Collings Guitars

[Silly Moustache]

Hi, I bought my first Collings a DS2h in 1999. Despite an accident (or was it) shortly after, it was with me for 21 years.
I have a (newer) 2007 DS2h, and a 2008 DS1, a 2003 DS1ASB, and a 2003 0002h.

I had the privelige of meeting up with Bill and the European distributor.
Bill was always so enthusiastic about his products.

Collings after sales is second to none.
I've never heard of a Collings dawg.

This tonal thing : "bright" compared to Martin is simply because Bill decided to make his guitars evenly balanced across the strings, something that Martin dropped in 1934. (according to Chris M).

If you are thinking of getting one in a couple of years, I'd order now! I understand that there is a considerable backlog.

[Wadcutter]

Originally Posted by Silly Moustache

Hi, I bought my first Collings a DS2h in 1999. Despite an accident (or was it) shortly after, it was with me for 21 years.
I have a (newer) 2007 DS2h, and a 2008 DS1, a 2003 DS1ASB, and a 2003 0002h.

I had the privelige of meeting up with Bill and the European distributor.
Bill was always so enthusiastic about his products.

Collings after sales is second to none.
I've never heard of a Collings dawg.

This tonal thing : "bright" compared to Martin is simply because Bill decided to make his guitars evenly balanced across the strings, something that Martin dropped in 1934. (according to Chris M).

If you are thinking of getting one in a couple of years, I'd order now! I understand that there is a considerable backlog.

Interesting about the tonal thing SM. Could you expand on Collings “balanced across the strings” as opposed to Martin products?

[Malcolm Kindnes]

Originally Posted by Graylocks

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

Collings is definitely a factory.

[Br1ck]

Don't get hung up on a Collings, unless you walk into a fine guitar shop that has at least four of the top rated brands. SCGC, Huss and Daulton, Bourgeois, Froggy Bottom, Martin Authentic, etc. You might very well like Collings the best, as it is certainly worthy of consideration. What you are looking at on websites is marketing, pure and simple. Let the guitar sell you.


Throw a dart at a catalogue, and I'm pretty sure if you ordered whatever, and it arrived at your door, you'll like it. Probably a lot. They are all that good. Only one way you'll buy the guitar you'll like the best. If that takes a weekend trip, so be it. How many hours are you going to spend with a guitar? Get it right.

[Wadcutter]

Originally Posted by Zaam

Technically true, as they have maybe 70+ employees; but I think the term "factory"carries associations with most folks that do not accurately align with the Collings business model.

To the OP — I have owned mostly vintage Martins and Gibsons in the past. My OM2H is my first Collings and I absolutely love everything about it. It is true a joy to play. As for the Collings brightness that occasionally gets mentioned (relative to a Martin), to my ears it's really more about clarity and balance across the spectrum. Also, across the Collings line you will find a good range of acoustic profiles. Mine is a Traditional Series with a baked Adi top and satin finish, which results in a bit more sweetness and warmth than you might find in some others. It sounds like sunshine seen through a jar of honey.

Find a dealer with some good stock and try a few with different specs. You might like what you hear.

Thanks Zaam, very helpful, appreciate it.

[Wadcutter]

Originally Posted by Br1ck

Don't get hung up on a Collings, unless you walk into a fine guitar shop that has at least four of the top rated brands. SCGC, Huss and Daulton, Bourgeois, Froggy Bottom, Martin Authentic, etc. You might very well like Collings the best, as it is certainly worthy of consideration. What you are looking at on websites is marketing, pure and simple. Let the guitar sell you.


Throw a dart at a catalogue, and I'm pretty sure if you ordered whatever, and it arrived at your door, you'll like it. Probably a lot. They are all that good. Only one way you'll buy the guitar you'll like the best. If that takes a weekend trip, so be it. How many hours are you going to spend with a guitar? Get it right.

Some excellent advice there for sure Br1ck, thanks!

[BrunoBlack]

If you haven’t visited the shop, you’ve missed an enjoyable experience. Here are some pictures provided by Collings to substitute for a Shop Tour
https://www.collingsguitars.com/shop...ood-selection/

[Zissou Intern]

I love Collings guitars. In the last 20 years, I have owned: D1A, CJ35G, baked CJ35, baked DS1, and Baked D1T. I felt I had too much money tied up in guitars, and got rid of them. I am happy where I landed, but if I ever buy another guitar, it would likely be some iteration of a used DS2H.

[Jwills57]

I have four Collings guitars, so obviously I think Collings instruments are excellent in every way. They've managed to stick with a successful script for a long, long time, only recently adding a few new models and a new line, the Traditional Series. The emphasis on absolute quality control and absolute craftsmanship is second to none in the industry. Players may or may not be enamored of the sound of a particular Collings guitar, but I have never heard anyone say a remotely negative word about the build quality, the fit and finish, the attention to detail. As far as I know Collings doesn't make any stinkers or the stinkers never see the light of day. I admit that Collings guitars are expensive compared to the general offerings of other makers, but to me the quality is worth it.

[LakewoodM32Fan]

Fit and finish you won't find much separating The Big Small Four (TM) - Collings, Santa Cruz, Bourgeois, and Huss & Dalton. I have had extensive experience playing and owning all four and have nothing bad to say about any of them. I agree with the posters who have said "don't limit yourself to Collings for your first boutique guitars, try to find a place (or places) with all four and more and try them out for yourself." Every buying trip I've been on, I thought I was going to get Brand X, and ended up buying Brand Z.

Some crazy fool even flew across country to try out a bunch of high end guitars and ended up buying one.

The #1 difference to me for all of them is the choice of neck to body join method. Collings, Bourgeois and H&D employ variations of a bolt-on neck. Santa Cruz uses a traditional dovetail joint. What does that mean? The only "mostly factual" statements about the differences in neck join method are:

1) Dovetail joints will generally result in lighter guitars, all else being equal, as they don't involve the use of nuts and bolts.

2) Dovetail joints, when they require a neck reset, will require a more delicate/invasive procedure (which will end up costing you more) when they have to be done vs. bolt on necks.

Keep in mind well made guitars may not need neck resets for years or decades. I'm already in my late forties. I think my SCGCs will need probably one neck reset in my remaining lifetime. If you're in your sixties or later, it's probably not even worth factoring in a neck reset cost into your calculations.

And then there is the "less factual/more feeling" statement, where some people claim that a dovetail joint results in superior tone. Having owned many of each type, I can't say I agree or disagree with that statement as I'd have to have two identical guitars with only the neck joint as the difference. I will say that every guitar I've bought, at the time of purchase, beat out a slew of other similarly priced high end guitars. Some of those winners were bolt-on necks, some were dovetail joints.

It is telling though that as I begin to re-evaluate my collection, the ones that are most likely to stay with me are the SCGCs. I don't think that's due to the dovetail joint, I think that's more due to my ear, hands and body being more aligned to the build designs and tonal signatures of SCGC guitars over the other builders.

[joeappel]

I traded in a Martin 000-28H on a Collings OM2H. I liked the Martin but the Collings is everything that was good about the 000 and then some. I played a few different boutique brands (including another Collings or two) at Acoustic Music Works and kept coming back to the one that I brought home. I'm very happy with it.

[jgottsman11]

I rave about Collings. They are excellent and customer service is amazing.

To me, Santa Cruz makes a “better” guitar.

[musicman1951]

I've played a handful of Collings guitars and they are all beautiful and incredibly well made. Good projection, but a tone that is considerably brighter than I prefer.

But the reason I've never seriously considered bringing one home is that they never steal my heart. They seem a little cold, a touch sterile. I realize this is just me and lots of players love them. It's good to have choices, and these just don't seem to be mine.

[guitarman68]

Over the past 20 years I owned seven Collings guitars: D2H, OM2H, OM1A, D2HA, OM2HA deep body, OM3A, OOO2HA 12fret cutaway.
They all been great guitars, perfectly balanced, playability, built quality ... top notch. Yes, there won't be such a thing as a Collings dawg. But somewhere down the road I started returning to that vintage Martin sound where I once started: Maybe less balanced but more warmth and responsive- to my ear.
The Collings T Series tend a bit more towards my preference.

[Maicobmw]

I've nothing bad to say about Collings at all, I own two (000-1 and OM1mh custom) and they are fine guitars, but I wouldn't recommend purchasing one without playing it beforehand or having an option to return. As others mentioned the "Collings tone" may not be to your liking (which could be said for any brand to be fair), plus of course that tone can vary substantially between models and individual guitars. And I also second the notion of considering other brands while you're going through the process.