The Collings Guitar Factory Tour takes visitors on a stroll through the intricacies of making some of the most exceptional musical instruments in the world. You don’t have to be a musician to appreciate the craftsmanship that goes into each wooden masterpiece.
The first thing you notice at the factory on the outskirts of Austin is the smell. The soft, sweet smell of wood fills the air like an unseen air freshener.
It’s a Friday afternoon and most of the 80 workers have gone home to begin a holiday weekend. The few that remain are busy finishing up for the day. At cluttered work benches, craftsmen gently mold the wood into the familiar shapes of musical instruments. Each step is meticulously executed to create the unique sound of a Collings guitar. An engineer at heart, Bill Collings, the company’s founder and owner, built the specialty jigs that streamline the manufacturing process.
Collings made his first guitar on his kitchen table. On his way to California, he put down roots in Austin, building and fixing musical instruments. Since 1985, he has steadily expanded the company and the guitar’s reputation. The factory annually produces about 3,600 acoustic guitars, electric guitars, mandolins, and ukuleles.
The Collings Guitar Factory Tours are free and happen every Friday afternoon at 3pm. To make a reservation, call 288-7776 or go to www.collingsguitars.com.
1,088th in a series. Collect them all. Day Trips, Vol. 2, a book of “Day Trips,” is available for $8.95, plus $3.05 for shipping, handling, and tax. Mail to: Day Trips, PO Box 33284, South Austin, TX 78704.
This article appears in June 8 • 2012.
