Collings SoCo Namm Show 2014

Named after Austin’s funky and eclectic South Congress Avenue, the SoCo is all about attitude. This model brings in elements from both the I-35 and CL models to create a unique hybrid that is all its own. Perfectly at home if you’re playing jazz, rock, blues or funk.

There’s something about the word "standard" that’s always bothered me – in that it implies that what you’re getting isn’t quite as good as a "deluxe."  I sometimes think that Collings should’ve named this the SoCo Straight Ahead, because even though it has simpler cosmetics than the SoCo Deluxe, it's every bit as great a guitar as its more expensive brother, the SoCo Deluxe. It’s just more, well, Straight Ahead.

Having just arrived from the 2014 Namm show, this mahogany full body ‘burst bigsby wonder is quite special. What really impresses and moves me, besides the elegant esthetic, is the wooly warmth that mahogany gives to the sound of this design. By wooly, I don’t mean undefined. It’s that there is something Gibson '50s about it, something I find difficult to explain. It’s deeply organic, with a bite and sensitivity to it that reminds me of a really great vintage guitar. Sort of what a maple top would be like after 50 or 60 years of breathing, living and playing. It's got character. There is nothing sterile or bland going on here.

And what really kills me about this guitar – and I mean KILLS me - are the dog-eared P90s. The guitar has such a wonderfully honest character with these pickups. They’re custom wound, and the guitar is rich and woody and warm and blistery all in one package. Add in the incredibly smooth feeling Bigsby and you have a guitar that can tackle just about any task.

As far as the feel goes, it has that crazy good Collings '50s style neck contour. And of course, the fret work and finish detail are done to a typically superior Collings standard.

Here’s how much I love this guitar. I’m ordering another just like it.

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.