At first glance, the Collings OM1 Sunburst seems like the folk musician’s ideal guitar. It’s sunburst finish and short scale are reminiscent of popular guitarists like Jeff Tweedy or Nick Drake. However, this acoustic guitar is versatile enough for just about any genre and offers several luxury additions such as an Adirondack top and braces. Everything about the Collings OM 1 Sunburst’S specs contributes to its versatility, including the:
- Categorization as an orchestra model
- Vintage Now neck profile and bridge
- Shorter 24 7/8″ Scale length
- Tone woods
- Martin-inspired design
- Fully adjustable truss rod
- Adirondack Spruce top/ Pre war Scalloped X-bracing
Other features include:
- Nickel Waverly tuners with 16:1 ratio
- Black/white wood purfling with 1-style walnut backstrip
- Tortoise-style celluloid pickguard
- High gloss nitrocellulose lacquer body finish
- Ebony peghead overlay with inlaid Collings logo
- Ebony fingerboard with ebony belly-style bridge
- Mortise and tenon hybrid neck joint
- 14″-26″ Compound fingerboard radius
- Medium 18% nickel-silver fretwire
- 1 3/4″ Nut Width
- Bone nut and drop-in saddle
- 24 7/8″ Scale length
- MOP Collings dot fingerboard inlays
- Ebony bridge pins and end pin
- BWB Rosette
- Collings deluxe hardshell case by TKL
All Characteristics Combine Into Adaptable Model
As an OM or “orchestra model,” this Collings guitar is great for performance and recording or for just sitting at home and playing for yourself. It makes up for volume loss switching from a dreadnought by providing rich, complex character and overtones to the instrument. The Vintage Now neck and bridge allow wider spacing between strings, making it perfect for finger stylists without excluding pickers from the fun. Lastly, the unbound ebony fingerboard is a shorter scale, making the Collings OM1 Sunburst generally easier to play. The reduced tension makes you almost feel like you’re playing an electric guitar. Hope you didn’t forget your pedals and board!
Tone Woods Attract Just About Every Musician
Players who want an airier sound may be better off with a OM1 Varnish, but in general the Sunburst offers the same capabilities with more folk flair. This model’s tone woods give the Collings OM1 Sunburst a lot of presence. The Adirondack top and braces provide more balance than your average sitka spruce top and balance out the mahogany body, which is normally not as warm as maple/Honduran mahogany or complex as rosewood. The guitar’s woods amp up that midrange punch that makes it good for all genres except those that require a powerful bottom end—mainly bluegrass and hard core country.
Elaborating on a Martin Model Design
The Collings OM1 Sunburst is a beautiful and flexible guitar inspired by a design by Martin Guitars. While the original Martin OOO18 used Adirondack, they switched to Sitka spruce in 1942 due to the tone wood’s scarcity. Therefore, the Martin model is a good alternative if the Collings model is out of your price range.
My Verdict
When you come across an acoustic guitar that is this versatile, you get a different guitar for every person that plays it. The Collings OM1 Sunburst is the ultimate bridge between musician and music because it’s versatility is more than just a sum of its parts. It’s no surprise Julian Lage chooses a Collings OM to cover all the many many, bases he needs to. All you need for your folk/bluegrass trio now is a Collings mandolin and ukulele.
