What is the value of a Collins C10 A in good condition?

Metallicum23

Hi,

I have been offered a Collings C10 A from 1996 in good condition,

I am not an expert in acoustic but it seems very good build. Wonder what is its value?

Is 2500 fair?

KKJale

Sounds about right. The 'A' is for an Adirondack spruce top which was a pretty serious upgrade when new, maybe almost $500 in 1996 though I'm guessing and actually a hell of a lot more now, but with Collings (as with most things) upgrades don't retain nearly as much of a percentage of their value on the secondhand market as the rest of the guitar. I sold a '99 Collings OM1ASB for £2400 a few years ago which had the Adi top and a sunburst finish which would have totted up to about $1800 extra on a new guitar, but all that only really added a couple of hundred over a plain sitka/natural when used. 

TL;DR... reckon that's in the right badminton court. 

CloudNine

Value seems about right. I had the same model and whilst it was on ok little guitar, the neck always felt way too long for the body size. It was full 25.5" scale length. Have since played the C35 with the shorter scale length and wider nut, and it was a much better guitar, but in truth neither were life changing in the tone department.

camf

I've a 1999 C10 Deluxe with sunburst Adirondack top and cutaway. New today, with the various upgrades, it would cost well upwards of £5K, but mine has some pretty unsightly cosmetic damage to the finish, so I picked it up locally on Gumtree at a seriously knock-down price.

I find it the most adaptable of my acoustics and with the longer neck, it feels so easy to swap mid-set with an electric. But perhaps because of the circumstances of its purchase and not being a great fan of cutaways, I've kind of taken it a bit for granted.

A few weeks ago I took it into the studio with my Bourgeois Custom OM and a J45 expecting the Collings to remain in its case in favour of the other two. However, the producer picked the Collings out to be played on every track. And it sounded so nice, it was hard to argue. So much so, I had to work to get the Bourgeois on anything.

I love that Bourgeois, and it's still my favourite, but over these few days the producer asked to buy my Collings on three separate occasions. As a result of that session, the Collings has risen in my estimation and now has taken up its rightful place, sitting equal to my Bourgeois. So now they both sneer at my old J45 but happily it's the kind of guitar that doesn't give a shit.

I think if you like the guitar, and get it for around that price, you'll have a superb instrument that can cover a whole range of roles, that will offer up excellent value for money and hold its resale value really well. Hope it works out for you.

Metallicum23

Many thanks all for your comments, I have decided to buy and I do not regret. Absolutely a great guitar, best acoustic that I have ever played. 

I found the neck the best bit, It is like playing a electric guitars with the resonance of a SJ200.

camf

That's my experience too. Congrats on what I''m sure is a fab guitar. Pics soon hopefully?

camf

@Metallicum23 ; Not sure if you've seen this. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZY_DqLg9hk