Named for the scenic 290 highway that winds past the Collings shop though the Texas Hill Country, the 290 is a modern-day tribute to the original working man's rock 'n roll guitar.
Dressed up in Olive Drab finish, this Collings 290 (serial #24187) features a solid Honduran Mahogany body with a set neck, which gives it acoustic resonance that translates into deeply expressive electric tone. Instead of the standardP90 pickups, we ordered this 290 with TV Jones Classic pickups. Based on the 1959 Gretsch Filtertron design, the TV Jones Classic falls in between a thinner, brighter single-coil and a darker, thicker humbucker sound. Although they are hum-canceling, these pickups have a wide dynamic range—like a single coil—and there's a unique growl when you dig in. Clean, compressed treble and mids breath life over a tight and controlled low-end, all with nice clarity and articulation. The wide range of tones from bridge to middle to neck make this Collingsa versatile guitar.
Nobody does finishes quite like Collings, and their Olive Drab is one of our all-time favorites! Despite the flat slab mahogany body, the finish gives the guitar a three-dimensional quality. It's no wonder Collings considers this a "Premium Finish"—the olive color is so consistent and deep, and the gloss sets it off. The shiny TV Jones pickup covers flash and contrast the muted green, and what's more we ordered this 290 with fingerboard binding for an added touch of class. There's an understated elegance to dot-inlaid fingerboards with single-ply binding—it accents the finish without distracting your eye from the color.
In your hands, this Collings 290 feels like a well-designed and well-constructed machine. This is a tool that handles the job so well. It doesn't hurt that its finish is so attractive, too. An impressive guitar form an impressive builder!
- Body - Honduran Mahogany
- Neck - Honduran Mahogany
- Fingerboard - Dark Rosewood w/ Ivoroid long dots (5mm non-tapered)
- Bridge - Kluson ABR-1 (Nickel-plated Zinc)
- Tailpiece - Kluson Stop Tailpiece (nickel-plated zinc, steel studs)
- Bridge Pickup - TV Jones Classic +
- Neck Pickup - TV Jones Classic
- Pots / Caps - DiMarzio 500K / Jupiter Vintage Yellow
- Knobs - Black Bell
- Pickguard - 3-Ply Black
- Truss Rod Cover - Black/White/Black w/ Highway 290 logo
- Nut - Bone 1-11/16"
- Scale Length - 24-7/8"
- Neck Joint - Extra long mortise & tenon
- Frets - Medium 18% nickel-silver
- Peghead Veneer - Ebony w/ Mother of Pearl Collings logo
- Tuners - Nickel Gotoh w/ Ivoroid Buttons
- Wiring - '50s style
- Fingerboard Radius - 12"
- Finish - Olive Drab