Are the newer ones better???

[Silly Moustache]

Hi, I have a 2003 0002h (which is a dream!) and 2007 Ds2h, which is fine, and a 2008 DS1 which is a cannon 9i.e. ist is remarkably loud and used to be my bluegrass guitar. In 2023 I bought a 1999 002h, which was, initially tonally pretty dead and had a significant "wolftone" or dead spot on the F# 2nd fret 6th string.

After getting no help from two techs,I decided to hang it in my "office" listening to my old stereo, AND fitted my old Mk1 Tonerite to it for a couple of weeks during the daytime.

It seems to have resolved the wolf tone and seems pretty even, but not quite as "toneful" as, the 000 and DS. Of course it is smaller and whilst "balanced as one would expect from a Collings, I'm just wondering whether there was a tonal, and/or quality shift between 1999 and , say, 2003.

Also the finish is not quite as impeccable as the later models.
Any thoughts ?

[Dogsby]

I currently only have one Collings that was built in 2018 a C100. It is a phenomenal guitar. Previously I owned a D1A a D1Mh and a C10. The D1A was built in 2014 the D1Mh if memory serves correct was built in 02 and the c10 sometime in the early 2010s.the only one I purchased new was the D1A. All of them were fine guitars. I had no problems with any of them, although I did learn that I don’t like the tone or small size of a C10 as my only guitar.

Currently only having the C100 I wold say it is the best of the bunch, although that D1Mh was something special and if I wouldn’t have been going through some financial difficulties it would have stuck around.

My experience with guitars from the early 2000s to 2018 is that they were all very good.

[Red Oak]

Very good observation. You simply can’t go wrong with a Collings.

[Mike D.]

My answer is that they are just as good if not better!

I have had a number of Collings through the years in order: OM2H, D1, D1A, C10, 0001ACut, and OM2HT.

The stock OM2H, my first Collings, was a 2004, and it was my “it” guitar for a number of years. But then I headed for the dreads, sold that OM, and found other mid sized models to appreciate. But this OM2HT from 2024, which I bought new, is wonderful, truly this is for me a level up on what I want to hear and how it should feel in an OM, sort of a refinement that wasn’t there in my memory of that 2004 OM to my own ears and feel. The sound of the Traditional is just right in to my ears, and the feel of the neck is somehow a better fit for me than the stock model. I also happen to appreciate the string spacing of 2-5/16” at the saddle which is on this Traditional. All this said, I still have and love my D1 and C10, and I don’t plan to replace those despite the newer options for these models.

I think the people at Collings are doing a great job of expanding and improving. I have yet to play a Hill Country, too. I just appreciate so much the many options out there from the standards to the T’s, to the HC’s. What’s consistent is the build quality, and I love the variety of sound and feel of all these many, new options available now over the past several years. So I say things have continued their forward march and progress and improvement has been made.

[Red Oak]

My answer is that they are just as good if not better!

I have had a number of Collings through the years in order: OM2H, D1, D1A, C10, 0001ACut, and OM2HT.

The stock OM2H, my first Collings, was a 2004, and it was my “it” guitar for a number of years. But then I headed for the dreads, sold that OM, and found other mid sized models to appreciate. But this OM2HT from 2024, which I bought new, is wonderful, truly this is for me a level up on what I want to hear and how it should feel in an OM, sort of a refinement that wasn’t there in my memory of that 2004 OM to my own ears and feel. The sound of the Traditional is just right in to my ears, and the feel of the neck is somehow a better fit for me than the stock model. I also happen to appreciate the string spacing of 2-5/16” at the saddle which is on this Traditional. All this said, I still have and love my D1 and C10, and I don’t plan to replace those despite the newer options for these models.

I think the people at Collings are doing a great job of expanding and improving. I have yet to play a Hill Country, too. I just appreciate so much the many options out there from the standards to the T’s, to the HC’s. What’s consistent is the build quality, and I love the variety of sound and feel of all these many, new options available now over the past several years. So I say things have continued their forward march and progress and improvement has been made.

Let’s face it, Collings’ quality control is the gold standard.

[wildbill]

It's a tough call on "better," but I'd say the new ones are just as great as the old ones. Also, there are definitely better options. For my hands and ears the traditional series guitars were a big leap, and the Hill Country guitars (the OM's at least) are a huge leap. The first Hill Country I ever picked up was the OM1A HC, and to this day, I've never played a better guitar—having owned and played countless guitars over the past 40 years. I sold another guitar and bought that OM1A HC right away. I love it so much that I sold another guitar and went back to buy an OM2A HC. It's the second best guitar I've ever played. I can't believe I own them.
But all that is subjective of course. Also, I played a few other HC's before I bought the second one, and they were excellent—though I chose the one I bought because there was a slight difference. I love the fat neck, which makes a big difference in tone. It really is guitar-specific, meaning two of the same model and spec can have subtle differences even though Collings is a very consistent builder.