This Collings GoldTop CL City Limits is special, apparently being the second GoldTop CL personally made and finished by the late Bill Collings himself.

This guitar model clearly draws from a the classic pairing of Maple and Mahogany, and this very early Collings Gold Top CL has some subtle shaping differences to distinguish it. Everything is top quality, from parts to finish. This example originally shipped from Collings on February 15 2012, and its construction would have begun in late 2011.

The body back, with a comfort contour, and the neck are both Honduran Mahogany. The body has a carved premium flamed Maple cap, though the figure is not visible through the gold finish! The unbound fingerboard is Indian Rosewood with Mother of Pearl dot position markers. The head plate is Ebony with a Mother of Pearl Collings logo. For hardware, the tuners are by Sperzel and the bridge is a TonePros AVT-II wrap-around model. The pickups are Lollar Imperials, and sound wonderful.

Overall, this guitar is in very good, clean and almost entirely original condition. The original strap pins are in the case, and Schaller strap locks are installed. The finish is in great shape; Collings finishes are some of the best available anywhere. Fret wear is light, it’s set up well, and is extremely playable and responsive. There is one small flaw – at the very top of the back of the headstock, in the notch for the ‘haircut’ shape, there is a small chip.

The original and excellent Ameritage hard shell case is included.

Here’s the builder on the Collings GoldTop CL:

“Crafted with the finest seasoned maple and Honduran mahogany, the Collings GoldTop CL is built for tone. Lightweight, resonant mahogany combined with a carefully hand-set mortise and tenon neck joint bring tonal complexity and sustain to the table in spades. Sleekly contoured for comfort and style, we’ve brought new life to an American classic.”

Collings GoldTop CL City Limits Specifications: