NEW ARRIVAL Collings have been considered one of the best modern guitar builders for quite a while now. In 2015 they decided to branch out with another brand name, to recreate probably the most famous guitar in blues history – the Kalamazoo KG14. Gibson were based in Kalamazoo, Michigan, which is where they took the name from – and Collings are based in Austin Texas, which was previously known as Waterloo, so they’ve borrowed the idea. Built using lightweight materials and supported by thinly carved braces, this guitar has been built with maximum responsiveness in mind. It has a minimal lacquer finish, and the resulting tone is dry, woody and clear with just the right level of complexity in the overtones. Obviously the build quality and playability are excellent, but the look, feel and vibe are great too – it’s punchy with lots of attack and a real snap to the tone. Also it’s X braced, something the original Kalamazoos weren’t, so it isn’t just a blues machine, the added sustain means it works very well with all types of fingerstyle and flat picking. Altogether it’s a surprisingly good guitar, a very enjoyable playing experience, and a very cool nod to the past. The guitar comes in its original Waterloo embossed hard case.
