Hey guys, just wondering; since Bill doesn't offer any oval soundhole mandos, is there a current f-hole collings that has some of the sounds normally asssociated with the oval-hole? Thanks.

mfstout

i owned a gibson F2 (oval hole) and collings MT at the same time. the sound was so completely different. i sold the gibson (non-radiused fingerboard killed me), and bought an oval hole mandola by steve andersen. my last purchase was a collings MT-2V. (bad case of MAS!!) the MT-2V is closer to the sound of the F2 or the mandola than the MT, but still VERY different. closer because it has more sustain than the MT, but still very woody. could be the varnish.

i think the collings sound is like the nuggets and gilchrists out there: very woody, great chop and bite, but nothing like the oval hole gibsons of yesteryear.

For a new mandolin with the oval sound, check out Old Wave Mandolins. Bill makes terrific oval hole mandolins with modern attributes (radiused fretboard, better tonewoods, truss rod, etc), for the price of an old Gibson in perfect condition. He made me a mandola that I will have for a long long time, and I'm on his list for 2 more instruments.

No....so where are they? Stop the electrics and give us an oval hole mando and a 14 fret 00 a la 50's Martin 00-17 ....puhleeze!

Could not agree more CC. Oval mandos rule. Bill already nailed that whole f-hole thing, so let's git on with it!

sparky

Absotutely! In the spirit of the spartan MT's let's have an oval-hole Collings mando for $2,000 or less. Slightly wider fingerboard with a radius and keep the rest simple.