Collings Vs Santa Cruz [Which is Better Performing]
No wonder why you are so confused about which one to get between Collings and Santa Cruz guitars since both the brands stand out amazingly. Undoubtedly, both branded guitars are awesome and thus, you just want the best of the bests.
Well, since both the brands offer guitars of different quality, finishes, output, and sound quality, discussion about Collings vs Santa Cruz comes likewise. Again, both brands provide guitars with different kinds of distinctions and limitations.
# Table of Contents =>
- 1 Differences Between Collings vs Santa Cruz Guitar:
Major Differences in Short:
However, Santa Cruz vs Collings discussion comes since they still differ from each other. As I have experience using both, they have different forgiving natures. Indeed, Collings guitar is loud, fit, durable, and offers amazing neck profiles. However, what the guitars from Collings lack are they are less forgiving. On the other hand, Santa Cruz guitars are way more forgiving with a touch of vintage voice. They also offer more vibrancy.
However, a short comparison table is added with an elaborate discussion below to make it way clearer to you.
Comparison Table:
Features: | Collings | Santa Cruz |
Sound quality | Warm | Versatile |
Build-up | Rosewood | Mahogany and Rosewood |
Availability | Available | Less available |
Strings | D’Addario Phosphor Bronze | Phosphor Bronze |
Neck structure | Slim | Dovetail joint |
Comfort | Highly | Highly |
Price | Pricey | Pricey |
Differences Between Collings vs Santa Cruz Guitar:
1) Construction:
Both Collings and Santa Cruz are built with unique and beautiful materials. hence, the finishing of the instruments is also great. Different series of guitars of Collings are made of different woods. The back and sides of OM2H T from Collings are made of rosewood from East India. Again, the neck is made of elegant Honduran mahogany.
Contrastingly, the Santa Cruz guitars are also made of tonewoods that are given shape hand-tooled. The woods include all mahogany or a combination of rosewood and spruce. Moreover, the brand is also conscious of the wood thickness to make the instrument lightweight.
2) Neck and Fretboard:
Collings guitars have exceptional yet different neck features. Their necks are sleek and at the same time substantial. The OM2H T has a compound-radius neck with a relaxed V profile. With 20 frets, the guitars have a long-scale ebony fretboard.
Meanwhile, Santa Cruz guitars are famous for their dovetail neck joints. This is one of their exclusive features. Moreover, most Santa Cruz guitars come with a long fretboard of 22 frets.
3) Strap:
Collings guitar straps come with highly soft garment leather with the logo. The straps come in both black and brown color with a length of 2 and a half inches. They are super comfortable making carrying the guitar easy.
Santa Cruz guitar straps also have the logo on them and they are made in Canada by Levy’s. The Suede leather strap is comfortable and durable.
4) Sound:
Since Collings is famous for its acoustic guitars, they sound just fine. With excessive clarity, they produce the louder yet desired sounds.
On the other hand, because of the dovetail neck feature, Santa Cruz sound objectively better than the feature with bolted join. Moreover, the sound of Santa Cruz guitars is more vintage along with more vibrancy in the midrange. They also offer a good balance of tones.
5) Case:
Undoubtedly, both Collings and Santa Cruz offer durable cases for their guitars. Their tailor-made cases are sleek and both brands offer custom-made case designs to their buyers. Moreover, they also offer vintage-style cases with unique interiors.
6) String:
Speaking of Collings guitar strings, they are made of D’Addario phosphor bronze strings. These strings last long without rusting or being corrosive.
However, Santa Cruz guitar strings are also wrapped with phosphor bronze and they have micro-coating so that they last longer. Moreover, the strings are lead and nickel-free having hexagonal steel cores.
7) Guitar Models:
Both brands offer a wider range of variants. Collings offers four categories of baritone, 12-fret, 14-fret, and traditional guitars. However, among them, the traditional T series guitars are the most popular. However, their Orchestra -style OM2H, Dreadnaught-style D1AT, D2HT, and others are highly recommended.
Nonetheless, till now, Santa Cruz has offered 9 different series of their instruments. Moreover, they also sell dreadnaught and mandocello guitars.
8) Price and Availability:
Yes, both branded guitars are quite expensive since they both focus on the quality of the product. You will get both of their variants keeping the same price range. However, Santa Cruz customized guitars are more expensive. People even get a customized Santa Cruz investing around $20000.
However, in the case of availability, Collings wins here. They produce around two thousand to three thousand guitars. Whereas, Santa Cruz offers only less than a thousand guitars in the market.
So, Which Guitar is Better?
Well, both brands offer guitars with unique specifications and both are highly expensive. But when you think overall about the Santa Cruz guitar brand it is a win-win situation. You will get exactly the vibration, clarity, tone, and appearance you want in a Santa Cruz guitar if you are also willing to pay.
However, above everything, you know what you need. Get one that will meet your need.
Santa Cruz Vs Collings Guitar Review:
There are mixed reactions among the users of Collings and Santa Cruz guitars. Hence, you will get different opinions since some will take the side of Collings and some Santa Cruz. Thus, to make your decision-making easier, let’s know their review.
Collings Guitars – Brief Overview:
For the best acoustic guitars, the brand Collings always tops the position. This Texas-based brand also offers versatile archtop electric guitars. The owner Bill Collings took the initiative of making this brand in the 1970s. Till that time Collings is always in limelight stealing the show.
Moreover, the brand is only improving its manufacturing strategies over decades. Within very few days, the brand also managed to open a large factory with modern CNC machines. Hence, they provide high-end guitars to their customers.
Also, the brand provides custom-made guitars. Nonetheless, their guitars are most known for the high-quality woods with what they are made of. For being exceptionally high-end, you may not find Collings guitar near your local music stores.
Things We Liked About / Pros:
- Collings offers a wide array of guitar models for all professional and beginner-level guitars out there.
- All the instruments come with excellent fit and finish.
- Covers all music genres and acoustic guitars sound exactly what you want.
Things We Didn’t Like About / Cons:
- All their instruments come at higher price ranges.
Santa Cruz Guitars – Brief Overview:
Santa Cruz was also first established in the 1970s. Richard Hoover was its founder and he wanted to focus only on acoustic instruments. As a result, they are now slaying the instrument market with their most popular acoustic products.
However, unlike Collings, Santa Cruz has always kept its production limited but all of them stand out. Their guitar production does not even exceed one thousand a year. Hence, if you are in luck, you can get them, or else you may have to hear they are now out of stock!
Nonetheless, one of the nicest specialties of Santa Cruz is they apply old-school building techniques for manufacturing guitars, unlike other brands. Thus, their building quality is always exceptional. Moreover, the woods for making the guitar are uniquely shaped. And the finishing is arguably the best.
Things We Liked About / Pros:
- Comes with amazing craftsmanship and finishing and each guitar has its own unique specifications.
- Dovetail neck joints are found in their guitars for better sound production.
- The guitar body is crafted with the best quality wood.
Things We Didn’t Like About / Cons:
- Their guitar production is very limited and also, expensive
FAQs-
Question 1: Is Santa Cruz a good guitar brand?
Answer: According to the size, building materials, efficiency, sound, strings, durability, and everything else, Santa Cruz is indeed one of the best guitar brands out there.
Question 2: Do Collings Guitars hold their value?
Answer: Well, Collings guitars are only improving, and speaking of their price value, they are becoming more expensive.
Question 3: Are Collings Guitars good?
Answer: Offering the best and most emphatic tone, Collings guitars sound clear and warm. Thus, though the guitars are a bit expensive they worth each penny. Santa Cruz is also a good guitar brand.
Last Updated on January 13, 2023 by Perry Garner