The unveiling of four prototypes for Collings electric guitar models at the January NAMM show was big news, but unfortunately Bill Collings first had to move his company to a new location before production could begin in earnest. This meant that none of the new electric guitars were shipped in the first half of 2006, making the Summer NAMM show held in Austin a second introduction. This time, however, the models shown were more than mere prototypes and the colors and hardware were finalized, including Sperzel “Vintage” tuners, Tone-Pro bridges and tailpieces, and custom Jason Lollar pickups for all models. Anyone attending the open house at the new Collings shop couldn’t miss the number of these new electric models in various stages of production, and the wide range of colors and finishes made it clear that Bill intends to keep both variety and quality at a high level.

These “set-neck” guitars are not exact copies of Gibson shapes, but have classic styling similar to familiar Gibson models like the Les Paul Standard and the ES-335. (At this time, Collings is not offering any “bolton neck” Fender-style models.) As with many Collings acoustics, some of these models are available in regular and deluxe versions, the primary difference being neck and headstock binding on the deluxe, plus more spiffy knobs and pickup rings. Here’s a brief summary of the different Collings electric guitars, some of which ar already in stock at Gryphon.

290

Named for the highway that takes you from Austin out to Collings’ shop in the Texas hill country, the 290 is roughly styled like an early version of the Les Paul Special. It features a solid mahogany body with two P-90 pickups. Available colors include a dark transparent red, black with white graining, sunburst, and classic ’50s “TV yellow,” which is a lot more attractive than it sounds. Other available options can run the price up a bit, but a standard 290 will sell at Gryphon for barely over $2,000 with hardshell case, making it a bargain indeed considering the obvious Collings quality evident in every stage of construction, especially in the “fit and finish.”

City Limits

The Collings CL is a carved top solidbody, similar in size to the Les Paul Standard but with a slightly different shape. Maple tops with different kinds of figure are available, along with a wide variety of finishes. Depending on the amount of binding and inlay, the CL Deluxe models can be pricey (around $4500) but eye-candy like custom-made ivoroid pickup rings and solid ivoroid and “turtleoid” knobs help keep your eye on the guitar instead of your bank balance. The regular CL is a handsome carved top A Collings Electric Guitars Primer solidbody for under $4,000; it’s just somewhat more plain than the deluxe.

I-35

Highway I-35 hauls travelers from the buttoned-down corporate Dallas scene south to Austin, which has the highest concentration of musicians, artists, and guitarmakers in all of Texas. The Collings I-35 is a fully carved semi-hollow body electric guitar whose double cutaway “two horned” shape with F-hole top is reminiscent of Gibson’s ES-335 (although Gibson’s 335 has a laminated, not carved, top and back). Bill Collings has clearly done his homework on this model, as evidenced by the “combed” center block beneath the pickups and bridge, which allows maximum sustain with minimum feedback, yet still keeps the guitar’s weight reasonable. Prices are slightly higher than the City Limits model.