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Post by millring on Nov 24, 2014 22:21:46 GMT -5
From Collings:
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Post by Marshall on Nov 25, 2014 0:01:15 GMT -5
There's a healthy discussion or two on them over on the Acoustic Guitar Forum. (You know, they actually talk about guitars). Anyway, the Collings look great. Nice price point. That's part of the "Waterloo" name idea. They're copying what Gibson did with "Kalamazoo" in the Depression. That is to say, an economy line of guitars named after the town of manufacture. Apparently Austin was first called Waterloo.
They are making both a ladder braced and an X-braced model. I suspect that is the X-braced model. Pretty much a copy of an old Kalamazoo KG-14. They do seem pretty cool. The scale is 24.75, so they are keeping true on that. I think the neck width is 1 3/4. One model comes with an adjustable truss rod. The other has a non-adjustable T-bar. But the neck is also a copy of a triangular neck like the old Kalamazoos, but the originals needed the thick neck profile because they had no neck reinforcement. But the Collings don't need the triangle profile because of their neck reinforcement. So, if one fell in your hands, and you didn't like the big thick triangle neck, you could have a talented craftsman, reshape the neck a little. (Marty?). That's effectively what I had done with my old Kalamazoo. I had Jim Worland pop the finger board; install a truss rod; reinstall the fingerboard; and reshape the neck. . . . , but I digress.
I think these are going to be very popular.
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Post by epaul on Nov 25, 2014 0:09:58 GMT -5
That is a loud recording. Loud enough for three guitars. I had to turn my speakers down.
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Post by Marshall on Nov 25, 2014 0:30:14 GMT -5
I don't like the direction of the firestripe. I prefer the fire stripe to parallel the strumming stroke.
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Post by millring on Nov 25, 2014 13:14:56 GMT -5
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Post by epaul on Nov 25, 2014 13:36:33 GMT -5
I'm getting the ladder braced version.
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Post by millring on Nov 25, 2014 13:40:19 GMT -5
I'm getting the ladder braced version. This Harmony is making a believe of me that ladder bracing gives a distinct articulation to the strings. Hard to describe, and I won't resort to "toasted" anythings. But it's a sort of crystalline separation of strings. (I think it's because it doesn't sustain as long with ladder bracing. That makes it really articulate fingerpicking, and the overall lack of sustain make it dandy for vocal accompaniment -- the voice isn't competing as hard with the strings.) |
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Post by Marshall on Nov 25, 2014 15:21:34 GMT -5
Yeah. Kali, my Kalamazoo is a ladder braced instrument. There's something sharper (harsher? distinctive?) about the sound of a ladder braced guitar; more nasally, more earthy; more punctuation, I like to say. Not as mellow as an X-braced guitar. More sassy.
That's my opinion and I'm sticking to it.
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Post by Marshall on Nov 25, 2014 15:26:50 GMT -5
 The direction a firestripe is supposed to go. (Though Gibson did them both ways way back when). This pick guard I ordered from Greven. At first I was dissappointed it wasn't more stark in its colors. But now I think the simpler pattern looks nice on this guitar. So, I won't go hunting for a replacement. By the Way, the Nick Lucas model was originally an L-00 shape like the Kalamazoo KG-14 (and now the Collings). It is just a 1/2" thicker body, supposedly for more bass response. (You can hear it best when you drink the kool-aide). Mine is X-braced. |
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Post by millring on Nov 26, 2014 12:25:14 GMT -5
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Post by millring on Nov 26, 2014 12:28:03 GMT -5
You were Kalamazoo when Kalamazoo wasn't cool. I think Bill Collings should pay you a royalty on ever Waterloo that sells. |
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Post by PaulKay on Nov 26, 2014 12:34:41 GMT -5
For my style of playing X-bracing still wins for me. By the way, the Martin retro 00028VS-1935 that I have also has that vintage V-neck even though it has a truss rod. And I can say it took quite a while to get used to it. The fatter neck actually caused some hand pain for a while from playing it. I haven't noticed that problem in a while since. But before I'd buy another guitar that had that kind of neck I'd want to spend some time playing it first.  |
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Post by billhammond on Nov 26, 2014 12:37:44 GMT -5
I used to have a guitar that sounded just like that -- called it Black & Tan. Remember that, Alan? |
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Post by millring on Nov 26, 2014 12:38:50 GMT -5
I used to have a guitar that sounded just like that -- called it Black & Tan. Remember that, Alan? Is that the one I played in Iowa? |
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Post by billhammond on Nov 26, 2014 12:41:55 GMT -5
I used to have a guitar that sounded just like that -- called it Black & Tan. Remember that, Alan? Is that the one I played in Iowa? Probably -- Marty may have a photo of it somewhere, very distinctive looking with its black lacquer top but natural spruce peeking out around the sound hole. |
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Post by epaul on Nov 26, 2014 12:42:45 GMT -5
I used to have a black and tan coonhound. That sucker could howl!
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Post by millring on Nov 26, 2014 13:02:37 GMT -5
I used to have a black and tan coonhound. That sucker could howl! American made. |
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Post by patrick on Nov 26, 2014 13:03:38 GMT -5
Yeah. Kali, my Kalamazoo is a ladder braced instrument. There's something sharper (harsher? distinctive?) about the sound of a ladder braced guitar; more nasally, more earthy; more punctuation, I like to say. Not as mellow as an X-braced guitar. More sassy. That's my opinion and I'm sticking to it. Interesting discussion. I just got a Cromwell tenor guitar. Cromwell was another "house" brand made by Gibson in the same factory as Kalamazoo. But where Kalamazoo was marketed as "Kalamazoo by Gibson," Cromwell was marketed as "Made by Craftsmen." Few tenors were made and that was around 1936, 1937. Looks like this:  Yeah, it has a more punchy tone than my other guitars. |
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Post by epaul on Nov 26, 2014 13:23:00 GMT -5
I haven't played a Craftsman guitar, but I own several of their wrenches, and they are fine wrenches, and if one breaks in the line of duty, Sears will replace it for free. I like their shop vacuums, too. I think they have a better tone than either Shop Vac or Ridgid. I think they are right up there with Fein, and are a much better bang for the buck.
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Post by millring on Nov 26, 2014 13:47:57 GMT -5
 My friend, Joe, scored these within a half year of each other (shot in Jim's shop) |
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