Anybody Disappointed with the OM1AJL

[teleboli]

Just some last minute jitters as I'm about to pull the trigger on a JL but can't play it first.

I'd be interested to hear from thrilled owners and what attributes of the model you like or from people who've played it and weren't impressed and why.

Thanks in advance.

[canyongargon]

Not an owner but the Lage models I’ve played have been among the finest OMs I’ve ever handled, Collings or otherwise. I’d love to add one to the collection some day. A Collings OM, particularly the JLs, could easily be someone’s only guitar unless you needed a bluegrass cannon.

[ben]

I have way too many guitars than I should admit too, including vintage Martins and other boutique builders. I love Collings and currently, and in the past, have had a bunch of them. My OM1AJL is quite simply my favorite guitar, bar none. I'm bad with describing tone, but it has that dry, crispiness that I associate with a vintage Martin, but the punch of a Collings. And the modest appointments, especially the satin finish, just hit the spot for me. Except at a big unwieldy jam, which I hardly do anymore (where I'd favor my Collings D1A), the OM1AJL is all the guitar I'd need for any situation.

[brencat]

Played one at AMW last November. It was a Sitka topped JL for sale on consignment. Didn't like it at all. No personality, very little warmth, and typical sterile Collings tone. Maybe it was just that guitar, not sure, but if you haven't played one or played many Collings even, I'd advise making sure you have a proper return policy.

[LakewoodM32Fan]

What timing on this question. So I got a by-appointment guitar audition session today because I have decided my next guitar will be by a small(er than Taylor and Lakewood) builder. Collings, SCGC or Bourgeois. My local Lakewood dealer also had Collings so I rung him up and was able to do a demo with only me in the store.

Turns out he had eight Collings OMs, I thought he had maybe 3-4. I spent two hours playing them all, from OM1 to OM2H and T variants, and a Julian Lage. All eight were very good guitars but 2 stood out, an OM2HT and the Julian Lage. They were the best of the bunch, I ended up playing both of those for about 20 minutes each. I will be trying to set up another one-on-one appt at a nearby city that is a Bourgeois and SCGC dealer, but if nothing there blows me away, the JL is on my short list.

Admittedly, this was a sitka top JL I believe, and you're specifically asking about the Adirondack top, so this isn't a true apples-to-apples comparison.

[Mark L]

The OM1JLA is one of the finest guitars I’ve ever played. It may be the best acoustic ever made by Collings, and in my book that says a lot. It easily holds its own with, for example, the Borges and Circa OM’s I’ve experienced, to give a frame of reference.

I flatpick and fingerpick (sometimes bare thumb, sometimes fingerpick), and find the JL stellar in both styles. 90% of what ben has written above goes for me as well, save for his larger experience with vintage Martins. I’ve only played under 20 or so of those, some of which didn’t move me at all and some were among the best per their rep. Have never owned one.

Anyway, the JL is very well described by the Collings folks themselves, so have a look at their website description. Also do yourself a favor and web search for the review by excellent jazz guitarist and educator Sean McGowan. I find this review very well written and very accurate, by a very high level player with no iron in the fire.

The JL is a “musician’s instrument”. It will deliver, or not, according to your ability to ask of it. IMO of course.

OK, after all I went and got the McGowan review from acousticguitar.com, here’tis:

https://acousticguitar.com/review-co...nature-om1-jl/

By the way, the satin finish is very nice, much nicer than what’s on the Waterloos for example. I like it a lot. Also, the neck/fretwork is superb, a perfect setup, again imo.

Great guitar. I can’t imagine any sort of accomplished steel string player not liking this instrument if not actually loving it, but...as they say in New England, chacun a son gout, I guess.

You can call Mark Althans at Collings, they should still be picking up the phone. He’s a great player and a straight shooter, no BS guy.

Best wishes on your decision.

[jklotz]

I played a used one on a not to distant trip to Nashville. It was the bell of the ball. Best sounding/playing guitar at Gruhn's. If I could have dealt with that 1 11/16's nut, it would have come home with me. I need wider, but it was still hard to walk away from. That one had an Adarondic top.

Sadly, you can get one with a 1 3/4" nut, but you just get the standard Collings neck, not that fantastic JL carve. I say if you like a 1 11/16th's nut, get it. It's a great guitar.

[jrb715]

Originally Posted by brencat

Didn't like it at all. No personality, very little warmth, and typical sterile Collings tone.

Sorry, the typical Collings tone is anything but sterile; and of course I'm not alone. Not sure what else to say, but I find them just much more tonally interesting than nearly all other guitars I've played.

[Mocha Joe]

Originally Posted by jrb715

Sorry, the typical Collings tone is anything but sterile; and of course I'm not alone. Not sure what else to say, but I find them just much more tonally interesting than nearly all other guitars I've played.

By "sterile" I suspect the poster meant that the signature Collings tone typically emphasizes the fundamental note to the exclusion of other secondary tones. That is particularly true of my experience with the OM1AJL It is a beautifully built guitar and if you like a dry, fundamental tone, that guitar is definitely worthy of consideration. But if you are looking for a guitar with a rich tonal palate with lots of overtones and complexity, it is going to leave your ear wanting more.

Again, they are beautifully built and nail that Martin vintage mahogany / spruce tone. And for a new guitar they sound very mature. I also like the satin finish.

[Kh1967]

The JLA is a fantastic guitar. I have had mine for a couple of years and it is not going anywhere...ever.

In the spirit of full disclosure, mine also has huge sentimental value (purchased with my mom before she passed), but separate from that, it is still phenomenal; warm, responsive, even, and takes anything you can throw at it.

But, like all guitars, no two are the same. Some that I have played are a little too dry for my ears. That said, I think the odds are in your favor for buying before playing.

Good luck!

[teleboli]

Thank you all for the thoughts.

Pretty much what I expected. All glowing reviews and positive impressions with just one member in dissent.

I've read and listened to pretty much all evidence the web has to offer trying to do my homework as much as possible.

Nothing to do now but jump and I'll be sure to post impressions when it arrives.

[hamburg325]

Originally Posted by jrb715

Sorry, the typical Collings tone is anything but sterile; and of course I'm not alone. Not sure what else to say, but I find them just much more tonally interesting than nearly all other guitars I've played.

I'd agree that the Collings sound can be so clean and focused-on-the-fundamental tone that it can sound . . . clinical. Tight. Repressed. A little cold. It's a January tone rather than a June tone.

But there's obviously a huge taste out there for that. And I've played some lively models. And, of course, they're built impeccably. So, all good.

All that said, I hope to own another Collings some day, preferably with a German top, which seems to warm up the tone.

[Maryc-k]

I prefer the models with the Julian neck, 1 11/13”, rather than the traditional 1 3/4. As for sterile sounding, I used to have the same impression. Very boxy sounding, until I started playing with different string brands and gauges. There is something to be said for dialing in on your personal comfort zone.

[bluemoon]

I’m not normally a fan of satin finish guitars, it worked in this case. I had opportunity to play one of these while visiting a friend over Christmas with NB strings. We were in a high end shop and both agreed it was the best guitar in the shop hands down.

[LakewoodM32Fan]

Granted my experience with Collings was limited to only 2 hours yesterday on those 8 models, of which I spent most of the time on the 2-3 that really sung to me, including the JL model. That version was anything but sterile, but again each guitar can vary quite a bit due to tone woods, small differences in construction (i.e. a worker having an off day...or a good day!), etc.

Both of my Lakewoods and the Taylor have plenty of overtones (especially the Lakewoods) and I did not find the JL lacking in terms of that. I brought my 914 with me and A/B'd with my favorite Collings in the shop. Yes there were definite tonal differences (the OMs are like 4" deep and the 914 is 4 5/8" so that right there is going to be significant), but I would not have called the JL sterile.