I heard today that Acousticmusic.org is getting a blonde MT-0 this week. A true blonde, not amber with highlights.

i believe you heard correctly. i have to pass unfortunately.

although i have heard that black is the new blonde.

quote:

Originally posted by marymary:
...tim o'brien meets david surette.

tim o'brien meets david surette meets marymary?

the eagle is in the air, i repeat, the eagle is in the air......

well, UPS has been and gone. perhaps i am not the first purchaser of a new Collings MT2 oval hole mandolin, perhaps i am.......neither here nor there, but i do have to say, Bill and the gang have really nailed that oval hole sound.

here is my first "quickie assessment":

beautiful fit and finish. no surprises there. this is the blackface one that Steve Miklas just received last Friday. I'm not sure anyone other than Steve played this as I put it on hold Saturday afternoon. I'm a real sucker for a blackfaced mando.

so now for the sound. lots of open chording, some jazz stuff, a few rounds of "Midnight on the Water", "Off to Californina", a couple of choruses of "Autumn Leaves" and some Bach. All handled extremely well, even from an adi topped mando that is less than a week out of Austin. It has a big bottom end right now, but more trebles and those interesting high notes will come with some playing. after about five minutes of open chording it started to really come to life. we must all remember that mandolins love to be played and hate to sit in their cases. so, this will be brief.

sometimes you bond with an instrument right away....this is the case here. i love those autoharp like chords...."Farther Along", "Wildwood Flower".........these are all in that mando. there are probably some noodling tunes in there also......in fact i could hear them wanting to get out as i placed it back in the case...........

that said, i'm going to go back and play some more. But for those of you who are on the fence about buying one of these, get off that fence RIGHT NOW!!!!

this is something not to be missed. these are what every oval hole mando afficianado has been yearning for at a price point that is fairly affordable.

viva la oval hole!!!!!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: marymary,

Mary...Mary...

That's the best looking oval-holed mando ever! Very cool. Congrats!

marymary,
thanks for this review... it's the best review i've read to date. i really liked the one piece back on the mando you got. it has a nugget-like quality to the wood grain. it must sound great. i'm not on the fence about these mandos anymore. i'm thinking black top also, though i haven't decided on a top wood. maybe engelmann. enjoy! we'd all like to hear your impressions as you break this in and as the sounds are "unlocked".

those of you yearning for a blackface one there is another at the mandolin store.

http://www.themandolinstore.com/scripts/prodView.asp?idProduct=8562

Well, I couldn't take it any more. so I called TME this morning and that beautiful Honey Amber Oval will be headed to Fla. next week.

Now to figure which "extra" guitar to sell?

gone on you, rick. good on you!!!!!!

Well Mary, your review and "urging" are part of the reason I went for it. So you gotta support me. LOL

Rick, let us know what you think of your new Oval. TME gives a great review on the differences between an oval hole and a regular F hole. I'm wondering how much the top wood plays into the sound. I'd love to A/B Englemann with Adirondack to see which sound I liked better.