| Collings Guitars started in a garage in Austin Texas in the 1970’s. The space was shared with fellow luthiers Tom Ellis and Mike Stevens. Bill Collings indulged in his interest of stringed instruments and working with his hands. Quite literally from that one car garage came the early instruments – and they were well received. His reputation for quality and attention to detail quickly spread. In 1989, he rented a 1000 square foot space and hired two helpers. The same year, an order for 24 custom "Gruhn" guitars helped to establish Bill in the national market. In late 1991, Bill Collings bought a 3200 sf feed store on the outskirts of Austin and was up and running in the spring of 1992. By 2005, the shop has tripled in size and had 50 employees and plans for a new 22,00 square foot shop. The addition of CNC technology helped add a level of consistency to parts production. In 1999, Collings began producing mandolins, which caught on.
Musicians with Collings instruments includes: Pete Townsend, Emmylou Harris, Chris Hillman, Andy Summers, David Crosby, John Prine, Nigel Tufnel of Spinal Tap, Joni Mitchell, Kenny Smith, Don Felder, John Sebastian, Lou Reed, John Fogerty, Tim O'Brien, Pete Huttlinger, Keith Richards, Lyle Lovett, Brian May, Joan Baez, and Steven Spielberg. |
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