The Collings Forum

If you could only have one do it all OM for flatpick, rhythm, small group jams, at home playing. What would you pick? I know the old mahogany vs. rosewood deal... Thanks!

BAR, if it was Collings and not a '30s M** guitar..... i'd choose the JL every time.....but you already knew that

Actually, I'd prefer the standard OM2 to the T and then the third would be the Lage. This is based upon my experience that it is the better guitar for singing (for my voice, my material) than the other two: and covers brilliantly pretty much every other base.

Greg Y wrote: ↑Thu Aug 05, 2021 4:16 pm BAR, if it was Collings and not a '30s M** guitar..... i'd choose the JL every time.....but you already knew that

Ha yes!

Hi BAR! I've had both models (both absolutely great) and currently have a OM2HT. I had searched for a small body guitar to stand in for a dread for the uses you mentioned for some time. The OM2HT has more power, even the banjo player agrees, LOL.

I'd pick the OM1AJL but not slighting the OM2HT. I just like the sound of mahogany and the JL neck profile a lot.

Tough decision, but a fun one to make. I ultimately go with the mahogany. I own a OM3 Adi/Madi Varnish & the OM1A JL. I like the JL slightly better for vocals. I’ve only had the chance to play (1) OM2HT and it was of the same level of the guitars in my stable. It was “Drier” than my OM3, more Traditional sounding as advertised. I don’t think you can go wrong with either. Pick your flavor.

They say that there’s none so keen as the newly converted and I think I fall into that group. After years of playing exotic rosewood OMs, including a couple of ancient Brazilian types I came to the OM1AJL. It was slightly speculative to be honest. Living in the U.K. and with the Covid situation it was impossible to try before buying. But I trusted the dealer and he imported the Collings for me. It was fingers-crossed time and it all happened several weeks ago. Fair to say that the purity of the guitar has re-aligned my ideas considerably. There’s a whole story to be written there and after a slightly puzzling start, perhaps due to the narrower nut width, the guitar is just getting better and better as it (and me) have stabilised and it has got more used to living in London. The neck is amazing, the response is direct, fast and true and the strength of the fundamental and amazing tonal balance have blown me away. The idea of having less in the way of overtones and enduring harmonics with the move to Mahogany has not been remotely the issue I thought it might be. In fact I think it suits me better.
It’s personal, right? But, personally, I am more than happy that I made this choice.