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COLLINGS ACOUSTIC GUITARS
ON EBAY
Collings Guitars
Sometimes, the search for the best acoustic guitar needs to take a lesser known route. After all, the big names like Gibson, Fender and Martin aren't the only game in acoustic town. One such acoustic guitar maker is Bill Collings, owner of Collings Guitars in Austin, Texas.
Bill Collings began his career in guitar repair in Houston in the middle of the 1970's. He also was making guitars on the side as a one man operation then. He did it all from start to finish and learned his craft well. He moved to the Austin area in 1980 and shared workshops with a couple of luthier greats, Michael Stevens and Tom Ellis, who he still deals with today.
From his repair background, Collings knew what the things were that went wrong with guitars. He used that information to build instruments without those drawbacks. He opened his own small shop and by 1989 he hired his first two employees. Shortly afterwards, he had his first order of two dozen instruments and he was on his way.
What makes Collings instruments different is that they are made in a shop, not a factory. Every aspect of the guitar is done by hand, inspected by hand and approved by Bill Collings personally. The result is an instrument that is extraordinary in quality and more than rivals the giants of the industry. Collings is said to have "put the labor back" into acoustic guitars.
So, Collings acoustic guitars have a reputation of being good, quality instruments. A number of notable players like Pete Townshend, Emmylou Harris and Keith Richards, among many others, swear by Collings guitars. Lyle Lovett uses Collings guitars exclusively on stage and in studio. The extraordinary part of that list of users is none of them got their guitars for free. Each artist paid for the instrument at full list price. Bill Collings does not do endorsement deals, so the cost is not passed on to his other customers.
The line of acoustics ranges from the standard dreadnought to a baby acoustic model acoustic. Any size you need from dreadnought to 00, 000 or orchestra size models are available. Drawing from other manufacturers, Collings offers 12 fret and 14 fret models as well (this is where the neck joins the body).
You may find the price tag to be a little out of reach. Lower end models start at around $3000 and can easily top the $10,000 mark with customization.
But are these guitars the best out there? That depends on how you look at it. The quality is definitely there. The workmanship is there as well. The sound and tonality is superior.
As always, we suggest that you go to the Collings website, www.collingsguitars.com, find a dealer near you and go try one on for size.
Aside from the money involved, you may find that you don’t like certain things about the instruments offered. Weight, balance and neck thickness should be looked at in ANY guitar considered for purchase. You need to be comfortable playing the instrument.
So as we always say, there really is no "best acoustic guitar" for every player. The best instrument for the player depends on that player. So go find a few Collings guitars, play them and see how they feel in your hands.
Collings or not, when you find the right fit, you'll know it.
COLLINGS ACOUSTIC GUITARS
ON EBAY
Collings Guitars
Sometimes, the search for the best acoustic guitar needs to take a lesser known route. After all, the big names like Gibson, Fender and Martin aren't the only game in acoustic town. One such acoustic guitar maker is Bill Collings, owner of Collings Guitars in Austin, Texas.
Bill Collings began his career in guitar repair in Houston in the middle of the 1970's. He also was making guitars on the side as a one man operation then. He did it all from start to finish and learned his craft well. He moved to the Austin area in 1980 and shared workshops with a couple of luthier greats, Michael Stevens and Tom Ellis, who he still deals with today.
From his repair background, Collings knew what the things were that went wrong with guitars. He used that information to build instruments without those drawbacks. He opened his own small shop and by 1989 he hired his first two employees. Shortly afterwards, he had his first order of two dozen instruments and he was on his way.
What makes Collings instruments different is that they are made in a shop, not a factory. Every aspect of the guitar is done by hand, inspected by hand and approved by Bill Collings personally. The result is an instrument that is extraordinary in quality and more than rivals the giants of the industry. Collings is said to have "put the labor back" into acoustic guitars.
So, Collings acoustic guitars have a reputation of being good, quality instruments. A number of notable players like Pete Townshend, Emmylou Harris and Keith Richards, among many others, swear by Collings guitars. Lyle Lovett uses Collings guitars exclusively on stage and in studio. The extraordinary part of that list of users is none of them got their guitars for free. Each artist paid for the instrument at full list price. Bill Collings does not do endorsement deals, so the cost is not passed on to his other customers.
The line of acoustics ranges from the standard dreadnought to a baby acoustic model acoustic. Any size you need from dreadnought to 00, 000 or orchestra size models are available. Drawing from other manufacturers, Collings offers 12 fret and 14 fret models as well (this is where the neck joins the body).
You may find the price tag to be a little out of reach. Lower end models start at around $3000 and can easily top the $10,000 mark with customization.
But are these guitars the best out there? That depends on how you look at it. The quality is definitely there. The workmanship is there as well. The sound and tonality is superior.
As always, we suggest that you go to the Collings website, www.collingsguitars.com, find a dealer near you and go try one on for size.
Aside from the money involved, you may find that you don’t like certain things about the instruments offered. Weight, balance and neck thickness should be looked at in ANY guitar considered for purchase. You need to be comfortable playing the instrument.
So as we always say, there really is no "best acoustic guitar" for every player. The best instrument for the player depends on that player. So go find a few Collings guitars, play them and see how they feel in your hands.
Collings or not, when you find the right fit, you'll know it.
