Collings I-35 Deluxe Electric Guitar in Mermaid Blue

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The Collings I-35 Deluxe in Mermaid Blue is a stunning expression of elegance, restraint, and musical authority. From the moment you see it, the finish commands attention without shouting, a deep, liquid blue that seems to glow under light and reveal the premium flamed maple top beneath. It is modern and classic at the same time, a look that perfectly matches the voice and feel of the instrument itself.

This guitar carries the unmistakable influence of Bill Collings, whose relentless pursuit of precision, tone, and consistency reshaped what players expect from a boutique electric guitar. Bill believed that great instruments should feel effortless in the hands while delivering clarity, balance, and character in every note. The I-35 Deluxe embodies that philosophy completely, blending traditional semi-hollow design with Collings’ famously exacting build standards.

At its core is a semi-hollow construction with a maple center block, paired with a Honduran mahogany body and neck. This recipe delivers warmth, focus, and sustain while maintaining the airy resonance that defines a great semi-hollow. The premium flamed maple top adds snap and articulation, giving the guitar a lively response that works equally well for clean, edge-of-breakup, or fully driven tones. The unbound F-hole soundholes keep the look refined and purposeful, allowing the materials and craftsmanship to speak for themselves.

The neck features a comfortable C shape profile, measuring .865 at the first fret and .967 at the ninth, with a 24 7/8 inch scale length and a 1 11/16 inch nut width. Combined with the extra-long mortise and tenon neck joint and a 12 inch fingerboard radius, the feel is immediately familiar yet deeply refined. The Madagascar rosewood fingerboard, adorned with custom parallelogram inlays and grained ivoroid binding, adds both visual richness and a smooth, responsive playing surface. Medium 18 percent nickel-silver frets are impeccably dressed, making bends and vibrato feel effortless.

Sonically, the Lollar Low Wind Imperial humbuckers are a perfect match for this platform. They deliver exceptional clarity and note separation, with a vintage-inspired output that lets the natural voice of the guitar shine through. Paired with DiMarzio 500K pots, Jupiter Vintage Yellow capacitors, and 50s style wiring, the controls are highly interactive and musical, offering a wide palette of tones simply by working the volume and tone knobs. From articulate jazz lines to singing blues leads and harmonically rich rock textures, the I-35 Deluxe responds with nuance and authority.

Hardware choices reflect Collings’ commitment to tone and reliability. A Kluson ABR-1 bridge and stop tailpiece, both nickel-plated zinc with steel studs, anchor the strings with precision and sustain. Nickel Gotoh tuners with the Collings logo provide smooth, stable tuning, while the ebony peghead veneer, mother of pearl Collings logo, haircut peghead profile, and grained ivoroid details throughout elevate the instrument into true Deluxe territory. The absence of a pickguard keeps the presentation clean and uninterrupted, letting the Mermaid Blue finish and figured top take center stage.

Finished in high gloss nitrocellulose lacquer and strung with D’Addario NYXL1149 strings, this I-35 Deluxe resonates beautifully, both acoustically and through an amplifier. Weighing in at just 6 pounds 15 ounces, it feels lively and balanced on a strap, making long sessions a pleasure rather than a chore.

Complete with its Deluxe hardshell case and bearing serial number 251278, this Collings I-35 Deluxe is not just a gorgeous instrument. It is a clear reflection of Bill Collings’ enduring legacy and a benchmark example of how a semi-hollow electric guitar should look, feel, and sound.

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