(USED) Put on your sunglasses! Now here's a real prize!  While Collings still makes some excellent koa guitars, this one reminds of the days when the wood they held back for special instruments was simply out of this world!  When Collings makes a hardwood-topped guitar, they are hardcore about using the same billet for the top and back, and in this case they appear to be a sequential set of book-matched cuts, and we wouldn't be surprised if the sides were taken from the same log... all the flame matches impeccably.  There are some other aesthetic touches that we rarely see on Collings guitars these days: Brazilian rosewood binding is exceedingly rare, and this guitar has it up and down, set off by sharp looking red purfling lines.  The top has a 41-style pearl (abalone) top border and rosette.  The fingerboard, bridge and peghead overlay are all Brazilian rosewood and the SJ bridge shape was chosen for this guitar, looking sharp, too!  Style 3 back strip, Braz heel cap.

Long 25 1/2" scale length with 1 11/16" nut and 2 3/16" string spacing at the saddle.  The neck is Collings' C shape.  The tuners are gold Waverly.  

Condition is excellent with nary a whisper of play wear to speak of, great action and adjustability.  The frets are in perfect shape and show hardly any wear.  The original hard case is in very good shape with slight discoloration to the lining.  

This is a low serial number Collings, and a welcome trip to when Bill and a much smaller crew were just hitting their stride!

Serial #1136
AMW Price: $13,770