The Collings Forum

I have an OM2hT and I owned a OM2h ss vn for three years and had them both at the same time for a year or so - at one point those guitars where my gigging instruments so I played them back to back a lot. Obviously there was a scale length difference but otherwise they were both standard for their respective series.

Some of the structural differences between the two were:

1. no tongue brace on the traditional
2. much smaller bridge plate on the T
3. Lighter back braces on the T
4. Overall the T was a much lighter guitar

To my ear the main difference was a flatter/drier mids on the Traditional vs the Std.

The Std had quite a brassy midrange, lots of overtones in the upper mids, 'thick' trebles, and good low end - actually as I'm writing this I really regret letting it go as it was a great guitar, but I found the shorter scale made it a bit 'twangy' on the 1st/2nd strings when in DADGAD (which is where I spend a lot of time). I also feel as if the overtones were very quick - they almost came out with the fundamental.

My Traditional still has 'thick' trebles (by thick I mean not 'plinky', with more body behind the note) but it doesn't have that ringing midrange that the Std did - to my ear I also think that the overtones come later than on the Std - they are there but you get a hit of fundamental first. The low end is clean and clear, it doesn't have the 'woof' of my Martin OM28v (which can be a good thing at times as it provides a nice bed for everything to sit on top off, although it can get a bit too much if I'm playing lots of open strings) - the bass notes on my Traditional seem to project more rather than resonating around in the box, meaning they come and go quickly - they certainly don't get in the way!

Under the picking hand the Traditional is very quick and dynamic - my Std also had this quality but I think the shorter scale tempered it a little, or maybe the heavier build?

The main difference for me, and possibly the deciding factor in moving to the Traditional was the neck carve, and more specifically the taper - although it is actually a little less full down at the nut and early frets, once you get to the 5th fret it was noticeably fuller than the Vintage Now neck, and the wider taper meant that by the 9th or so there is a lot more real estate on the fretboard - I would occasionally push the outside strings over the edges of the frets on my VN necked guitar and I couldn't play with my normal vibrato style on the 1st string as it would pop off - I'd have to push it into the middle of the neck more.

I did like the voicing of the standard, and occasionally I think about ordering a custom OM2h with a Vintage neck (bigger than the Traditional and with 2 3/8 at the saddle) but I haven't finished paying off my Traditional yet and Collings prices have rocketed in the UK so I can't see myself buying a new one anytime soon.

When the Traditionals where announced I think a lot of people hoped they would sound like Martins but be built like Collings - as a Martin owner as well that's clearly not the case - the Traditionals still sound like Collings and keep all the clarity and precision in the tone of the Stds but, to my ear, they have a flatter mids, and a slightly different overtone bloom time.

if you want to hear my here's a couple of live videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Scre-RFdWw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCCqTiLNqhY

Great recordings: the songs, the playing, the singing. Sensational sounding guitar. And your first song makes me believe even more that there is no guitar that sounds as magical capoed down the neck as a Collings OM--standard or traditional.

JohnB wrote: Mon Mar 30, 2020 7:42 pm Great recordings: the songs, the playing, the singing. Sensational sounding guitar. And your first song makes me believe even more that there is no guitar that sounds as magical capoed down the neck as a Collings OM--standard or traditional.

Thank you! Since I've moved to the Ear Trumpet Labs Edwina single mic setup the Collings has really come into it's own for live performance - the projection and lack of bass 'mud' means it amplifies really well and I don't have to push it too hard to raise the volume for instrumental sections.

It's really nice to be able to take advantage of the full dynamic and tonal range of the guitar when playing live and that's the beauty of mic'ing rather than plugging in I think - the dynamic control is all in your hands and voice with the single mic approach, once you plug in and have a separate vocal mic I feel the control over relative volumes and dynamics between the guitar and voice is very dependent upon the sound engineer.

I would like to know how these new guitar models from Collings Compare to the varnish guitars.

George, It's a little difficult to compare an older varnish with a newer T, but my take is the varnish is warm and open, and the T a little more edgy, fundamental & more open than a regular new Collings. That's my take comparing several D1aT/ D1a/ D1av varnish.

Thank you

Georgelange wrote: Wed Apr 01, 2020 3:53 pm I would like to know how these new guitar models from Collings Compare to the varnish guitars.

I have both a varnish finish Collings Standard model (non Traditional) and a Collings Traditional model with the "thinner finish" lacquer. IMO the "thinness" of those two are similar, but the varnish seems somewhat thinner than the lacquered Traditional finish. Both guitars are Adi spruce tops and Madagascar RW bodies. The varnish is also a bit more delicate (not in a bad way at all) when brand new but hardens after a few years for sure. I think that the varnish makes the Standard guitar sound a bit more responsive /resonate than a Standard lacquer finish in a significant way . IMO the Traditional thin lacquer finish seems to contribute a similar sonic effect as the varnish, but the varnish takes it a bit further than the traditional finish for sure. A good thing.

Quite honestly, I think the varnish is by far the best finish, visually and sonically, that Collings has ever offered. Worth every penny the extra cost! There is nothing like it!!

Buck

My take on the Traditional Series, after spending a couple of weeks with my D1 SBTR, is that Collings is going for a very specific kind of vintage vibe--very old school, very fundamental, very dry, great depth. I think it was Chris Eldridge, the flatpicker extraordinaire, Julian Lage sidekick, and Collings endorser, who made the point in a youtube video that a great dreadnought does not have to be a a "canon" as we all like to say to be a great guitar. I agree with that 100%. My D1 SBTR has got everything a flatpicker would need to hold up in bluegrass jam, but it's a guitar that is also capable of subtlety and nuance. I just think Collings has nailed that pre-war vibe, whatever that means to people, in a honest way. When I pick the guitar up, I feel almost like I'm going back in time. I play mostly fingerstyle, and I haven't found this guitar to be holding me back at all, and of course it sounds unbelievable for my pseudo-flatpicking pieces, too. It seems to have a certain kind of smooth, underlying depth to it--that's the only way I can describe it. I can see myself buying another Traditional Series down the road--that's how much I love this guitar.

What an interesting thread. Thanks to all of you for your thoughts.

Hi folks,

I'm sorry that I haven't been around for a while but I've just caught up, and my thanks to all for answering my question.

I'm wondering if te "T" series were a response to the Martin "Authentic" line or were they on the drawing board earlier?

Do you folks think that there is a similarity in design, market etc ?