collings seems to change more with different picks and strings, the Pava does too but not to the degree the Collings does.

Both will go louder than you need in most situations but you can hammer on the Collings like a lunatic and it just never stops getting louder, ever. The tone starts to fall off at some point but if you're battling a pile of meat with a banjo or an egomaniac with a guitar tone really doesn't matter. Either can handle that situation without batting an eye, Collings just 'cuts' more. For me - Pava goes to the Celtic jams at the bar, Collings to outdoor jam circles or vice-versa, doesn't matter. At home - either one, they can both play quiet and sweet with full tone. I prefer the wide necks on both, even if I set string spacing to the 1 1/8 spacing.

[yankees1]

Does a thread exist where you haven't brought up Girouard?

That's a good one Cubbie !! You can tell I'm sold on Girouard mandolins ?? Go Cubbies !

[CES]

I’ll agree with the positive comments offered by others for both. I owned an MT for a few months. And agree that mine was a little brighter sounding, had great dynamics, but could get loud and cut through well. It was also extremely well set up and was an easy playing mandolin. I eventually traded it on a mandocello because I preferred the tone of my Silverangel, which I eventually sold to buy my Kelley A5, which has cured my MAS for the immediate future.

I played two Pavas at TME about 2 years ago now, and remember being very impressed by both. Tone was very different from the MT, and I think I preferred the Pava tone. Build quality is top notch for both. So, I I were buying blindly, I’d go Pava. Unless the choice was between an MT-2, then I’d really have to flip a coin.

Nothing against MTs at all. I think they’re awesome instruments, and, if an MT was the only mandolin I could own, I’d play one happily. Good luck, you really can’t go wrong!

[Mandobar]

Does a thread exist where you haven't brought up Girouard?

Is it a bad thing to offer a viable alternative? There is also a Northfield M in the Classifieds. Also a Hinde A at Morgan Music.

[Winfield]

It seems like in discussions comparing Collings MT's, Pava A's, and Girouard A's, the general agreement is that all three are finely built instruments. Beyond that, it's a matter of taste. The necks are a little different, and the tones are a little different. People will tell you which one they like better, but they can't really say which one is better.

Winfield, since you didn't say where you live (Winfield, Kansas???), are you within a couple hours driving distance of a store that carries either a Collings MT or a Pava A? If so, I'd suggest you go there and try that one out. If you totally fall in love with it, then buy it and don't worry about whether you would have liked the other one better. If not, then you can experiment, based on the info that you have gotten in this thread, and buy one of the two online with the typical 48-hour approval period. A failed experiment will cost you the shipping fees, which you can chalk up as an education expense.

If you aren't near a store that sells either one, another possibility that might work is to see if a store that sells Collings and Pavas (e.g., Fiddlers Green) would be willing to sell you both instruments, shipping them at the same time, and give you a refund --- minus the shipping fees --- for the one you send back within 48 hours. Even if a store would do that, you'd probably need to have the funds available for both mandos, since there is a good chance that the due date for the double-charge would fall before the store credits the refund.

I'm actually trying to help narrow down a new mandolin for a friend. She's looking to upgrade from her Eastman mandolin. I realize she needs to play first to decide. We do have access to store that carries Collings but now Pavas I'm afraid. I have a Red Diamond that I love but when I was at Winfield several years ago stopped by the Ellis/Pava booth and played a sweet little blonde Pava. I would have loved to get that for myself but couldn't justify having 2 mandolins.

[ccravens]

I would have loved to get that for myself but couldn't justify having 2 mandolins.

I'm sorry, did I read that correctly? Does not compute..



If you need any help in the justification for having more than one mando, you've come to the right place..

[ColdBeerGoCubs]

Is it a bad thing to offer a viable alternative? There is also a Northfield M in the Classifieds. Also a Hinde A at Morgan Music.

No, there’s not and I don’t believe I ever said there was. I’m kicking around the idea of picking up one of their ovals. I just admire yanks dedication to Max and his instruments. Go into a thread about picks and “love my girouard oval”. It’s admirable honestly, the guy found what he loves and lets everyone know about a quality builder. Win/win as far as I’m concerned.

[Mandobar]

There’s also a Summit A5, new old stock at www.om28.com

[Winfield]

Ha! I'm trying to be good. I'm not worth of the Red Diamond let alone adding another one to make me feel even worse.

[Winfield]

I'm sorry, did I read that correctly? Does not compute..



If you need any help in the justification for having more than one mando, you've come to the right place..

Ha! I'm trying to be good. I'm not worth of the Red Diamond let alone adding another one to make me feel even worse.

[mixolydia]

When I bought a Mandolin a few years ago, I went in knowing nothing about them (except for having played Bluegrass growing up). I went to a local shop that I knew sold "high-end" mandolins and, as a guitar player, decided to trust my ear without doing any research beforehand. I had the shop put new strings on a Pava A, Collings MT, and Northfield F5. The Northfield played the easiest, but had the weakest sound of the three, to my ear. The Pava and Collings were *nearly* identical in sound, but I liked the look and feel of the Pava neck better. After breaking-in my Pava, I've gone back to compare to used Collings and I think it is really superior in subtle, but noticeable ways. I would go Pava.

[Caleb]

https://www.texasmonthly.com/being-t...iEtm9Okg2YJTrg

^^^ New video by Texas Monthly about Collings. Sadly, no mandolins on display here that I saw (just guitars), but a nice peek into the shop all the same.