New Collings ukuleles

RLM3121

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I saw a Facebook post from Mass Street Music in Lawrence, Kansas that they have a new Collings tenor. Apparently Collings is making a limited run. It’s great to see them back.
 
Do you know if they're only making tenors?

Edit:
Never mind, answered my own question. I see that Music Emporium will be getting both a tenor and a concert. (Listed as "on the way.")
 
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The only one they have in stock is a tenor.
 
This is their entry uke. The higher grade levels have the haircut.
 
The collings website doesn't show any ukuleles. Perhaps this is a limited run?
 
I picked up a tenor today, glad to report, it sounds really good. It is balanced, loud and has a shimmer. This is a limited run that is Koa only and does not imply a return to ukes from what I hear.
They have tenors and concerts in the same series 1 fit and finish.
 
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Correct me if I am wrong, but weren't the old Collings ukes made by Bill Collings? The old ukuleles are part of his legacy and will always be collectible, like old Collings Guitars. Perhaps not the same money, but still very collectible.
The Collings company making some more ukuleles would seem like a commercial no-brainer to me.

All of the labels were all signed by Bill (up until 2017). Collings had a handful of different luthiers who built the instruments.

As far as a "commercial no-brainer" goes, Collings makes more money selling guitars. Ukuleles are not as profitable as guitars for Collings. Bill told me that it takes almost as much time to build a uke as it does to build a guitar, but the profit margins are much higher on the guitars. I've also been told that these new ukes are a very limited run for certain dealers and that Collings doesn't plan on resuming uke production.
 
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All of the labels were all signed by Bill. Collings had a handful of different luthiers who built the instruments.
Yeah I doubt at the numbers that were made, all of them were hand made by Bill C but yes, these ukes are post Bill..
At least the tenor I got sounds worth it to me. I took my hive, kanilea pineapple and my pegasus to compare before buying and it measure up quite well with a sound unique in that crowd.
 
Building ukes for the likes of the UU membership is not very profitable. Many of us are content with overpriced Kalas and Ohanas. Makers of fine ukes find it hard to compete with a large merchandising company which puts its brand on batches of the headstocks of low cost and mediocre quality product made in Asia.
But if you look at the smattering of posts about fine ukes which start with a base model at $3000, there is a big market out there, which will be profitable to uke sellers who make the finest ukes. You wont find the market looking on UU.
The market for the Collings products is well beyond the price point of most UU members and it definitely exists and is profitable.
A new batch of Collings ukes will sell like hot cakes, for a fair and reasonable profit. It is definitely a commercial no-brainer.

Like I stated earlier, I was told by Bill Collings (the man himself) that for Collings, the profit margins were much better on guitars then on ukes. This fact, along with having to pull people who were working on building the ukes to go and work on building his new Waterloo guitar line, is why he said he had stopped production on ukes. I didn't say that they wouldn't make a profit. I was simply pointing out why Collings isn't going back into the uke building business full time. I am pretty sure that if it was a "commercial no-brainer" for Collings to be building ukes full time that Collings would be building ukes full time. This being said, if you are in the market for a new Collings tenor uke, you may want to get it now as they will probably not be making any more for quite some time. Mark at Collings told me (on the 19th of this month) that they will not be taking any uke orders.
 
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Building ukes for the likes of the UU membership is not very profitable. Many of us are content with overpriced Kalas and Ohanas. Makers of fine ukes find it hard to compete with a large merchandising company which puts its brand on batches of the headstocks of low cost and mediocre quality product made in Asia.
But if you look at the smattering of posts about fine ukes which start with a base model at $3000, there is a big market out there, which will be profitable to uke sellers who make the finest ukes. You wont find the market looking on UU.
The market for the Collings products is well beyond the price point of most UU members and it definitely exists and is profitable.
A new batch of Collings ukes will sell like hot cakes, for a fair and reasonable profit. It is definitely a commercial no-brainer.

Bill, I've noted that the non-UU uker crowd are mainly the ones that are satisfied with Ohanas and Kalas and Lanakais, and Cordobas, and even the occasional Gretsch, Fender, Cocobolo, or Martin.
This crowd is way more likely to pick up on something like a Collings.
 
Bill, I've noted that the non-UU uker crowd are mainly the ones that are satisfied with Ohanas and Kalas and Lanakais, and Cordobas, and even the occasional Gretsch, Fender, Cocobolo, or Martin.
This crowd is way more likely to pick up on something like a Collings.
Very true.. look at the number of Collings sold here vs Reverb or eBay..
I feel there is a crowd that visits theukulelesite but is not on UU but if you take UU and theukelelesite off the list, the crowd thins out by a lot.
 
A few observations
1. The string tension seems perfect for the top, I tried a half step lower which was nice as well and quite different
2. The setup is perfect and the action is low.
3. The fret work is really good and playing the uke is easy
4. The uke rings up the neck and playing the highest A and lowest C sound quite good and the uke is balanced
5. The bridge is is a knot bridge similar to sopranos which is a first for me on a tenor, never observed it on earlier Collings I saw. Any one with a Collings care to chime in about the bridge?
6. The neck has a slimer profile than my other ukes and is quite comfortable
Overall very happy. Plan to try lower tension strings in the future for kicks.
Does any one know the string brand used by Collings?
Oh yeah, the case man they make a snug fitting case!!! It feels like a case for a concert or a soprano
 
All three of the Collings ukes that I have had came with a "knot bridge".

Have you seen this?: https://www.collingsguitars.com/img/faq/collings-ukulele-restringing-guide.pdf

Collings ukes are a little unique as to how you should install the strings on the bridge. There is a small hole inside the base of the larger entry hole on the bridge that the end of the string goes in.

When I purchased my new Collings it came with Aquila New Nylguts. I think that very early on that they came with Savarez strings (if I remember correctly).

I personally didn't care for the Aquilas so I'd recommend trying out different strings.
Thanks for the links and info.
The current set seem to have fluorocarbon clears.
 
A few observations
1. The string tension seems perfect for the top, I tried a half step lower which was nice as well and quite different
2. The setup is perfect and the action is low.
3. The fret work is really good and playing the uke is easy
4. The uke rings up the neck and playing the highest A and lowest C sound quite good and the uke is balanced
5. The bridge is is a knot bridge similar to sopranos which is a first for me on a tenor, never observed it on earlier Collings I saw. Any one with a Collings care to chime in about the bridge?
6. The neck has a slimer profile than my other ukes and is quite comfortable
Overall very happy. Plan to try lower tension strings in the future for kicks.
Does any one know the string brand used by Collings?
Oh yeah, the case man they make a snug fitting case!!! It feels like a case for a concert or a soprano

All three of the Collings ukes that I have had came with a "knot bridge".

Have you seen this?: https://www.collingsguitars.com/img/faq/collings-ukulele-restringing-guide.pdf

Collings ukes are a little unique as to how you should install the strings on the bridge. There is a small hole inside the base of the larger entry hole on the bridge that the end of the string goes in.

When I purchased my new Collings it came with Aquila Nylguts. I think that very early on that they came with Savarez strings (if I remember correctly).

I personally didn't care for the Aquilas so I'd recommend trying out different strings to see what works best for you and your playing style.
 
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Thanks for the links and info.
The current set seem to have fluorocarbon clears.

The new ones for sale on Reverb look to have fluorocarbons on them.

I currently have Worth clears on mine.

Send Mark at Collings an email via their website. He'll get back to you real quick. Or, give him a call at: (512) 288-7776. He'll be able to tell you what they strung them with.
 
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