Collings SoCo P-90s Vintage Natural, 2015

Named after Austin’s funky and eclectic South Congress Avenue, the SoCo is all about attitude. This model brings in elements from both the I-35 and CL models to create a unique hybrid that is all its own.  Perfectly at home if you’re playing jazz, rock, blues or funk. This Collings comes with an Eastern maple top – which is what they used in the '50s for many instruments like this.

This 2015 Collings SoCo was originally sold by us and is back in the shop, looking for a new home. The condition is mint with no visible playing wear; it is as pristine as the day it originally left CR Guitars. Below is my original POV.

I don’t usually start off writing about how great a guitar looks – I figure that a) you can see the photos for yourself, and b) you’d really like a sense of what the guitar feels and sounds like – what its potential is as a guitar. In this case, however, I think you should take particular notice about how damned sexy and vintage-y this SoCo standard model is.  There’s a reason for it.

This Collings comes with an eastern maple top – which is what they used in the '50s for many instruments like this. It doesn’t look retro by any means. It’s just a subtle thing that you’ll catch out of the corner of your eye that will remind you of a great vintage instrument. Eastern maple has a unique figure; it is a bit denser than the western maple that is typically used today. From a sound perspective, it’ll give you a slightly thicker and richer articulation and a little more focus than the other SoCo standards I’ve selected.

That’s just another dimension that adds to an already outstanding instrument. The custom wound dog ear P-90s are something you need to experience for yourself. Through my Blackface Princeton, or my Carr Skylark, they’re blistery, warm, and rich and woody. Just a gas to play and stretch out on. And not a copy of anything else. It’s its own thing. A perfect guitar to define your own sound.

Like the other SoCos, this one has a crazy comfy '50s contour neck, and the finish and fret work are beyond reproach. I have also added fingerboard binding which adds comfort and additional vintage vibe.

It’s just a fabulous guitar, from its Eastern maple top to the sound that jumps out of the amp.

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.