Spoiler Alert: This Collings MF O (serial #F2176) may be one of the better mandolins we've had in a long time. Its tone is exceptional, and the overall fit and finish is immaculate. Although Collings instruments may be expensive, we truly believe you get so much more than you pay for, and this stunning mandolin expresses that perfectly. A great-sounding instrument starts with the right materials. This MF O features a carved Adirondack Spruce top and a one-piece Quilted Eastern Maple back. To ensure it plays like it should, it sports a 1-3/16"-wide bone nut and a compound-radius Ebony fingerboard. Collings' original tailpiece keeps the strings in place, and nickel Gotoh tuners with Ivoroid buttons keep the strings in tune. Of course, what really defines an instrument's tone is how it was built and voiced. Collings' oval soundhole design helps accentuate the bass and low mid response while producing a warm, woody tonality that remains rich in overtones. The MF O also employs guitar-inspired X-bracing under the hood. The result is an open, more resonant sound. But even though this MF O has way more warmth than your average F-model, it still cuts like it should. If you're going to spend the extra money for a boutique instrument, you want it to look the part, too, right? Well, we couldn't resisting ordering this MF O with a High-Gloss Black Top finish. Ivoroid binding makes it pop, and it looks absolutely gorgeous against the satin nitrocellulose back and side finish. Like everything from Collings, the attention to detail was meticulous in every way—every line is so clean. This Collings MF O includes a deluxe hardshell case from TKL and Collings' lifetime warranty.
