2005 Collings D1 AV Varnish Acoustic Guitar Used

This Collings D1 AV Varnish was made in Austin, Texas in 2005. What’s in a “V”? In this case the V at the end of model code does not stand for Varnish, instead it’s for what Collings called their “Vintage” neck and bridge setup. The neck is beefier than a typical Collings 1 3/4″ neck, but lacks the extreme taper of some early Martin necks and has a comfy modified-V feel. The bridge has a through-cut saddle and 2 ⅜” string spacing.

And of course the word “Varnish” stands for just that, an optional finish Collings no longer offers because it’s so time consuming. So it’s a Vintage Varnish model, if that makes sense. Condition? Varnish is softer than lacquer, so this guitar shows quite a few scuffs and scratches. There are some prominent pick marks around the soundhole that don’t break the finish but they are too deep to buff out. Still, this guitar sounds amazing, with the kind of rich, woody tone flatpickers dream of. Includes the original hardshell case.

Upgrades:

Adirondack Spruce Top

Vintage Neck and Bridge

1 3/4″ Nut

Varnish Finish

No Tongue Brace