The square-shouldered 14-fret dreadnought is easily the most popular acoustic guitar design in the world, yet somehow Collings brings this iconic template to a totally new level. With tonal clarity to match the warmth and depth of the dreadnought, the Collings D2H is cutting, robust, and powerful, but it also remains sweet and subtle when you want it to be.
Since Collings started production in 1992, the D2H has been a mainstay of the Collings line—and for good reason, too! The D2H is a guitar that seems to do everything well. The label inside the soundhole of this D2H (serial #5660) is marked March of 2000, and it is signed by Bill Collings. In those days, Collings still had a lot to prove, and this cannon of a dreadnought would've blown away the competition in guitar stores. In March of 2000, Collings led the boutique revolution that pushed acoustic guitar building to a higher level of precision and attention to detail. This guitar demonstrates why Collings are so revered and respected within in the industry at the present day.
This 2000 Collings D2H features a Sitka Spruce top and East Indian Rosewood back and sides. It has a 25-1/2" scale length and scalloped braces under the hood, which bring out a powerful—but balanced—spectrum of sound. Apart from a wider 1-3/4" nut width, this 2000 D2H was built to catalog specs. Despite the years, it finds us in really nice shape. If it was played much, it was played very carefully. The body is clean all around and playwear to the pickguard/soundhole area is fairly minimal. A few signs of age worth noting: the finish has lifted up subtly along the edge of the bridge, and the finish on the peghead is worn and bubbled on the overlay (see photos). Along the edge of the fingerboard, the finish has also bubbled along the fret ends. This is all a little nit-picky, but enough to let you know this guitar has seen the years. No pickup or funky strap button has ever been installed—this is probably as close to a new 2000 Collings as you will find.
As soon as you dig into the strings, this 2000 D2H comes alive with sound. The setup is exceptional, almost as if new from the factory, and fret wear is a non-issue. Even though it has only been 26 years, the sound is rich and nuanced, almost like a well-loved vintage guitar. It has a tight, even grain on the top, and we love the redder pickguard Collings was using in this era. This is an impressive guitar that makes it easy to understand how Collings developed such a strong reputation. It includes its original TKL hardshell case.