The Collings SoCo, named for the South Congress section of Austin, is a single-cut thinline archtop model. This 2014 example features a solid carved Spruce top and solid carved Mahogany back, and sports a stunning ‘Dog Hair’ black finish!

Collings production is well settled into the top levels of build and materials qualities. These are hands down, some of the finest instruments available.

Here we have a Collings SoCo Custom model. The stock SoCo follows the well-established practice of using Maple Laminates for the tops and backs on arched-top electrics, and this materials choice reduces feedback at high stage volumes. Here, the top is solid, carved Sitka Spruce and the back is solid, carved Mahogany, with a Maple center block for feedback suppression. The neck is Mahogany with an unbound Ebony fingerboard. For hardware, there’s a set of Collings branded tuners at the head, a factory installed Bigsby B7 true vibrato tailpiece and a Tune-O-Matic style bridge. The electronics are based around a pair of Lollar Imperial Low-Wind humbuckers, with 50’s style wiring for the 3-way selector and individual volume and tone controls.

This is a very clean Collings SoCo Custom example in great condition, and the ‘Dog Hair’ finish is very good looking. Like every other Collings I’ve seen, fit and finish are impeccable, and the guitar plays very well.

More From The Builder On The Collings SoCo Models:

“Named after the vibrant and eclectic South Congress district of Austin, TX, The Collings SoCo combines some of the most well-loved features and sounds from the heritage of semi-hollow guitars with a distinctive look and feel all its own. A 15″ lower bout gives this SoCo a comfortable, well balanced feel and exceptional note articulation. The single-cutaway body design makes for greater mass and contact with the neck joint, providing solid low-end response and a resonance you can feel throughout the instrument.”