These guitars are born in Uganda on the banks of the Nile and finished by hand in Pennsylvania. Every guitar is one-of-a-kind, and built to be played by a world-class musician.
The Nile pours out of Lake Victoria as a river ready to take on the world. It’s a land where the music still plays at 3 AM and the dancing never stops before the sun comes up. It’s a place where real hardship is faced with resilience and creativity. It’s a land where anything feels possible.
Uganda has some of the most incredible natural resources in the world, and fantastic people. We bring these strengths together and producing some of the best instruments on the market. When you play one of these guitars, we hope you feel the power of the Nile and the beauty of Uganda. We hope you feel connected to the lives you’ve changed.
The wood: We start with wood that a part of life and culture in Uganda. Mvule and mugavu are hardwoods that are related to mahogany but are bit more dense. These woods give the guitars great sustain and a rich complex sound with just a hint of brightness. We work with salvaged pieces so as to not contribute to deforestation in any way. Each piece of timber has been carefully sourced by our team in Uganda. 
The wiring: Each instrument is hand wired for a broad range of tone. Starting with two humbucker pickups, each neck pickup is wired with a coil cut, giving you the choice between the fullness and warmth of a humbucker or the clarity and chime of a single coil. We use push/pull pots for a good clean look and simple operation.
We are always open to customizing and putting in your favorite pickup combination.
The neck: We’ve gone for classic tonewoods on the neck, opting for maple and rosewood.
The bridge: Each string is independently adjustable up and down as well as side to side. Each guitar is professionally set up before delivery, but you can choose how to set the action to suit your own unique style. 
The shape: Rock solid woods carved to a flowing smoothness. It’s a single cutaway design inspired by a massive rapid in the river called Nile Special. Unless otherwise noted, each body is carved from one solid piece of wood. We highlight the character of each piece, polishing the marks from chainsaw teeth instead of hiding them, inlaying knotholes with turquoise to make them stand out.
The impact: Your purchase of a Nile guitar funds a project that is benefiting the communities and ecosystems on the banks of the Nile in Uganda. Right now it will pay for one class in a fisherman’s journey through medical school. Check out projects to learn more.
We are currently taking orders! Get in touch to get all the details and start the process.
Waterway Guitars 