What is it about Collings?

NatalieS

NatalieS

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Hi everyone...

I'm puzzled by something. I've been hearing more and more about Collings ukuleles. It seems like nowadays they are considered the "standard" in make and sound for factory-made instruments. I'm seeing them pop up on the market with increasing frequency.

What is it about Collings ukes that makes them so spectacular? I know their guitars have a reputation. It just astounds me that, for a uke company that's been making ukes for only a couple years, they are blowing people's minds.

Collings owners (or wannabe owners), can you please enlighten me? :) I'm not trying to be a naysayer, I'm just completely ignorant about this company. Thanks!
 
I am totally clueless. But... do I detect and episode of UAS coming on?
Roxhum
 
I have yet to play one but as you said, their guitars are fantastic sounding and playing. Fit and finish are impeccable. They are not factory made on the scale of a Gibson, Fender etc. They are more on a scale with Taylor. I think there is a a lot of handwork that still goes into a Collings. I have always wanted one of their 12 fret 00 or 000 style instruments.

But then there are a lot of things I have always wanted. I suspect if I knew how to make a really exceptional guitar, my ukes would be up there too.
 
Ooh that is pretty.

Thanks for the comments, everyone. Roxhum, I try very hard not to get UAS, haha. I don't need another uke, and I keep telling myself someday I'll get to Hawaii and pick one out for myself.
 
Aloha Natalie,
Gee I want to know too, Eugene Ukulele got his a week ago and it was quite expensive...
 
Hey Natalie. I currently own two and can say that the build quality is second to none, even when compared to my Moore Bettah. Although I will add that my UT-3 was as expensive as my Moore Bettah. I am still planning on doing a thread comparing the two and have recorded a couple of sound files, so I don't want to say much more about them now. Stay tuned
 
Collings also has a pretty good reputation in the mandolin community, too. I think when you have a small company run by people who truly seem to love what they do it shows in the end product, regardless what shape that product might take. (BTW, I've never owned any Collings instruments - yet.)

John
 
I am a Collings dealer and they are just built perfectly in weight ratio and balance They are very light instruments with flawless craftsmanship I say the uc-1 will become a collectable cllasic as its pure mahigaby tine will be timeless as it ages... By the way I have the red one for sale
 
MGM said:
I am a Collings dealer and they are just built perfectly in weight ratio and balance They are very light instruments with flawless craftsmanship I say the uc-1 will become a collectable cllasic as its pure mahigaby tine will be timeless as it ages... By the way I have the red one for sale
Click to expand...

Mike - do you have the red UC-1 or the red UC-3? If it's the UC-1 then it might be in the realm of possibility for me...
 
Collings makes fantastic instruments. I don't believe they qualify as factory built though, I think they are about the same size(operationally) as Santa Cruz or Huss and Dalton. I may be wrong.
 
Uncle Leroy said:
Collings makes fantastic instruments. I don't believe they qualify as factory built though, I think they are about the same size(operationally) as Santa Cruz or Huss and Dalton. I may be wrong.
Click to expand...

Yes, after reading up on the company today I realized I shouldn't have classified their instruments as factory-made. Oops... :)
 
I know that I am going to be the odd man out, but I've tried a couple out in stores and while they are very nice, I don't see them as the standard. They are well crafted and to be fair the models were not their top-of-of-the line custom offerings, but I just wasn't impressed enough with them to add them to my "One day I want a..."

I'm sure this will bring out a number of responses saying I'm crazy, but Tejon Music in Colorado has both their Palm Tree ukuleles and Collings... I'd put Palm Tree on my list.

Just my opinion.

John
 
I bought one of the Collings prototype ukes in 2009. It's a koa concert model. Mr. Collings is trying to capture the sound and appearance of the early Martins, and I think he succeeds at this. But I was really looking for a different sound. I prefer the Moore Bettah concert model that I have, especially for finger style playing.
 
John, I do not think you are crazy. Unfortunately as the price of the instrument increases, the materials used in making the instrument will make it a quality built product, but the sound of the instrument does not improve proportionally with the price! It is a never ending subject that is debated endlessly. Bussiness have cottoned on to this, and exploit these weaknesses in us, and myself included. I read this and rose to the bait to give you my 5 cents worth, which resulted in less time practising and sitting on my arse too long. Good luck fellow humans as I shuffle off to my workshop finish some music cases for two tenor ukes. Now how contradictory is my thread on this subject. he he
 
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