Collings Guitars is an Austin, Texas based stringed instrument manufacturer. The company was founded in 1973 by Bill Collings (August 9, 1948 – July 14, 2017). In addition to acoustic guitars, Collings Guitars manufactures: electric guitars, archtop guitars, mandolins and ukuleles.
Company history
Collings attended Ohio University as a pre-med student in the early 1970s, yet withdrew from his studies in order to work in machining, which he continued for five years. Within this time period, he built his first guitar. In 1975 he moved to Houston, Texas, where he began work for a pipeline/oil-field company, as an engineer. Whilst also improving his guitar manufacturing skills after work-hours. Three years later he met musician Lyle Lovett (then a college student), who interviewed the fellow guitar-builder for the school newspaper, Collings told Texas Monthly. Lovett, who was impressed by the acoustics of Collings guitars, went on to purchase the 29th guitar he ever manufactured.
In the early 1980s, Collings prepared to move shop as far as San Diego, California - yet was unable to, instead residing in Austin, Texas. He began work, sharing a space with fellow luthiers; Tom Ellis (mandolin builder) and Mike Stevens. Only a few years after, taking a more 'serious' approach in the pursuit of his craft, by moving into his own, one-stall garage shop.
George Gruhn, a vintage-guitar collector/seller in Nashville, hired Collings to make 25 guitars in, 1987. With Collings eventually receiving viable recognition from competing guitar stores, as well as various press-pieces about his products (magazines). Two years later, he hired his first employee and consequently, the company begun to excel even further.
At the 2006, Summer NAMM Show, the company grew to include the manufacturing of electric-guitars (as opposed to the previously mentioned, manufacturing of exclusively acoustic-guitars), producing the following three models; the I-35, the CL (City Limits), and the 290.
In addition to the manufacture of acoustic/electric-guitars, the company begun production of mandolins and ukuleles. As of May 2012, the company had roughly 85 employees and manufactured 6-7 acoustic guitar models, 3 electric, 2 mandolin and 2 ukuleles, per day.
In 2014, it was announced that the company would be producing a guitar based on a currently popular depression-era design. These guitars being sold under the Waterloo brand.
Models
14-fret acoustic guitars
D Series: The square-shouldered 14-fret dreadnought is the most popular steel-string acoustic guitar body shape in the world. Collings D Series guitars are often employed by bluegrass flat pickers who must compete with inherently louder instruments such as banjos and fiddles. OM Series: The 'OM' (for Orchestra Model) is a 14-fret model that is popular with fingerstyle guitar soloists who choose to play on steel strings. The OM is also used in flatpicking. 00 Series: With a short scale the 14-fret 00 series is a smaller and often more comfortable alternative to the OM that manages to provide similar volume and range. 0 Series: With the exception of the Baby, the 0 is Collings' smallest guitar and is offered with the same shorter scale found on the 12-fret 00. Baby Series: Collings' smallest guitar, approximately a 3/4 size version of their OM. 12 1/2 inches wide in the lower bout with a 24 1/8 inch scale. CJ Series: The Collings Jumbo is their version of the classic slope-shouldered dreadnought. SJ Series: The SJ is Collings' version of what is commonly called a small Jumbo. Although the 16 inch lower bout is slightly wider than a dreadnought, and the sides almost as deep, the tight curve at the waist creates in a very different sound chamber. SJs, especially examples in maple, typically have a more pronounced midrange response when compared to a dreadnought. C10 Series: Based on parlor guitars first introduced around the same time as the OM, the Collings C10 is a leaner alternative, with the narrow waist and small upper bout.
12-fret acoustic guitars
DS Series: The original 12-fret dreadnought shape. 00 Series: Collings offers the 00 in its original, 12-fret configuration. This guitar shape was first designed around the time of the Civil War. Its dimensions are similar to a typical classical guitar, with a slotted headstock and small pyramid bridge. 000 Series: The 12-fret 000 has the same general appearance as the Collings 00, but in a larger size with longer string scale. Although it's the same width and depth as the OM, the longer body typically produces more bass and overall volume.