Collings Eastside LC

[Soco]

Somebody asked about how the eatside handles feedback(don't see the comment anymore), I would say it is very resistant to feedback. Any hollowbody will feed back at some point, and being close to the amp not muting the strings can matter.
I have friends with Ibanez pm 100's and Guild hollowbodies that uses f-hole plugs because of feedback issues, but I never saw any need for that on the eastside. It even handles moderate gain/overdrive well.

[Soco]

Here is a quick take of the eastside unplugged.
It is a bit more quiet now since the action is set low, but still has a nice acoustic quality to it.

[jimbo]

Very impressive and terrific hand speed, Collings have a good reputation but your's does bear out everything that they are reputed to be. Thanks for sharing Soco, much appreciated.

[Jazz_175]

Very nice Jostein.
In my case I am going to keep D'Addario 12-52 for a while, I will decide later what to do.

Also, the action is not that low, but I'll stay with it for a couple of months.
I am a bit annoyed by the fact that I have some rattling coming either from the pickup or the rim of the pickup or something else, when I play certain particular notes.

[Cobra]

Those runs are fantastic, Jostein!!!
And the Eastside sounds great acoustically too...

[Jonathan0996]

How is the weight on those two guitars? Not that I'm considering buying another guitar or anything...

[Soco]

Those runs are fantastic, Jostein!!!
And the Eastside sounds great acoustically too...

Thanks so much!
I raised the action a bit since this clip,it was too low. The action really affects the sound on this guitar, as well as my soco deluxe, more than any other guitars I have owned.
When I got it it had 12-54 and higher action, it sounded like a flat-top. Lower action and 12-50's has dampened the acoustic sound a tiny bit, yet it remains a very acoustic sounding instrument.

[Soco]

How is the weight on those two guitars? Not that I'm considering buying another guitar or anything...

Hi,
I think the eastside is around 5.50 lbs, it is very light(some 175 are around 8 lbs.)I have a PRS hollowbody(much smaller guitar) that is slightly lighter-maybe 5 lbs or less.
The soco deluxe(15' semi hollow) is around 7lbs(some are less), very comfortable weight, much lighter than a 335.
Even Colligns' les paul style(Cl deluxe) is very light for that style of guitar, around 8lbs.

[Jazz_175]

When I got it it had 12-54 and higher action, it sounded like a flat-top.

Are you sure the low E string was 54? If it was stock from factory it should be 52, as they say on the webpage.

[Soco]

Are you sure the low E string was 54? If it was stock from factory it should be 52, as they say on the webpage.

Hi, you are right-it is 12-52(I thought I read somewhere that it was 12-54).
The 12-50 Thomastiks feels much lighter(the set is put together differently than D'addario)

[Jazz_175]

Inspired by two other forum members, Soco and ShawnTP, I recently bought a new guitar: a Collings Eastside LC Blonde rosewood fingerboard.
A very nice and unique guitar.
I am attaching a picture and short video I recorded plugging the guitar into a Henriksen 112,
and a Hall of Fame reverb pedal in front of the amp.
The guitar has quite an acoustic quality, which can be better appreciated listening with headphones or with good speakers.

[kris]

Now you can say it is a dream jazz box?

[Jazz_175]

Now you can say it is a dream jazz box...?

Collings craftsmanship is excellent.
I am very happy of this guitar, even if it is not exactly what I expected.
I thought the sound was more similar to a 175.
I'm slightly puzzled by all this acoustic quality of the guitar, because what I was interested more was the electrical performance in a group.
However, as Jostein (Soco) showed in his clips, there should be no problems, but I have to try myself and see how it goes.

[Woody Sound]

Very nice playing and sound. I do prefer the feel (vibration) of a mahogany neck over maple. I always wondered why more archtop makers don't use it. How feedback resistant is that guitar?

[Jazz_175]

Very nice playing and sound. I do prefer the feel (vibration) of a mahogany neck over maple. I always wondered why more archtop makers don't use it. How feedback resistant is that guitar?

Hi,
thanks!
I did not have a chance yet to play loud, but I am going to rehearse in trio tomorrow, so I'll get a better idea about feedback. I guess it will be more or less like a 175.
However you can listen to Soco (Jostein) playing also an Eastside LC in several live gigs. There are several threads in the Showcase subforum.
It seems he does not have any particular problem related to feedback, even if, at some point, all archtops will feedback.

[ooglybong]

Hey Jazz_175...
Now that the initial honeymoon is over, what are your impressions of the Collings?

[Soco]

Congrats on your guitar!
Don't know how I missed this thread, but you sent me that video a while back and I really liked both the playing and sounds.
It is a great guitar, still love mine.
It is indeed much more acoustic sounding than a 175. A very uniqe but useful sound.
I hope you are still digging yours!
Somehowe the color of mine seems to be even more blonde(se pic above)

[Jazz_175]

Hi!
Yes, I still very much like this guitar.
I lowered a bit the action so now it's easier to play.
I string the guitar with EJ21, 12-52, D'Addario strings, as recommended by Collings website.
However I am going to experiment with Thomastik Bebop 12-50 (with wound G, bought separately)
and with some flatwounds in the next few days.

Just for the record, there was a Collings dealer here, selling an Eastside Deluxe Tobacco Sunburst
with a single Lollar Charlie Christian pickup. The Deluxe version comes with a different pickup.

[Jazz_175]

I just looked at Collings Website. The regular one also comes with Charlie Christian PU now.

[Philco]

Mine is coming in October and has the CC pickup. I'm so glad they changed to that pickup......I was going to put one in anyway. Not that there's anything wrong with the humbucker. It's just that I've been in a P90 mood for the last year.

I"m actually starting to get excited. Very unlike cynical old me.

Hey Jazz_175 props on your playing man. That tune gets played a lot but you brought something new to it. The way you hung on to the melody notes.........and the guitar just sings. That's the only way I can put it.

Having you an Soco as Eastside owners makes me feel like I've made the right purchase.

Speaking of strings.......I've been using Thomastik Swings for almost a year now. Serious love affair with the acoustic quality of them.
BUT I was listening to some older recordings I had done and it struck me that I no longer had a nice fat bebop tone like I used to. I had an "acoustic" tone. I really don't want an acoustic tone. I want an old bebop fat tone.

So I went back to Thomastik Bensons. The heavy set like I used to use.
Well my guitar just came alive the way I want it to. I have that old fat sound back again. Man I love those strings!
And the 175 feels completely different. Easier to play and just has a "solid" feeling all over the neck.

So the Thomastik Swings are definitely what they claim to be. More for chordal playing. Why did it take me so long to figure that out

[Soco]

I just looked at Collings Website. The regular one also comes with Charlie Christian PU now.

Edit; I thought he Charlie Christian pickup is an option that can be had on both the regular and deluxe model, but looking at Collings website I now see that this is the regular pickup they use instead of the humbucker.
I tried a Soco deluxe with a bigsby and a Charlie Christian in the neck, very cool. Hard to describe the Charlie Christian pickup, but it has maybe a bit mor definition than a humbucker while still sounding round and warm.

[Soco]

Mine is coming in October and has the CC pickup. I'm so glad they changed to that pickup......I was going to put one in anyway. Not that there's anything wrong with the humbucker. It's just that I've been in a P90 mood for the last year.

I"m actually starting to get excited. Very unlike cynical old me.

Hey Jazz_175 props on your playing man. That tune gets played a lot but you brought something new to it. The way you hung on to the melody notes.........and the guitar just sings. That's the only way I can put it.

Having you an Soco as Eastside owners makes me feel like I've made the right purchase.

Speaking of strings.......I've been using Thomastik Swings for almost a year now. Serious love affair with the acoustic quality of them.
BUT I was listening to some older recordings I had done and it struck me that I no longer had a nice fat bebop tone like I used to. I had an "acoustic" tone. I really don't want an acoustic tone. I want an old bebop fat tone.

So I went back to Thomastik Bensons. The heavy set like I used to use.
Well my guitar just came alive the way I want it to. I have that old fat sound back again. Man I love those strings!
And the 175 feels completely different. Easier to play and just has a "solid" feeling all over the neck.

So the Thomastik Swings are definitely what they claim to be. More for chordal playing. Why did it take me so long to figure that out

Hi, very cool! That's exiting stuff!
I didn't know that they had the Charlie Christian pickup standard option now. I always though it was just an option on both the standard and deluxe, looking at the Collings website it looks indeed like they have changed it...
Personally I am really happy with the humbucker in mine and wouldn't change a thing. I am also not sure if I like the looks of the CC-pickup, however I am sure it sounds great in this guitar.
I am using thomastik 12-50 roundwounds on mine and I really like it. I know the bridge is pre-intonated for a wound g, but I hvane't had any problems with the plain G.(in general I prefer plain G's). The eastside sound very acoustic so you might want to go for flatwounds to get the sound you want.
Let us know when you get the guitar!

[Philco]

Hi, very cool! That's exiting stuff!
I didn't know that they had the Charlie Christian pickup standard option now. I always though it was just an option on both the standard and deluxe, looking at the Collings website it looks indeed like they have changed it...
Personally I am really happy with the humbucker in mine and wouldn't change a thing. I am also not sure if I like the looks of the CC-pickup, however I am sure it sounds great in this guitar.
I am using thomastik 12-50 roundwounds on mine and I really like it. I know the bridge is pre-intonated for a wound g, but I hvane't had any problems with the plain G.(in general I prefer plain G's). The eastside sound very acoustic so you might want to go for flatwounds to get the sound you want.
Let us know when you get the guitar!

I sent Collings a set of Swings a couple of months ago so they can fit them. I'll just change them over when it arrives.

Yeah what I'm getting into is very acoustic sounding guitars (the 52 175 is incredibly acoustic sounding) but with the flat wound strings. So there's lots of power at the start of the note and that nice "thunk" underneath.

Here is a deluxe with the CC. Looks fine to me but it's a personal thing.

[3625]

I had a chat to my repair guy this week - he does work for a shop which is a Collings dealer in Sydney, they have an Eastside LC in stock atm. His opinion I respect - he totally knows his stuff, like no-one else I've met before - he absolutely raves about Collings. Said their quality control was basically perfect, yet unlike other brands that have high QC, they're not bland and uniform in tone, but are still unique, with lots of character to the sound. The best of both worlds.

The LC's look cool, but my only concern is the body shape and how that works playing sitting down with it resting on your right leg. A bit like a 335 in that respect, judging by the look of the photos - could be wrong on that. The easy way to find out would be to go visit the shop and try it out, but I'm avoiding that in case I'll really like it! What's the US street price for an LC?

[Jazz_175]

Mine is coming in October and has the CC pickup.

Did you order the guitar through a local dealer of your area or from a US dealer?