Waterloo WL-AT Jet Black Archtop Acoustic Guitar #3304 From Collings

Waterloo's first archtop acoustic, the WL-AT! Solid carved Spruce and Mahogany back and sides.

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Because of our special relationship with Collings we can get this as fast, or faster than anyone in the industry. In some cases, we even have preferred build slots we can offer you.

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What We Think

The crown jewel of the Waterloo crown has arrived! The hype and anticipation were very real for this one and the end result has completely met and indeed surpassed our expectations. The sound and look are completely true to an extraordinarily special time and place in the rich history of American music--an exquisite lense through which to view early Jazz, Country, and everything in between. The stunning clarity and note definition paired with the woody, lively, punchy voice is everything you'd want and expect from a smallbody archtop. A perfect way to round out the soulful, old-school offerings of the Waterloo line--Bravo!

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Manufacturer's Description from Collings

Well-crafted archtop guitars have long been coveted for their projection, expressive articulation, and unique midrange growl. From the swinging big bands of the 1920s to roots music icons such as Mother Maybelle Carter, the archtop sound is deeply entrenched in American music history and has maintained its foothold into the modern era. Bill Collings had a passion for archtop guitars, one that stemmed back to his earliest days as a luthier, and would eventually become entwined with his identity as one of the world’s most respected purveyors of the craft.

Bill’s original vision for Waterloo Guitars actually included plans to offer an archtop guitar as part of the lineup. He kept a 1930s flat-backed Recording King archtop in his back office, usually thrown haphazardly into the backseat of a stripped down 1940 Ford convertible, which he had plans to someday restore. The guitar was disassembled into pieces, but he would occasionally pull out the body or neck and inspect it, contemplating on how he might re-create such an instrument with his own twist. He was especially intrigued by the flat mahogany back, which is an integral part of the sound that runs consistently through the Waterloo line.

With Bill’s untimely passing in July 2017, his plans for this guitar were sadly cut short. However, it was known among the people who worked closely with him that it was something he had always wanted to do. Thus, as a tribute to our friend and mentor, we present to you the WL-AT – an instrument that not only embodies the spirit of the Waterloo line, but takes the concept of a small-bodied archtop guitar to a new level of tone and playability.

About Manufacturer

Sound Pure is a proud dealer of Collings Acoustics, Electrics, and Mandolins, with a large inventory and new guitars arriving regularly. Each instrument in stock is professionally photographed, and we have video reviews with studio-quality sound and HD video quality.

Bill Collings has been inspiring generations of guitarists with his fine guitars and mandolins since the 1970s. After dropping out of medical school to pursue his interest in guitar building, he moved to Austin, Texas where he and his company, Collings Guitars, operate to this day. From his humble beginnings as a one-man operation in a two-bedroom apartment to his current 22,000 square-foot facility and approximately 70 employees, Collings has built a reputation for producing high quality instruments with care and precision.

Perhaps best known for flat-top acoustic guitars, Collings excels in a variety of classic-inspired designs and modern build concepts. Their D series guitars represent their take on the iconic 14-fret square-shouldered dreadnought and include the highly-favored D1 and D2H models with mahogany and rosewood back and sides respectively. These guitars are extremely well-balanced and have a strong reputation for reliability and consistently becoming stronger as the woods open up over time. The CW models in this series feature Adirondack tops, larger sound holes, and other specs especially coveted by bluegrass flat pickers for their volume and responsiveness. The Collings OM series guitars tend to be lively, balanced, and lyrical. These guitars are hugely popular amongst fingerstyle players for their dynamic sensitivity, size, and playability. One of the most versatile acoustic guitar designs, Collings OMs can also handle heavy strumming and flat picking easily when the player needs to dig in. The CJ is a fantastic slope-shouldered dreadnought, and the SJ is their incredible small jumbo design. Collings also makes astounding parlor-style 0, 00, 000, and Baby guitars, which are perfect for performance or travel and offered with the same variety of options as the larger lines for true customization of tone and appearance. Rounding out Collings’ acoustic lines is the C10, which is modeled after a parlor guitar but with a design concept that makes it a favorite of electric players.

Collings is ahead of the pack in the acoustic guitar game, but it certainly does not end there. Their electric guitars are highly regarded amongst players across the entire spectrum of musical traditions. Designed and built with the same knowledge and attention to detail as the flat-tops, Collings electrics are quickly gaining recognition as contending with the best of the best of electric guitars. Hard rockers and country pickers and everyone in between can find a Collings electric to fit their style, from the Les Paul-inspired shapes of the 290, 360, and CL series to the semi-hollow I-35s and SoCo Deluxe models. Collings also offers A and T-style mandolins, as well as concert and tenor ukuleles.

Every Collings instrument has been built with the same standard of craftsmanship and quality that any discerning musician deserves to experience in the tools they select for their musical journey. At Sound Pure, we believe that the tools you equip yourself with can either enhance or hinder you on your journey, so we make it our job to research and choose what we find to be the very best instruments for our clients. We are confident that any Collings guitar that leaves the shop will meet their standards, as well as ours. If you find that we do not currently have the exact specs you need we are happy to make custom orders for our customers to build their own dream guitar.