Collings, Santa Cruz, Huss & Dalton....best midsize for the money?

[Zissou Intern]

SCGC mahogany/Adirondack OM's are consistently amazing! I worked in a Collings, Martin, SCGC, Bourgeois, Guild, Gibson shop, and we always had one on order and one on the wall. The boss owned one, and many of our regular customers bought them too. Great guitars, each and every one that came through the store.

[TJNies]

I once went to a shop that had Bourgeois and Collings (sorry, not SC). I tried some very high-end models of each. Luckily I brought along my Martin CS 000-42 (Guatemalan RW and Swiss Spruce) for direct comparison.

The Collings wasn't my cup of tea, but individually I loved the Bourgeois (Brazilian and torrified Adirondack) . Comparing it directly to my Martin narrowed that gap entirely. I may have purchased the Bourgeois had I not had my 000-42 there.

So make sure you get to play your choices together before you buy.

[taylorgtr]

All 3 are great guitars - as said above, the boutique makers aren't a question of 'what's best for the money' - they each have their own unique character.

If you want a 'great OM for the money', try an Eastman E20-OM or E40-OM. Now those are great guitars for the money.

[Shadowfox]

I have played a few Collings OM, and they are quite impressive. The sound they put out is far above the weight class. I would also say if you are looking at that price range, why not expand the brands. I know that Furch OM's are thought highly off, (and could be below the prices), the Irish makers, Lakewood etc.

[Psfam]

I know what you asked and I have tried them all. Of the three, I like Collings the best. They are very consistent and phenomenally built. I don't think their quality can be beat, in addition to the fact that I love their new case.

BUT, I like the sound of a good Martin in the 00-000 range better. It is kind of "smoky' by comparison to a little more bright and clear in the Collings. But they are all really really nice. Martins feel a little less refined in build to me, but I still just like them.

We are so fortunate to have such amazing choices. You will like them all!

[dneal]

You've narrowed it down to good brands (and there are some others, as has been mentioned). At this point, you're asking about favorite ice cream flavor.

I've played all 3. My general impressions are:

Santa Cruz - Dry and woody. I've also wanted to like them, but I prefer a richer / more lush sound.

Collings - Bright and crisp. Nice overtones but perhaps a little sterile overall.

Huss and Dalton - The warmest of the three. Articulate, but not quite as responsive as the Santa Cruz.

[lt20dbl]

Originally Posted by dneal

You've narrowed it down to good brands (and there are some others, as has been mentioned). At this point, you're asking about favorite ice cream flavor.

I've played all 3. My general impressions are:

Santa Cruz - Dry and woody. I've also wanted to like them, but I prefer a richer / more lush sound.

Collings - Bright and crisp. Nice overtones but perhaps a little sterile overall.

Huss and Dalton - The warmest of the three. Articulate, but not quite as responsive as the Santa Cruz.

Sounds like You're not too crazy about any of them.

[lt20dbl]

Originally Posted by rmyAddison

There is no "best", there are personal opinions.

My vintage gang guitar builders are Martin(father of them all)/Santa Cruz/Collings/Bourgeois/H&D, they ALL make fine instruments. Probably should add Gibson and Guild too for that matter.

"For the money" I would actually argue Martin, global name recognition, easiest to re-sell (by a lot, not everybody knows the boutique names), and the most established used market with decades of history.

I would put my OM's up against ANYTHING, actually I did over the decades, that's why I have them. And the next player may have totally different tastes, neither one of us is wrong.

All these builders have traits and voicing preferences, some variance in nut/neck profiles, go from rowdy to balanced.....said it a million times and I'm going on 60 years of playing, the better builders are "different" not "better".

Find out for yourself what is best to you, all we can say is what is best for ourselves........

My experience with OMs is extremely limited. I have and have only had one. An OM-18A. I don't know how OMs are supposed to sound but that guitar has a unique character, unlike any of my others. I've had it for four years and it just seems to keep calling my name.

[slimey]

I have to agree with Dneal about his description of the tone.
I'm quite lucky to have had a chance to play OMs by all 3 builders you're looking at when I was looking.
I like a fuller sound balanced throughout the ranges and I ended up going with the H and D TOM R custom, torrified Adirondack top. It has huge headroom you can really push it before it breaks up. Very warm overtones. For me the moderate V ( very moderate ) neck is the nicest neck of the guitars I own. ( Collings SJ, Lowden 035, Kopp K35)
I think the quality of all the builders is superb and truthfully I couldn't define a difference in quality of build between any of them.

One thing I have noticed over the years, I love Collings guitars, but I think they're a little like formula 1 race cars. If you know what you're doing you can get unreal tone, sustain etc out of them, but I think they are a little less forgiving than the other builders you mentioned. If your technique is a little off they'll punish you. Silly thing to say but they'll sound like you play. I think the H and D and SCGC are a little more forgiving if your technique slips.

[harmonyrepairs]

Makes no sense to compare acoustic guitars by reputation, brand, or model. Two exact same models will more than likely sound different to the discriminating ear because the materials are different. The only way to evaluate and choose a "best" accoustic is to play a bunch of them in an appropriate test environment.

And therein lies the rub. I have never seen a music store with an appropriate test room. They are all tone dead having lots of carpeting and soft wood or acoustically dead wall coverings. To evaluate appropriately, you have to hear the guitars in an acoustically live room. And, very few people have the auditory memory to compare two or more guitars over a period of weeks or days. The human brain cannot remember the over tones which is why we buy acoustics.

[dneal]

Originally Posted by lt20dbl

Sounds like You're not too crazy about any of them.

My preferences lie elsewhere, but I tried to give an objective pro/con for each.

Of the three, I would probably go with the Huss and Dalton. Others might prefer the Santa Cruz. Like I said, at this point it's just choosing flavor of ice cream. There is no objective right or wrong answer.

[jazzguy]

Originally Posted by Psfam

I know what you asked and I have tried them all. Of the three, I like Collings the best. They are very consistent and phenomenally built. I don't think their quality can be beat, in addition to the fact that I love their new case.

BUT, I like the sound of a good Martin in the 00-000 range better. It is kind of "smoky' by comparison to a little more bright and clear in the Collings. But they are all really really nice. Martins feel a little less refined in build to me, but I still just like them.

We are so fortunate to have such amazing choices. You will like them all!

I echo the above. All are great - but my Martin 00-18 Standard Series is fantastic.

[TDavis]

Originally Posted by jazzguy

I echo the above. All are great - but my Martin 00-18 Standard Series is fantastic.

I agree 110%. I've gone through 6-7 guitars in the last year or so...and I am simply amazed and pleased with this "simple" Martin 00-18 Standard. Great instrument at a great price, IMO.

[drawshot1975]

I appreciate everyone who has chimed in to offer their opinions and perspectives.

I fully expected the 'try a bunch' response...and y'all didn't disappoint!

I fully expected the 'I like Martin/Bourgeois/Maker-X better' response...and y'all didn't disappoint!

I fully expected some with hands-on experience with one, two, or all three to advise that it's a personal preference thing...and y'all didn't disappoint.

I took most value from those responses that offered precisely what I was after...just a personal opinion on each of the three. Granted, everyone's tastes will be different, but I was looking at this from a head-count perspective, which folks seemed to like which brand.

It'll all go into the big mental blender, and I very well may end up with another Taylor, after it's all said and done...but I now have a better idea about what I'll be on the lookout for, when I make the trips to various guitar shops.

Thanks again, folks.

[tadol]

If you want personal opinions - I have about 16 SCGC in my studio, in everything from maple to blackwood, and after playing the many sizes and wood combos for a some years now, all I can say is they are all outstanding, and there is no way I could come up with any common terms to describe the sound or tone of them by their brand, as each size and build materials has its own unique tone and character. That is what makes each SCGC guitar special -