Avalon Guitars???

[fletch]

I'm looking for a great guitar for solo-acoustic shows.  I have never played an avalon but I think they are beautiful from their promotional materials.

Can Anyone tell me about the Avalon Guitars:  Sound, playability, prices, etc.....

Where could I look/play some of these any ideas.

[mnewton]

I'm looking for a great guitar for solo-acoustic shows.  I have never played an avalon but I think they are beautiful from their promotional materials.

Can Anyone tell me about the Avalon Guitars:  Sound, playability, prices, etc.....

Where could I look/play some of these any ideas.

Welcome to the forum!

Every Avalon that I have heard sound great, but I have never played one.

Where are do you live?

[orsino]

See my post on the Avalons I played in Singapore. I would most DEFINITELY love to own one someday.
http://www.larriveeforum.com/forums/index....t=ST&f=3&t=2111

[SR]

On the AGF there's a fellow by the name of Jim Tozier
that plays Avalon Guitars here is his website

http://jimtozier.tripod.com/JT/news.html

[jwieties]

I had the opportunity to play a handful of Avalons today.  They are very fine instruments but I felt a bit over priced.  From what I understand the silver and maybe gold series are made in Asia.  The gold series are nearly as expensive as what you can still get a Lowden for.  The upper level Avalon that compare to the original Lowden, as far as tone and build, are very expensive.  I would recommend to anyone interested in Avalon to go out and get a Lowden while you can still find them around.  
-josh

[orsino]

On the AGF there's a fellow by the name of Jim Tozier
that plays Avalon Guitars here is his website

http://jimtozier.tripod.com/JT/news.html

And Jim is a super person and player too. He's actually an Avalon "spokesperson" (I think that's the moniker) too. His CD "Castlerea" is a great buy!
I'm proud to say that Jim also hangs out over on the Celtic forum I moderate.
http://www.celticguitartalk.com

[willnorvell]

There's an interesting story about how Lowden and Avalon are realted here:

http://www.georgelowden.com/news.php?actio...n=fullnews&id=4

Kinda shady stuff...

[Fergy07]

Is it true the Silver and Gold series are produced in the East? I hadn't heard that before, I thought they were made in Ireland. Strange.

Andy

[fitness1]

On the AGF there's a fellow by the name of Jim Tozier
that plays Avalon Guitars here is his website

http://jimtozier.tripod.com/JT/news.html

And Jim is a super person and player too. He's actually an Avalon "spokesperson" (I think that's the moniker) too. His CD "Castlerea" is a great buy!
I'm proud to say that Jim also hangs out over on the Celtic forum I moderate.
http://www.celticguitartalk.com

ditto that....Jim and I have traded a few instruments over the years...his playing has really transformed....the recording quality on his CD is great and he is in the studio currently doing two new ones.....He is also a spokesperson for K&K pickups  

[Jim Tozier]

They are very fine instruments but I felt a bit over priced.  From what I understand the silver and maybe gold series are made in Asia.  The gold series are nearly as expensive as what you can still get a Lowden for. 

I hope I can clear up some misconceptions.  The Avalon Silver series guitars are indeed imported from Asia, and the quality of these (and other higher-end Asian made guitars) is surprisingly good.  A lot of guitar for the money.  

The Gold series guitars, however, are made in Ireland.  

Personally, I am surprised to see the comment that Avalons were "overpriced."  The Gold series guitars, for example, are every bit as nice as the Taylors I've owned (and I've had quite a few), and cost a few hundred dollars less than their Taylor equivalent.  In my opinion, the Gold series guitars--along with many of the Larrivees--are among the best values out there.  

Perhaps the shop where Josh played the Avalons had a different markup on their Avalons (or had clearance prices on the Lowdens), but there should be a significant difference between the cost of the Gold series and the Lowdens.  If anyone is interested, I'll be happy to discuss pricing on the Avalons via e-mail: jim@jimtozier.com.  As Todd (fitness1) pointed out, however, I'll be in the recording studio all next week, and won't have regular e-mail access until I return--so please be patient if you don't get a response immediately.

I played Taylors for years, and have also owned a few Lowdens, and I think the Avalon Gold series guitars sound and feel very much like a hybrid of the two.  They have gloss finishes and easy playing necks, which still having the airy European tone and the classy understated aesthetics.  (I love the wood bindings and rosettes!)  I currently own four of the Gold series guitars (A101, A101ce, A201ce, and S201--you can check out pics on my website), and think that they are absolutely wonderful fingerstyle instruments.  

P.S.  Thanks guys, for the nice comments!   :D

[jwieties]

Hey Jim - Thanks for the info.  The last thing I want to do is give anyone the wrong idea.

I had only spent 10-15 minutes with the Avalons and I think that I had the impression that these were going to be Lowdens with a different name.  As you said that is certainly not the case.  I really like some of the changes they made such as the new bridge (never was a big fan of pinless bridges).  My thoughts about Avalons being a little prices was really only based on the neck.  One would have to get a very expensive legacy to get a 5 piece neck that was available on a  more moderately priced Lowdens.  This may not really be a fair assessment of value because you can get guitars that are thousands more than the Avalon that have 1 piece necks.

Well I may have to take a closer look at the Gold series.  They are beautiful.  I particularly like the "s" with cedar top.  One thing is for sure, Jim can sure make those Avalons sing.  Have fun in the studio next week.
-josh

[Jim Tozier]

. . . I had the impression that these were going to be Lowdens with a different name.  

Well, to an extent this is true of the Legacy line of Avalons, which look very much like Lowdens with a different headstock.  There are some structural and tonal differences, of course, but the idea was to pay tribute to the legacy of Lowden guitars--which the luthiers at Avalon had been building for some time.  

[FNG]

Hey Jim!  

Gang, take a look at Jim's website, he is a very accomplished guitarist, and his CDs are worth a look.