Collings 620 Carved Semi

Condition: brand new

This Collings 620 carved semi-hollow is the kind of guitar that makes you stop and think about what one material swap can do to an instrument's whole character. Instead of the flamed maple top that usually defines this model, this one came through with a European spruce top, and that change runs through everything about how it sounds and feels.

Spruce brings something different to the table. Where the maple top gives the 620 its familiar punch and clarity, the spruce adds a warmer, woodier transient, something with a genuinely earthy quality to it. Married to the carved Honduran mahogany body and solid maple center block underneath, the result is a semi-hollow that's fully articulate from top to bottom. I love how those two elements work together on this one.

Visually, the iced tea lacquer finish with tortoise binding is simply elegant. It's understated in a way that lets the spruce top's grain do the talking, and the fit and finish throughout is detailed and righteous. I expect nothing less from the folks at Collings, and this one doesn't disappoint anywhere you look.

Then there's the neck. This 620 has a custom carve, and it's one of the most comfortable necks I've had in my hands in a while. I'll admit it, I'm a bit of a neck-shape nerd, and Collings knows that about me. This one put a big smile on my face the moment I picked it up.

The construction is what makes the 620 special to begin with. It's carved the way an archtop is carved, but with the resonance and stage manners of a semi-hollow. The body runs 1 5/8" deep, and the neck-body joint is integrated right into that carved structure, which is a big part of why the guitar feels so cohesive. At 7.1 lbs it's wonderfully manageable too, sustain is smooth, the sound stays focused, and the top end stays gentle even with the extra openness the spruce brings to the voice.

Lollar's Low Wind Imperials are the right call for a guitar like this. They're lower-output humbuckers that let the instrument's natural voice come through rather than sitting on top of it, which matters even more here given how much is going on acoustically. Jupiter Vintage Yellow caps and Davies Radio knobs round out the electronics with that period-correct feel Collings does so well, and the signature "Flipped Haircut" peghead gives it the look that's become a hallmark of the carved series.

Beautifully executed. That's what I expect from Collings, and this spruce-topped 620 delivers it.

If you'd like to find out more about this item, just call or e-mail me. It would be my pleasure to talk to you about it.

ABOUT COLLINGS GUITARS
Bill Collings moved from Ohio to Texas in the mid 1970’s. Spurred by a lack of interest in medical school, this move enabled him to combine lifelong interests in both guitars and tools into the challenge of stringed instrument building and repair. After a couple of years in Houston, several guitars and a few banjos later, he headed west to southern California. Making it only as far as Austin, where he shared shops with fellow luthiers Tom Ellis and Mike Stevens. From there, he set up his own small shop in a wooden "one car" garage. His reputation for outstanding quality and meticulous attention to detail quickly spread. In 1989, he rented a 1000 square foot space and hired two helpers. Fast forward to present day where Collings craftsmanship is respected by professional and amateur musicians alike…anyone on the quest for quality. Some of these include artists; Keith Richards, Lyle Lovett, Pete Townshend, Emmylou Harris, Andy Summers, David Crosby, Chris Hillman, Joni Mitchell, Don Felder, John Sebastian, Lou Reed, John Fogerty, Tim O'Brien, Pete Huttlinger, Kenny Smith, Brian May, Joan Baez, John Prine, Nigel Tufnel of Spinal Tap, and Steven Spielberg to name a few. You owe it to yourself to try one.