Collings mandos in Bluegrass

[Steve Perry]

I know.. a similar question was asked not too long ago, but it didn't really answer my question.

So... #Is anybody, Pro or not, using a Collings mando in real, honest to God, Bill Monroe type Bluegrass? #A Collings MF is on my short list of mandos to acquire. #I've played them in stores, love the tone, they sound great played solo but... #how do they do in a band/jam situation? #Do they cut through? #Anybody got any sound samples?

[PCypert]

I think the song file Big Scotia on the cafe mp3 page is supposedly played on an MT2 if I'm not mistaken. I probably am though. They can be plently loud. The sound is a little bit different than the BG tone I hear most going for but can be used very well IMHO.
Paul

[rixter]

I believe Mando Medic plays an MF5 in his band Emerald Valley Boys and it does just fine.

[mandomadman]

I recently went to hear one of my favorite bluegrass/jam bands, The Yonder Mountain String Band. The mando player Jeff Austin was playing his new Collings MF5. The mando looked gorgeous, sounded ok but not nearly as powerful and complex as the 96 Flatiron Performer he was playing for years in that band. Mabey it will open up in time or mabey it was not the best mix on his Collings that day,but the sound was very dissapoiting to me that day. I'm sure he loves his new Collings but my ears noticed a big difference,it noticably has changed the sound of the band, to my ears that day. Mabey the next show I'll have a different opinion. I've played a small handful of Collings and to my ears they sound very woody in tone but not very complex in overtones.Just like all good makers you'll probably have to play a bunch till you find that special one that meets your tonal expectations for bluegrass.

[Frankmc]

Collings definately have their own voice. I wonder how many sound techs mix to hear what they THINK a mandolin should sound like in a bluegrass band versus letting the true voice of the instrument come through. I think the only way you'd be happy is to A/B the short list standing around in circle playn' your Bill Monroe set.

[mandopete]

I have some sound samples up on our website, but I'm not sure I would categorize the music as "Honest to God, Bill Monroe type bluegrass Music".

FWIW I think the Collings MF-5 is well suited for bluegrass music in that it is both fairly loud (stands up to the banjer) and is very easy to play ('specially when you're kickin' it on Rawhide).

However YMMV.

[fredfrank]

On the Cafe mp3 page, I play a Collings MF5 on the tune Hogan's Reel. Now this isn't really Monroe-style bluegrass, since you can actually hear each note pretty distinctly, but I've actually gone to the Collings Deluxe pretty much full time in our band.

[Mando Medic]

I do own and play a MF-5 with the Emerald Valley Boys, sometimes known these days as the Airstream Valley Boys too. I am no Bill Monroe, but the other mandolin player in our group has a 2001 Sam Bush and my Collings stands head to head with his. In fact, I had a Master Model prototype that I thought sounded pretty darned good, until I got the MF-5 from Jim Roberts. Don't hesitate one moment, get the Collings and you will be completely happy. If the name on the headstock bothers you, put some electrical tape over it and it will mislead everyone. A happy player, that's me.
Ken Cartwright
"Just my opinion, but I'm Cartwright."

[John Flynn]

The band "Big Smith" is not exactly "Monroe style." They bill themselves as "hillbilly music," but they are in the ball park and they play "loud acoustic," which is consistent with bluegrass. When I saw them at a festival last year, thier mando player was playing an MF and it sounded pretty darn good.

[Brain]

I'm no Bill Monroe either, but I've been chasing his sound for years and I've been doing it with my Collings. My band does real, honest to God bluegrass. We play hard and loud and my Collings cuts right through the mix. I love the way it barks under my agressive attack, on both the low and high end. It's an MT2, #115, I think. But I'm not a mandolin player any more now that I've got one of Steve's good fiddles stuck under my chin all the time. Few can haul logs like Bill could.

[Clyde Clevenger]

As we switch instruments fairly often in the Emerald Valley Boys, I sometimes end up with Ken's Collings in my hands on stage, it's everybit the mandolin my Bush is, except for the scrawny little neck and the tight string spacing, what's that all about??? I'm the cute one in the band. I often have to point that out to our fan as it isn't obvious at first glance.

[Mando Medic]

He's the Jeckyl, I'm Hyde. kenc

[BigJoe]

Hey Ken...I thought you were the Jeckyl and he was the Clyde .

[wallflower]

I've played a fair number of Collings mandolins, and while they have a nice sound, I've never heard one that had that bluegrass growl that I prefer. #That is until I played a new Collings MF5 Deluxe varnish at Mass Street Music a month ago. #That was the first Collings I've played that I thought had a real bluegrass sound. #I still wouldn't trade my Gibson for it, but it was definitely different from any other Collings I've played, including another varnish MF5 they had.

[Mando Medic]

Big Joe,
You're right! Jekyl and Clyde. Cute. Kenc

[Clyde Clevenger]

That would be "The" Clyde to you.

[BigJoe]

I was in a band about 1969 that was called "Clyde, Nellie, and Polar Bear". We were nearly as good as our name.

[RMH]

Fred (Frank) played his Collings on stage with my band yesterday in Battle Mountain, NV. Full five piece with fiddle, upright bass, banjo, guitar. We played 1 hour, 90% traditional stuff. The mandolin (and Fred) was superb. Great chop, good cut on the leads, and amazing tone. I have also played with Fred when he was using his Fern. The Gibson also sounds great, just different. Should a person be afraid to buy a Collings if he plans to perform traditional music in a five piece Bluegrass Band? Not in my opinion.

[fredfrank]

I was in a band about 1969 that was called "Clyde, Nellie, and Polar Bear". #We were nearly as good as our name.

Which name were you going by, Joe?

Thanks, Ron. 'Twas great picking with you guys again!

[mandopete]

The Ken & Clyde show - them boys smoke a mean cigar!

[Mando Medic]

That would be the Ken, Clyde and Pete show. Kenc

[Mando Medic]

That would be the Ken, Clyde and Pete show. Kenc

[Brain]

I just posted some clips my band has recorded.
My Collings is on a few of the clips. All of
the clips were recorded one take into a condenser
mic in a living room, so it's not studio quality,
but the Collings sure works well as a bluegrass
mando for me. By the way, the fiddles you hear on
some of the clips are ones I got from Steve Perry's
shop ... all except McGloughlin's Reel, that's the
banjo player's fiddle.

http://www.lostcreekmusic.com/html/listen.html

[OregonMike]

South Austin Jug Band's Dennis Ludiker (who is an monster of the mandolin frets and has played championship texas style fiddle in the NW for years) cuts through the entire band on a Collings (and it's an F-holed A at that!).

Worth a listen: South Austin Jug Band Site

[Shana Aisenberg]

I played mandolin (and fiddle) for an unamplified outdoor wedding gig with a couple of friends about a month ago. I had absolutely no problems being heard with my Collings MT2V. We played a mix of bluegrass and swing w/ banjo, guitar and mandolin or fiddle.

Seth