The Collings 002HA 14 Fret in Adirondack Spruce and Cocobolo feels like the moment when refinement meets quiet power, wrapped in the unmistakable clarity that only Collings can conjure. It carries the voice of the company’s Standard Series heritage, where every line, every joint, and every curve has been shaped with an ear toward balance and an eye toward graceful proportion. At the heart of this guitar lies a glowing Adirondack spruce top, its stiffness and responsiveness tuned through Collings’ Standard voicing and the pre war scalloped X brace pattern. The result is a sound that rises with immediate presence, full of headroom and shimmering overtones, yet anchored by the fundamental strength that Adirondack has long been celebrated for.

Cocobolo back and sides add an unmistakable richness. There is a saturated depth in its response, a blooming low end met by a silky, singing treble that brings chords and single lines forward with equal eloquence. Together, these tonewoods create a voice that feels both intimate and expansive, perfect for players who want a 14 fret instrument that still breathes with the warmth and nuance of a smaller body. The Sitka spruce bracing keeps everything lively and articulate, giving this 002HA a dynamic versatility that invites both gentle fingerstyle passages and assertive flatpicking.

The build is shaped around long-proven Collings craftsmanship. A Honduran mahogany neck, carved in a comfortable modified V and joined with the hybrid mortise and tenon design, brings stability and a familiar, welcoming feel in the hand. The compound fingerboard radius, stretching from 14 to 26 inches, offers smooth playability from first position to the upper register. Ebony serves as the foundation for both the belly style bridge and fingerboard, where short diamond and squares inlays add a quiet, traditional elegance.

Classic appointments complete the picture. Ivoroid body binding and herringbone purfling frame the Adirondack top with vintage charm, while the zipper backstrip and 2 style wood rosette speak to the instrument’s historic inspirations. A stained exotic ebony peghead veneer carries the Collings logo in mother of pearl, paired with nickel Waverly tuning machines for precise, silky tuning feel. The high gloss nitrocellulose lacquer finish, on both body and neck, allows the woods to breathe and mature with time, while lending the guitar its unmistakable luster.

With comfortable 1 3/4 inch nut width, 2 1/4 inch bridge spacing, and a 24 7/8 inch scale length, this guitar invites long sessions of playing without fatigue. At just 4 pounds 5 ounces, it feels perfectly balanced in the lap, ready for intimate songwriting, recording, or nuanced performance. Delivered in a deluxe hardshell case and strung with D’Addario EJ 16s, the Collings 002HA 14 Fret stands as a testament to the harmony between tradition and meticulous modern lutherie. It is a small bodied guitar with a remarkably large emotional range, ready to open its voice to any player who approaches it.