luthier & testimonials
A builder of custom homes for more than 20 years, Lance McCollum began his personal adventure into the world of handmade guitars never dreaming where it would lead. He simply hadn't found the sound he was looking for in something he could buy off the rack.
Born in Southern California, Lance started early on to gather the skills he would need in his current livelihood. At the age of 12 he redesigned his own and his friends' BMX bicycles. After welding them into a new form he then embellished them, and the rider's helmets, with fancy paint jobs. In his teenage years, he moved into designing and shaping his own surfboards, and reconfiguring the fin placement, and topping them off with stand-out airbrushed artwork. High school included awards won in drafting class and an affinity for jewelry design in art class. His water-ski didn't escape his own brand of improvement either, once again the fins of the commercial ski being adjusted to bring optimum performance as he competed on the slalom course. His finish techniques were further refined when he took up auto painting.
Playing since he was 12, Lance bought, reconditioned, and let go of many guitars, never quite finding the sound he was seeking. Finally deciding to take a Martin kit, the advice and counsel of a local luthier, and give it a go (yes, he even modified the Martin kit!), he saw a light at the end of the tunnel. The next guitar was not a kit, and by the fifth guitar, he knew he was on the right track. Ten years and more than 260 guitars later, he is still working to perfect the sound he seeks, and loving it all the way.
A die-hard fan of the traditional dovetail neck joint, Lance's building style produces a guitar that has the tonal complexities of a grand piano with all the notes speaking independently, but still blending evenly with great sustain all the way up the fingerboard. In addition to this tonal balance, he steps outside the traditional building mode with the use of some of the world's most strikingly beautiful woods and unique soundhole rosettes.
Endorsers: Martin Barre, Alex de Grassi, Todd Hallawell, Roger Hodgson, Richard Leo Johnson, Dougie MacLean, Mark Mancina, Greg Sarena, Doug Smith.
testimonials
Todd Halliwell: 1997 National Fingerpicking Champion (Winfield) // Baritone and Grand Auditorium Guitars
"When I first played Lance's baritone guitar, I couldn't put it down. I must have played my entire repertoire before my fingers finally gave out! The guitar has an amazingly deep, rich timbre with every note ringing clear of the others. Tunes that I had long become bored with are now interesting again. Thanks Lance!" Todd won the competition on his second McCollum guitar and currently has a third on order!
Dougie MacLean: Internationally celebrated Scottish singer/songwriter // 2 Grand Auditorium Guitars
Internationally celebrated Scottish singer/songwriter and owner of a McCollum myrtle and cedar Grand Auditorium guitar Dougie MacLean said "Very rarely do you find a guitar where everything comes together. My McCollum has a deep, resonant voice, warm, beautiful look, and it'a a great pleasure to play -- very light and responsive, it breathes like it has a life of it's own." Dougie has just purchased a second Grand Auditorium to tour and record with. And he has ordered a Koa tenor guitar.
Dominic Gaudious: "Dominic can play things with an acoustic 12-string that few electric rockers could dream of." - Creative Loafing, Atlanta, GA
"Since I got my McCollum double-neck I answer more questions about the guitar than I do anything else relating to my music!" / "Sometimes I'll pick up the McCollum and can't believe how good it sounds and plays." / "It's a dream guitar!"
Roger Hodgson: Formerly of Supertramp // 6 & 12 string guitars
Co-founder & former lead guitarist - Supertramp. "Lance is the most consistent guitar maker I've ever come across. His guitars seem to sing, with a fullness and sustain that is rare to find nowadays. Having been addicted to 12-strings for many years, the six-string I have just bought off him is helping to change my habit." At present, he is also making me a 12-string. I'll keep you posted."
A virtuoso guitarist, he plays as though he has eight fingers on each hand. "Incredible. Not only is the McCollum guitar beautiful to look at, it sounds wonderful. There is an overall richness and uniformity in tone, but when I try to emphasize a particular string or note, I can do so with ease. The bass is large and full without being overpowering, and the treble sparkles. Moreover, the guitar just plays so easily! I love it. Now I have two favorite guitars, Goodall and McCollum."
Michael Cuneo, Los Angeles Studio Musician and Producer said "Easily the most versatile and beautifully balanced instrument I ever played. Engineers love to record this guitar - no need to fix it in the mix." Michael played with UK after Allan Holdsworth's departure, and played on Eddie Jobson's albums.
Michael Dukes, a songwriter/producer for whom I built a walnut/cedar Dreadnought, says unequivocally, "In 24 years spent hitting guitars and 12 years spent hitting studios, I have never before experienced such power, sustain, complexity, or sparkle. This box is alive, and it just keeps getting better. I once played it for a Nashville recording engineer who works with all the "A-list" session players. He said it was the best guitar he had ever heard -- and he's recorded hundreds of professional-level instruments."
Mark Mancina, multi-platinum grammy award winning film composer and record producer said "More and more McCollum guitars are finding their way on to the recordings of scores I write. I've always been a fan of instruments that record naturally, that is with little or no EQ and compression. Lance McCollum builds guitars of equal if not better tone and balance than any other guitar I've ever heard or played. I currently own three McCollums of different sizes and besides the consistently excellent sound, every one is an exquisite piece of art. Anyone who has seen one of my McCollums has said, "Where did you get that?". It won't be long before the waiting list to buy a McCollum is endless."
Richard Leo Johnson, innovative songwriter and guitarist, says, in his 2005 20th Century Guitar magazine interview, "Well, I have a six and twelve string that McCollum built for me, that was used somewhat on the Language CD. And then he built me another twelve string a little later on that I use. It's a beautiful instrument. It's got an Italian spruce top, walnut back and sides. Just a wonderful twelve string."