2009 Collings Baby 41 SB Acoustic Guitar Used

When it comes to small steel-string acoustics, nobody can quite match the design sense of the late Bill Collings. Bill tweaked the proportions, as well as the top bracing and overall construction, to make a very small guitar that sounds like a much larger instrument. And despite the short 24 1/8″ string scale and 12-inch wide body, any blindfolded listener would bet they were hearing a 00, or larger, size guitar.

The warm and subtle sunburst accents the pearl bordering, and the rose inlay in the headstock is fitting for such a delicate-looking guitar. And it can sound delicate if you play it that way, yet if you need full-size guitar volume and punch it can deliver that, too. This was a special order by a picky Gryphon customer almost 17 years ago, and while it’s been played the owner was extra careful so there are few signs of handling. Just very light surface lines to the lacquer you need bright light to detect. There is an even more hard-to-see outline from a removable clear pickguard. The original case is equally clean.