Julian Lage has become one of the defining guitarists of his generation, with a playing style that moves naturally between modern jazz, Americana and the responsiveness of acoustic guitar. That last point was particularly important in the development of the 470-JL. Following their earlier work together on the OM1-JL acoustic, Collings and Lage spent years developing an electric guitar that retained the physical response and dynamic range of a lightweight hollow instrument while remaining controlled and practical at stage volume.

Offered here is a 2023 Collings 470-JL, serial number 47023285, finished in Antiqued Black. At its core is a fully hollow construction with internal trestle blocking, a laminate maple top and solid Honduran mahogany back and sides. The construction gives the guitar a particularly lively and resonant response, while the trestle block provides the stability and feedback resistance needed from an electric guitar.

A major part of the 470-JL is its pair of Ron Ellis Ellisonic pickups, developed specifically around the design of the model. They're paired with a pinned ebony bridge base, Tune-o-matic top with nylon saddles and a Bigsby B3 vibrato. An ebony fingerboard, graduated mother of pearl dot inlays, Relic Nickel Waverly tuners and the shorter 24 7/8" scale complete a guitar that has a distinctly vintage feel while remaining very much its own design.

This is one of those signature guitars where the artist's involvement extends considerably further than a particular finish or set of pickups. The construction, hardware, electronics and overall response were developed around the way Lage approaches the guitar, resulting in an instrument that feels unusually alive acoustically while retaining the control and versatility of a great electric guitar.

Specifications:

Action at 1st Fret: 0.25mm

Action at 12th Fret: 1.25mm

Neck Depth at 1st Fret: 22.45mm

Neck Depth at 12th Fret: 25.35mm

Nut Width: 42.9mm (1 11/16")

Width at 12th Fret: 51.35mm

Weight: 2.830kg

Year: 2023

Serial Number: 47023285

Model: Collings 470-JL Julian Lage Signature

Construction: Fully Hollow with Trestle Block

Top: Laminate Maple

Back & Sides: Solid Honduran Mahogany

Finish: Antiqued Black

Neck: Honduran Mahogany

Fingerboard: Ebony

Fingerboard Radius: 12"

Fingerboard Inlays: Graduated Mother of Pearl Dot Inlays

Scale Length: 24 7/8"

Frets: 22 Medium 18% Nickel Silver

Nut: Delrin

Pickups: Ron Ellis Ellisonic Pickups

Controls: Master Volume, 2 Tone

Switching: 3 Way Toggle

Bridge: Pinned Ebony Bridge Base with Tune-o-matic Top and Nylon Saddles

Vibrato: Bigsby B3

Tuners: Relic Nickel Waverly with Vintage Oval Buttons

Hardware: Relic Nickel

Pickguard: 3-Ply Parchment

Knobs: Black / Nickel Top Hat Reflector Knobs

Peghead Veneer: Ebony with Mother of Pearl Collings Script Logo

Case: Original Hard Shell Case

Crafted in: Austin, Texas, USA