The 2019 Waterloo by Collings WL-14X is a tribute to the golden age of American small-body guitars, designed with an authenticity that feels instantly familiar and a liveliness that only Collings can coax from such a lightweight build. Finished in a warm vintage-style sunburst and tipping the scales at just 3 lbs 8 oz, this WL-14X is featherlight, highly resonant, and wonderfully responsive in the hands.

Its solid spruce top and solid mahogany back and sides deliver that classic, woody, old-time voice these guitars are celebrated for. The tone is dry, punchy, and immediate, yet capable of surprising warmth and bloom. X-bracing adds a bit more fullness and versatility compared to its ladder-braced siblings, making it an ideal companion for fingerstyle blues, ragtime, or chord-driven roots work.

The aesthetics are pure Depression-era charm. Ivoroid binding frames the top and soundhole, a tiger stripe celluloid pickguard completes the vintage look, and the stenciled Waterloo headstock logo keeps the instrument true to its inspiration. Golden Age Restoration tuners not only look the part but function with smooth precision. A semi-gloss nitrocellulose finish enhances both the vintage feel and the natural resonance of the build.

Playability is shaped by a prominent V-shaped mahogany neck, a 12-inch fingerboard radius, medium nickel-silver fret wire, and a comfortable 24 7/8-inch scale length. The ebony bridge, 2 3/8-inch string spacing, 1 3/4-inch ebony nut, and bone drop-in saddle offer a tactile, traditional feel, while the adjustable truss rod provides modern practicality.

This example is in excellent used condition and includes its hard shell case. It also comes upgraded with a professionally installed K&K Pure Mini pickup, making it stage-ready without compromising its old-world acoustic character.

A lively, soulful guitar with both history and heart in its voice, this WL-14X is Waterloo at its finest.