And the new guitar is....

[JeffK]

What a beauty! Enjoy!

[dwbarg]

Beautiful guitar!! I have a question...Is varnish a better finish than what is usually used? Please fill me in. Don't most use nitrocellulose on gloss guitars?

[drplayer]

Originally Posted by dwbarg

Beautiful guitar!! I have a question...Is varnish a better finish than what is usually used? Please fill me in. Don't most use nitrocellulose on gloss guitars?

"Better" is a subjective term, so it depends on each individual to decide for themselves. It is a difficult and pain-staking finish to apply correctly, and because of that, it takes much more time to apply and generally costs a great deal more (up to $2K more). IMO, based on the few I've played, it definitely provides a tonal "improvement". By "improvement", I mean it makes the guitars sound right out of the gate like they've been aged or broken in. And of course, over time they will continue to actually "break in", so a conventionally (i.e. nitrocellulose) finished guitar can never really catch up, so to speak.

On the down side--as I understand it--it takes a LONG time to fully cure, so being softer, it is much more susceptible to bumps, bruises, and dings, and it is also more heat sensitive. Lastly, it is extremely difficult to apply perfectly, so it is not uncommon to have some small bubbles or slight surface anomolies in the finish from the start. I believe Collings even provides somewhat of a disclaimer letter alluding to this, so it doesn't come as a surprise.

So, if you can live with the inherent & potential cosmetic issues of varnish, can justify the upgrade financially, and are striving for tone, varnish may have no equal. But, if you like to keep your guitar pristine and worry about even the smallest imperfections and don't have the extra cash, then it is probably not the best option for you. I considered it when I bought my Collings, but I couldn't swing/justify the additional cost, didn't want to wait a year (the waiting period at the time), and I opted for some beautiful inlays on my Collings that I didn't want to cover with varnish (it tends to yellow them a bit). Again, it's a very individual choice and depends on how you define "better". But, the tone is really incredible...at least that was my experience.

Very nice! I like the two-tone on the head stock.

[JHD512]

Beautiful burst! Congrats

Thank you all for the compliments. I really couldn't be happier with how this guitar came out. It sounds, looks, and feels even better than what I was hoping for.

- The guitar is light but not quite as light as a typical Collings OM, which I imagine is due to the Honduran Rosewood since it is a heavier wood.

- The tone is unique and phenomenal to my ears. This guitar has a fullness and body that I've not typically found among OMs while retaining clarity and responsiveness. I assume this can be attributed to a variety of things such as the varnish, wood selection, and, of course, the voicing itself. Being both a strummer singer/songwriter and a relatively new fingerpicker, I couldn't be happier. The guitar handles both very well and continues to change and develop as it breaks in.

- The headstock is stunning in my opinion and really gives the guitar a unique look.

- The sunburst itself stands without explanation. Simply one of the nicest sunbursts I've ever seen on any guitar (again, in my humble opinion, of course).

[damononline]

Man this is a gorgeous guitar! Love the SB as well.