Product: Collings OM-2H
Price Paid: US $2,295 used
Submitted
12/24/1998
at
06:32am
by
Ronald Zwart
Email: RZwart<at>rzwart dot demon dot nl
Features
:
10
1997 model (#2911), made in Texas by Bill Collings. The Orchestra Model (OM) is an interpretation of the Martin short run of instruments made between 1929 and 1933. The Collings OM-2H features a 000-size body with a 25 1/2 scale lenght. This guitar has (east indian) rosewood back and sides, a spruce top, grained ivoroid binding, (prewar) scalloped bracing, a wonderful herringbone border and a tortoise style pickguard. It has a mahognny neck with ebony bridge and fingerboard and a traditional diamond and square inlay. The tuners are small and old-fashioned open Waverly tuners.
Sound
:
10
This guitar sounds great. I play fingerstyle country blues and celtic music with a light touch. For my style I need a guitar with good tonal balance between bass, medium and treble, good volume and good action and intonation all the way up the neck. I've looked a long time before I've discovered the Collings. But now afer owning the guitar for about three months, I know this is the one for me! The guitar produces a rich and warm sound when played lightly with your fingers, it has a crisp pick attack when played with fingerpicks. The sustain is amazing considering that it is a rather small acoustic guitar.
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
9
I use light strings (.012-.054). The guitar has been set up for me by Cotten Music Center in Nashville. They've done a wonderful job since the guitar comes with the action set very low and even all the way up the neck. The quartersawn top has straight and closely spaced grain lines. The top needs some time to 'open up', but this will mean that the sound in the future will be better and better. The frets were dressed very well. The inside is clean, with no glue visible. Only the nut-grooves could be better . Every time I tune my guitar, the B-string binds in the groove, which maskes tuning this string a little hard.
The case is really first-rate. It has a very soft interior, and heavy-duted latches.
Reliability/Durability
:
8
The instrument is very light, but that's not a problem since I've no intention for touring. But, I know you've to be careful anyway. Last month when playing at home, my Martin D-28 felt over, and it broke its headstock!
Customer Support
:
No Opinion
Haven't had to deal with Collings.
Overall Rating
:
10
I've been playing fpr 20 years, mainly fingerstyle acoustic, although I own an electric Epiphone "Joe Pass". I've played many guitars (Martin, Santa Cruz, Breedlove, Thompson, Lowden, Taylor). The Lowden is great, maybe I will buy one, the other guitars just didn't have it. I've never played a Schoenberg, Goodal or Bourgeois. So I can't compare the Collings with them. If the Collings would get lost, I certainly will replace it.
