Collings, Waterloo, and Orangewood. Not 3 birds of a feather.

A tone comparison of 3 smaller bodied guitars. From a playability standpoint, all are friendly, but maybe not on equal footing when it comes to tone (or price). Cheers!

[@taftt3]

Both Collings guitars are obviously very nice, warm and smooth sounding. The Orangewood is more boxy by sounding but for the price a good little guitar.

[@snoozedoctor]

It's a good value and one I wouldn't feel bad about taking in the car somewhere. Boxy is an apt description. I don't like it strummed, but finger style it's not too bad.

[@marguit71]

Great video Mark..... I have always loved your Collings OM3 and I was quite impressed with the Waterloo. I bought an Orangewood for my grandson a couple of years ago and was pretty impressed with it for the price. There's obviously a huge price difference in the these three guitars and the bigger body of the OM3 over the parlor guitars also provides for a much deeper and richer sound. I have '70 D-28 that I bought new in 1971 and in 2016 I bought a 2001 OM-42 that has become my favorite guitar due to the OM body style. I find it much easier to play over the larger dead body style of the D-28 and it lends itself better to my style of playing. Thanks for doing this video..... always enjoy your music.

[@snoozedoctor]

Thanks so much! Yeah, the larger the body, the more bass response but having a 12 fret somewhat offsets that. My Huss and Dalton 00 is a beast. I'm sure that OM42 is sweet! When I pick up my dreadnought now it just feels like a whale. Orangewoods are terrific beginner guitars. They play really nice, especially if you set them up a bit more, for the price point.

[@mulberrywood4529]

The OM3 sounds very full and warm and I like the Waterloo, too. But I needed someone who can play like snoozedoctor if I had one of this both guitars. - So I go on scrubbling on my little old spanish guitar for now. However: Thank You for this informative and interesting Video!

[@snoozedoctor]

Thanks for the kind words. I play the Waterloo more and more and you'll see it in some of my more recent videos. I cut my teeth on a Yamaha nylon string classical, learning all the basic open chords. Went to rock n roll world the next year and then full acoustic 2 years after that. Glad you liked the video!

[@leftypick4854]

E minor on my acoustic guitar. One strum. Let it ring. It is a battled one. Sounds so great, even to a bunch of other guys.

[@johnadamson9643]

I loved the OM3 but I thought it gave to many over tones for over the hill and far away,and I preferred the Waterloo for thick as a brick.Thanks for setting that up I have always thought an OM guitar was right for every song but I was wrong.

[@snoozedoctor]

If you've seen my video covering side one of TAAB I used the Waterloo. I prefer it on the Tull material too. No guitar is right for every situation. I still think strummers should get a dreadnought, but that's my opinion. I just like their strummed sound better. For finger style guitar, without a pick, I like the smaller bodies because they're more balanced. But, if I'm putting an acoustic guitar in a full mix, like a band, I"m going to EQ the heck out of it so it ends up sounding more like the Florence. The overtones of guitars that sound better when played solo get in the way of the bass, drums, and vocals of a mix. Cheers!

[@maggieo]

I'm biased, since I own a WL12! I love that guitar so damn much. The Orangwood surprised me with how great it sounded. Surprisingly beefy, I thought.

[@snoozedoctor]

I'm with you. The WL12 is special. I'm playing it more and more.

[@bkirn5859]

Man that Collings was warm but I tend to agree with johnadamson that the overtones were a bit too much at times. That Waterloo sounded great! And the orange wood not bad for the money. I love these smaller bodied guitars. I play a Martin om28v and it is all the acoustic I need. (Though I have others 😂)

[@Big.E]

Liked em all, but the Waterloo stood out

[@snoozedoctor]

I'm playing it more and more!

[@snoozedoctor]

The Collings was my main axe until the last few years. I'm playing the Waterloo more and more!

[@taab7]

Nice video Doc, but you neglected to indicate whether or not all the guitars were strung with the same brand and gauge and age of strings - all of which have a profound effect on tonality. Overall, I think your om3 had the best sounding tone because it sounded the most balanced of the three. The parlour sounded way too honky and the Waterloo too muddy when strummed, but they all sounded good when picked.

[@snoozedoctor]

Yep, you're right I forgot that. Meant to. All were strung with brand new Elixirs. I prefer regular light gauge, 12s, but all I had were 11s, so quite light. I ordered some more 12s. The Orangewood is just grating to me strummed so I never strum it.

[@snoozedoctor]

If I'm doing a pure finger style piece, I use the OM3 or my Martin OMC Aura. I'll compare those shortly.

[@redsky1433]

Waterloo sounded the best!

[@snoozedoctor]

It's a great guitar! Love playing it.

[@matthammers5639]

Hi Doc. Matt from Santa Cruz. Thanks for the new post. Well I would have to say that Collings definitely wins! Great mic job. So many you tube guitar comparisons are not discernible. I have a 1970 Martin D28. . Rosewood back and spruce top on the D28. I Just bought a 2013 D18 with mahogany back and spruce top . I seem to be enjoying the newer D18 more so. Ive been playing in a low C tuning and when i''m in the zone the sounds are so colorful. I am eying a smaller bodied martin 00018. I believe Ian Anderson plays the smaller bodied guitars. I want to try to play all the Tull songs you have taught me on a smaller guitar. I go to the beach and don't really like to leave my nicer guitars in my vehicle --heat,cold, theft. Thinking about an Orange wood . Ive had my eye on a cutaway around 4-$500.00. Or maybe getting something on Craigslist in that range. Thanks for your previous videos comparing guitars. Hope you had had some nice travels. ✌

[@snoozedoctor]

Thanks Matt. I played with a buddy back in college days who had a D18, I don't know what year but I'm guessing 40s or 50s, and it was a magnificent sounding guitar. I was borrowing a friend's Ovation to play with him at the time and it was almost embarrassing to play that thing in the presence of the Martin. Yes, Ian started playing smaller bodies on TAAB where he used a Martin 00-21 New Yorker, a guitar similar in size to a parlor. You should see the guitar he plays now, it's custom built but it's tiny. I traveled with a Baby Taylor and I thought that was a great guitar for the money. I have a RainSong parlor, but it was expensive and I don't fancy traveling with it. I have the Orangewood Mason, a cutaway. It sounds much better than the Florence here and didn't break the bank. Cheers!