Hi folks. I'm in the process of trying to decide on a new Collings guitar for my recording studio. I often get realy good talent comming in to record there stuff and most walk in with guitars that are very hard to record because of the quality of them. For most, that is all they can afford and expect me to make them sound like $5000 Collings. My studio is state of the art, my pre's,converters, microphones are up there with the big boys. The problem with using high end equipment is, it don't lie. What goes in, comes out end of story. So for me, it would be stricly a recording instrument and maybe the odd jam here and there. I'm a mando player with of course a Collings MF and Gibson F5. I play guitar but it's not my main instrument. I'm sold on Collings guitars, that's not a question. What would be my best bet for studio recording application in the price range of $3000-$5000. I realy like the D1A and the D2HA Any recomendations at all would be great. To all who care to chime in, I thank you in advance. All the best to all here, and what a great forum.


Reg

This message has been edited. Last edited by: mando,

there are a good many music stores that rent instruments. you might try that at first. if you are going to cater to a wide variety of performers it is hard to find one instrument thing that is going to fit everyone. as for $5k, you can snag a few "used" instruments off the internet that will suit your needs, but right now i think you need to experiment. guitar players are quite picky over nut width's, top wood, short scale, long scale...........the list is long.

mandolins are just getting to the era of pickiness....but it's coming.

It depends on style, etc. I always play and love my CJs for live performance. They are my absolute best all around guitars.

That said, I really love my OM2H for recording (the CJs are incredible, but the OM can leave a little room in the sonic spectrum and mix for other instruments, at least to my ears). And a maple Webber Roundbody was one of the best recording guitars (again, for going into a mix) that I've used in the last 12 years).

Now that I've waded in--let the debate begin...I'm certain there will be a lot of different opinions here....and mine is limited only to the instruments I have on hand.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by marymary:
there are a good many music stores that rent instruments. you might try that at first. if you are going to cater to a wide variety of performers it is hard to find one instrument thing that is going to fit everyone. as for $5k, you can snag a few "used" instruments off the internet that will suit your needs, but right now i think you need to experiment. guitar players are quite picky over nut width's, top wood, short scale, long scale...........the list is long.


Yes, I know exactly what you are saying. In the far north of Ontario music stores don't carry Collings guitars. The closest to me is the Twelve Fret in Toronto. Maybe your right on a few second hand Collings, it's an option. I am hoping on opinions for a general sounding guitar that covers more ground. As far as the player being picky, well, it's that our put up with what they have and be happy. Thanks for your help.

You might try calling Larry Cragg. Vintage Instrument Rental
He's worked with many musicians in concert and recording sessions. He's been on tour so I don't know how available he will be. While the instruments listed on the sight are vintage Martins and Gibsons... he is a big Collings fan. Not that he will know every model and variation, but he has some ideas about what works best in the studio.
Alan

All my Collings instruments record beautifully. That said, a used D2H and a used OM-1 would cover a lot of bases. Rosewood and mohogany, dred and OM style. Something for a strummer, flat-picker and/or a finger-picker. Chuck

Thank You folks, very helpfull. All the best.

I gonna go against the flow and say you should also check out an original "textured top" Adamas guitar. Used will run you between $1500-2000 for a nice one but plugged in (DI'ed) or miced up, they sound freakin fantastic.

I own 4 Collings, a Bourgeois, couple Martins, a Froggy (on its way), several nice Taks and a few Adamas.

All of them record exceptionally well and have a nice full tone that can cut through the mix when desired.

I've recorded much of the Collings lineup. My favorite behind a microphone is a OM2HG Deep Body. As an OM, it obviously does fingerpicking very well. But, maybe surprisingly, it also handles strumming equally well, and the deeper body adds some extra weight to the bass. The default in Collings lineup might seem like the D2H, and while they do sound good on tape, you have to be careful with miking technique because of the pronounced low end. You have to point the mics further away from the sound hole and maybe even positing them further away. This might not be ideal. With an OM, proximity is less of an issue and you have more miking freedom and less worry about bass buildup.

Now, to throw another wrench in your spokes, I've learned to record a D2H and get nearly the same result as an OM, and vice-versa, to a large extent. It's a matter of mic choice and placement. If you go with a dread, and the artist will be strumming, you should to stick with SDC microphones and get them up towards the 14th or 12th fret. If it's fingerpicking, no worries in most positions. If your using an OM and prefer that bigger sound, go with an LDC mic and put it closer to the sound hole. With a Collings, you'll still get that big sound.

And here's the best part - all of the above is only mildly important because of the fact that these guitars are so easy to record. You can't make a wrong choice - whichever you decide to buy - and getting the most out of a recording is only a matter of minor adjusting to get that final 15% increase in tone.

So my suggestions - OM2HG-Deep Body... then OM2H... then D2H...

Great info here and I thank you so much.

A lot depends on the nature of the projects you tend to get involved with, however, if I were looking at a good all rounder an OM would be a great option.
Running my own studio set up, with approximately 20 highend acoustics to choose from, I find that the dreadnoughts get the least use due to the low mid / bass end emphasis which tends to require more work to avoid conflicts with other instruments designed to fill that space.
My experience tends towards a view that the more tracks/instruments, the more focussed the acoustic tracks need to be bearing in mind that acoustic guitar can take up a lot of the sonic landscape.
While I love rosewood for it's richness and will go straight to my Sobell Adi/braz for solo acoustic work, I find myself going straight to my Collings OM2H Koa for guitar parts within a bigger project.
I have come to really like the way that Koa b/s guitars record within a mix. The low end on this particular Collings is beautifully focussed while still being rich enough, the trebles are sweet with plenty of presence, but it is the midrange that just shines in the studio. Koa seems to produce a slightly more robust upper mid range that is so easy to capture and maintain within the mix.
I originally thought that this Koa thing was down to this stellar Collings guitar, but have discovered that a Koa/sitka Gibson J185 I own has similar properties (while being more limited than the OM2H Koa)
I also like Mahogany b/s guitars in mix context for the ease of control within the sonic landscape.
Hope this helps

What would be everyones feeling toward a D1- D1A for the application. Do owners of this model get away with many styles of playing and not just bluegrass, which I plan on doing lot's of. Thanks again.