You really seem at home with this guitar! All the pickup selections are excellent and the tone is open and woody which is everything you want from a semi-hollow 335 style guitar. I was first introduced to Collings in the nineties when I played their acoustics at Mandolin Brothers in Staten Island, NY and I was completely blown away!!! About a year ago, I tried a used Collings solid body electric guitar at M.A.E. In Ft. Lauderdale and again I was blown away!!! Collings are Great Guitars!!! Sure there are holy grail Gibson’s out there but it’s like searching for the holy grail lol! Collings, gets it right all the time and builds the guitar for the player and not just for the collector! Excellent Demo :)
I have a 2018 i35 lc and it is hands down the best and most versatile guitar I own. I was playing it today through a Twin with my Vemuram Jan Ray overdrive and it sounded amazing! You make yours sound great.
Nice review. I also love Collings guitars, both acoustic and electric. A couple of years ago I bought an I-35LC and an I-30 with the intention of keeping my favorite and returning the other. I ended up keeping both (and am just now paying them off). The best production guitar made these days IMO, better than PRS. Mine feels like it was custom made for me. Nice full neck, Throback pickups that are very vintage sounding, with a full sound and great sustain. If I could have only one guitar the I-35LC may be the one.
I purchased a I35 Deluxe. I ordered it per my specs, I could not get the action the way I wanted it until I watched several videos on how to set up the neck. I am very happy with it now. I do not link the pickup witch feel just to flimsy.
Great demonstration - I'm mulling over an i-35 deluxe just now, and you have managed to demonstrate all the answers to the questions I have in my mind (although there's no substitute for playing the guitar you are aiming to buy, especially at the price these go for...). Your playing is great and you clearly know how to get the best out of this guitar in a wide variety of situations, which it handles with ease. You have convinced me to make the move. Out with my unwieldy 335 (great sounds though!) - and a couple of thousand - and in with the comfortable Collings with fab neck shape! :-) (I have a Collings slot-head 12 fret acoustic and it is absolutely MESMERIZING! I have no qualms with the commitment or ability of the builders at Collings). Great tones - but above all, I LOVE how articulate this guitar sounds in all situations - in your capable hands!!! Thanks!
Duane, thank you for these videos. You are really good player and a good person. Very helpful. I love Collings too. Started with an OM acoustic, best acoustic i’ve ever owned (and I’ve owned a lot over the last 35 years). then bought a city limits with throwbacks, and now thinking of an I35 LC. If you are ever in Vermont, reach out and we can make some music together.
Great review! I am looking to buy a Collings I-35LC. Are those the low wind lollar imperials? I was not sure what you meant when you said Lollars. Thanks
You also have a soco? Have you tried the soco 15”? How do they compare? Can’t find a 16” soco to try. But I don’t want the guitar muddy like a 335. Can only find 15” soco with polar low winds. Looking at the vintage i35 but worried about the throwbacks not being potted; have you tried these? I run into noise issues. And have trouble with gibsons tuning issues…and price. Great playing…not may good review in these.
Just curious if you have played a Heritage 535. Love both the Collings and the Gibson but the Heritage is very interesting as well. Any thoughts or experiences?
My main guitar for many years was a Heritage 535. They are great guitars. I ended up selling mine because the neck was very thin. I have a hard time playing thin necks, and most Heritage guitars that I've played have thin necks. They are great guitars though, but I would still rather go with a Gibson, and definitely a Collings. The Collings is on a different level from the Gibson and the Heritage.
Excellent demo again. I’ve a cherry aged I 35 with thro baks. Very versatile guitar, can do anything, really. Need to try a bit harder on the Brit accent, mate, you sounded like an Aussie in severe pain
The I35-LC is a wonderful guitar. The Lollars give you a lot of amplitude and the '50s wiring allow you to play a lot with the controls to thin down/brighten/fatten the tone. What did you use to record your video ? A smartphone ? Does not do justice to that awesome axe... Cheers
Hi thanks for checking out the video. Yes I only used a smartphone. I need to up my game with the recording and try and go higher end on the recording end.
Hey Duane--liking the variety of videos you've been posting--I'd love to hear a video dealing with your thoughts on the differences between a semi hollow vs a traditional archtop--is something like a 175 going or a d'Angelico excl-1 going to be that far off from a 335 style? Is it more of a feel thing?
Hi, sorry about the late reply. I missed you comment for some reason. I like your idea about comparing a semi-hollow to a hollow body. I think that I'll give that a shot.
Thank you! This video helped me decide to get one of these guitars. And my main amp is coincidentally a Carr Sportsman.
What a monster player.
Thank you so much Eric!
You really seem at home with this guitar! All the pickup selections are excellent and the tone is open and woody which is everything you want from a semi-hollow 335 style guitar. I was first introduced to Collings in the nineties when I played their acoustics at Mandolin Brothers in Staten Island, NY and I was completely blown away!!! About a year ago, I tried a used Collings solid body electric guitar at M.A.E. In Ft. Lauderdale and again I was blown away!!! Collings are Great Guitars!!! Sure there are holy grail Gibson’s out there but it’s like searching for the holy grail lol! Collings, gets it right all the time and builds the guitar for the player and not just for the collector! Excellent Demo :)
I have a 2018 i35 lc and it is hands down the best and most versatile guitar I own. I was playing it today through a Twin with my Vemuram Jan Ray overdrive and it sounded amazing! You make yours sound great.
Thanks so much!
Love my i35lc and City Limits!!! Amazing instruments!!!
Nice review. I also love Collings guitars, both acoustic and electric. A couple of years ago I bought an I-35LC and an I-30 with the intention of keeping my favorite and returning the other. I ended up keeping both (and am just now paying them off). The best production guitar made these days IMO, better than PRS. Mine feels like it was custom made for me. Nice full neck, Throback pickups that are very vintage sounding, with a full sound and great sustain. If I could have only one guitar the I-35LC may be the one.
Thanks for listening. My I35lc is my number one. I have an I-30 on order. Can't wait til it comes in!
I love my Collings. It’s also a 2011 very similar to yours, but with a dark cherry back and sides. I swapped the Lollars for a set of Wizz PAFs.
i've bought and sold lots of guitars. I don't plan to ever sell my collings.
I purchased a I35 Deluxe. I ordered it per my specs, I could not get the action the way I wanted it until I watched several videos on how to set up the neck. I am very happy with it now. I do not link the pickup witch feel just to flimsy.
Great demonstration - I'm mulling over an i-35 deluxe just now, and you have managed to demonstrate all the answers to the questions I have in my mind (although there's no substitute for playing the guitar you are aiming to buy, especially at the price these go for...).
Your playing is great and you clearly know how to get the best out of this guitar in a wide variety of situations, which it handles with ease. You have convinced me to make the move. Out with my unwieldy 335 (great sounds though!) - and a couple of thousand - and in with the comfortable Collings with fab neck shape! :-) (I have a Collings slot-head 12 fret acoustic and it is absolutely MESMERIZING! I have no qualms with the commitment or ability of the builders at Collings).
Great tones - but above all, I LOVE how articulate this guitar sounds in all situations - in your capable hands!!! Thanks!
Sounds so good. Gotta figure out what I can sell to grab one for myself.
Duane, thank you for these videos. You are really good player and a good person. Very helpful. I love Collings too. Started with an OM acoustic, best acoustic i’ve ever owned (and I’ve owned a lot over the last 35 years). then bought a city limits with throwbacks, and now thinking of an I35 LC. If you are ever in Vermont, reach out and we can make some music together.
Great review! I am looking to buy a Collings I-35LC. Are those the low wind lollar imperials? I was not sure what you meant when you said Lollars. Thanks
Bought a 290 yrs ago for 1600 excellent condition...nor used they go for 3000
You also have a soco? Have you tried the soco 15”? How do they compare? Can’t find a 16” soco to try. But I don’t want the guitar muddy like a 335. Can only find 15” soco with polar low winds. Looking at the vintage i35 but worried about the throwbacks not being potted; have you tried these? I run into noise issues. And have trouble with gibsons tuning issues…and price. Great playing…not may good review in these.
Just curious if you have played a Heritage 535. Love both the Collings and the Gibson but the Heritage is very interesting as well. Any thoughts or experiences?
My main guitar for many years was a Heritage 535. They are great guitars. I ended up selling mine because the neck was very thin. I have a hard time playing thin necks, and most Heritage guitars that I've played have thin necks. They are great guitars though, but I would still rather go with a Gibson, and definitely a Collings. The Collings is on a different level from the Gibson and the Heritage.
Excellent demo again. I’ve a cherry aged I 35 with thro baks. Very versatile guitar, can do anything, really. Need to try a bit harder on the Brit accent, mate, you sounded like an Aussie in severe pain
Ha Ha, thanks for listening. I usually do better than that. My mom was from the UK, I should know better. Cheers!
The I35-LC is a wonderful guitar. The Lollars give you a lot of amplitude and the '50s wiring allow you to play a lot with the controls to thin down/brighten/fatten the tone. What did you use to record your video ? A smartphone ? Does not do justice to that awesome axe... Cheers
Hi thanks for checking out the video. Yes I only used a smartphone. I need to up my game with the recording and try and go higher end on the recording end.
Hey Duane--liking the variety of videos you've been posting--I'd love to hear a video dealing with your thoughts on the differences between a semi hollow vs a traditional archtop--is something like a 175 going or a d'Angelico excl-1 going to be that far off from a 335 style? Is it more of a feel thing?
Hi, sorry about the late reply. I missed you comment for some reason. I like your idea about comparing a semi-hollow to a hollow body. I think that I'll give that a shot.
Awesome video! I subscribed and gave a like! ❤️
Thanks so much for your support!
@@duanebroberg my pleasure! The other day I ordered a Collings Vintage I-35 LC Vintage! My first Collings! Can’t wait to get it!!
Hi Duane, what do you think about the I35LC compared with the Soco 16 LC?
They are pretty similar. The Soco 16 sounds closer to a 335 due to its bigger size. It has a bit more lows and low mids to the sound.
If u could only have one I 35lc or I 30lc
I recently picked up an Eastman T-185 for under $1400 (all solid woods with 15" body) do yourself a favor.