Collings Guitars

[Wadcutter]

Anyone of you guys own a Collings guitar? Was just perusing their website and drooling of course. Loved the video posted there by Bill Collings on the workmanship and pride that goes into building those beautiful instruments. Lots of videos there as well from performing artists who love their Collings guitars, among them Keith Richards, Lyle Lovett, Julian Lage and many others. I love my HD-28, but as the years pile up and shoulder issues persist, I may have to someday sell my Martin dread and move on to a smaller body guitar and if I ever do, I’m going to seriously consider a Collings. Would be interested in any comments or opinions you guys have on these beautiful looking and sounding instruments, that are really works of art as well.

[dnf777]

I have a CJss and it confirms all the good things you hear about Collings. Had my eye on a Pete Huttlinger OM model, but my son wanted a sophomore year at college.

[Rev Roy]

Collings makes superb guitars. I had a D1AT and it was one of the finest guitars I ever own. I only sold it to make room for my first Brazilian guitar (see sig). You really can’t go wrong with a Collings…as long as you like the tone. More “modern” and balanced than Martins.

[jklotz]

I'm loving my OM2h. It's a great guitar. And Collings customer service is legendary.

[hubcapsc]

I wish I had one of these!



-Mike

[Kerbie]

Love 'em! I think I've owned seven of them. My first was an OM1G, but then I went to the smaller bodies. Those are simply outstanding. The workmanship is exquisite. Bill instilled such a high degree of pride in their craftsmanship. When guitars leave the factory, you can't find a speck on them.

I've always thought one of the central reasons for their success is Bruce VanWart. Bill's drive, creativity and personality can never be replaced, but Bruce has had a hand in practically every guitar built by Collings. To watch and listen as he hand picks top woods and tap-tunes them is remarkable. Quite a guy.

Wonderful guitars... perfectly balanced, known for their precision. And their customer service is top-notch.

[KevinH]

It would be hard to not like a Collings. I have an 02H. Has a nice tone, balanced evenly between the bass and trebles. Quite responsive.

[blindboyjimi]

Collings makes the best factory guitars in my opinion, but tonally very different from Martin. Their traditional series are very good. Every time I pick up a Collings I really do like the much brighter balanced tone. Their fit and finish are second to none. But for me, I prefer the vintage Martin tone. I own many 00/000/OM Martins.

[catndahats]

Howdy Wadcutter!
I've owned a few over the last 20yrs. or so...currently own a few, and live near their shop. Went on the shop tour about 3yrs ago, had lunch with a bunch of fellow Collings fans and folks that work there. Everything you see/hear is accurate.

They are beautifully well built to a high standard, and great playing/sounding instruments. The amount of detail that goes into a Collings build is impressive especially after touring their shop. My oldest Collings is now 25yrs old and sounds as good, and even better as it has aged.

There are plenty of other builders/tones, but after years of playing other guitars, I keep coming home to Collings. It is the sound I prefer, the playability and quality I appreciate.

[BrunoBlack]

Ok, another Collings fan here. I’ve had 7 or 8 Collings from 00 to D. My absolute favorites are the 2 OMs that I’ve kept and a CJ that I regretfully sold a few years ago. I find the Collings guitars I’ve played have been perfectly balanced and nicely harmonic. The ones I own have a great low end, with thick trebles. I never understood the “bright” tone some people talk about, but we all play, hear and interpret differently. The quality is equal to any of my one-off builds. And the “feel” is terrific.

[rpatkin]

I recently got an 01 traditional 14 fret … it is easily the best sounding and playing guitar I have ever had, after a lifetime of Gurians, Martins, Guilds, Gretshes, Fenders and Taylors.

[Graylocks]

Originally Posted by blindboyjimi

Collings makes the best factory guitars in my opinion, but tonally very different from Martin. Their traditional series are very good. Every time I pick up a Collings I really do like the much brighter balanced tone. Their fit and finish are second to none. But for me, I prefer the vintage Martin tone. I own many 00/000/OM Martins.

Factory? Really? What's your definition of factory? To me Martin, Taylor, Gibson et al qualify as factory level output.

[generalliamsayn]

My 14-year-old CJ Adirondack/Mahogany is a true Swiss-Army knife of a guitar: it sounds delicate and wonderful with gentle fingerpicking then will blow the barn doors off like a cannon when strummed hard; I can't praise it enough. Also sounds great thru a PA (it's got a K&K) even with zero EQ.

I also owned a stunning 000-2HKoa for almost 20 years that sounded sweet as honey which I now regret selling!

[Kerbie]

I went to Acoustic Music Works a few years back to play a couple Collings. One of them was a Baby 1 which is a Mahogany B&S. And I had already played a lot of Babies, so I thought I knew what to expect.

This Baby 1 was used and had a 15-year old Adirondack top on it. Especially with Collings, I'm mostly a fan of European Spruce, but this aged Adi just knocked my socks off! I had never played old Adi that sounded that good. And that's a tiny guitar... really, a parlor. But it sounded like a million bucks.

Raymond may come online, read this and laugh. He knows I should have bought it and that haunts me to this day. Froggy makes a sweet parlor too, but nothing like that little Baby 1.

[rick-slo]

Impeccable workmanship. Somewhat drier and less warm sounding than Martins but good clarity and balance. My favorite is their C10 Deluxe.