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Hey guys,
How you been doing?
I have been thinking getting one of these lately, I only read good stuff about them, haven't played one and can't play one locally. Since no one has them here so it will be kinda blind purchase.
I want your insight, are they worth it? They worth quite some money. How they play?
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03-18-2013 02:19 PM
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Collings are truly great guitars. The best acoustic flattop guitar I ever played was a Collings 0002H Cutaway. I've never played any of their electrics, but spending almost $6,000 on a guitar sight-unseen is a pretty scary proposition!
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I pulled the trigger!!!! Hahahaha!!
Damn, I got serious GAS problem.
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I recently had the chance to play several Collings at Artisan Guitars in Franklin, TN(near Nashville) and they all played great.
The big take away for me was that the necks on the SoCo LC, SoCo Deluxe, Eastside LC and I-35 all felt the same --- GREAT!! I was told they are all CNC machined to a template that was created using a nice '59 Les Paul profile. Not fat 50s, just nice with substance. Very comfortable.
The SoCo LC was surprisingly heavy and body heavy at that with the neck popping up when sitting on my lap if that makes sense.
The SoCo Deluxe was my favorite and was noticeably lighter than the SoCo LC. The tone/sound was more electric/ Les Paul meets 335 than the LC... Again more of what I favor. If I had the money, I would get the SoCo Deluxe based on weight / balance and the tone I desire (which is a personal choice)
Hope this helps some.
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I've got the I35 LC, which is really great.
I think all Collings guitars are great.
Steve Z: How would you describe the difference between the Soco Deluxe vs the Soco LC (the laminated version)?
You said that but did not quite understood what you meant. The Deluxe more electric sound than the LC version?
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Hey Jazz, both the LC laminate and Deluxe solid top sounded great. It's challenging to describe, an honestly I don't really recall what I liked better about the Deluxe other than it was more "full", "electric but open"... Ahhh I don't know really. I wish I could describe it better. Remember though, this is just based on my ears and preferences.
As I mentioned one of the main things I really preferred was the Deluxe was lighter and perfectly balanced weightwise.
Sorry I can't better describe what I heard. The Deluxe did seem more electric/modern than the LC but still had an open/airy sound.
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As an owner and heavy user of a soco deluxe for 4.5 years(and as an owner of an eastside lc) I might chime in.
Originally Posted by Jazz_175
I think Steve Z's observations seem accurate the, Soco 16 lc is definitely more heavy and bulky than the the 15' soco deluxe, but still it is much lighter than many 335's I have tried. The 16 lc' has a more 335-like sound, even more so than the I-35lc, the soco deluxe is more modern, like a mix between a solid-boy and semi-hollow. Both great guitars, it would be cool if they made 15 soco lc.
The size and dimension of the eastside suits me really well too and the sound is incredible. Between the soco deluxe and eastside I can cover a lot of sonic ground. I have tons of clips on my youtube channel of the soco(more to come of the eastside), it is a guitar that feels like home in many styles of music.
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I will, it's a special one, I think. Large headstock, brasilian rosewood board, dot inlays which I believe on this guitar is killer, I prefer it from those block types ones, kinda cherry red finish but with a slight burst in the middle. It was love at first sight. Originally Posted by Soco
Yes I still do, it doesn't get played much, hehe but it's a keeper. I see you remember!
Btw, I've been watching that how insensitive impro you do. I am learning that tune atm too, I am playing it in a gig on friday at my conservatorium.
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Just got this. Collings soco semi hollow with spruce top. Throbak humbuckers. Neck profile is a bit different.
Bb blues:
Bb rhythm changes:
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Nice, Jostein! Is that your third Soco now?!
Enjoy!
Marc
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Absolutely wonderful, congrats! Apart from the different pickups, do you find the tonal difference to your other SoCo significant?
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Sounds really good!! What is the amp?
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Thanks! Originally Posted by marcwhy
It is my third Collings, 2 Soco's and 1 Eatside, I guess I am really hooked on these guitars.
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Thanks so much! There is a huge tonal difference between the two guitars and I don't think it has so much to do with the pickups as with the wood. The spruce definitely brings something new to the table. It is more complex sounding and more dynamic. The maple soco sounds great as well, but it is a quicker attack and more focused sound. It probably is a little closer to an solidbody while the spruce soco sounds closer to an archtop. Yet I think both guitars has strong semi hollow characteristics.I did try the spruce soco with overdrive, I wasn't sure if it would work, but it sounded great. I will post some clips at some point. Both guitars are really light, very similar weight, Collings told me the spruce soco is 6.6lbs so the maple one is around there too. The neck on the spruce soco is also a little different. It has less shoulders then thei normal neck, also it is a little thinner from the 1st to the 5th fret and gets thicker as you go up the neck. Almost a bit like the mid 60's C-shape profile on my Fender custom shop strat, but maybe a bit more subtle. It plays great. Originally Posted by IbanezAS100
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Hi, thanks! Originally Posted by jorgemg1984
The amp is a polytone megabrute, I am using a TC NOVA reverb(have a HOF too but it was in my bag).
Haven't tried it through a tube amp yet, but I am sure it sounds great. Have an old modded princeton reverb will plug into it soon.
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is it very expensive?
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Hi,
congratulations for your beautiful new guitar.
Nice playing, especially the Bb blues, according to my taste.
Did you notice anything special about these Throbak humbuckers?
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Hi, thanks so much.
These pickups seem to really respond to how you play this guitar dynamically, and it is a very dynamic guitar.
It would be interesting to see how these pickups sounded in my other soco, to really see the real difference between the lollar and throbaks. Still most of the sound in this guitar comes from the spruce top I think.
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Here is my Collings collection,
Collings soco deluxe with Brazilian rosewood fingerboard, Collings Eastside lc and the new Spruce Soco Standard.
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Spruce Soco Standard is my favorite sounding jazz box in semi-hollow style.
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I wonder how your two compare to the laminated top.
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Hi Jostein,
Sounds great (as always in your hands).
What does Soco mean (or where does it come from)? I always have thought of you as "Soco", I knew you before I was aware of the guitar. Which came first (is it possible this is your signature line of guitars)?
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From the Collings website
"Just like the vibrant and eclectic South Congress district of Austin, Texas that inspired its name, ...."
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There is only one laminated soco, and it is called Soco 16lc, it has a bigger body than my two soco's who are both made with solid woods(one with maple on mahogany and one with spruce on mahogany). Originally Posted by Encinitastubes
I have only played one of these for just a few minutes, it is very different. The bigger body changes the feel quite a bit and the sound is more even and not as acoustic as the solid wood soco's. Much more like a 335 in sound.
The I35lc is the same size as the soco but a different body size(looks like a small 335). Also a totally different animal.
the spruce soco is very acoustic so ding and really dynamic and touch responsive, the solid maple soco I have is also dynamic, but with a quicker attack. A bit more electric sounding. Both great guitars so is the entire laminate Collings line,
including the eastside lc I own. Hope this is not too confusing. Let me know if you have more questions.
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So the Soco16LC and the I35LC should be very similar.
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