The Collings Forum

I see what you’re saying.

Never joining AGF and never having a notion to join... keeps the loones away once again.

Another element i'm not sure has been mentioned is scale length. Collings are 25.5" and Martins (and some others) are 25.4" I know it doesn't sound like much, but affecting the feel of a guitar just takes a few little things.

I'm certain that there are Collings guitars which would be considered more difficult to play (I've just not run across one), but I don't think it's the norm for Collings as a whole, which appeared to be the implication. Of course they're not going to be everyone's cup of tea.

My guess is that, if there were a scale of Easy-to-Difficult, established by all players and including all guitars, Collings would live somewhere close to the Easy end. That's been my experience, and based upon what I've read over the years. Mileage does vary.

Eric, It's interesting that you would mention your original D2H. I had an '02 Brazilian CW clone (John Holman still held the name, so this was a D2H labelled guitar with all the CW specs, but a vintage neck rather than 1 23/32") that came from Collings with the most perfect geometry. Full saddle, but remarkably low action up the neck & the usual huge volume but never buzzed. I never succeeded in getting that kind of set-up on my D1a.

Mine was also an '02.

Haasome wrote: ↑Fri May 24, 2019 10:58 pm There is a thread on AGF about — do you find Collings Guitars to be overly tight? This seems to be a recurring comment among some players. It strikes me oddly because I’ve always found Collings guitars to feel more comfortable and easier to play than any brand I’ve played. Sure new guitars can feel a bit stiff until they get played in, but I certainly don’t find Collings any different in that regard. And I think the necks are terrific. Then I wondered — am I an oddball? What has your experience been regarding playability?

I think they are a little tight for the first few months and then, they are perfect. I love the neck on my D2H and I REALLY love the Vintage Now neck on my OM2 SS VN. The neck allows for the perfect spacing, but is not too chunk and is very comfortable.

I have played a lot of Collings guitars and never felt the playability was anything less than easy. The new Traditional neck is about the perfect profile for me. I like the Vintage Now and ModV necks too.

Of the small sample of Collings I've owned one was stiffer, feel-wise, than others. It was an OM2HT and was stiff even with 12s. All others play like butter.

Buck, you have way more experience with guitars than I do but one of the easiest playing guitars I had was Pre-War Guitars Co. which had a super tall saddle and very low action. It's one of the few guitars I could handle with mediums.

I've always wondered what makes a guitar play stiffer than others.

MB: As I posted on the other forum, I also had one outlier: an OM1A that played stiffer than my other three Collings. After contacting Collings, I got a call asking if I'd like them to walk my local tech through a set up--this after I had it set up a second time already. After the Collings coached set-up, the guitar came back playing beautifully and sounding terrific.

My overall experience is that Collings are as easy to play as any guitar I've auditioned, played or owned: and most of the time--compared, for instance, to Martins--easier.