2014 Collings CJ-35 Varnish

Natural, with varnish finish. The CJ, Collings Jumbo is a nod to the most iconic of pre-war guitars the Gibson Jumbo 35 with 24 7/8” scale, Sitka Spruce top and Honduran Mahogany back and sides. Braced like a pre-war Gibson with non-scalloped X braces with three tone bars that make it boom with power and detail. It’s mahogany, so you know it will give you a clear upper mid-range.

With Collings craftsmanship, you know it has that thunder as well. The comfortable neck is a CJ vintage neck which is C shaped, .87” at the first fret, 1 3/4” nut width. The fingerboard and bridge are Wenge.

The varnish finish is an old-school, hand-applied (not sprayed) and rubbed into the wood. It takes forever to do and Collings no longer offers it as an option. It required an additional $200 and nearly an extra year for delivery. Why all the trouble? The varnish finish really lets the wood breathe and adds both beauty and tone.

A killer guitar with percussive bass yet plenty of detail. This also has an added K&K pickup and strap button installed. It does show some playing wear but is well cared for. We refretted the first 9 frets as they were border line. Yes, we used Collings frets so the match is undetectable. Now it’s even harder to resist. Comes with the original hard case.