Do all Collings guitars have that "bright" sound?

[Rosewood99]

Originally Posted by TBman

Paul, go into about 4:30 to hear the richness of the guitar.. (Notice the LDC though)




The Collings in this video sounds much brighter though...

I did. Lovely sounding but not what I'm looking for. Guess I'm still not a Collings guy.

[llew]

Mark Hanson sure made that OM2H sound wonderful!

[lt20dbl]

My Collings DS2H is 22 years old and it's breaking in process has been personally overseen by the original owner. It is and has always been a balanced sound. Never bright. I believe that though every guitar sounds different, few would have any complaints about the overall quality of this one.

[vindibona1]

I've never found Collings to be "bright" but being quite articulate with pronounded fundamentals. When I think of "bright" I think it two categories; imbalance of highs vs lows and mid or, too many overtones and harmonics relative to the fundamentals, a category I would put most Taylor V braced guitars in.

[Rosewood99]

Originally Posted by vindibona1

I've never found Collings to be "bright" but being quite articulate with pronounded fundamentals. When I think of "bright" I think it two categories; imbalance of highs vs lows and mid or, too many overtones and harmonics relative to the fundamentals, a category I would put most Taylor V braced guitars in.

As I have already said "bright" was put in quotes as it was just shorthand for what I was trying to describe. Don't take it literally.

[guitararmy]

Slightly related question, since we have some Collings owners following this thread.
What strings are you folks stringing your Collings rosewood dreadnoughts with?

[Jaden]

Originally Posted by Silly Moustache

Hi Paul,

Up until the 14 fret dreadnought, Martin tried to create tonally perfectly balanced guitars.

Once they responded to what they saw as market demands - they made the necks longer (14 frets) and thinnner (1 & 11/16" nuts etc., as they were making them rhythm guitars rather than fingerstyle guitars.

Chris Martin can be found on YouTube saying that with the advent of the dreadnought - "that went out the window", and they made them bass biased.

Note: Gibson brought out the "jumbo" in 'the same year - '34, and it had/has?) a middle "thrummy" sound, so not as much bass as Martin but perhaps middle biased.

Bill Collings resolved not to emulate the post '34 Martin or Gibson "sound" that we were all so acclimatised to but to create guitars perfectly balanced across the strings.

Collings guitars are not "bright" but balanced, but of course if you put a D2h against an HD28 , I bet the Collings will, indeed sound brighter.

Incidentally, I've been doing some string comparisons, In comparing John Pearse, D'addario and Martin medium gauge PB strings I found that
Martin SPs are a tad "brighter" than 'Daddarios, and JPs are warmer than Daddarios.

Martin players like their Martin Strings (brighter strings on bass biased gutars?)
Collings recommend D'addario but many on the old Collings forum preferred JPs (warmer strings on "brighter" (?) guitars?
I enjoyed the Martins for a while, but have now gone back to D'addarios.

Another point : "Bear (?) someone on this forum recently made a comparison of three types of picks playing the same thing on the same guitar with the same strings. Result: different thickness picks give a different sound.

Who's a thought it?
If your Collings is too "bright" for you, put warmer strings (JPS) on it and play with a heavier pick.

If your Martin is too bassy for you, then put Martins on it and play with w thinner pick.

but ...

Entirely agree with above discussion relating Chris Martin’s discussion of the dreadnought abandoning tonal balance in favour of bass. Folks love bass for some reason, but if you have a big heavy thumb like I do, it becomes an exercise in restraint, like constantly pulling back on the reigns of a horse. Many factors determine tonal response, but the overall touch on the strings is king. I enjoy the Martin OM because my thumb is free to play - nicely defined bass response with that recipe. YMMV

[Yrksman]

I’ve had numerous Collings guitars in my possession over the years. Until recently they had all been a px in a deal of some kind and all got quickly moved on. I then bought a very nice D2H by accident on eBay at a ludicrous low price. Lovely guitar and I’d have kept it if not for all the other guitars I have. Made a tidy profit when it was sold.

Never really felt the slightest remorse though about any of the above

About 18 months ago I came across a Collings 01-12 in a shop in Austin Texas only a few months old. Really lovely little Mahogany/Sitka guitar I found hard to put down. Still there nearly a year and three visits later so in April this year I brought it home with me. It’s an absolute gem and it’s opened my eyes and ears to the warmth of Mahogany. It is not going anywhere.

By pure coincidence very soon after the 01 arrived a 0001-12 appeared on eBay and a last moments low bid won it. From 2010 it’s in mint condition and it’s another great guitar which, like its identical but smaller sibling, is here to stay.

I’d very strongly agree with the John Pearse recommendation. I have 600L on both. The little 01 had quite dead strings on it in the shop but that funky warm sound was actually very appealing, very 1960s when strings were relatively expensive and of much lesser quality.

[Tony Burns]

The few that i played at elderly -were a bit brighter , almost like a great worn in sound . very responsive

[llew]

Originally Posted by guitararmy

Slightly related question, since we have some Collings owners following this thread.
What strings are you folks stringing your Collings rosewood dreadnoughts with?

Not sure about the rosewood models but my D1 has EJ-17's.

[rick-slo]

The C10 Deluxe is quite nice. L00 shape bluesy growl but will more sustain than most L00 guitars.

[jrb715]

Not a lot to add other than to simply recognize we hear differently and our tastes in guitars differ: however those tastes develop. I certainly don't think Collings OMs lack bass: they are the best OMs I've played or heard. But with Collings dreads, I've always understood some finding them bass light: though I'd describe their bass as tighter, more controlled, and as a result less overtly colorful than the bass of Martin dreads. But, to echo Collings folk and consider the dreads more balanced, they have more midrange and treble color for me; and that is more often most important to me. I like both Martin and Collings dreads: and won't let go of my HD28 though I have let go of a Collings D2HA (for a cocobolo Huss and Dalton--which has a very different tonal take than both Martin and Collings). But I do miss the Collings and know I'll be replacing it.

I do think though that Collings guitars have more tonal variation from model to model than most folks acknowledge. There are, of course, similarities, but OMs, CJs, SJs, dreads, C10s sound very different to me.

[inadu ridge]

I've played a few Collings guitars and owned a D2H several years ago. I never warmed up to the tone of it and sold it.

Bright is not necessarily a term I would use for the "Collings tone".
I would say "clear" is a more appropriate descriptor. None of the Collings I've played had enough grunt or soul for my tastes. I'd wager that there are some out there that do though, I just haven't encountered them.

[guitar george]

"Bright", to me, means "twangy". I've often wanted a Collings guitar, but, never played one long enough to evaluate it. (Strummed a few over the years when I was not in the market for one) Are Collings guitars twangy sounding? I prefer soft and mellow with a heavy bass.

[Bridgepin]

I have a 95 Collings D3H That I use Martin SP-4200 strings on.

It's a outstanding instrument and I would say the tone is very balanced

I also have two Martin guitars a 89 D-41 and a 2014 D-28 Marquis and I use Martin Lifespan SP 7100 on those, they do have more bottom end.

I personally enjoy having other makers of dreadnoughts to choose from.

Variety is the spice of life in my book.