I have a Collings Camper guitar. It's a C-10 stlye but has a 1 3/4 nut,square headstock ebony over lay, tortise binding,small p.g and a tortise and wood soundholr rosette bound on the inner edge, mahoghany and 'looks like" sitka. Would someone be interested in sharing some info on this guitar. thanks

My name is Mike, and for my 50th birthday (next month) I bought a 000-2H 12 fret cutaway in sunburst finish. What a sweet guitar! I have had the pleasure of owning a Martin Custom 15, a David Webber OM, and several other guitars. I started playing at 9 years old after a short unsuccessful stint with a clarinet, and have played ever since. Glad to be here!

Welcome to the forum and Happy Birthday!

A nice birthday present you have there! enjoy!!

I guess I'm comfortable enough with participating in the web world to dispense with a Net persona, so I'll stop coming here as Ravenstune (Tony Raven) and just be myself:

Bryant Woods, bluegrass fan and slow but getting faster (slowly) flatpicker. I'm a huge fan of the Collings sound, and it's great to come here where other folks understand how fantastic these guitars are.

For work, I'm a supervisor and naturalist at Acadia National Park in Maine. If you would like to see my "office," you can check it out at the following URL's: http://acadiamagic.com/Photos01.html
and at http://www.nps.gov/acad/home.htm.

Cheers!

B

[This message was edited by B Woods on May 04, 2003 at 06:24 PM.]

[This message was edited by B Woods on May 04, 2003 at 06:26 PM.]

my name is jeff. I'm a born and bred texan, but I now live in New York City. I own three instruments, all of which make me very happy: a 1995 Collings OM-2H (standard specs) with highlander installed, a 2001 Kinscherff High Noon Cutaway (which, sadly, I have for sale in the for sale section), and a handbuilt dread by a friend of mine in California. I play bluegrass, folk, rock, though none of the above particularly well.

JL

hello,
my name is nate arch. currently i live in the twin cities area in minnesota. i just got out of the military and i am getting my political science degree. hopefully, my family and i will be moving to austin next fall for grad school.
i just bought a om1 and it is the best guitar i have ever played. i have played guitar for about 15 years now. my other guitars are a seagull, la patrie, and an unbelievable fender telecaster knockoff made by a guy i met in korea while i was stationed there. check it out at http://www.mr-potato.com/ they are cheap and actually quite a good deal for the money. wow, i sound like the guys salesman hopefully, i will be able to buy my next collings in the next year or so

Hi all,
My name is Steve Hinde and I live outside of Waterloo, Iowa. Have been playing since I was 12, 30 long years ago. Don't own a Collings guitar, but I do have an MF5 mandolin. I have 6 other Martin guitars though. Would trade them all for a Clarence White or a Winfield Brazilian.
Met and played a bit with John Holman in Garland, TX some 10+ years ago when the guitars were available new. Played one he had, couldn't afford it at the time. Have since played one that belongs to Jim Paul Miller in Garland. Great guitar. Won't sell it to me though.
I play mostly bluegrass flatpick style for my own enjoyment or at jams when I can find one. Need to get to the Collings factory someday. I go to Austin every couple of years, but never have time to go and visit.
Collings are great instruments, and I will enjoy reading about the exploits and desires of their owners. May even chime in some time.

Steve

Greetings my brother droogies.

I'm Gary. 50 years old. Government functionary. Left-handed.

A proud Collings owner for the last 3 years when I picked up a used 0002H lefty cutaway at Guitar Works in Evanston. My only complaint is with the width of the neck which is ideal for fingerpicking but not so great for a short fingered guy who likes to move around the neck a lot.

I play primarily in open tunings. What will no doubt be heresy here, I employ tons of pedals and off board gear. To give a clearer picture, the favorite music in this house (besides Caetano Veloso) is Radiohead.

I also use a Martin D-28 that has been midi’ed with RMC pickups (to employ a Roland guitar synth as a background effects pedal), a small bodied Taylor maple, a 1972 Guild F-112 (which is the only acoustic guitar I keep in standard tuning), a 1961 Epiphone Casino, a late 70’s Rickenbacker 12 string, and a Strat with a GK-2a pickup that is used to control a VG-8.

I’m currently lusting for a Collings SJ with Rosewood that I think will work well given my style. Of course, there are those who argue that I use so many electronics that I might as well just play an ovation. Of course, they know not of what they speak.

Hi,
I'm new to this forum and just acquired a Collings CJ Sunburst...great guitar. I live in Italy and just thought I'd say HI to all of you pickers out there.
ciao for now, jj

My name is Ken Buseman, I am 50 years old and recently a convert to fingerstyle guitar. Been playing guitar for 36 years, mostly electric guitar, but have had classical guitar lessons and always kept an acoustic handy. I have a great collection of guitars, but nothing I find more impressive than a Collings.

My first Collings SJ I bought new in 1997. A new Sitka/Rosewood cutaway. I really did not know what I was doing, except I thought this guitar sounded best among the many choices. I had never even heard of Collings guitars, I had been isolated from the acoustic guitar world because of a bad shoulder injury (of 15 years!) that kept me from playing anything but electric. I ended up shelving the Collings and buying Breedlove C-25R cutaway. The Breedlove was easier to play and had quick response due to the cedar top. I built a recording studio in 1999 and allowed others to play the Collings SJ so it would break in. Many people came by, strummed hard and loved the sound. It recorded well; everything was fine. I kept playing the Breedlove and only used the Collings to play in church when asked to play acoustic.

Fast forward to July 2003. I take a 3-week trip to Montana and bring my trusty old Guild D-40. I start playing fingerstyle every morning before breakfast in the campground laundry room. I’m starting to love fingerstyle and my shoulder is not bothering me, so I keep playing. I get back, pick up my SJ and it sounds great. It had been seldom used in the last 6 years. And now it is the best guitar I own. September 2003, I picked up an OM-2H short scale from the Guitar Works in Evanston. I loved the way it sounded and played. I ended up buying it after waiting about 3 days. (I do have some control).

I also own a Collings MT-2, which sounds fantastic.

I am self taught, often using guitar videos to learn from. I’m terrible at reading tab, but can read music to some extent. People say that I improvise well. I’m working on a solo CD but it is taking a lot of time to iron out the songs.

Favorite guitarists: So far I find LJ fantastic in everything he does. I also enjoy Larry Pattis, Martin Simpson, Al Petteway, Doyle Dykes, Andrew York, Phil Keaggy… just to name a few.

One more thought, if you’ve made it this far in your reading… my thought about playing guitar is this. You can have all the money in the world and it simply does not or could not possibly give one the joy that comes from playing a great guitar. I love Collings guitars because they allow almost anyone to experience the joy of playing a world class acoustic. My hat goes off to the builders because they make it all possible.

Hi I'm larry,

I just registered tonight. I only noticed the forum today.

I live in central MA. I work as an electronic technician. I have worked for radio stations, in cable television, with bands and music stores in proaudio.

I am a big fan of acoustic music. Mostly Folk. But I like Bluegrass, Blues etc.. I've owned a guitar for about twenty years now. I bought a Collings OM2H about 4 years ago. I haven't looked back since. I have thoroughly enjoyed the instrument, and my dealings with Collings. Can't say enough about those guys down there in Austin.

I knew Collings instruments were made well, but didn't realize how precise until I saw the factory tours here and at Frets.com. Good Job!


I try to play when I have the time. Though, I mostly envy the performers I go to see.

Cheryl Wheeler is one of my favorite performers to see. I'm lucky she lives locally, so I get to see her quite a bit. She even had a Collings C10 last time I saw her. I guess I'm fortunate to be in new England where there are many coffee houses.

Anyway, I Hope to read some interesting stuff and maybe I can be helpful in return.

Hi

My name is Mike Conover. I live in far NW suburban Chicago and my passion is playing / collecting guitars. I'm 49 years old and have been playing guitar since age 12. We're a musical family. My wife is a music teacher (woodwinds) and plays flute in a concert band and in several smaller groups.

I am a salesman that supplies coatings for beer and beverage can exteriors. Almost all the beer or pop you drink has my product on the outside of the can or on the lid.

I've had many, many guitars especially within the last 15 yrs. Terry Straker at Guitar Works in Evanston, IL is a friend of mine and where I first saw a Collings after having had several Martins and Taylors. Previous to buying my D2H, I had a Taylor Can Crary and one of several D28's. I fell in love at first sight with the D2H and in a short time after ordered an OM2H 1.75" neck. These are the FINEST acoustic instruments I've ever played!

After ordering my OM2H, I took Terry Straker and Steve Siculian from Guitar Works down to Austin to go thorugh the shop. A great time!! We met Bill and Steve McCreary. I was hoping to see my guitar in production, but it had already shipped to the store, so I got it right after the trip, kind of like going to Stuttgart and taking the Porsche tour, then taking delviery!!!!

I also own several CS Telecasters, a G&L ASAT Bluesboy, a Heritage Kenny Burrell (like a Super 400) and a couple of PRS's.........

I look forward to the discussions.........