quote:

FWIW, to my eye the Varnish finish looks great on every Varnish Collings I've seen. It gives the guitars a nice vintage visual vibe, while avoiding the fake look of some versions of aging toner (Martins EC model comes readily to mind).

You're right. Varnish on Collings and a few other boutique shops is not that yellow. No point in getting any ab however, IMO, since even Collings varnish discolours it. The bindings too look nicotine-infused. But other makers have tried varnish and the result looks like some corpulent lout upchucked a quart of bile on your guitar top. Not very appetizing.

Redavide, yes I do all that while driving. And my car is a right hand drive. I put my hands down while driving and it confuses the hell out of other drivers. How 'bout them apples? Bought it in London.

That varnish patina sure looks fine over the Colling's logo on the headstock. IMHO
Alan

uponamouse - I'd be happy to provide a review of the OM2HA Varnish.

I'm pretty sure it was the same one under discussion in April/May...as a matter of fact I found that thread AFTER I sent my check, which made me a little nervous. Not that any comments were negative, they just weren't overwhelmingly positive - no "monster", "alien" or other otherworldly adjective was ever referenced. I seriously considered buying three or four other OM's between the time I ordered it and the time I received it just to be safe.

In hindsight, it was a case of buyers pre-morse. Whatever "new" was in it four or five months ago seems to have abated, and in the short time I've had with it I can honestly say it is the clearest, most well-rounded EIR/Adi OM I have ever played. Definately drier than any EIR I've heard, but in a really good way - rich and warm, with great definition and amazing sustain. I recorded a bit of it with a friend this afternoon just to time the decay, and even he kept looking back at me wondering when it would stop. To me, the neck is perfect -a hair thicker than any other standard Collings or Martin I've played, but I tend to gravitate towards a bit more mass. I still would like to try a Vintage Now neck, but I'm guessing this is pretty darn close. It's nothing near an actual vintage neck, which I don't like. They're a bit too thick, or pointy or something...

This one is a keeper, and for now the GAS has passed (couldn't resist). If it sounds this good now, time will only make things better - if it truly takes a year plus for adi to open up I can't wait to hear what it will sound like in late '09.

Oh - and the smell of varnish in the morning...victory.

- greg.

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

quote:

Originally posted by FreeBlues:

quote:

Originally posted by hawgadi:

Not enough better to make me go through the gymnastics of selling my D1A and getting it, but an amazing guitar. That probably has to do more with the fact that I'm looking for something with a thicker, smoother tone to compliment the D1A. It is however, probably the best Collings I've ever played.

Interesting comment. I would have thought the difference between mahogany and rosewood to be fairly significant, varnish notwithstanding. I've owned and ultimately sold 2 D1A Varnish Collings, finding them just a bit too "metallic" and brash for my taste. I've been considering a guitar very much like the one at Gryphon (GREAT store in my experience) but now am wondering. Can you expand on your comments/comparison?

Sure. Within the framework of a Collings dread, there is a lot of difference. It's rounder and a bit fuller in tone. A bit more color to it.

Overall, it's still a Collings dread, so has what I'd also call a pretty similar tone--if you're considering a vintage D-35, a Huss Brazilian Dread, and a Huss IR/Adi dread. Those were the other guitars in the lineup for me that day.

If I had no guitars and was just going for one of the list above, I'd have gotten the Collings. The D1A, which I love and have tried to sell before, just doesn't seem to want to leave my hands, so I really am looking for something to compliment it. The D-35 and the Huss Brazilian, while also quite different from one another, were my most likely picks. Couldn't pull the trigger on either so far.

Would you mind giving a few more insights on the H&D TDR Brazilian? Those seem to intrigue me. How did it compare to the eirw H&D and the D2H varnish?

Thanks,

Alan

quote:

Originally posted by guitarpath:
Would you mind giving a few more insights on the H&D TDR Brazilian? Those seem to intrigue me. How did it compare to the eirw H&D and the D2H varnish?

Thanks,

Alan

I’m happy to--but I really want to qualify my comments, especially on guitars of this price. I'm only 7 years into playing, and I have 2 small children and work at an internet startup, so you have an idea how much time I get to practice. I'm a competent bluegrass rhythm player, and can play just about any Neil Young song pretty well. My thing is pickin' and strumming with some blues, a lot of rock and a few fingerstyle songs mixed in. I think my relative inexperience should be taken into account with my comments. Seriously.

That said, I really like the H&D's. I find them to be very much in the same tonal camp as Collings, but with a bit rounder of a tone--more smooth and slightly more warmth. Less definition in the mids, more of a mix and a slightly more scooped midrange...in some cases.

When I first went in, I was really struck by the TDR (IR). Really a strong bass, a lot more scooped in the midrange than my D1A, warmer and a little fuller down low. A little thinner in the trebles than the D1A, with less volume and harmonic emphasis on the top end. All that I like a lot. I definitely thougth about picking that one up on trade after my first visit, but I always have to play things a few times.

Also, I’d previously played a standard sitka TD-R a couple months back that I loved. Not being able to directly compare is tough, but I feel like I should have bought that one.

Anyway, I came back in to confirm the feeling on the Adi version, and thought it would be good to compare anything I might be interested in while I was there. That included the following:

• Martin HD-28V with an Adirondack top
• Martin D-28
• Martin D-35 Brazilian from the sixties
• The aforementioned D2HA Varnish
• Huss & Dalton TD-R Adirondack
• Huss & Dalton TD-R Brazilian/Adirondack
• (My) D1A
• (My) Tony Rice

I think that’s it. The D-28 wasn’t of much interest to me—tone struck me as fairly lackluster and felt a bit congested. I don’t know, just not a big fan. The HD-28V was superb, with nice note separation and that great smoky, woody tone. Good volume. If I’d have found it used, I’d have been all over it like ugly on an ape. There were other nice Martins there, but I don’t like the Marquis/GE neck, so I didn’t try those. The 1 ¾” width is fine, just don’t like the shape of the vee at the sides. Totally personal.

The D-35 is a really nice gutiar, with that smoothness I seem only to find in older guitars. I have a Gibson SJ about 40 years old that has it. Perfect bluegrass guitar with strong bass, nice subdued chuck up top, and tone where you expect it all the way up the neck. Smooth, round, buttery and powerful, but not a WOW guitar. I liked it the more I played it. Tremendous value even at $4000+ I’d say. More of an old buddy of a guitar than a hot date. I guess I left that one wanting to compare it to other sixties Martins, but really like it.

The D2HA Varnish was the loudest of the lot, by far. Best intonation and volume balance up the neck. A little more wood and warmth especially down low than my D1A, and more sustain in the lows, if not in the highs. Very, very clear and powerful all the same. Most impressive guitar of the lot.

The first time I played the TD-R Brazilian I thougth it was a bit thick in the mids, maybe too tight for my tastes. Strong bass, a little rounder than the Collings, and more of a wash of tone all the way from top to bottom. Less clarity and slightly less volume (both good things for what I’m looking for), and the tone was more interesting and nuanced. Plenty of headroom for me. Less zing in the trebles when strumming (sometimes the D1A is too much for me in this), and warm. The TD-R Indian was more scooped in the middle, and the second time through left me feeling like it didn’t have as much tonal color or interest as the Brazilian. A strong, no nonsense, straight-ahead guitar that I’d be happy to own, but not as complex. You could never go wrong with this sound—it’d always be right there for you. Very solid and impressive with strong fundamentals, and I love the separation between bass and treble. However, when I went back to the Brazilian after this one, I really liked the Braz more for its complexity and tonal interest. At the same price, I’m grabbing the Braz.

Comparing them all to my D1A, I’d say I like the bass of the TD-R’s a bit better. The drive, power, and sizzle of the mids and highs on that D1A are really hard to compete with though—it’s a knock your socks off kind of tone, and a guitar I always come back to after dalliances with others. Snap and drive, with this darkening in the low-mids that’s getting woodier it seems as time goes on. The bass is growing too, but not quite up to the Huss in terms of overall bass orientation. Way, way loud and almost silly in my living room.

The Tony Rice has the most tonal color and tone complexity of any of them, hands down. Separation and wash of tone at the same time—really quite remarkable, and with the biggest bass in the bunch, it’s clear why I bought the guitar. But over time, I’ve gotten more confident and my hand is getting heavier, and I overdrive this guitar in the low mids. It gets too constricted and maybe even a bit percussive when I strum it hard. However, with that tremendously colorful vintage tone when flatpicked in runs and leads, someone will go crazy for it. It sounds the most like the guitar on Tone Poems of all these by far, but for me, that’s not the sound I’ve migrated to—doesn’t work as well for rock and blues, and I don’t like the feeling that there’s a ceiling.

Well. That’s the long story from the guy who can probably talk about ‘em better than he can play ‘em. I would own the TD-R Braz independent of price, but even though they’re not the most expensive Brazilian guitars, that’s a lot of guitar money. I could get three amazing used guitars for that kind of scratch. Same w/the Collings to some extent I guess. Still in the game for me are the TD-R, possibly the TD-R Braz, and the D-35. But I could end up with something completely different. I guess the bottom line is that they're still there.

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

Hi

I am the person who bought the D2HA that came in a month ago at Gryphon. I pick it up tomorrow. I have always liked the H&D TDRs so I am tempted to compare it to the H&D TDR Adirondack. Should be an interesting comparison.

regards,
SloopG

quote:

Originally posted by collingscowboy:
...But other makers have tried varnish and the result looks like some corpulent lout upchucked a quart of bile on your guitar top. Not very appetizing...

A superbly conceived and executed verbal riff - made my morning!

Hawgadi - brilliant post!

I've only played one H&D, a mahogany/Adi dread. I liked it quite a lot, but was comparing it side-by-side with my hog/Adi NGC and found the H&D slightly lacking. The NGC is a monster, perhaps not a fair comparison. Bryan Kimsey owns the H&D and was playing both guitars for me to listen. He liked the volume and bass of the NGC better but felt the tone of the two was fairly similar and, in both cases, superb. Based on this sample of one I'd say H&D's are fantastic guitars and underpriced relative to the competition.

The D2HA Varnish sounds like a fabulous guitar, even better now that you've described the others. Thanks for all the effort!

You're welcome! The only thing I'm sure of, is that if someone else on the forum played all the same guitars...

...I'd love to hear their impressions, and I'm sure they'd be different than mine.