Sound Pure's Take

Another delightful dive into yesteryear from Waterloo! It should come as no surprise that many of the hallmarks of modern acoustic guitar construction owe their origin to the resourceful luthiers of the early 19th century, whose constant pursuit of projection, resonance, and clarity in their designs led to what we today regard as classics. The ancestor of the WL-JK came about to provide performers of the day with an instrument that checks all three of those magic boxes. The original Jumbo Kings from Regal haven't caused quite the stir in the modern guitar scene as something like the L-00, but the folks at Waterloo have furnished us with a much needed lesson in that somewhat forgotten star of the early 1940s.  Spend just a few minutes with the WL-JK and you'll wonder how you went so long without a guitar like this! 5" body depth and a full scale length? You better believe this thing is loud--like a burlier J-45! A bit of a cinch to the waist and overall extremely lightweight construction ensure the note-to-note articulation valued by both ragtime fingerpickers and Carter flatpicking enthusiasts alike.  And as for the singer/songwriter act with a mind toward Americana of all colors, you just can't do much better in terms of presence and price. Whether you're leading the band into the first wide-open number of the night or bringing it home solo with a ballad that's sure to make 'em call for just one more, with this tower of tone in your hands, you'll never have to worry about giving your audience--and you!--something to remember!

From Collings Guitars

Full-bodied in both tone and stature, the aptly nicknamed "Jumbo King” is the largest size offering in the Waterloo line and a modern day tribute to jumbo-sized guitars of the early 1940s. Originally manufactured by Regal for the mail-order enterprise Montgomery Ward, this slope-shoulder body size was designed to provide performers of the era with enough volume and power for professional radio work. The WL-JK accomplishes this and more by employing a full five-inch body depth and a slightly narrow waist to enhance both the bass and treble response.

The WL-JK is available in a minimally appointed “standard” version as well as a “deluxe” version featuring added bindings, true-to-era "valve cover" tuners, and a full-body sunburst finish. Both models utilize vintage inspired x-bracing and prominent v-shaped necks with fully adjustable truss rods.

2016

Serial Number
WL892
Model
WL-JK
Top
Solid Spruce
Back/Sides
Solid Mahogany
Bracing
Vintage-inspired X-bracing
Color
Vintage-style Sunburst
Binding
Ivoroid Bound Top
Bridge
Ebony with 2 3/8" Spacing
Bridge Pins
Ebony
Saddle
Bone Drop-in
Pickguard
Tortoise Celluloid
Body Finish
Semi-gloss Nitrocellulose Lacquer finish
Neck
Solid Mahogany
Fingerboard
Indian Rosewood
Nut
1 3/4" Ebony Nut
Neck Support
Adjustable Truss Rod
Fingerboard Inlays
6mm Acrylic Dots
Neck Profile
Moderate "V" Shape
Logo
Stenciled Waterloo / Jumbo King
Scale Length
25 1/2"
Fret Wire
Medium 18% Nickel-silver
Tuners
Golden Age Restoration w/ Ebony Buttons
Body Width
15 3/4"
Body Length
19 1/2"
Body Depth
5"
Scale Length
25 1/2"
Nut Width
1 3/4"
Saddle Spacing
2 3/8"

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Sound Pure Studios Control Room A — Durham, NC

Sound Pure Studios · Durham, NC

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