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.
It's probably obvious, but this 2019 Collings 290 was inspired by the guitar debuted by the "Working Class Hero" at Madison Square Garden in 1972. It features a gorgeous Walnut finish on top of the solid Honduran Mahogany body and neck. For pickups, this 290 sports a dog-ear Lollar P-90 in the bridge paired with a Lollar Charlie Christian neck. These two pickups work really well together—the bite and cut of the bridge P90 are nicely complemented by the warm, wooly depth of the Charlie Christian. In the middle position, Collings' control harness offers a wide range of flexibility. Unplugged. the solid 290 body packs a lot of natural resonance and acoustic response. Plugged in, the pickups benefit from that, providing all sorts of single coil sounds with warm character and sustain.
This 2019 Collings 290 is in excellent condition with minimal signs of play wear and no repairs. There is some evidence of fret sprout along the neck—minor finish cracks/chips around many of the fret ends (see photos). There is also some hanger yoke wear where the edge of the headstock rested against some kind of stand. Fret wear is minimal, and the body is free of dings, scratches, or other issues. The current setup is excellent—this is a true player's guitar. Original Ameritage hardshell case included.
- Body - Honduran mahogany
- Neck - Honduran mahogany
- Fingerboard - Rosewood w/ Ivoroid long dots (5mm non-tapered)
- Bridge - Aged Kluson ABR-1 (Nickel-plated Zinc)
- Tailpiece - Aged Kluson Stop Tailpiece (Nickel-platedZzinc, Steel studs)
- Bridge Pickup - Lollar P-90 Dog-Ear
- Neck Pickup - Lollar Charlie Christian
- Pots / Caps - DiMarzio 500K / Jupiter Vintage Yellow
- Knobs - Black top hat
- Pickguard - 3-Ply Black/White/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 - Walnut