Unofficial Taylor Guitar Forum - UTGF
The Lounge => The Lounge => Topic started by: timfitz63 on October 22, 2016, 10:26:22 PM
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I'm speaking of the hand-built, boutique guitars from a luthier named Lance McCullom (http://www.dreamguitars.com/builder/145-mccollum/). Frankly, I'd never heard of the late Mr. McCollum, nor sampled his wares, before today's trip to Willcutt guitars. After Bob Willcutt and I had chatted about the string buzz on my 414ce (http://www.unofficialtaylorguitarforum.com/index.php?topic=7650.msg88586#msg88586), it became clear to me that he's figured out my weak spot: 12-strings. Bob trotted out a used McCollum 12-string guitar for me that hasn't even come up on their web site yet. Not sure what the body style is (Mr. McCollum seemed to adopt a number of them from sources like Martin and Taylor); but it's similar in size and shape to a Taylor GA or GS, so I'm guessing its McCollum's take on a GA-12.
I was told that the local collector who sold it to Willcutt's had stated the body wood was Mexican Rosewood, which I think is also called Bocote; but Bob thought it might be Bubinga. After looking at some internet photos of both woods, I'd say the wood more closely resembles Mexican Rosewood/Bocote. The top looks to be "Bearclaw" Sitka, with Ebony fretboard, binding, headstock veneer, and bridge. The neck appears to be lightly-figured Mahogany with a Rosewood stripe down the spine. The trimmings were simple but elegant: abalone trim around the top and abalone rosette (herringbone pattern); no fretboard, headstock, or bridge inlays. The guitar was beautiful in every way: workmanship, condition, tone -- and it played just as nicely as a Taylor 12-string too! It just might find a new home in Texas... ;)
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I have never heard of them. Tim, you HAVE to get it, so we can see pictures of it. It sounds beautiful.
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I have never heard of them... It sounds beautiful.
It definitely presents itself as a high-quality guitar, with workmanship and tone to match. I've just always been tentative about unfamiliar products -- particularly ones with a high-quality price tag...! To some degree here, I'm putting a measure of trust in Willcutt's reputation as a guitar merchant -- that he's not passing off some dressed-up knock-off as a genuine McCollum... And that he would recognize it as such himself before purchasing one offered to his shop...
Everything I've been able to find on the internet suggests that McCollum's guitars are very highly regarded. Apparently he didn't make more than a couple hundred before passing away in 2009; so there's not many out there -- and won't be any more. I hesitate to say this one is unique, but it may be one of only a handful of McCollum 12-string; the McCollum guitars that I have found scattered around the internet (either for sale or already sold) have all been 6-strings.
Another of the things that makes me a bit hesitant is that the guitar does not have a headstock inlay with McCollum's name or logo (an "M") on it; all of the guitars I've seen on the internet have displayed one or the other. However, it does have a manufacturer's label inside it that is similar to those I've seen on the other guitars. Trouble is, there's no one I know to contact independently (like Taylor Customer Service) in order to verify the guitar is what it appears to be... I'm also not convinced that Willcutt's asking price isn't just a bit on the high side, based on the pricing I've seen for other McCollum's, some using more costly woods (e.g., Brazilian Rosewood or Mahogany from "The Tree"). Mr. Willcutt has something of a reputation for pricing things based at least partially on an emotional response to it -- be it uniqueness or just a simple "wow" factor. But he may be spot on too; there's just no telling when dealing with guitars like these, and I guess the old adage applies: it's worth whatever someone is willing to pay for it...
... Tim, you HAVE to get it, so we can see pictures of it...
Enabler... ;)
The good news for you, Susie, is if I don't buy it (and Mr. Willcutt has expressly given me first right of refusal on it), the pictures will appear on the Willcutt Guitars web site (http://willcuttguitars.com) in due course.
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Good, so we'll see it either way. ;)
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Interesting Tim,
Part of me would want to stay away for all the reasons you state, but part of me thinks you know a quality instrument when you see/feel/play it and your instincts are probably right on there.
Brings it back to, if the guitar really wows you, it is definitely worth considering. As far as price, I think you are right, whatever someone is willing to pay...
Good luck with this one, let us know what you decide please.
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Interesting Tim,
Part of me would want to stay away for all the reasons you state, but part of me thinks you know a quality instrument when you see/feel/play it and your instincts are probably right on there.
Brings it back to, if the guitar really wows you, it is definitely worth considering. As far as price, I think you are right, whatever someone is willing to pay...
Good luck with this one, let us know what you decide please.
Thanks, Dave. I'll probably have another look at it tomorrow, now that I've been able to do a bit of research on McCollum's work. As I suspect is the case with most boutique luthiers, there can be variations in the product's finished appearance based on the original customer's specifications. It could be the guitar was commissioned without any headstock logo/name...? Other signature styling touches are there, though; for example, McCollum seemed to use a particularly thick piece of Ebony for his fretboards, with kind-of an "S" cut at the bottom end of it as it hangs over the sound hole. But I want to have a closer look at the label and headstock carve to see if those are consistent with others on the internet as well. As long as nothing really obvious dissuades me from the belief that this is a genuine article, I'll toss a more favorable price at the Willcutt folks and see if it will fly.
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OK, today's McCollum report:
Was back at Willcutt's to retrieve my 414ce from the repair shop (http://www.unofficialtaylorguitarforum.com/index.php?topic=7650.msg88888#msg88888). While there, I re-examined the McCollum as closely as I could for defects or inconsistencies with other known McCollum guitars on the internet.
The only inconsistency I could find was the absence of any headstock logo; the other styling cues (headstock shape, stripe on the back of the headstock and neck, bridge shape, fretboard thickness/"S" cut at the base, heel cap shape, manufacturer's label) all suggest this is a genuine article. Not to mention the tone. There were other folks waiting for service work when I wandered in, and Bob Willcutt pointed me toward the case containing the McCollum. No one really paid much attention to me when I pulled it out of the case, but everybody looked my way when I started strumming some random chords on the thing. The tone just seems to be that compelling...
I've convinced myself, mainly through visual comparison to photos on the internet, that the body wood is Bocote (which is also called "Mexican Rosewood" in some circles; in other circles the term is also used to refer to Grenadillo); not, as Mr. Willcutt suggested, Bubinga (which, somewhat coincidentally, is often referred to as "African Rosewood" -- so he could have been confusing the information the previous owner gave him based on the similar colloquial terminology). But when compared to the details (color, grain, etc.) shown in photos on the internet of these different woods (Bocote, Grenadillo, and Bubinga), the body of this guitar is nearly a dead ringer for Bocote. According to at least one source, Bocote is becoming increasingly rare, bordering on extinct in some native locations. So don't look for Taylor to do a Limited edition in Bocote anytime soon... :-\
Overall, the guitar is in excellent, but clearly used condition. The pick guard shows some light scratches from playing, and there are a few small nicks here and there on the guitar. The soundboard finish appears to have some cracks in it, probably from improper humidification. I showed them to Bob Willcutt and he opined that these are surface cracks in the finish, not in the wood; he believes they have stabilized now, but promises to stand behind the guitar if the soundboard itself develops cracks, so long as I keep the guitar properly humidified.
If I'm deciphering McCollum's serial number system correctly (and my interpretation is largely based on observation of the labels shown on other guitars listed around the internet), this is a Kayleigh (K) model -- which closely resembles a Taylor Grand Auditorium or Grand Symphony (probably more the latter, since McCollum offered a Grand Auditorium model by name). The sequence number (281) suggests this is a fairly late build, as McCollum apparently only completed 316 guitars between 1995 and 2009, when he passed away.
Now the decision you've been waiting for: we've arrived at a number we can all live with. So look for a NGD in a week or so (once the kind folks at Willcutt's have snapped some photos for me)...! :)
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Yeah, I knew it was calling your name. Will be watching for the pics.
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Yeah, I knew it was calling your name...
Hmm. I'll have to work on being less predictable... ;)
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Today I realized I'd been remiss in posting the photos I'd received from Willcutt Guitars on this McCollum 12-string.
I don't have many details that I can confirm through the manufacturer, but my best guess is it's the "Kayleigh" model with Bocote back/sides and a "bear claw" Sitka top.
Not quite a NUGD yet; it remains on layaway at Willcutt's...
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Wow, that's beautiful!
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Wow, that's beautiful!
Thanks, Susie! It sounds every bit as good as it looks; maybe even better...!
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awesome, i tried looking it up but they took their site down
let us know when it's yours!
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awesome, i tried looking it up but they took their site down
let us know when it's yours!
Thanks, "zee!"
Yeah, unfortunately, the luthier (Lance McCollum) passed away in 2009; so the only McCollum guitars out there are the 300 or so he built before his death. I'll post in the general NGD thread once I've taken possession.
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I'll post in the general NGD thread once I've taken possession.
When do you expect to bring it home?
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I'll post in the general NGD thread once I've taken possession.
When do you expect to bring it home?
Frankly, it's likely to be paid off before it winds up in Texas; I'll be on the road most of the year, so when it gets shipped to my house largely depends on when I'll be there for a long enough period to receive it...! :-\
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Here's hoping its sooner than later for you, Tim! ;)