I toured Collings AGAIN yesterday

[Danny]

    Yea, Angela is photogenic and a very nice young lady. 

     More pics, some wood supplies.

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[Danny]

   This is Andy an Chris, The tour is off to the left...not sure what they were being shown, These Brazilian, madagascar and Honduran Rosewood BACKS and side had me caught. Chris and Andy were proud of the woods and glad to show them off.
                           (My mind flipped these backs to tops, sorry if that confused anyone)

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[Danny]

   This is the Honduran Rosewood back.... Chris was showing me this at first, In the pics above there are Madagascar sides that Andy brought over and I think the dark grained top is Brazilian.
                     (Sorry this is out of focus)

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[jeremy3220]

   This is the Honduran Rosewood top.... Chris was showing me this at first, In the pics above there are Madagascar sides that Andy brought over and I think the dark grained top is Brazilian.
                     (Sorry this is pot of focus)

I've never seen a rosewood top with a centerstrip, are you sure it's not a back?

[Danny]

I've never seen a rosewood top with a centerstrip, are you sure it's not a back?

  It was late... Sometimes up and down get confusing. I barely got the pics posted. I'll correct that later. Thanks

                            (I have corrected that in the text)

[Danny]

Here is the neck joint. 2 Bolts and the truss rod nut. The neck also has slots on either side of the truss rod that steel strips are placed in for more neck weight and better tone.

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[Danny]

   Here's a nice Mando, not quite finished yet. I went back yesterday for a "personal tour" I'll post more later.

                   Click on the picture and you can enlarge it

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[Danny]

     Here's the front. No "F" holes cut yet.  Amber or honey amber is the color I think.

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[lw216316]

Well, I learned something.
...didn't know f-holes were cut AFTER the parts were put together and the finish is on.

My guess would have been BEFORE.

nice pictures 

- Larry

[Walkerman]

   Here's a nice Mando, not quite finished yet. I went back yesterday for a "personal tour" I'll post more later.

                   Click on the picture and you can enlarge it

Danny...quit teasing.  More pictures of my mando...puleeeeeeeeze.

PS...thanks for taking them...

[Danny]

    O.K.  My wife and I worked a little on e-mails for awhile earlier, but I'll get back to resizing and posting pics of your Collings Mandolin. 

                          Here's 2 more, Alex Rueb (pronounced Reeb) is holding it. He is the sales/production manager. He was very busy, but made sure that I took all the pics I wanted and asked all the questions that I needed to. One thing he said, in a matter of fact, kind of way, was no instrument leaves their facility without being perfect. I think he really believes that and was not trying to be boastful or proud.

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[Danny]

       2 more

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[Danny]

   A few more...

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[Caleb]

Great pics.  I do find it odd that the f-holes are not cut till the whole mando is put together.  I never would have thought that. 

[Danny]

Great pics.  I do find it odd that the f-holes are not cut till the whole mando is put together.  I never would have thought that. 

Alex said they were cut out with a laser I believe. I have more pics to resize of the different production areas, but didn't actually see the f holes being done.

[oldrockfan]

Danny, I have business customers in Austin and know what I will be doing next time I am in town! Wow those guitars look fantastic. Got anymore pics? How long was the tour? DId you have to make reservation? I know, too many questions but those are some great looking guitars.

[Danny]

   Yes I do have more pics and I plan on posting them soon. I also have a house full of kids and Grandsons and a Rodeo to go to so I'm stretched at the moment. I have also been truin to book a ticket to California to visit a few forum members. family, friends and the Oxnard Larrivee facility where my LSV is under scrutiny by some of the best Luthiers around.
                           You can tour Collings every Friday At 3:30 PM. Let me know when you come and I would take you or meet you there. The private tour I took was set up by a forum member who had purchased a mandolin. So I got a private tour to boot. We could always call Alex Rueb ahead of time though and maybe he would let a couple of good ole boys slip in. The Friday tour is about an hour and a half.
                                                                Danny

[oldrockfan]

family always comes first so no rush but will keep an eye out for the pics. If they only do fridays then sounds like I need to book my next austin bus trip to finish at lunch friday :)

I'll shoot you a pm and see if you are open to do the tour with me. I'll bring the good digital camera too so I can take a bunch of pics.

[lw216316]

family always comes first

I used to say that when I was young...

then x-wife traded me in on another model and the one child went an opposite direction... 

Now I have another top priority... ( details on request  )

- Larry, better off now

[Danny]

family always comes first so no rush but will keep an eye out for the pics. If they only do fridays then sounds like I need to book my next austin bus trip to finish at lunch friday :)

I'll shoot you a pm and see if you are open to do the tour with me. I'll bring the good digital camera too so I can take a bunch of pics.

That'll work.