Waterloo WL-K Handpainted Southwest Stencil (354)

$3,600.00

Serial Number:

WL1354
Instrument Weight:

2.94 lbs
Condition:

New

Weighing in at under three pounds, the featherweight WL-K is an exciting new 12-fret addition to the Waterloo line built with maximum responsiveness in mind. Inspired by the elusive instruments manufactured under the sub-brand Kel Kroydon around 1930, which were touted at the time to offer the utmost in vibratory response and the finest tone available, the WL-K is delicately built using lightweight materials and supported by thinly carved braces. When paired with a minimal lacquer finish, the resulting tone is dry and transparent with just the right level of complexity in the overtones, capable of capturing the expressiveness of the player down to the finest nuance.

With a 24 7/8" scale length and moderately sized, oval shaped neck, the WL-K is a fingerstyle player's delight, but this is by no means the extent of the guitar’s versatility. Exceptional clarity and note separation make it well-suited to a variety of other playing styles and a logical choice for singer-songwriters and purveyors of traditional roots music. A carbon fiber T-bar running through the neck provides stability and efficient transfers of energy back into the body, producing a resonance you can feel.

All WL-K models feature carefully selected spruce tops and mahogany back and sides with a light shade top finish, vintage-style cutthrough saddle, and come sans-pickguard. Due to this model's ultra-lightweight construction, we recommend a maximum string gauge of .011" to .052". Hardshell TKL case included.

"During the Great Depression, the budget-minded Kel Kroydon brand offered a limited number of guitars, banjos and mandolins between 1929 and 1931, before they vanished from production. During this period, Kel Kroydon featured three guitar models; the KK-1, KK-2 and KK-3. Sold in J.W. Jenkins Sons Music catalog, these guitars were advertised as being built with "exceptional" materials and marketed as "a truly fine guitar at a moderate price." The modest KK-1 was accompanied by the KK-2, which featured a stencil painted top and the fancier KK-3 with a pearloid fretboard and peghead with orange and black stencil. These guitars weighed less than 3 pounds and compared favorably to much higher priced instruments of the era.

Although information about the brand and what inspired the artwork is sparse, these guitars have become highly sought-after by players and collectors alike, achieving "holy grail" status to many accomplished finger-style players. As a modern day tribute to this unique little slice of guitar history, we are excited to offer our own hand-painted "Southwest" scene on the WL-K model."