http://www.yowhatsshakin.com/yowhatsshakin/Collings_DS2_A_SB_HC.html When the dreadnought was introduced by Martin now more than a century ago, it was not a guitar with a square shouldered body, 14 frets to the body, and a solid headstock. Rather, it was a slope shouldered model with 12 frets to the body and a slotted headstock. The body of a Collings DS is a little longer compared to its more popular D-model (see my D2H ), i.e. 20⅞” vs 20”, respectively. This affects the placement of the ebony bridge which is more central on the lower bout. Other dimensions of this model are a body width of 15⅝”, 4⅞” body depth, a total length of 40⅛”, but still a 25½” scale length. The Adirondack spruce top gives it a wide dynamic response. This particular DS is a Hill Country build (HC), introduced to the Collings lineup in late-2024, which gives it “... a strong fundamental voice that is both warm and woody.” Collings acoustics are known for their modern sound: somewhat bright with a lot of articulation. This does not take away there has been an ask for a more old time-y vibe in a Collings. The first step was set while Bill was still alive with the Traditional builds. My CJ-45 T is an excellent example where Collings comes much closer to, if not nails, the sound one expects from a Gibson J-45. The Hill Country is the next step in the journey to have an available choice of a Collings acoustic with a truly vintage sound, now more in the pre-war Martin vein. As such, these HC builds have their own construction employing pre-war HC bracing, absence of a tongue brace, an ultra thin high-gloss nitrocellulose finish used on the complete guitar, a custom made, hand-poured tortoise pickguard with matching rosette and butt wedge, a Honduran mahogany neck with a beefier DS Hill Country profile, and a custom solid headstock, instead of the usual open headstock on a DS. Hence, relic 20:1 gear ratio Waverly nickel-plated tuning machines are used. And on this particular guitar, the top has a Hill Country Sunburst. Instead of appearing on the front, the Collings logo on all Hill Country builds is stamped on the back, something also seen since olden days on Collings headstocks with elaborate inlays. Otherwise, it has similar specs and appointments as the aforementioned D2HA: East Indian rosewood back and sides, belly style ebony bridge with cut-through, aged bone saddle, ebony fingerboard with gold Mother-of-Pearl long diamond & squares position markers, aged bone nut, 2-style zipper backstrip, and an East Indian rosewood headstock veneer. Apparently, no TaylorWare hardshell case is available in the proper size because a TKL case is provided. The webpage on the Collings site can be found here: https://collingsguitars.com/acoustics/ds2-a-hill-country/. http://www.yowhatsshakin.com/yowhatsshakin/Collings_DS2_A_SB_HC.html#0 2c5da976-502a-4f74-9055-4acac76a956a http://www.yowhatsshakin.com/yowhatsshakin/Collings_DS2_A_SB_HC_files/Media/PA140005/thumb.jpg http://www.yowhatsshakin.com/yowhatsshakin/Collings_DS2_A_SB_HC_files/Media/PA140005/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_136_15"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_3">In OHSC.</p></div></div> http://www.yowhatsshakin.com/yowhatsshakin/Collings_DS2_A_SB_HC.html#1 baed9fb7-e76a-499c-98b5-7b6bc262d1f0 http://www.yowhatsshakin.com/yowhatsshakin/Collings_DS2_A_SB_HC_files/Media/PA140011/thumb.jpg http://www.yowhatsshakin.com/yowhatsshakin/Collings_DS2_A_SB_HC_files/Media/PA140011/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_136_15"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_3">Front view.</p></div></div> http://www.yowhatsshakin.com/yowhatsshakin/Collings_DS2_A_SB_HC.html#2 a3d48a29-ce7c-4653-a9f9-6b04fa5aed96 http://www.yowhatsshakin.com/yowhatsshakin/Collings_DS2_A_SB_HC_files/Media/PA140010/thumb.jpg http://www.yowhatsshakin.com/yowhatsshakin/Collings_DS2_A_SB_HC_files/Media/PA140010/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_136_15"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_3">Back view.</p></div></div> http://www.yowhatsshakin.com/yowhatsshakin/Collings_DS2_A_SB_HC.html#3 92b297df-5aa1-4b75-8680-b13760cac048 http://www.yowhatsshakin.com/yowhatsshakin/Collings_DS2_A_SB_HC_files/Media/PA140012/thumb.jpg http://www.yowhatsshakin.com/yowhatsshakin/Collings_DS2_A_SB_HC_files/Media/PA140012/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_136_15"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_3">Front of the body.</p></div></div> http://www.yowhatsshakin.com/yowhatsshakin/Collings_DS2_A_SB_HC.html#4 aa3892dd-8976-447e-b134-f203e924d8c8 http://www.yowhatsshakin.com/yowhatsshakin/Collings_DS2_A_SB_HC_files/Media/PA140018/thumb.jpg http://www.yowhatsshakin.com/yowhatsshakin/Collings_DS2_A_SB_HC_files/Media/PA140018/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_136_15"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_3">Rosette.</p></div></div> http://www.yowhatsshakin.com/yowhatsshakin/Collings_DS2_A_SB_HC.html#5 11cb2ecb-a769-4cfe-a77b-0678d899c62e http://www.yowhatsshakin.com/yowhatsshakin/Collings_DS2_A_SB_HC_files/Media/Collings%20DS2A%20HC%20SB%20sticker/thumb.jpg http://www.yowhatsshakin.com/yowhatsshakin/Collings_DS2_A_SB_HC_files/Media/Collings%20DS2A%20HC%20SB%20sticker/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_136_15"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_3">Sticker in soundhole.</p></div></div> http://www.yowhatsshakin.com/yowhatsshakin/Collings_DS2_A_SB_HC.html#6 740fbbe2-b481-4878-8b17-e54164698a49 http://www.yowhatsshakin.com/yowhatsshakin/Collings_DS2_A_SB_HC_files/Media/PA140015/thumb.jpg http://www.yowhatsshakin.com/yowhatsshakin/Collings_DS2_A_SB_HC_files/Media/PA140015/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_136_15"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_3">Ebony bridge.</p></div></div> http://www.yowhatsshakin.com/yowhatsshakin/Collings_DS2_A_SB_HC.html#7 9b1f9c09-8229-4e6b-9f59-0bb11bd1e640 http://www.yowhatsshakin.com/yowhatsshakin/Collings_DS2_A_SB_HC_files/Media/PA140017/thumb.jpg http://www.yowhatsshakin.com/yowhatsshakin/Collings_DS2_A_SB_HC_files/Media/PA140017/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_136_15"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_3">Hand poured pickguard.</p></div></div> http://www.yowhatsshakin.com/yowhatsshakin/Collings_DS2_A_SB_HC.html#8 1536764a-e63b-4e8e-b00a-a5c32fabad35 http://www.yowhatsshakin.com/yowhatsshakin/Collings_DS2_A_SB_HC_files/Media/PA140022/thumb.jpg http://www.yowhatsshakin.com/yowhatsshakin/Collings_DS2_A_SB_HC_files/Media/PA140022/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_136_15"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_3">Butt.</p></div></div> http://www.yowhatsshakin.com/yowhatsshakin/Collings_DS2_A_SB_HC.html#9 f8aa807c-4530-45f8-88e4-02850e366f13 http://www.yowhatsshakin.com/yowhatsshakin/Collings_DS2_A_SB_HC_files/Media/PA140021/thumb.jpg http://www.yowhatsshakin.com/yowhatsshakin/Collings_DS2_A_SB_HC_files/Media/PA140021/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_136_15"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_3">Back of the body.</p></div></div> http://www.yowhatsshakin.com/yowhatsshakin/Collings_DS2_A_SB_HC.html#10 18d99aa9-90ef-43fb-bb4c-34d9acf291e9 http://www.yowhatsshakin.com/yowhatsshakin/Collings_DS2_A_SB_HC_files/Media/PA140013/thumb.jpg http://www.yowhatsshakin.com/yowhatsshakin/Collings_DS2_A_SB_HC_files/Media/PA140013/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_136_15"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_3">Ebony fingerboard.</p></div></div> http://www.yowhatsshakin.com/yowhatsshakin/Collings_DS2_A_SB_HC.html#11 0c509d3c-d983-4ea4-8fb6-1d6928946d9a http://www.yowhatsshakin.com/yowhatsshakin/Collings_DS2_A_SB_HC_files/Media/PA140014/thumb.jpg http://www.yowhatsshakin.com/yowhatsshakin/Collings_DS2_A_SB_HC_files/Media/PA140014/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_136_15"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_3">Custom solid headstock.</p></div></div> http://www.yowhatsshakin.com/yowhatsshakin/Collings_DS2_A_SB_HC.html#12 70ba9ae7-600c-40f0-9852-2bc45ac7c9d4 http://www.yowhatsshakin.com/yowhatsshakin/Collings_DS2_A_SB_HC_files/Media/PA140019/thumb.jpg http://www.yowhatsshakin.com/yowhatsshakin/Collings_DS2_A_SB_HC_files/Media/PA140019/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_136_15"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_3">Back of the headstock.</p></div></div> http://www.yowhatsshakin.com/yowhatsshakin/Collings_DS2_A_SB_HC.html#13 f62fd84e-13c5-4912-bd6c-cbbe4b9c8774 http://www.yowhatsshakin.com/yowhatsshakin/Collings_DS2_A_SB_HC_files/Media/PA140024/thumb.jpg http://www.yowhatsshakin.com/yowhatsshakin/Collings_DS2_A_SB_HC_files/Media/PA140024/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_136_15"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_3">Logo detail.</p></div></div> http://www.yowhatsshakin.com/yowhatsshakin/Collings_DS2_A_SB_HC.html#14 514cd10e-21bb-4b43-a529-6d277dab3404 http://www.yowhatsshakin.com/yowhatsshakin/Collings_DS2_A_SB_HC_files/Media/Collings%20DS2A%20HC%20SB%20serial%20number/thumb.jpg http://www.yowhatsshakin.com/yowhatsshakin/Collings_DS2_A_SB_HC_files/Media/Collings%20DS2A%20HC%20SB%20serial%20number/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_136_15"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_3">Serial number.</p></div></div> http://www.yowhatsshakin.com/yowhatsshakin/Collings_DS2_A_SB_HC.html#15 faba53bc-9f42-4e0c-8544-5cffdb9d11fd http://www.yowhatsshakin.com/yowhatsshakin/Collings_DS2_A_SB_HC_files/Media/Collings%20DS2A%20HC%20SB%20warranty%20card/thumb.jpg http://www.yowhatsshakin.com/yowhatsshakin/Collings_DS2_A_SB_HC_files/Media/Collings%20DS2A%20HC%20SB%20warranty%20card/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_136_15"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_3">Warranty card.</p></div></div>