The Collings Forum

Most of us have several (or more) acoustic guitars. I often wonder if I could live with just one or maybe two.

Of course I enjoy some variety of sizes, trims, woods, builders, etc but what might be the criteria for just two?

What are your two that you own, have owned, or wish you owned?

I will start out with my choices. I chose one large guitar and one smaller one. Good clarity and articulation is important. No muddy guitars and no strident guitars.

The first choice is my Collings D1A from the mid 2000s with light gauge strings. That has my large body guitar covered and I can alway throw mediums on if the need arises.

The second guitar would be a somewhat smaller guitar for both finger style and flatpack. Here I have some difficulty choosing what the smaller body would be. I have a Froggy M and a Santa Cruz OMG. They both have their place and I vacillate on which one I like more.

What do you all look for in your guitars and if you had to pare down to two, what would they be?

Frank

If I could keep only one, no contest: my 2021 Collings D2H A (rosewood, Adi dreadnaught)
If I could keep two, I'd add my 2017 Boucher Bluegrass Goose 42 (mahogany, Adi dreadnaught)

I’ve had some smaller bodied guitars, but always gravitate back to dreads. So that makes for an easy, if not boring, decision: 1 mahogany and 1 rosewood. But my D1A & D2HBG are oh so satisfying.

for me it will be my D2H 1999 for its power and dark timbre and my CJ Mh 2003 for its balance and versatility.
My Cj has more character than my 2001 D1, hence my difficult choice.

It looks like the Ds have it so far. Not a big surprise I guess. They are the best in the industry for many.

collings d-45; and traugott R from 2006.

A D1ATS and a CJ45AT. That covers it all for me.

If only 2...hmmmm
Like others, the D2h dread would have to stay even though it doesn't get much time these days.
The remaining tough choice would be between a 0002h, and my om1. I think the om1 would get the win however for sentimental reasons, and it just has an incredible voice.

Until last year, this would have been an easy answer. I had only two acoustics, both Collings: '97 D2H and '05 OM1A varnish.
But the Blazer and Henkes OM is now at the top, and trying to choose between one of those Collings is difficult. The D has 25 years of opening up and lots of sentimental value. OTOH, the OM has mahogany back/sides, which is a better complement to the B&H rosewood. And then there's the varnish...

My number 1 is 0002h which fulfils all my finger style needs. It’s balanced, deep and clear- perfect for what I do. The second is much more difficult; I might chose my electric as it gives me something really different. I’m finding two harder than one!