mando-comparison: Collings F5 / Northfield F5 Artist VIE

Here is short sample to compare my 2002 Collings F5 mandolin to a brand-new Northfield F5 Artist VIE mandolin.

Recorded with a Neumann KM84 mic to a John Hardy M1 preamp.
No EQ or reverb was used.

[MountainHomeJerrel]

How wonderful. thank you for sharing these

[troyshellhamer]

I'm a huge Collings fan...I mean I really love them...but that Northfield sounds STELLAR. It really sounds awesome.

[sammycriscitello]

Beautiful playing and beautiful instruments. I have a Northfield F5S myself.

[Mando_Matt]

The Northfield has a much woodier tone. It's more traditionally voiced than the Collings, with an older vintage-style dry tone. Everyone has their preference, of course, but I find that far more pleasant than modern voicing of the Collings. I've always found Collings mandolins to be almost metallic sounding, especially in the G and D strings.

[jjmuni]

Beautiful! What’s that oval hole instrument in the background right? Mandola or Mandocello?

[fmando]

I played (3) Collings for years, but sold both MF5 and MF5V in favor of Northfield 4th Gen.

[GlindaQuadling]

Yo, what's that accordion nestling back there?

[rarebasses]

Might help if they were in tune. Lol
The strings on the Collings sound dead.

[thierrycaturegli]

Plus d'harmoniques sur la Collings !

[roberthasleder]

Hey,
thank you very much. Same with me: I play my Collings MF5 since 2003 and still love it. Always thought I will never like another mandolin better. I also played a lot of their guitars and at times owned four of them. But that five braced Northfield really is something special !

[roberthasleder]

Thank you for listening and commenting!