Waterloo WL-S DLX

The Waterloo WL-S Deluxe is a beautifully styled ladder-braced guitar inspired by the elegantly decorated Stella guitars of the 1930s. With its cherrywood body, refined acrylic inlays, and warm, dimensional tone, Waterloo delivers an impressive and truly distinctive instrument!

Collings’ Waterloo line brings the charm and character of pre-war American guitars into the present day. The WL-S Deluxe pays tribute to the decorative tradition of budget-friendly yet visually rich guitars from the Great Depression era, when brands like Stella supplied musicians with affordable instruments featuring surprisingly attractive finishes.

All Waterloo guitars are hand-built in Austin, Texas, combining traditional construction methods such as ladder bracing with modern refinements like an adjustable truss rod. The result is a guitar that blends vintage feel and authenticity with contemporary reliability.

The WL-S Deluxe stands out thanks to its cherrywood body, a tonewood known for its exceptional balance and articulation, paired with a warm, nuanced character. The spruce top is finished in a tinted semi-gloss nitrocellulose lacquer that beautifully highlights the subtleties of the ladder bracing.

The guitar features a vintage-correct “Soft-V” neck profile that sits comfortably in the hand, a slotted headstock, and a pyramid bridge with a cut-through saddle. Elegant wooden purfling and custom acrylic floral inlays on the fingerboard give the guitar its distinctive, refined appearance. Supplied in a hardshell case with TFOA passport.