It’s hard to overstate the impact Bill Collings had on the modern boutique guitar world. What started in a Houston apartment turned into one of the most respected names in small-shop luthiery, thanks to his obsession with detail and consistency. By the early 2000s, Collings was building acoustics, electrics, and mandolin-family instruments that could hang with the best vintage instruments, and are often used as people’s “workhorse” substitute for their $100,000 30’s Martins and such. Though Bill has since left us, Collings’ output has remained maybe the most consistent of any builder in the U.S.

This gorgeous 2023 Collings OM2E Cutaway is a great example of that modern sensibility blending with vintage quality for an excellent guitar that accomplishes everything you’d want a modern guitar to accomplish while evoking a different era. With its 1 ¾ nut and perfect chunky V profile that’s pretty barrel straight down the neck, as opposed to the usual vintage taper, this guitar has nice old feel in the hands that’s betrayed only by the cutaway in the OM body.

With an Engelmann top, a spruce commonly used on mandolins, this OM has maybe the most responsive low end of any OM we’ve had in here in a long time, with a nice full top end to round it off, making for a guitar that’s equally as good for strumming as it is for fingerpicking.

The ebony pyramid bridge is a great touch, adding just a little vintage flavor to a more modern body.

In excellent condition, with just a few hairline scratches from use.

Comes with the original Collings hard case.