We've been pulling a lot of inspiration from our growing vintage electric inventory, and chances are if you're looking at this page, you know all about it. We chatted with our friends at Collings about our love of the early Gibson-made Epiphones and wanted to give reverence to some of those original semi-hollows with that perfect Collings touch. Boy, did they deliver!
Influenced by the Riviera model of the early 60s - which was born out of the legendary ES-335 platform Gibson was building at the time - this I-35LC is unlike anything we've spec'ed before. For one, it's got the first-ever Righteous Sound Mini Humbucker set ever to be outfitted in a Collings electric. Between us, Collings, and Joshua at Righteous Sound, it's hard to say who was more excited!
Second, we wanted to get the proper aesthetic going that harkened back to those old semi-hollows, when the Maple laminate tended to be less intensely figured; the plastics, inlays, and hardware provided more dimension and contrast to the overall look of the instrument. It's a great example of those old guitars exemplifying the importance of the "sum of all parts" idea. We also wanted the finish to approximate the great Royal Tan finish that was exclusive to Epiphone semi-hollow and hollowbody electrics of the 1960s, and naturally, Collings nailed it.
Shocker - this I-35LC is an absolute tone monster! These mini humbuckers are among some of the best we've ever heard, and in true Collings fashion, the guitar is so dialed in that it practically plays itself. The look is distinguished and refined just as the tone is expansive and versatile. We are head-over-heels in love with this build!
You're not going to find this "Lexingtone Special" just anywhere folks, and there's a reason for that. This is about a special an I-35 that we've ever ordered.
Body
Hardware
Neck
Other