The OM3 is the dressiest of the three standard Collings OMs: East Indian rosewood back and sides under a Sitka spruce top, with an abalone rosette, ivoroid binding with b/w/b/w/b purfling, and ivoroid binding on the fingerboard and peghead too. The ebony board carries no inlay, which leaves the binding and the abalone to do the work, and gold Waverly tuners, a chevron backstrip and ebony pins with abalone dots finish it.
Underneath it is a 14-fret OM, 15" wide and a little over 4" deep, with pre-war scalloped X-bracing, a Modified V neck and a 1 11/16" bone nut. Collings points out that the OM has become the shape of choice for steel-string fingerstyle players, and that flatpickers take to it as well.
For the same body in rosewood with herringbone trim, look at the OM2H, or the OM2H T for the Traditional Series build. The OM3 can be built up further with Collings' options in tops, finishes, trim, inlays and more, listed below.
The photo shows one example build.
Options for this model include:
- Adirondack, old-growth Sitka, European, Engelmann or torrefied spruce top
- Figured mahogany, cocobolo or figured maple back and sides
- Sunburst or Western shaded top, full-body sunburst, Doghair or Jet Black finish
- Cutaway
- Short scale
- Deep body
- Adirondack bracing
- Abalone rosette or abalone top border
- Wood binding
- Peghead inlays (Torch, Flowerpot, Vine, Flourish, Rose)
- Fingerboard inlays (snowflakes, Tree of Life and others)
- Nut width and neck options
- Left-handed build
Price subject to change based on options chosen.
SPECIFICATIONS
BODY
Country of Origin: USA (built in Austin, Texas)
Top: Sitka spruce
Back & Sides: E. Indian rosewood
Brace Material: Sitka spruce
Brace Pattern: Pre-war scalloped X-brace
Body Binding: Ivoroid with b/w/b/w/b purfling
Rosette: Abalone
Backstrip: 3-style (Chevron)
Pickguard: Tortoise
Body Finish: High gloss nitrocellulose lacquer
NECK
Neck: Honduran mahogany
Neck Profile: Modified V
Neck Joint: Mortise & tenon hybrid
Scale Length: 25 1/2"
Fingerboard: Ebony with no inlay
Fingerboard Radius: 14" - 26" compound
Fingerboard Binding: .060" ivoroid
Frets: Medium 18% nickel-silver
Nut: Bone, 1 11/16"
Truss Rod: Fully adjustable
Peghead Profile: Square with volute
Peghead Veneer: Stained Exotic Ebony with MOP Collings logo
Peghead Binding: .100" ivoroid with b/w purfling
Neck Finish: High gloss polyester resin
HARDWARE
Bridge: Ebony belly-style with 2 3/16" spacing
Saddle: Bone, drop-in
Bridge Pins/End Pin: Ebony with abalone dot
Tuners: Gold Waverly
Strings: D'Addario EJ-16 (.012"- .053")
DIMENSIONS
Body Width: 15"
Body Length: 19 1/4"
Body Depth: 4"
Total Length: 39 3/4"
CASE
Case: Deluxe hardshell case
