Product: Collings OM-1HC
Price Paid: Wont say
Submitted
06/04/2000
at
10:53am
by
Mark Carleton
Email: mark_carleton<at>hp dot com
Features
:
10
Made in 1999 in Austin, Texas. Sitka Spruce top and mahogany sides and back. Ebony fretboard and bridge. Custom ordered with a cutaway, herringbone purfling, and 1.75" nut, and no pickguard.
Sound
:
10
I play and record instrumental fingerstyle guitar music. I love the tone of this guitar. The best way I can describe it is that it is a very expressive instrument.
The guitar has a wide dynamic range that allows you to play soft and quiet as well as very loud. It has a very balanced response between the treble and bass strings. The guitar records very well. The treble strings have much better clarity and quality of tone than I ever could get out of my old Martin HD-28 or OM-21. I barely use any EQ when I record with this guitar.
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
10
Collings puts a lot of attention to detail in their guitars. The workmanship is meticulous. When I look inside the guitar it looks flawless. There is no excess glue visible and the are no gaps between the bracing and kerfed linings.
When I got the guitar the action was set up low. The shape of the neck is very comfortable unlike the V shaped necks on the Martin OM-28VR. The guitar is very easy to play.
Reliability/Durability
:
No Opinion
I'm not sure how durable this guitar is. It is a very expressive instrument and deserves to be cared for properly. I live in Colorado which is notorious for being dry. I have a guitar room with a humidifier and keep the humidity around 47% year round.
Customer Support
:
10
I haven't had any problems with my guitar, but Roy at Collings has been very helpful answering my questions. He called me up after I got the guitar to see how I liked it. I get the impression that they really go out of their way for their customers.
Overall Rating
:
10
I have played many great guitars (Martin, Taylor, Olson, Breedlove, Lowden, Santa Cruz, Goodall, Everitt, Froggy Bottom, etc..) and I have never played a guitar that I like more than my Collings OM. I compared the Collings to other Martin OMs. In my opinion the Collings sounded and played better than any of them. If this guitar were stolen or lost I would definately replace it.
