Collings Eastside LC - Looking for Opinions

[jim dandy]

kid335 - nice guitar - thanks for sharing! It's nice to see so many people liking this model. It really has become my favorite as well!

SpoonMcD - I've been able to fit a regular set of Chrome 12s with no problem, so you will be fine with the Chrome 11s. It's really the silk wrap on the ball end of the low E that causes the issue with string fitment.

From what I was told from Collings customer service, they made the initial 4 prototypes with the fuller body depth to compare to the thinner body style. However, they liked the sound of the thinner body style (gave a little more clarity to the tone IIRC) better so that's why the went into production with this size. The 4 prototypes then went to dealers that were interested in selling them. Gryphon had at least 2 of them - a blonde and a cherry sunburst. I don't know where the other 2 went.

Again from Collings customer service, they changed the bracing after about 1 year of production (around SN 84 or so - they didn't record the exact model number where the change occured so you will have to check the bracing yourself if to be sure) due to feed back from their customers. They were asked to make the Eastside sound more like the Gibson ES-175, hence the parallel bracing. The current model is as close to the ES-175 as Bill Collings wanted to go tone wise.

After the bracing change, Collings thought that the CC pick up sounded better with the parallel bracing than the HB and that's what they went with. I agree with them. The CC pick up with the parallel bracing is a very good tonal match IMO.

Every amp I've tried my Eastside with has sounded good - Fender BFDRRI, Evans RE 300, AI Clarus, Vox AC 15. I haven't found an amp yet that it didn't work with. Haven't tried it with a tweed style amp yet, but am planning to.

[Jabberwocky]

Congrats to you folks who are new Collings Eastside LC owners. It is one on my bucket list.

Of the four Deep Body Prototypes, two went to Gryphon Stringed in Palo Alto. one went to Hill Country Guitars in Austin, Texas. the fourth went to Acoustic Music Works in Pennsylvania. There was a fifth prototype, not a deep body, which was sold by My Jazz Home. This one has a fiberboard middle ply for its laminate.

I have been looking out for the Blonde Deep Body to turn up as a used guitar at Gryphon. I guess kid335 beat me to it when it showed up.

Good for you all who bought one. Make great music with it. Always wanted a Collings but a Gibson always got in the way.

Now I just want one each in Faded Cherry, Merlot and Blonde. Is there a fairy who grants wishes?

[plectrum99x]

Hi kkfan - The stock Eastside tailpiece can be limiting with your string choice, unless you have it drilled out to accept larger sizes. Unfortunately, I don't have directions for how to do this and it sounds like something that is best left to a professional unless you have good woodworking skills. I'd suggest contacting Collings Customer Service and asking them. They are very helpful.

I can tell you that many of the silk wrapped flatwound low E strings won't fit through it. TI 50 (in the standard flatwound 12 set) don't fit. The Rotosound Top Tape silk wrapped 52 and the Black Diamond Chromium Flatwound silk wrapped 52 are too big to fit as well. About a 52 non silk wrapped flatwound is as large at you can go with the stock tailpiece (standard DA Chrome 12 set do fit). Also a 56 non silk wrapped roundwound won't fit either.

Good luck!

Hello,

Not sure you will notice this post, given the age of the original, however, I wonder what you consider the "standard" Ti 50? Would that "fit" limitation apply as well to the TI JS-112's?

I am considering the purchase of an Eastside LC Deluxe and, aside from the potential string size limitations, am encountering some difficulty justifying the cost for this laminated jazz box ($6300), when I can commission a hand carved arch top for nearly the same price. Furthermore, it is intimated that they are handmade, but with the apparent production volume revealed by the number of available units I wonder if that is true for this model? Any thoughts?
Thank you in advance.

[jim dandy]

Welcome to the forums plectrum99x!

The standard TI 50-12 flatwound set I was referring to was the JS-112. With the silk wrapping, the 50 would not fit through the stock hole drilled in the tailpiece.

I know that the Eastsides are built by a small team of builders at Collings, but don't have any more details than this. I'd suggest getting in touch with Collings customer service team. They are very responsive and helpful.

Good luck with the guitar search!

[plectrum99x]

Hi Jim Dandy,
Thank you for the clarification. The Ti JS-112's, and occasionally the GB's, are my go-to strings, and all of my 11 arch tops are strung with them. That makes the Collings a no go. I did send their customer service an email asking if they had plans to correct what is likely an egregious oversight in re the tailpiece, but have yet to receive a reply.

To spend upwards of $6300 for the deluxe, and then have to make modifications in order to accommodate one's strings of choice is absurd. I guess that I will make do with my current collection of luthier made jazz boxes and see what the future brings.

[plectrum99x]

Hello Jim Dandy,

I thought that you might appreciate the following update.

Only hours have passed since my last post, where I indicated that I would see what the future brings forth. This time, the future took the better part of a day to materialize. After considering the various members of my arch top stable—Gibson L5's, Comins Classic, Triggs, Golden Eagle, etc.—I decided that the crew needed a laminated sibling. With that in mind, I came across a brand new Gibson Tal Farlow and pushed the button. There are no string limitations with this jazz box, so I am hoping that it will fill the bill. I will check back once it arrives and I've had the time try her out.

[B3l5tele]

I have a Collings CL Jazz and the thin version Eastside Jazz LC. Both are great guitars. I use LaBella .12 Jazz Tapes. To get them through the tailpiece holes I burn off the cloth wrap on the strings at the ball end. This allows the strings to fit into the hole. Works great, have not had any problem with them unwinding.

It is annoying though that I have to go through this process to use my strings of choice on these guitars.

[plectrum99x]

I agree, having to make modifications to either the guitar or strings is unacceptable. And in that regard, I had sent an email to Collings customer service asking if they had any plans to alter the tailpiece in order to accommodate a more varied selection of strings ... so far, no reply.

Had the aforementioned issue come to light following a purchase of the guitar, I would have been faced with either finding a set of strings that fit—a less than ideal scenario—or the sale of the guitar. But as a prospective owner only, I have chosen to avoid that debacle and have gone in another direction.

[Jabberwocky]

For the price of a Collings Eastside LC, Standard or Deluxe, and its tailpiece issues I'd encourage you, plectrum99x, to go for a Roger Borys B120 Deluxe: $5000. A 15 to 18 month wait though.

I have been in touch with Roger Borys.

[plectrum99x]

For the price of a Collings Eastside LC, Standard or Deluxe, and its tailpiece issues I'd encourage you, plectrum99x, to go for a Roger Borys B120 Deluxe: $5000. A 15 to 18 month wait though.

I have been in touch with Roger Borys.

Hello, and thank you for the suggestion.
I am sure that the R Borys is a great guitar, but at my age a 15-18 month wait time is out of the question. I did, however, manage to find a brand new Gibson Tal Farlow that I have purchased and that arrived this A.M. I am waiting for the temperature to equilibrate in order to unbox and evaluate. I own two Gibson L5's (CES and WesMo) and am happy with both ... hopefully the TF will be as satisfying.

[silverfoxx]

Here are two pics of my newly acquired Collings Eastside Jazz. LC guitar.
It was necessary to buy it sight unseen and unplayed , because of the current problems with seasonal traffic
I was confident that it would be as described as i have purchased a number of guitars from the dealer in 20+
years including several Crimson Custom Shop Gibsons.
It arrived in a one day delivery promise, perfectly packed and on time. I am delighted with this instrument,
having first sought the opinion of good friends , here on this Forum
The guitar is in pristine condition, unmarked and with a superb Padded Fitted Ameritage Case .
As you may know ,it has a Lollar CC Pickup housed in an HB cover, The fretting , fit ,finish and QC is
second to none. Its playabilty very easy. the Tone and Volume belie its dimensions and sounds like a
larger bodied Archtop. An ideal gigging guitar quoted JD, and he is right ( my gigging days are done.)

[Rob MacKillop]

Brilliant, Alan! Really pleased for you. I played a Collings once in a store. My wife asked me what I thought of it, and I said it was like coming home. Happy Christmas!

[vinnyv1k]

Master guitarist silverfoxx teaching
Joe Pass. Note George Benson on the side trying to cop a free lesson from the great virtuoso silverfoxx.

[coolvinny]

Congrats on the NGD!

The Eastside Jazz LC is a great guitar - it's my main player currently. I had the upper strap button moved for slightly better ergonomics. Very loud acoustically especially if you give the back plate some room to vibrate - absolutely loud enough to practice on unplugged and I do it all the time. I string mine with TI Bebop 13's with a 14 high E - still very easy to play.

[citizenk74]

Now that's a looker! A tilted fedora will go nicely with the lines of this instrument. Congratulations, Merry Christmas, and play it in good health!