Description

The 2014 Collings 02HA Maple is a masterful testament to lutherie at its finest, a jewel among parlor guitars that merges time-honored craftsmanship with the rarest and most exquisite tonewoods. Its Old Standard Adirondack Spruce top, sourced from the personal reserve of John Griffin—renowned for his dedication to preserving the finest old-growth timber—boasts a tight grain and exceptional stiffness-to-weight ratio, yielding a voice of unparalleled clarity, depth, and projection. Adirondack spruce, historically prized for its responsiveness and dynamic range, crowns this instrument with an extraordinary ability to articulate every nuance of the player’s touch.

Complementing this storied soundboard, the flamed maple back and sides, also from Old Standard Wood, exhibit a stunning, deep figure, not only captivating the eye but infusing the tonal palette with a brilliant, bell-like quality—crisp, articulate, and supremely balanced. The flamed maple neck, carved into a refined modified V profile, provides both vintage inspiration and supreme playability, allowing for effortless navigation across the ebony fingerboard, adorned with slotted diamonds inlays. Enhancing its visual and structural elegance, grained ivoroid binding frames the body, while herringbone purfling and a marquetry backstrip lend a distinguished touch reminiscent of pre-war golden-era guitars.

Atop the headstock, an exotic ebony veneer provides a dramatic contrast to the luminous maple neck, further elevated by an intricate torch inlay, a hallmark of fine craftsmanship. Nickel Waverly tuning machines ensure unwavering stability, while the pyramid bridge and bone nut and saddle facilitate optimal string energy transfer, maximizing sustain and tonal richness. The vintage-inspired tortoise shell pickguard adds a final flourish, seamlessly blending tradition with bespoke artistry.

At 3 lbs 13 oz, this guitar is as featherlight as it is resonant, with its 24 7/8” scale length, 1 3/4” nut width, and 2 3/16” bridge spacing offering a supremely comfortable playing experience. Whether fingerpicked or strummed, it sings with a crystalline treble response, warm yet articulate mids, and a controlled, resonant low end that never overpowers its shimmering harmonic complexity.

Housed in a custom Calton flight case, this Collings 02HA Maple is not merely an instrument—it is a rarefied heirloom, a distillation of the finest materials and meticulous craftsmanship, imbued with the soul of the old-growth forests from which its tonewoods were hewn. It stands as an extraordinary intersection of history, artistry, and sonic brilliance, destined to inspire for generations to come.

Other specifications include:

Adirondack Spruce Top - Sourced by Old Standard Wood
Adirondack Spruce Braces
Flamed Maple Back & Sides - Sourced by Old Standard Wood
Flamed Maple Neck - Modified V Profile
Ebony Bridge & Fingerboard
Exotic Ebony Headstock Veneer
Grained Ivoroid Body Binding
Herringbone Top Purfling
Marquetry Backstrip
Grained Ivoroid Heel Cap & Tail Wedge
Torch Headstock Inlay
Slotted Diamonds Fingerboard Inlay
Nickel Waverly Tuning Machines
Tortoise Shell Pickguard
Pyramid Bridge
Bone Nut & Saddle
1 3/4" Nut Width
2 3/16" Bridge Spacing
24 7/8" Scale Length
Calton Flight Case
3 lb 13 oz