I recently went to Elderly and tried out a bunch of their instruments and found that the Collings MT was very good in comparison to most of their mandolins. (But I found Ferns that were terrible, too.) From the split-lip neck/body joint to the delicate mother-of-pearl inlays gracing the fretboard and peghead, the KM-855 has the traditional look and feel associated with the classic instruments of the mid-1920s. Webers vary quite a bit and can be sensitive to setup (I have a Bighorn that is like that) and while the Lebeda and Capek are well made and fine sounding mandolins, they did not rock my boat the way my Fern does. The pedigree is noble and a close look at the Kentucky KM-855 shows that the DNA is vintage. I would buy a Collings without seeing it because I know that the sound will be consistent no matter which instrument I bought. Please be aware that I had never played the mandolin as of 20 minutes ago, so don’t expect Ricky Skaggs YouTube. I prefer my 3 Gibsons as far as subjective tone goes, but I had to search for them. (Check and put in Collings to see what is available on the market.) They also tend to keep their value since the price is reasonable and the value good. Every MT I have played (about 6) have had the same great sound and playability. Collings mandolins are the most consistent instruments around as far as I can tell, even at the MT level. I have played at least one example of all the instruments you mention and I have to go with the Collings too. Wood is unique, and all instruments (even from Collings…) will be different. The flat-backed, cant-topped vintage Martins are more widely used for ITM, and are VERY reasonable to pick up, especially the A models (B’s on up have better woods and more decoration, and are rarer).īest advice is to play some before buying, if possible. Both are nice instruments, but I think you’d be underwhelmed in the long run. Other mandolins I’ve spent some time playing ITM on are Mid-Missouri and a vintage carved Martiin (model 2-15, 1949). Mandolin players, especially those proficient in playing other fretted instruments with wider string spacing will appreciate the new KM-1050 At first glance, this new master-level mandolin shares similar specifications to the popular KM-1000, but looking more closely you will discover a few more player-friendly features first pioneered by Saga and Kentucky mandolins in the late 1970's as a. Check out the (endless…)discussions and the classifieds at for more (and more…) info. A used one would be very affordable too they’re out there. I’ve heard Dennis Cahill play one live, and of course, it sounded wonderful. I’ve never played a Collings, but hear great things about them, and if you’re looking for a dual purpose instrument (for Bluegrass and ITM) that might be a wise choice. I’m playing oval holed A style Gibsons from the teens now these are one of the best bargains out there for vintage Gibsons, and are great for ITM.