Here's the situation. I am in the position to have 2 guitars. I would like one dred and one om or similiar size. I primarly strum worship music for church and such but also play some fingerstyle and am in the process of learning some flatpicking. I am mainly considering Collings but am open to other suggestions. My thought is one rosewood/spruce and the other mahog/adi. I currently own a Collings CW Indian/Adi so could keep it and make the om mahog/adi or I could move the CW and get a mahog/adi dred and a rosewood om. I have played to many guitars that I like (om1a, om2h, c10sb deep body, ds1a, CW mahog/adi, and my current CW indian/adi) and can't decide which 2 as they are all great. Curious as to which way some of you would go and why.
Looking forward to your thoughts.
Nate

I've had some similar thoughts. Where I'm at right now is:

Dread 1: IR/Adi Martin D-28CW
Dread 2: Mahog/Adi Collings D1A
OM: Sitka/IR Santa Cruz OM

I went Sitka/IR on the OM because I want to use it for fingerstyle and softer couch-type playing, and I wanted it to have a lot of overtones and lushness. I still wanted to be able to flatpick it, so I stayed with the long scale, and I like good note definition, so I opted for the standard bracing position of the OM vs the forward-shifted OM/PW.

If I had to get rid of a dread, with a gun to my head, I'd...

I don't know. I tried to get rid of the Martin but I can't. I'm keepin' 'em all. Hope some of the thoughts are helpful.

Hey, I'm with you. I recently went through the same thing and over the past two years, here is what I have decided upon:

I now have a Collings D1A...the dread to have. This thing is just amazing. I custom ordered mine so it is pretty too. Plus, I have no tongue brace in it which gives it that something extra...just a little more open somehow.

I traded my Collings D2H on a Huss & Dalton MJC. My MJC has a cedar top which makes it very warm and responsive for the fingerstyle and strumming I do in the church praise band. I love it. It is the perfect antithesis to my D1A. I put a pickup in the MJC and I love it. It is smaller and in some ways more versatile than the D1A.

Keep the CW! I was playing mine last night and it sounds soooooooo good. I used to think my D1A sounded better, but some days I just don't know.

I haven't played in a worship band, but from what I hear on the radio, it seems that a lesser quality guitar than a Collings might be adequate. You guys correct me if I'm wrong, but complex tone isn't required and may be a detriment in that type of strumming. The guitars I hear recorded sound fairly dead. So how about a cheaper OM-sized guitar with built-in electronics.

Hi Nate, First off, your CW should be able to do everything, but since you want another guitar, I'd go for a OM-2H in IR/Sitka.

A second option is to sell the CW and get an SJ in IR/Sitka. That guitar can do everything well and you might not want another guitar.

A third option is to use a Taylor for your worship guitar. It seems everyone who does worship that I know plays a Taylor. I don't know why that is, maybe because Bob Taylor is a Christian and has made good inroads in the Christian marketplace. It does seem like the working man's worship guitar, easily recognizable among the church goers. Most don't know much about acoustic guitar or what a Collings is. I do alot of playing in church and have been consistently asked questions like "What guitar is that?" Or "Where is that from?" I've always brought my Collings but nobody has ever had a clue as to what it was. And that is from musicians, guitarist too!

I have played in Church - strumming and fingerstyle. You need a guitar that can cut thru the mix ie., mahogany works well here. Go with the D1A - keep your CW. Since you are starting to do some flatpicking, you may find the D1A just the ticket. Oh - and it holds it own fingerstyle.

No offense to Kenny B or others, but for me I don't care if people recognize the brand name of my guitar. What matters is how your music is coming across to the audience/congregation. The D1A will provide the clarity to hear each note of the chord, while strumming instead of just hearing a "chord", if you know what I mean. - In other words - it will cut thru the mix. The Adi top/ Mah back&sides will also allow you to vary your dynamics and still hear the notes with clarity. Good Luck !

Thanks for all the info so far. I should clarify things more. When plugged in at church for worship I use a CA guitar that I have because it already has pickups in it and then when the kids at church want to play it I don't have to be concerned.
I use my Collings when I am at home for own enjoyment and when doing special music. I would like both a dread and an om size and I like both mahog and rosewood. I just cant' decide which body style I want in which woods. My CW IA does everything and I love the sound but I also love the sound of the of the CW mahog/adi I played and the om1a, om2h, C10 and every other Collings guitar I have played. The problem is there are too many great guitars and I have to choose. Not that I am complaining because I am blessed to own 1 Collings let alone possibly 2 or any other nice guitar for that matter.
I do enjoy reading what every thinks and what all you have experienced. Keep it coming.
Thanks
Nate
PS. Any thoughts on the all mahog Larrivee guitars? L05MT or OM05MT.