Brand: Collings, Waterloo
Instrument Categories: Acoustic Steel String, Guitars, SOLD
The Waterloo WL-K is built by Collings guitars at their shop in Austin, to re-create the Kel Kroyden guitars built by Gibson during the early 1930s. The results are extremely impressive – these guitars are very responsive and have great tone.
Check out the pages at www.waterlooguitars.com – it includes interviews with Bill Collings on why and how he has come to build these particular instruments.
The Waterloo WL-K is a 12-fret guitar based on the Kel Kroyden guitars built as a sub-brand by Gibson between 1930 and 1933. These were touted at the time as the most responsive guitars available, so the Waterloo models aim for this with thin bracing. The top is Spruce, with Mahogany used for the back, sides and neck, rosewood for the fingerboard and ebony for the bridge and nut. Scale length is 24 7/8 inches, and the nut width is 1 3/4 inches.
A common practice during the 1930’s was graphic scenes on the fronts of instruments- you’ve likely seen the palm tree and beach decorations on Hawaiian and steel guitars. This WL-K features the ‘Southwest’ cactus ‘cowboy stencil’ decorations.
One of the defining characteristics of the Kel Kroydoen models was their weight and the Waterloo WL-K models share this. They are very light and responsive, weighing in around three pounds. This guitar is extremely responsive, plays really well, and sounds great.
If you grew up in a time when the original depression era guitars were still in circulation, these will visually remind you of them – and surprise you at how great they sound. And of course, they are put together by some of the best builders and they play as you would expect from a Collings.
A Collings hardshell case is included.
Visit the Waterloo Guitars website to learn more about these exciting instruments!
- Model: Waterloo WL-K
- Year: 2017
- Finish Natural
- Class: New
- Serial Number: varies as new, shown here is 1662, built during 2017 at the Collings shop in Austin Texas.
- Country of Origin: Cowboy Stencil
- Condition: Brand New
- Date Posted: 06/10/2017
- This instrument has been sold
- Not Consignment
- Including original Hard case
- Instrument Weight: 3lbs
