1. What kind of strings do you use?
We use D’Addario phosphor bronze strings and have for many years.

For small bodied guitars (Baby, OM*, 0, 00, 000, C10), we use
J16s - light gauge (.012, .016, .024, .032, .042, .053).

For large bodied guitars (D, CJ, DS, SJ, Archtop), we use
J17s - medium gauge (.013, .017, .026, .035, .045, .056).

For mandolins, we use
J74s – bluegrass gauge (.011, .015, .026, .040)

*An OM should be fine with medium gauge strings. Due to the footprint of
the "belly" bridge, there should be plenty of glue surface. For the Baby, C10, 00 and 000 models, we strongly recommend the use of light gauge strings. The small bridges simply do not allow enough glue surface for the increased tension of medium gauge strings.

2. What kind of polish should I use?
Any high grade, commercially available polish should be fine. There is some question about silicone and the effect it has on guitar finishes. We do not believe that silicone will cause any direct damage to our finish. However, if you ever need finish work done later, there may be trouble with adhesion over any area that has been treated with a silicone product.

3. Do I need to humidify my guitar?
In most cases, yes. This is very important (Please see Care & Feeding section).

4. How do I adjust my truss rod?
With a 5/32 ball-end allen wrench (view diagram).

5. Where should I put a strap button?
View diagram for details.

6. How is the neck attached?
View diagram for details.

7. How is the varnish finish option different from the standard lacquer finish?
Varnish is a softer and therefore more flexible finish material. While there are subtle tonal advantages to the varnish finish, this option is not for everyone. Unlike lacquer, the process for applying varnish is not conducive to "finish touch-ups", meaning that we cannot repair some minor imperfections such as small pinholes, bubbles, or sinks. While we've always taken pride in our high standard for fit and finish, we cannot produce varnish instruments to the level of cosmetic "perfection" as we can with our lacquer finish instruments. The varnish finish has a beautiful, rich luster, but may include very small imperfections when put under close examination.

Additionally, the softer finish is not as protective as the harder lacquer finish. The alkyd resin-based varnish finish is very slow to cure and can be relatively soft on new instruments. The finish will continue to harden as the instrument ages, but new varnish instruments can be vulnerable to scratches, dings, and imprinting. By its very nature, varnish can shrink, wrinkle, and/or dull over time and is not likely to maintain a "new" apperance as well as lacquer instruments. With that said, the varnish finish allows the instrument to vibrate more freely and can produce a more responsive instrument with a greater depth of tone.

8. Do you offer factory tours?
Yes. We give factory tours every Friday at 3:30 pm. The tour is free and generally lasts 1-2 hours, depending on the size of the group. Reservations are appreciated. Our shop is located at:

Collings Guitars
11210 W. Hwy 290
Austin, TX 78737
(512) 288-7776
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