A gorgeous Meghann model from the late, great Lance McCollum, coming to us from 2001. Lance was one of the good guys of the guitar world and his instruments are always inspiring and special. For this smaller-bodied instrument, Lance chose a premium set of Claro Walnut for the body and topped it with highly figured Redwood. This combination creates both a powerful and warm voice. The trebles are alive and sweet and very expressive. The bass is punchy and round. The scale is 25.75″ allowing this small guitar to work perfectly for both Standard and alternate tunings. A versatile beauty from a special maker.

Other keywords: lutherie, ameritage, m-159, fingerstyle

When Lance McCollum passed away, there were still several guitars on his bench that were unfinished, and this Jumbo, shiny and new and ready to be played, was the last guitar that Lance finished. Naturally, it sounds superb. McCollum paired a set of Malaysian Blackwood (which looks and sounds just like Brazilian) with Italian Spruce for the body, adorned the soundhole with an eliptical Imbuya-Burl-and-Abalone rosette, and trimmed everything with Snakewood bindings and a subtle sunburst across the neck.

This Jumbo excels as a strummer, with its powerful projection, but performs beautifully for fingerstyle arrangements in dropped tunings where the big body can really churn out those rich lower frequencies. The voice is balanced, but expressive, and the low E string (regardless of what tuning you’re in) has a kind of depth that leaps out at the slightest provocation. For the guitarist seeking a Jumbo with lots of thunder, but a delicate side too, this McCollum will do nicely.

The closer you get to perfection, the harder it is to improve, is it not? If that’s the case, then how was Lance McCollum able to get so close to perfection with this guitar, and make it look effortless? Combining the rippling Fiddleback Claro Walnut back and sides with Curly Redwood, McCollum gave this GA a voice with butter-smooth warmth across the trebles, and a punchy middle register which begs for a fingerstylist’s ministrations.

Responsive to the lightest touch, this deep-bodied GA offers delicate treble overtones and rich, haunting bass notes to fill out your arrangements and lend new color to old tunes. Playing this guitar is an excercise in weightlessness: the build is lightweight, the neck profile and setup so smooth and glassy as to practically play itself, and the projection is effortless and expansive. Do yourself a favor and find a way to come play this McCollum–you won’t be disappointed.

One of lutherie’s too-soon-taken virtuosos, Lance McCollum has left us with a legacy of powerfully expressive instruments to remember him by. This 2006 Grand Auditiorium is no less than perfect: from the exquisitally-flamed Koa back and sides to Lance’s advanced bracing designs and lightweight build. With skills like these, it’s no surprise that McCollum built instruments for contemporary masters like Alex DeGrassi, Todd Hallowell, and others! This Grand Auditorium features a Red Cedar top to complement all that Koa, and the result is a voice that expertly balances warmth and articulation, making this a superb instrument for the flatpicker who wants more color in his arrangements, which the ole’ Dread just can’t provide. You can see on the label that Lance viewed his work as “Functional Sculpture,” and it’s clear that he took the tasks of voicing, bracing, and trimming purfling very seriously: the craftsmanship is flawless.

Capable of handling lowered tunings like DADGAD with ease, this GA is an excellent contender for Irish accompaniment, and with it’s smaller body you won’t have to worry about fatigue for many long hours. The previous owner of this instrument had a delicate touch: there is virtually no play wear on this obviously well-played-in guitar–and it comes with a hardshell TKL case to make sure it stays that way.

This is one special small body Meghan model from the late Lance McCollum. Lance called this Mahogany ‘Jaguar’s Ear’ due to it’s deep, 3 dimensional figure that resemble the shape of that predator’s ear. He topped this one with Red Cedar and appointed it simply and elegantly. No for the good stuff, the tone… It produces a warm, full note that pushes out of the guitar confidently. The 00 sized body is comfortable for all and this one is setup perfectly to play with ease.