| Bill Collings shocked the guitar community
at the last winter NAMM show when he introduced some prototype solidbody
and semi-hollow electric guitar designs. Well, he has started
shipping some of these new models and they are EXACTLY what you would expect
... detail oriented in the extreme, with very high wood quality standards
and some unique improvements to traditional designs!!!
The first instrument I would like to review
is this "City Limits" CL Deluxe model. If any of you out there needed
further proof that this man is compulsively detail oriented, then
check out the custom Collings fabricated grained ivoroid top-hat knobs
with matching trim-rings, truss rod cover and tuner buttons ... very
classy! But then, absolutely everything about this instrument
is classy, from the deeply recurved flamed maple top, to the
sculpted mahogany body, to the Brazilian rosewood fingerboard with
tastefully understated dot position markers, to the distinctive Collings
bound headstock profile!
Before I even plugged this instrument in,
I could tell that it would be lively and responsive. It just has
such a great resonance unplugged! Plug it in to any classic tube
amp and the word that comes to mind is "smooth"! Yes,
there is definitely a very appealing meaty warmth to the lower mids but
the highs are just so ... well ... "smooth" is the only word!!! |
