Santa Cruz Vs. Collings ??
Dave Rider
Greetings.................
I am looking to soon buy a Santa Cruz "OM" or "H" Model.. I have been told
to check out Collings guitars as well..
Can anyone shed some light on this for me?... Are the two comparable.. is
one better made?? sounds?? All that stuff..
Thanks a bunch......
steveYetter
Hi Dave,
I'd say they're very close competitors in terms of build quality.
The Santa Cruz, "H" model is a Nick Lucas type of guitar (a bit
deeper than OM). The Santa Cruz "OM" style is a great guitar.
I live in Santa Cruz, so out here on the left coast the Collings
tend to be a bit more expensive, but I must say the ones I've seen
are superb guitars.
I believe that either brand is top drawer all the way, so it should
come down to personal preference without much worrying about
relative value, customer support, etc.
Hope this helps,
Steve Yetter
Elizabeth Ann Papapetrou
Hey Dave.
Santa Cruz and Collings quality is comparable. It's really up to your
ears, hands and heart to decide which you prefer for your needs.
Regards
Elizabeth
In article <6cb1t4$rdp$1...@tikehau.netreach.net>, "Dave Rider"
<sag...@netreach.net> wrote:
| Greetings.................
|
| I am looking to soon buy a Santa Cruz "OM" or "H" Model.. I have been told
| to check out Collings guitars as well..
|
| Can anyone shed some light on this for me?... Are the two comparable.. is
| one better made?? sounds?? All that stuff..
|
| Thanks a bunch......
Remove NEWS from email address to reply
George4908
> Are the two comparable.. is
>one better made?? sounds??
Both Santa Cruz and Collings are fine instruments, each at the top of the
class. I own a Santa Cruz OM (koa) and I have played about seven or eight
other Santa Cruz OMs and an equal number of Collings OM, in various wood
combinations. I would have been quite happy with any one of them. There was
as much variation within each make as there was between the two makes, so I'd
be hesitant to characterize their qualities by brand name. They've sounded,
played and felt great -- lively, resonant and balanced. Well built guitars
bring out all the wood has to offer, so the differences are probably due more
to the wood selection (though there may some construction differences between
the Santa Cruz and Collings, I don't know). The rosewoods were a bit warmer,
the mahoganys a bit brighter and punchier, perhaps, but neither is "better" --
at this level of craftsmanship, it's a matter of personal preference when you
find one with the particular qualities you like. For me, the koa strikes a
nice balance between rosewood and mahogany. Best thing to do, if at all
possible, is go somewhere that has both and you can A/B them. I live within a
day's drive of Mandolin Bros., and I've taken full advantage of their inventory
for testing purposes on several occasions!
Gerardo
Santa Cruz vs. Collings.....mmmm, well, Bill Collings is bigger and
taller than Richard Hoover, but Hoover is slimmer....I still think Bill
Collings would kick Richard's butt.
Seriously....I have played both Collings and Santa Cruz OM guitars at my
local store. To my ear, Collings is brighter and louder, and Santa
Cruz is mellower and more "Martin sounding". They are both excellent
choices and you cannot go wrong with either. Personally I would probably
choose the Collings because I like the neck better, but that's it.
Gerardo
john & lindsey
Dave,
I own OMs from both. Generally, Santa Cruz guitars have a warmer, more
complex tone, while the Collings are somewhat louder, certainly more clear
and bright. Both are outstanding, just depends on your ears and hands.
John
Dave Rider <sag...@netreach.net> wrote in article
<6cb1t4$rdp$1...@tikehau.netreach.net>...
> Greetings.................
>
> I am looking to soon buy a Santa Cruz "OM" or "H" Model.. I have been
told
> to check out Collings guitars as well..
>
> Can anyone shed some light on this for me?... Are the two comparable..
is
> one better made?? sounds?? All that stuff..
>
>
>
>
GIBSON64
I recently bought a Collings OM-2H. It is LOUD. I have not played a Santa
Cruz. I played about 3 Collings OM-2H's before I bought one. They all sounded
slightly different. I don't know where you are looking, but Mass St. Music in
Lawerance KS. had one that sounded fantastic. I found a better $ deal from an
individual , or i would have jumped it. It had a warmer tone which i like. I
flat pick and am used to the sound of a D sizes guitar. Happy huntin'.
gary
RReed70683
Hello Dave.
My impression is that the SC is a finely made guitar, I've checked em out and
they were clean and so forth, not a bad guitar at all, but that NOTHING can
quite compare with the perfection, the*absolute* crisp woodworking precision,
quality materials and tonality of the Collings. In a market with a few
companies going after the same thing...the high profile, CNC, high-end retro
style design acoustic, in terms of woodworking perfection it looks to my eyes
like the boys at Collings are just a notch or two above anyone else. There are
now a *lot* of great made guitars out there... I personally don't want to
settle for just another cleanly made, but not super-inspiring, but still
super-expensive instrument. You have to check out the collings (and yes bring a
magnifying glass even) to understand and appreciate it.
Of course claims as to sound are always totally subjective and you will know
the guitar that is right for you, not by what is considered cool or poular, but
by how it makes you feel when you play, and perhaps because you will want to
keep on playing and playing!
I would also reccomend the Froggy Bottom guitars as well especially for
fingerstyle players such as myself. Notably excellent tonality, thirty years of
woodworking by two guys and a dog ( they list the dog as a co. member though i
don't think the dog is that old) living down a dirt road in rural Vermont...a
different, and uniquely handmade feel as opposed to the Collings (and the SC
and Bourgeois also trying to fit in that particular niche).
The Bill Tippin guitars are said to be really intriguing also, though I haven't
played one as of yet.
Personally, I'm a Froggy kind of guy. I just can't wait, another two weeks for
my new deluxe Froggy H-12, with red spruce top, rosewood back n sides, slotted
peghead, Waverly tuners, wood binding, and herringbone purfling!!
Best Wishes and good luck,
RJ Reed
Mike Browning
I own a Santa Cruz Tony Rice model and I will stand it neck to neck with a Collings
on any of the points that you have made. The woodwork, sound, craftsmenship will
speak for them self. Before anyone should take your advice, they need to go see for
themself. The truth is out there.
LMimagery
I'd put my Kinscherff up against any Collings to compare tone or worksmanship
any day. BIll Collings himself has played this guitar and commented how great
it was...and IMHO...evety Collings I've played is lifeless compared to the
Kinscherff...and the workmanship is Flawless....materials outstanding.
Louis
JStone1203
I was in a shop recently that had several guitars by both Collings
and Santa Cruz, as well as Bourgeois, Larrive'e, Lowden,
Breedlove, Taylor, and of course, Martin....the owner was glad
to accomodate my desire to play as many and as long as I wanted...
what an education!-I'm not sure what I learned, but I learned
something!...You really need to close your eyes to the brand name, and open
your heart to the sound and playability of any of
these wonderful guitars....I'm by no means an "expert" (an "ex"
is a "has-been", and a "spert" is a drip under pressure), just a
lover of fine fretted instruments....
Capt Banjo
I recently bought a Santa Cruz Tony Rice model. I listened and played numerous
Taylors, Collings, Lowdens, Bourgeois, etc. I ended up paying more for the
guitar I bought than most of the others. I am not wealthy. It must be something
that made me dig deeper into my pockets when I was fully prepared to buy a
guitar other than a Santa Cruz (it wasn't even on my options list). To each his
own, this guitar thing is very subjective. But I strummed a G chord that day,
went up and down that fretboard and became addicted to that full, rich, complex
tone.....
Wayne