With a double-cutaway mahogany body and two Lollar P90s, this Collings 290 DC (serial #20434) offers unhindered access into the upper register and a wide range of tonal possibilities. The 290 DC’s solid Honduran Mahogany body and one-piece mahogany neck allow for a ton of natural resonance and sustain. From pristine clean tones with rich harmonic complexity to hard-hitting classic rock sounds, there are few bases the 290 DC cannot cover.
As we’ve come to expect from Collings, the volume and tone controls provide a lot of flexibility, and the guitar's tone remains consistent on every setting—no cliffs, no weak or anemic spots—just fat tone throughout. On this 290 DC, we’re particularly impressed by the blend of warmth and clarity you get from the neck pickup, but to be fair, the bite and growl of the bridge are a ton of fun, too. Nevertheless, the middle position provides endless versatility, thanks to those flexible controls! In every position, the dynamic range is huge! This guitar really does cover a lot of territory—it's a true one-guitar quiver.
Superior tone and playability certainly make this Collings 290 DC a natural fit for the stage, but Collings’ premium Pelham Blue finish—accented with Ivoroid fingerboard binding and a blacked-out pickguad—ensures this guitar looks every bit as good as it sounds. We decided to upgrade to the new Schaller Signum Wraparound bridge instead of the standard options. The extra mass provides better overall weight balance, and it adds to the sustain. But the main reason we chose this bridge was to ensure this guitar could always be set up right and intonated properly. We wanted this Collings 290 DC to be ready for the stage, so we couldn’t let there be any reason it might stay home for the tour.
- Body - Honduran mahogany
- Neck - Honduran mahogany
- Fingerboard - Rosewood w/ Ivoroid long dots (5mm non-tapered)
- Fingerboard Binding - .060 Ivoroid (Ungrained)
- Bridge - Schaller Signum Wraparound Bridge
- Pickups - Lollar P90s
- Pots / Caps - DiMarzio 500K / Jupiter Vintage Yellow
- Knobs - Black top hat
- Pickguard - Black/Cream/Black
- 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 - Pelham Blue high gloss nitrocellulose lacquer