Ellis vs. collings mf5v

[mandolooter]

looks like ya made a fine choice...I'd take a Ellis over a Collings anyday...I don't like those V-necks.

[Spruce]

"You can't compare the two. Toms work is off the charts and he's not a factory"

Well, how do you define "factory", Gary....?

Because both the Ellis and the Collings F5 have a lot in common--namely the marriage of fine F5 design and knowledge combined with CNC technology....
You can smell it from 50 feet away...

And I think that's a good smell.
The difficulty of the F5 design to build (especially around the scroll area) just screams for the use of CNCs, and both Tom and Bill have really dialed in their tools...

Flip a coin...

[sgarrity]

And correct me if I'm wrong, but Tom isn't a one man shop. Doesn't he have a few people working for him? Makes absolutely no difference to me. It's obvious he's making an extremely good mandolin.

[Jonathan James]

yeah, I recall reading something about a couple of folks working with Tom on finishing, inlays, assembly, etc.

[testore]

Bruce,
When I see several hundred Ellis mandolins offered for sale at any one time then I'll consider Ellis to be a factory.

[ellisppi]

To answer a couple of questions, the back & sides of 100 are silver maple, not quite birds eye, not quite quilt. The mandolins are built by Pava Knezevic and me. I graduate the tops & backs & install tone bars, she does all the assembly and binding and she & I both do final sanding. I do the fret job, and final setup and Josh Luttrell does the stain & varnish. Nathan Arrison is the programmer & jig maker. heres a couple more pics of PJ's new mandolin

[ellisppi]

and the back

[sgarrity]

Yessir....that is mighty fine! You obviously have a very talented crew.

[Spruce]

Hi Tom....

Was that Silver Maple really light in weight??
That's a real throwback to the wood in the 30-40's Gibsons...
Beautiful stuff....

"When I see several hundred Ellis mandolins offered for sale at any one time then I'll consider Ellis to be a factory. "

Hmmm...
Do you see several hundred Collings F5s "offered for sale at any one time"?
I'm kinda out of the loop living on an island an all..... #

[testore]

They're everywhere.They are a great product.Don't get me wrong. They are great mandolins.

[JAK]

The Ellis is a great mandolin, I've had the opportunity to play one. As the topic is, "Ellis vs. Collings MF5V," a consideration is the price. As the Ellis has gained in popularity, the price seems to have gone up. The last two I saw at Smoky Mountain Guitars were listed at $12,500, and there is currently one at Carmel Music for $11,600 (this is the selling price, not the list - I checked with Dexter). There are a number of Collings MF5V mandos listed for $9,000 (not the deluxe model). So, a comparison in sound, etc. should also compare what it costs to obtain one.

[fredfrank]

I'd have to agree with John that the only mandolin Collings has that compares price-wise would be the Deluxe. However, I have found, after having owned a few Collings mandolins, that the degree to which one is decorated has little to do with the quality of the sound they produce. In other words, they all sound great!

It would appear that Ellis only produces one model, and that is a top of the line one at that. Now I've never played one, but they no doubt sound great or he wouldn't be able to sell them at that price.

I think that my point is that you could buy a great sounding mandolin from either builder, but if you are looking to stay within a certain budget, you will no doubt have to go with the Collings.

This is not intended to be any kind of buying advice for the originator of the thread, as I see he has already bought an Ellis. But it's kinda like comparing apples to oranges - just my 2.5 cents worth.

By the way, I have to say that I have never seen any mandolins that compare to the pure stunning beauty of an Ellis.

[pjlama]

Had I gone for he Collings it would have been a Deluxe and the Ellis deluxe and Collings are now the same price about 11 1/2. #100 was a bit more but because of the binding work and and special stuff, I was ok with paying more 12500 that's how much specials are. Until this batch Tom's deluxe was 10500 a bit less than Collings. So for all intents and purposes they're about the same price. As I said earlier I would have been very happy with a Collings but got something special Ellis #100. So I was comparing mandos right around the same price, apples to apples.

[mandoforme]

That is one BEAUTIFUL mandolin! #PJ, you are one lucky guy! #

[mandopete]

Holy smokes - that's an eye popper!

[Wesley]

One thing I've noticed is that I don't ever remember seeing a used Ellis for sale in the classified ads. It would appear that the owners aren't letting go of them once they have one. I'd also be interested in hearing what folks think of the first batch of Ellis's compared to when he started building again.

[pjlama]

I can tell you why no one sells them. An istrument is a tool, the better the tool the more transparent it is and the Ellis is damn near invisible. The thought to sound gap is nearly closed, everyday I become more impressed with it. The sad part is my MAS will need to be focused on ovals, a's and mandolas the F is done. I'm also interesed in how thw 80's stuff compares to the new ones. I'd like to hear opinions too.

[ninevah]

Tom's instruments have always been looked upon favorably (Ricky Skaggs and Buck White). Like other great builders he keeps trying to improve with every instrument. He wants to get mine back so he can see what it sounds like after ~2 years of playing. I can't let it go, but just so you know Tom, it's getting better and better. Last week in a recording session the sound guy turned to me and said "That's the finest sounding mandolin I've ever heard". (He was not referring to my playing, lol).

[msh_mando]

Does anyone know how many mandos Tom Ellis has made? I remember him saying something about the number ("100" in the case of the mando discussed above) indicating total number of instruments he has made, not just mandos. Does anyone have an idea of how many total mandolins there are, and how many were made "earlier" and in the "current" period?

[pjlama]

Somebody (Tom) please correct me but he made roughly 70 in the eighties stopped and picked up the numbering where he left off so my #100 in his 100th which is was finished in early June 07'. So early ones say 70 new ones a little more than thirty in the last two years. And if anyone cares #100 is getting sweeter everyday, this is as good as it gets.

[Tim W]

Old thread but wanted to share my lament anyway. Back over 20 years ago when I first met Tom I think he was selling his mandolins for about $2500.00 or right around there.

Since then I've played Buck's, both of Ricky's and a few others. I was a 2 striper in the Air Force back then and now I wish I'd have hocked off my 67' Camaro and bought one when I had the chance.

Hindsight right?

To me, the only mandolins ever made; for my ear anyway are some old Gibson's, one Sargent I played, a few Gilchrists I've had in my hands and all of the Ellis' I was ever lucky enough to play. His new ones sound like old Gibsons to me, and in particular his personal one. Now, wonder what I can get outta this Powerstroke F-250...

[Capt. E]

It would be fairly easy for someone to compare the Ellis and Collings manufacturing set-up by visiting them. Collings began building guitars sitting next to Tom Ellis in Tom's workshop. Both are still very good friends and still located in Austin. Their paths have been quite different. Collings is new to building mandolins. Tom Ellis is a small luthier who has never made anything else and produces among the best mandolins in the world. Collings' instruments are excellent, but I would say does not come up to Ellis' standard.
Tom Ellis also owns Precision Pearl. He does all of Collings pearl inlay as well as that for Taylor, Gibson acoustic division, and many others. He saves the best shell for his own instruments.

[citycountryguy]

Hello--
I'd like to revive this thread and see if opinions have changed, expanded, and how the experience has been with Ellis and Collings in the last couple of years. I've talked to a couple of people, own a Collings MF5, and have lusted after an Ellis for a while now...anything new to add?

[frankenstein]

Flip a coin is a good answer. But if it's an Ellis you want that's what you should get.. I don't think you'll look back.

[frankenstein]