One of the benefits of owning a Waterloo guitar built by Collings Guitars, Inc. (“Collings”) is a limited ten year,
Although the Waterloo limited warranty is valid for ten years to the original owner, there are a few reasonable restrictions of which you should be aware.
This Waterloo instrument is warranted to be free of defects in materials and workmanship, to the original purchaser for the warranty period. This limited warranty constitutes the entire warranty of Waterloo by Collings. No representation or warranty by any salesperson, dealer, agent, representative or employee shall be binding upon Collings other than as expressly set forth herein.
This warranty does not cover the following: (i) wear and tear from normal use; (ii) any damage that is the result of misuse, abuse, or unauthorized modifications; (iii) damages from unauthorized or self-made repairs, improper maintenance, accidents, exposure to adverse temperature and/or humidity, and other careless action, which by its nature results in damage to the instrument; or (iv) components (e.g. tuning machines, cases, etc.) not manufactured by Collings.
This warranty is strictly limited to repair or replacement of the instrument found, under this warranty, to be defective upon examination by, and at the sole discretion of Collings. In no event shall Collings be liable for any indirect, incidental or consequential damages.
The intent of Waterloo guitars is to provide instruments that are fun to play and sound great, but also to pay homage to guitars that were built a specific way at a specific time in America’s history. The very lightweight nature of some of these models makes them more susceptible to damage and to changes in temperature and humidity than other new guitars may be. They could require a little more care with handling. The thin semi-gloss nitrocellulose finish, and adherence to a more period appropriate approach to applying it, lends itself to imperfections. These imperfections, variations in the wood, color or finish are not covered under this warranty. Also, as with any finish, cracking or checking can occur due to adverse atmospheric conditions. The resulting cracking or checking is not covered under this warranty.
Shipping and insurance charges to and from the factory for authorized repairs are the responsibility of the owner. Although we take great care in shipping any instrument, we are not responsible for any damage that occurs during shipping to or from Collings’ factory.
THIS WARRANTY IS THE SOLE WARRANTY OF COLLINGS AND IS GIVEN IN LIEU OF ALL OTHER WARRANTIES, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF FITNESS FOR PURPOSE AND MERCHANTABILITY.
Please contact Collings directly to obtain a repair authorization number. Once that number has been issued, please send the instrument to Collings along with your proof of original ownership (such as a copy of the sales invoice, receipt or credit card receipt), a detailed description of your claim and the name, address, and phone number of the original purchaser to whom the instrument is to be returned. Collings will review the claim and make any necessary repairs covered under this warranty.
Solid wood instruments and their finishes are affected by temperature and humidity. They shrink and swell as their environment changes; which is why we maintain our shop at 49% relative humidity and 73 degrees. Necks, tops, backs, sides, fretboards, and all instrument woods take on and give off moisture. Exposure to low humidity can shrink wood, “pop” lacquer and cause acoustic guitars to crack. There are tell-tale signs to watch for before this happens, e.g., string action dropping, tops sinking, fret ends protruding, joints separating, grain sinking, etc. A dry or sunken top can also put stress on the sides of an acoustic guitar. Top or back seams on acoustic guitars can separate due to dryness. High humidity can cause instruments to swell, causing binding separations, splitting joints, etc. These types of damage are not covered by this warranty.
Please keep your instrument in its case and use a soundhole humidifier when necessary for acoustic guitars and; especially if you live in dry areas or cold weather regions when indoor heat is required. Please follow the instructions on whatever humidifier you choose and beware of over-humidification. Most mountain states have dry climates, but even areas near the beach in southern California can have days with single digit humidity. An apartment building in New York City can likewise be damaging without the proper care. A small digital hygrometer, placed in the room with your instrument, will help you monitor the climatic conditions to which your instrument is exposed. A room humidifier might help in some areas. Conditions with a relative humidity below 40% or above 60% can cause stress to a Waterloo instrument.
Always store your Waterloo instrument in its hard-shell case. Be sure to remove any accessories that might damage the instrument through prolonged contact, i.e. capos or anything made of vinyl or plastic. Avoid the rubber padding on some stands and chemicals in products such as insect repellant, sunscreen, deodorant, and perfume, which will cause damage to the finish. Even the dyes used in some leather straps may “bleed” into the finish of your instrument.
Please remove any pickup battery before shipping your Waterloo guitar.
Never use heavy gauge strings on your instrument. We recommend medium gauge strings (.013 - .056) on WL-JK models. Light gauge strings (.012 - .053) are required on WL-14, WL-12 and WL-S models. For WL-K models, we recommend custom light gauge strings (.011-.052), though a .012 may be substituted for the high E string.
Please note that the finish on Waterloos guitars should not be buffed or polished, though gently wiping the surface with a dry micro-fiber cloth can remove fingerprints.
If you have any questions at all about the care and/or repair of your Waterloo instrument, please don't hesitate to contact us. We realize how important this instrument is to you and will do our best to help you resolve any issue that might arise.
Contact Collings Guitars, Inc.
customerservice@collingsguitars.com (general inquiries)
repairs@collingsguitars.com (repair inquiries)
PH: (512)288-7776 FAX: (512)288-6045
11210 W. Hwy 290, Bldg C.
Austin, TX 78737-1913