Great Documentary on Collings Guitars
- Thread starter Ridgemont
- Start date
DasBeef
Member
Most enjoyable!
6L6
Senior Member
I think Bill's build quality is the best in the world, bar none. They aren't cheap guitars to buy, but are truly worth every penny you pay.
In 1999 I bought a new Collings D-1, their copy of a Pre War Martin D-18. It is incredible in every single category. Some pics:
Bill
'99 Collings D-1
'72 G-37
'74 D-40
'76 F-50SB
'06 D-55
'06 F-412
In 1999 I bought a new Collings D-1, their copy of a Pre War Martin D-18. It is incredible in every single category. Some pics:
Bill
'99 Collings D-1
'72 G-37
'74 D-40
'76 F-50SB
'06 D-55
'06 F-412
Scratch
Enlightened Member
Great post, Jonathan. I'd like to have a Collings one day; the parlor sized C10 with pre war bracing sure is sweet: http://www.collingsguitars.com/Instruments/?ID=54
Frosty
Senior Member
In the Boston area we have The Music Emporium which must have the largest
inventory of Collings guitars outside of Texas! I've played a few over the years
and, well, never cared for them. But everything changes over time and one
day in 2008, or so, I came upon a used OM-1ess which, in Collingsspeak, is
a mahogany OM with an englemann spruce top and a "Gibson" short scale. I
had seen a few Collings OM guitars with a 1 11/16" nut, but this one has
the "correct" 1 3/4" nut. What a sweet guitar! The tone is delicious and the
neck profile is one of the best I have encountered. A friend has a D2H, I think,
with a similar neck shape.
I give Collings a lot of credit for proving to me that a guitar with a bolt-on neck
can perform (sound) as well as a dovetail joint guitar.
Thanks for the link, Jonathan.
inventory of Collings guitars outside of Texas! I've played a few over the years
and, well, never cared for them. But everything changes over time and one
day in 2008, or so, I came upon a used OM-1ess which, in Collingsspeak, is
a mahogany OM with an englemann spruce top and a "Gibson" short scale. I
had seen a few Collings OM guitars with a 1 11/16" nut, but this one has
the "correct" 1 3/4" nut. What a sweet guitar! The tone is delicious and the
neck profile is one of the best I have encountered. A friend has a D2H, I think,
with a similar neck shape.
I give Collings a lot of credit for proving to me that a guitar with a bolt-on neck
can perform (sound) as well as a dovetail joint guitar.
Thanks for the link, Jonathan.
davismanLV
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I think he makes some of the best guitars out there. Thanks for the link. Good stuff..... 8)
Frosty
Senior Member
Ridgemont said:Or would your guitar be a 14-fret 000 with a larger nut?
Point taken.
Bill C. used the CFM designations, sort-of. Those first few Collings
guitars I saw marked, as mine is "OM" on the label, had the 1 11/16"
nut which doesn't match the CFM standard.
Splitting hairs, but going for the tone,
Frosty
I'm just goofing around. Specs have always interested me, but official designations are a bit overrated.Frosty said:Ridgemont said:Or would your guitar be a 14-fret 000 with a larger nut?
Point taken.
Bill C. used the CFM designations, sort-of. Those first few Collings
guitars I saw marked, as mine is "OM" on the label, had the 1 11/16"
nut which doesn't match the CFM standard.
Splitting hairs, but going for the tone,
Frosty
I spent a day at the collings factory.
I never saw so many happy people at their job in my life.
Bill Collings comes off as the nerdy whacky guy who builds rube goldbergesque machinery but the attention to detail is close to none other that I have witnessed.
I have been through many guitar building operations repair facilities etc and I was most impressed with Collings.
just a funny story. as we drove up to this nondescript building in austin in an industrial park type area. we see a small sign BUT there are a bunch of guitar cases out on the lawn. I quipped "maybe there is a yard sale" at the appropriate time during the tour someone asked about these cases and it was explained that the cases have their own humidity level. and often it is no congruent with the humidity of the guitar. So when guitars were shipped they sometimes had to have the neck adjusted before there were hung on the wall. Bill wanted to eliminate this so he checks the humidity level of every case AND dries them out in the sun to make sure they match the guitar.
Attention to detail or lunacy?
At that point I wanted to own and sell his guitars.
I never saw so many happy people at their job in my life.
Bill Collings comes off as the nerdy whacky guy who builds rube goldbergesque machinery but the attention to detail is close to none other that I have witnessed.
I have been through many guitar building operations repair facilities etc and I was most impressed with Collings.
just a funny story. as we drove up to this nondescript building in austin in an industrial park type area. we see a small sign BUT there are a bunch of guitar cases out on the lawn. I quipped "maybe there is a yard sale" at the appropriate time during the tour someone asked about these cases and it was explained that the cases have their own humidity level. and often it is no congruent with the humidity of the guitar. So when guitars were shipped they sometimes had to have the neck adjusted before there were hung on the wall. Bill wanted to eliminate this so he checks the humidity level of every case AND dries them out in the sun to make sure they match the guitar.
Attention to detail or lunacy?
At that point I wanted to own and sell his guitars.
Frosty
Senior Member
alpep said:
"Trifles make perfection, and perfection is no trifle". --Michaelangelo
6L6 said:I think Bill's build quality is the best in the world, bar none. They aren't cheap guitars to buy, but are truly worth every penny you pay.
In 1999 I bought a new Collings D-1, their copy of a Pre War Martin D-18. It is incredible in every single category. Some pics:
Bill
'99 Collings D-1
'72 G-37
'74 D-40
'76 F-50SB
'06 D-55
'06 F-412
Bill, your Collins D-1 is gorgeous!! :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
George
West R Lee
Venerated Member
I had sat through this video a few times in the past......just fun to watch to me. A Collings will probably be my next guitar......probably a "CJ".
West
West
davismanLV
Venerated Member
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- 2
Although all Collings guitars are nice, and I do love the square headstock, my favorite headstock (in a non-Guild) is the Collings "hair-part" headstock. I just love the asymmetry of it!!
6L6
Senior Member
Double Post/Delete
6L6
Senior Member
Thanks George! It sounds even better than it looks. A keeper for sure! That said, by beloved '74 Guild D-40 has slipped into second place amongst my favs.
The new #1 is my '76 F-50SB. If I could only own one acoustic, it would be my F-50SB:
Bill
'72 G-37
'74 D-40
'76 F-50SB (my FAV)
'06 D-55
'06 F-412
'99 Collings D-1
'93 Martin D-41
'97 Martin D-45V
'12 Martin D-45
'90 Ovation Model 1869 Custom Legend
'03 Taylor 214
'11 Taylor GS Mini
Thunderface
Senior Member
Oooohhhh, I see what you mean. That is a great headstock shape! Should have made inlay a little bigger, but otherwise, cool beans!davismanLV said:Although all Collings guitars are nice, and I do love the square headstock, my favorite headstock (in a non-Guild) is the Collings "hair-part" headstock. I just love the asymmetry of it!!
Frosty
Senior Member
SGCG parts the hair on the other side.
