Collings O1SBV

With the exception of the Baby, the 0 is Collings' smallest guitar and is offered with the same shorter scale found on the 12-fret 00. Although measuring only 13.5 inches in width (smaller than a typical classical guitar), the Collings 0 has tone and volume that belies its first impression as being less than full-sized. It can double as a travel guitar or a small OM, performing both roles equally well. The same neck and woods options offered with larger Collings models are available on the 0 as well, giving players an almost infinite range of tonal possibilities.

This is a very special Collings - one I had made specifically for CR Guitars. It is a standard 01 body, but here's the diference.  I had it made with the Collings Vintage Now neck. It has  a 1 3/4" nut width, and has a 2 1/4" string spacing at the bridge. It just feels right, not too big or too small, balanced across all the frets, with no dead spots, and is very smooth and glassy to play.

Bill Collings' small acoustic guitars are already known for sounding much bigger than you thought possible in a small bodied instrument, and this one takes it a nice step further.

The O1 model is the second smallest guitar in the Collings stable and it is a truly great gigging guitar because it's so full in tone. yet small and easy to carry around.

If you fly with an acoustic guitar, the small case of this 01 is probably your best shot at carrying an acoustic on board with you. (Of course you never know with the airlines these days, especially in Europe, but the case is overhead compartment ready dimension wise). And you'd also have no trouble on the NYC subway during rush hour, or heading to the gig with your quartet in a Toyota Corolla.

But enough about the practicalities of this guitar! That's the icing. The cake is that this is a player's guitar. Often with small guitars, I feel like the neck doesn't fit my hand quite right, that I have to physically change the way I play to accommodate the instrument.  But with this guitar, the neck feels perfect, my hand wrapping around it just like on my full size acoustics.

One thing I love about acoustic guitars is that you get a special kind of feedback that comes from way notes feel under your left hand in addition to the vibrations of the guitar against your body. Again, with many small bodied instruments this feedback is compromised, but with this neck combination the tone and sound fill up the space around you, and the vibrations go right to your bones. I find it incredible that this little guitar is capable of so much sound, and I really think this combination eliminates the compromises inherent in choosing a smaller guitar.

The tone is warm and harmonically rich, with a full frequency response and wonderful clarity everywhere on the neck. Open strings resonate beautifully, especially when you let an open string or two ring while playing a chord higher up the neck, with complex overtones. This guitar will also work well in a group setting, finding a clear and balanced place in the mix.

As I look back over my description, I realize that I keep returning to the theme that this guitar corrects all the problems I have had with small bodied guitars. But this guitar shines even if you have never played a small bodied guitar, and would be fantastic even for someone who only owns one acoustic guitar. I just don't think there are compromises in this design at all. At CR guitars we have really fallen in love with this one, and it just may be the perfect acoustic guitar for someone who is primarily an electric guitarist but wants an acoustic guitar.

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.