Collings I30LC Aged Blonde

Collings goal for the I-30 LC was to take the concept of a double cutaway, fully-hollow, P90 equipped guitar and refine it to the extent that it offers something truly new for today's players. The result is one of the most acoustically responsive and versatile electric guitars they have ever offered.

Because of the many preorders on the Collings I30LC model I haven't been able to keep one in the shop long enough to present it on our site. Finally, I do. I present to you Collings’ newest electric model, the I30LC in an aged blonde finish.

I know from first hand knowledge how much research and care have gone into producing this guitar. From its custom designed trapeze tailpiece tailored to provide just the right amount of string tension, to the perfect blend of lightweight laminate woods for the trestle braced body, everything and I mean everything is right and tight here.

To me the tone is absolutely addictive. It can travel from jazzy warmth to a Grant Green style soulful funk, take a back road through country chicken pickin’ and cross the ocean into the world of '60s British invasion styles — as if there is some Rick in its DNA.

To be clear, the Collings I30LC isn’t a lighter take on Colllings' own remarkable I35LC. It is unquestionably its very own thing, its own recipe of guitar goodness that once again brings Collings to the forefront of electric guitar builders. For me it is their masterpiece.

I'll end here with the thoughts of my friend and brilliant guitarist Jostein Gulbrandsen. Jostein has one of the very first I30LCs and has spent more time with that model than anybody I know.

Jostein POV:

"I have had my I-30LC since right after its official release in late 2017. It's a very special guitar, perhaps the finest model that Collings has ever offered. It's a guitar that really draws you in and it's hard to put down. Everything seems just right with it, it is so well balanced both in terms of sound, feel and playability. It's super light; mine is around 5.2lbs, and well balanced with a strap due to the placement of the strap button on the back. The trapeze tailpiece gives it a nice and loose feel and also adds a lot to the sound. Acoustically the guitar sounds great and plugged in it gives a wide range of sounds suitable for many styles of music. It's perfect for jazz and it really kills for blues, country and rock. Due to the trestle bracing system it handles feedback really well, gives it a much more even sound across the board and is much less boomy in the low end than an ES330 or Epiphone Casino. In my opinion this guitar is a huge improvement in those guitars' designs and it is what those guitars should have been in the first place. It's hard not to recommend the I-30, I have seen first hand how much people have gravitated towards it at the two latest NAMM shows dating back to when they first introduced the first prototype in early 2017. The model has already become a huge hit for Collings and they can't seem to make them fast enough. It's a guitar everyone should own."

If you'd like to find out more about this item, just call or e-mail me. It would be my pleasure to talk to you about it.

ABOUT COLLINGS GUITARS
Bill Collings moved from Ohio to Texas in the mid 1970’s. Spurred by a lack of interest in medical school, this move enabled him to combine lifelong interests in both guitars and tools into the challenge of stringed instrument building and repair. After a couple of years in Houston, several guitars and a few banjos later, he headed west to southern California. Making it only as far as Austin, where he shared shops with fellow luthiers Tom Ellis and Mike Stevens. From there, he set up his own small shop in a wooden "one car" garage. His reputation for outstanding quality and meticulous attention to detail quickly spread. In 1989, he rented a 1000 square foot space and hired two helpers. Fast forward to present day where Collings craftsmanship is respected by professional and amateur musicians alike…anyone on the quest for quality. Some of these include artists; Keith Richards, Lyle Lovett, Pete Townshend, Emmylou Harris, Andy Summers, David Crosby, Chris Hillman, Joni Mitchell, Don Felder, John Sebastian, Lou Reed, John Fogerty, Tim O'Brien, Pete Huttlinger, Kenny Smith, Brian May, Joan Baez, John Prine, Nigel Tufnel of Spinal Tap, and Steven Spielberg to name a few. You owe it to yourself to try one.