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Thread: Steve Nall (Collings Guitars) Interview

  1. #1

    Default Steve Nall (Collings Guitars) Interview

    Did anyone else listen tot he Steve Nall interview on Bluegrass Jam Along podcast?

    A great interview as usual, I really enjoy that podcast. There were some surprising (to me) facts about mandolin production at Collings.

    Sounds like production is pretty low (one a week or month, I can't recall). But most surprising is that they only have one person working on mandolins.

    Who is this person? Do they sign labels? I always hear people refer to Collings instruments as very consistent. So what happens if this person leaves? Has this person changed in the past? Or is the Collings production system so strong that this luthier has significantly less impact than an individual builder?

    The production/manufacturing side of my brain is filled with anxiety about having one person. I own an MT and love it and hopefully one day will have an F5 varnish.

  2. #2
    Registered User Charles E.'s Avatar
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    Default Re: Steve Nall (Collings Guitars) Interview

    It would be helpful if you provided a link to the podcast.
    Charley

    A bunch of stuff with four strings

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    Administrator Mandolin Cafe's Avatar
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    Default Re: Steve Nall (Collings Guitars) Interview


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  6. #4

    Default Re: Steve Nall (Collings Guitars) Interview

    I just gave the interview a listen. He said there is one person (not by choice..) who makes two mandolins a week. I’m no expert, but 100 mandolins per year by a single person sounds like insane output to me!

    My impression from reading the forums is that Collings are remarkably consistent.

    Given that level of production and consistency, color me even more intrigued by their production process!

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    Registered User tjmangum's Avatar
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    Default Re: Steve Nall (Collings Guitars) Interview

    Quote Originally Posted by joh View Post
    I’m no expert, but 100 mandolins per year by a single person sounds like insane output to me!
    My impression from reading the forums is that Collings are remarkably consistent.
    Given that level of production and consistency, color me even more intrigued by their production process!
    I'm far from an expert and things have changed, I'm sure, since I toured Collings a dozen or so years ago, but what impressed me was the assembly process and the resources they had set up to go from the CNC machines. This one guy on mandolins may be carving and/or assembling, but he may well have pre cut or built necks, braces and other elements ready to go. Also, all the finish work was done in one area and that would be a different department.
    Last edited by tjmangum; Jul-22-2022 at 12:50pm.
    " Give me some words I can dance to and a melody that rhymes" - Steve Goodman

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    Registered User Matt Hutchinson's Avatar
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    Default Re: Steve Nall (Collings Guitars) Interview

    Thanks for sharing the interview. That’s my podcast - Nully was incredibly generous with his time and it was a cool conversation to get to be part of!

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