2017 Collings OM 2H Question
 

I've been playing this guitar for 2 solid years, and instead of loosening up and getting easier to play, it just stays tight and difficult to move around on.
It sounds great while strumming, and after all of this time and 5 string changes I fully expected it to relax and stop fighting me.
I have had it set up, which helped with action. Has anyone else experienced this too?

I had two Collings OM's both deep body variety (OM1/OM2H) and they played "stiff" the entire time I owned them. I have a Custom D1 baked shade top Sitka now that has a much easier feel to it. But a lot of folks seem to think Collings guitars in general are unforgiving to play. I won't argue against that but I do believe there are varying degrees having owned three.

You may want to look at this thread:

https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...collings+stiff

Even though you've had a set up, I think it's most likely not set up properly. I have had the problem with a "stiff" Collings and wrote about it on a thread here; and I know other folks have as well. It took two tries at set ups--after an initial set up--to get the guitar to play the way it can and should. Of course, I suppose yours could just be stiff forever; but my "problem" Collings now plays easier than both my Martin and Huss and Daltons.

In fact, I have three Collings, and each is remarkably easy to play (within the limits of my modest ability). There's a critical balance between relief and action that unlocked the guitars for me. The action on all three of my Collings is now low (and sacrifices no tone) and the relief is less than the first two techs thought normative.

I'd write Collings and simply describe your experience, and ask if there is anything they might suggest.

Of course saddle hight and neck relief are a major factor on how a guitar feels but any time a guitar felt stiff to me it was due to the nut slots not being set properly.

How does it feel with a capo on the first fret?

Writing Collings is not a bad idea. You do, however, illustrate a point that I think is important. It's a really good idea to learn to do your own setups. A truss rod adjustment at the very least. I will tweak the truss rod an eight of a turn at a time, several times after a setup, over the course of a few weeks. I've been at it for a while now, so I can tell by the feel of it these days, but a straight edge and some feeler gauges are a good guide. It's the only way I've been able to get my setups truly dialed in for my needs, even when the guitar was set up by really good luthiers. It's not difficult to do.

every Collings I've had pass thru my hands has had a too high(and too stiff) playing action to begin with. not to say that is an issue or problem, that's simply the way those instruments arrived, and many things are adjustable to arrive at a much more favorable feel and action. as someone pointed out, maybe the person that did the setup did not persue the lowest possible variation for that guitar.
area's that need attention are:
1)nut slots
2)relief
3)fret height
4)saddle height
5)neck set

I check fret height with a notched ruler to truly set the fretboard dead level(using the truss rod). check and adjust the entire fret group for true level. check and adjust each nut slot for the correct height(first fret action should feel easy and smooth, there should be no fight to play the instrument at any area on the neck), adjust saddle height for 12th fret action, then adjust truss rod to dial in the desired relief based on your playing style.

a correct neck set is very important, and I've never found this to be an issue with a Collings. Once set up true and low(fret top level is extremely important to all this), a Collings will play like a dream and be buzz free.

good luck on finding your right person to do the work
d

First thing I thought of is the nut height may be high as is typical with many acoustics. Another thought is to tune a half step down to lessen string tension since you are relatively new to the guitar. I've been doing my own set-ups on my Martins for almost 50 years and use 13's tuned down a whole step with a perfectly straight neck. It couldn't feel better and the intonation is spot on.

Yes, I agree. I'm just coming around to having the confidence to do this simple thing. Since the Collings adjustment is inside the sound hole and not at the headstock, it is a little intimidating.

I also probably over simplified the last set up adjustment that brought my "difficult" guitar around, but the final tweak absolutely was the simple change of relief.

This was certainly my experience.

Thank you for the replies, very informative!

Listen to this man. He posted in an older Collings 'stiff' thread months ago about contacting Collings, who walked his tech through the setup. It sounds like there is a very precise sweet spot that needs to be hit.

Frankly, I don't know why a Collings should need special treatment when tons of other guitars, including boutique builders, can make a guitar that's forgiving to play out of the gate, but what do I know...

To each their own really. My two Collings I bought brand new and after an easy setup, they're the most butter-smooth playing guitars I own.

Having interned with a very good luthier in the past, I can tell you most folks come in for a setup without the faintest clue of how they want it done. He always asked - what strings/gauge? What style of music? Hard strummer or fingerstyle? What don't you like about it now? Most would answer in vague non descript answers, in which case we had a paper on the wall with the numbers from the stew mac document for a "generic" setup. A lot of folks were perfectly happy with that. But I can tell you a bluegrass guy who'd be trying to keep up with a banjo would not be happy with a setup for a fingerstyle player, or vice versa. Every now and again, a guy would come in and say "I want the relief at .004/1000th at the 5th, the nut slots .0010/1000" above the 1st fret and the action at the 12th fret to be...." Those guys were always thrilled with the work.

My point being how is Collings, or any other builder, supposed to read your mind? They send them out with the action high and a good bit of relief because if they didn't, a guy would come in, bang out louie louie with full force, then get on a forum like this and complain that the $5K guitar they just played buzzed like crazy. And that effects sales, like it or not. So a blanket statement like "I don't know why a Collings should need special treatment when....." bothers me.

OP - call Collings customer support. Explain your issue to them. Tell them you think your guitar plays stiff, or whatever. I don't have a Collings guitar, so I can't comment from personal experience, but my guess is they will get you a lot closer to a resolution than any of us here can. If, after a fair shot, they fail to take care of you, then we can have a very different discussion.

Obviously a good setup is essential, but having owned four Collings guitars and played many more, I would definitely describe them as stiff to play compared to many other brands.