My first Collings experience - not a good story

[Zissou Intern]

Originally Posted by Mbroady

Had that same experience with many a guitar over the years, only to be Impressed with the same make and model else where.

I have had that same experience only to be impressed with the exact same guitar a day, a week, a month later.

There are many factors that could’ve contributed to that D2H not sounding great at that moment. As mentioned... Was it asleep? How much had it been played prior to your one strum and a lick? Was it the strings? What gauge and brand were on it? If it was a 20 year-old Collings, they weren’t always lightly built. I wouldn’t think a set of lights would be the best to driving force, especially if it hadn’t been played much or much lately. Surely, a string change and 15-30 minutes of picking would’ve been warranted after a 2 hour drive. But it sounds like you found a guitar you like at much cheaper price.

[lowrider]

''Sounds like a big box Guitars R Us experience.... (maybe I'm wrong) ... but it also sounds like the guitar will either eventually sell for a lot less to someone who feels they can bring out the best in the instrument or sit unsold and get worse...... and the "workers" don't have a reason to care (?)''

If it was at a ''Big Box'' (GC) store, it would have had a 45 day trial. Since they thought it was a dud, I'd have negotiated my best price and taken a chance on it. New strings, set-up, play the crap out of it and then see (hear) what I think.

[rgregg48]

I had a D2h in 1994.
The sound was good but unremarkable at the price point.
I play instrumentals and a lot of single string playing beyond the 5th fret. The Collings always felt tight and stiff . Not a action issue there was nothing to repair
So I sold it for what I paid for it!
I have played some fine Collings
But never found them to be consistent.

[Dru Edwards]

This sounds like it isn't a case of "The law of diminishing returns.". It may have been a dud, strings, humidity etc. Regardless, that first strum was telling.

Hopefully you enjoyed the drive and you still ended up with a guitar.

[rstaight]

Sometimes it happens. A guitar just isn't there, at least for your taste.

As stated it could have been humidity, strings, your it just needs some love and played.

I have one guitar in particular that sounds boxy on a good day. But it was a gift from my wife so I keep it and play it on a regular basis. But there are days it just isn't there at all. So back in the case it goes and out comes the old Lotus.

[edcmat-l1]

Sometimes it's love at first sight, sometimes ya gotta get to know someone.

To the OP I'm surprised you didn't discuss the guitar with the store people. New strings, maybe a saddle, etc. How long did they have it? Was it properly humidified, etc. I think if I drove 2 hours to make that purchase I would have given it more time than 1 strum and a couple bars of finger pickin.

[lowrider]

Originally Posted by wvblues

I hope that everyone knows that I am by no means bashing Collings or their product. It was more less an observation of just how real and how necessary it is to try before you buy and especially so for a high end instrument - but any instrument in general.

It was almost a surreal "guitar chooses the guitar player" moment at the shop. Perhaps it just was not meant for me.

You didn't say just what it was that you didn't like, but you knew it from the first strum. Could it be that you just don't like the Collings tone?

[Malcolm Kindnes]

I have owned four Collings guitars over the years and ended up selling them all. They were all well finished instruments and I tried to like them, but none of them really moved me and I do think they are overpriced.

[SJ VanSandt]

I've had exactly the same thing happen to me with . . . countless brands. Bourgeois, Froggy Bottom, Gallagher, Huss and Dalton, Martin and Gibson (many times), Lowden, etc. etc. Even Collings. It's usually dead strings. If you were serious about buying the guitar and you don't get the shop to put fresh strings on for you, either you or the shop are remiss: it's no reflection on the brand, whatever it may happen to be.

[jaymarsch]

There are so many variables that can impact how a guitar will sound on any given day. A number of years back I embarked on a Collings guitar journey. I went to Gryphons where they had a great inventory of both the OMs and C-10s (full size dreads were off the table due to an old shoulder injury).
They varied way more than I thought but I learned that two had just arrived, a couple had been in the store for a while and the strings were definitely in need of changing. I played them and just couldn’t marry with either the tone or the feel. A friend of mine who was with me played a couple and they sounded totally different in her hands. She plays with a stronger attack than I do.
As Andy said, sometimes a guitar’s tone signature is an acquired taste. Bottom line is you trusted what your hands and ears were telling you.
I hope that you enjoy the guitar that followed you home.
Best,
Jayne

[stephenT]

I've owned three Collings that were fine guitars but just didn't stick. Conversely, I have a Waterloo that I'll never sell.

I remember my wife who worked in Education (vice principal, teacher training, teacher assessment, etc) told me this, a rule of thirds. A third are less than good, a third are good and a third are exceptional.

No matter who the acoustic guitar maker might be, there are going to be duds.

[Rudy4]

Originally Posted by wvblues

I hope that everyone knows that I am by no means bashing Collings or their product. It was more less an observation of just how real and how necessary it is to try before you buy and especially so for a high end instrument - but any instrument in general.

It was almost a surreal "guitar chooses the guitar player" moment at the shop. Perhaps it just was not meant for me.

I would think that's how most would interpret your post, but others might think it disingenuous to judge an entire brand by observations based on a single instrument.

Your title could have been "My first high end guitar experience - not a good story" and would have gotten the point across that this is an experience that might hold true with any brand, not just Collings.

[edcmat-l1]

Originally Posted by SJ VanSandt

I've had exactly the same thing happen to me with . . . countless brands. Bourgeois, Froggy Bottom, Gallagher, Huss and Dalton, Martin and Gibson (many times), Lowden, etc. etc. Even Collings. It's usually dead strings. If you were serious about buying the guitar and you don't get the shop to put fresh strings on for you, either you or the shop are remiss: it's no reflection on the brand, whatever it may happen to be.

That's kinda what I'm thinking. If the shop wanted to make the sale you'd figure they'd say "lemme restring it real quick for you". Now if it was a feel thing and you totally didn't like the neck, nut width, fret board radius, something that just didn't feel good to you I could see how that would be an immediate turn off.

[jklotz]

A local shop had an OM-1 that was a dud. I played it twice over the course of 6 months or so, both times with new strings. It sat for a long time, but they finally sold it at a discount. It happens. That said, I've played probably 15 or more over the years, and every other one had that Collings sound. All played very well. I don't ever recall seeing any fit or finish issues. I don't own a Collings, but I certainly wouln't let that one guitar deter me from buying one if I were in the market. I'd like to own one some day.

It's interesting. I can play a lot of less expensive guitars that sound really good at first, but over time, I get bored with the sound and they don't sound so good to me anymore. "Bright and lively" starts sound like "ice pick in the ear". Guitars like a good Collings, or my Huss and Dalton, for instance, start off pretty good, but as I play them and start to discover how to coax subtle nuances out of them, they start to grow on me. I like my H&D way better now than I did when I bought it, and I liked it a lot then.

[UncleJesse]

I like Collings guitars but I've not been a huge fan of standard series. Traditional series Collings seem to be quite a bit better IMO. Still, there must have been something up with it. Even a standard series should have no problem outperforming a lower-end Martin.