Anyone played, own a new Lowden?

[poki]

i'd like to hear any opinions, impressions about the current George Lowden guitars (not Avalon).  i've never heard one before but they are said to have different tonal qualities to them compared to the original lowdens and are better built.  i was most interested in their short scale models.
thanks

[Peter Cree]

I've played a number of them and like all George's guitars, are excellent.  The no-pin bridge and further advances with bracing create a very good guitar for the fingerstylist.  And others.

[poki]

Thanks Pete, i'm going to seriously consider a new model lowden.  maybe an S-35.

[Peter Cree]

Poki,

Whats your style?  What combo of materials are you after?   I've got a buddy in England who makes customs in the Sobell style which is the Lowden style.  His prices are good and I think he does some great designs.  I've got two of his and wow they're really great guitars for fingerstle.

It's the same design style.  I'd personally chose Davids over Lowdens.  Lowdens are excellent though.  You can't go too wrong.

[Guvnor]

Peter, the guitars made by your friend sound interesting.  Does he have a web-site or how can one get in touch with him?

Thanks,
-MS

[Peter Cree]

Yes, Guv and Poki and all,

His name is David White of Bucks England.  His site is www.defaoiteguitars.com

I've got a Baritone ,29" scale in Cuban mahog and italian spruce.  Fantastic guitar, called the Treebeard.  Also the Nancy which is EIR/Spruce with a 16 fret to the body neck.  deep O sized body.  Another excellent guitar.

Good prices too.   AND he's a terriffic person.

[Denis]

Yes, Guv and Poki and all,

His name is David White of Bucks England.  His site is www.defaoiteguitars.com

I've got a Baritone ,29" scale in Cuban mahog and italian spruce.  Fantastic guitar, called the Treebeard.  Also the Nancy which is EIR/Spruce with a 16 fret to the body neck.  deep O sized body.  Another excellent guitar.

Good prices too.   AND he's a terriffic person.

That little guitar, the Toby, looks very cool!

[poki]

thanks for the info Pete, i prefer fingerstyle myself.  David has some interesting designs.  i like the idea of not using string pins in the design that his and lowdens feature. 

[Peter Cree]

It's all in the physics.   A spread out saddle on a good top thats arched.  Sobell.

The Lowdens are excellent though but try each one.  Each one is different.

[Auld Reekie]

Anyone thinking of a Lowden should check out  McIlroy Musical Instruments. These guitars are made by Dermot McIlroy, a former Lowden production manager and they blow any Lowden into touch, similar to Lowdens, but more bite and superbly made. 

[naboz]

This is not good for my GAS!!  :POL>
I have been enamoured of the "Celtic" sound and wanting to make it mine, and both McIlroy and Lowden are the ones that hit the mark.  Too bad they are a step up in the price dept.
Peter, deFaoite are also lovely, but I have never had the privilage of playing one--have had his site bookmarked for some time though!

[CF Larrivee]

I own two Lowdens, an O-35 Amazaque ( same wood Taylor calls ovangkol ) and an S-25 Jazz. The O-35 I use almost exclusively in altered tunings. It just seems to have been born for Celtic style. The tone is jangly and complex, kinda like the Rickenbacker of acoustics to my ears. The S-25 J is a hybrid nylon string guitar that is just super fun to play, particularly when amplified. Bought both guitars back in the late 90's and have the only other Lowden I have played  is a friend of mine's F-32-C  made around 2000. Have never touched any other Lowdens. So, sorry to say that I can't comment on any newer stuff. Lowden does have a forum you can join through Yahoo. Have never seen a McIlroy either, but I can't imagine the workmanship to be any better because my two Lowdens appear to be flawlessly built, and I don't use that term lightly.

[davidmacneill]

I saw some new Lowdens in my regular acoustic shop and was shocked at the high prices. Does anyone know what knd of dicsount from list price one can typically get on current Lowdens? I know the company went through some major changes recently, so older discount percentages probably don't count anymore.

[dulope]

I have a 1991 Lowden SE-1 (Mahogany) - Lowdens are different that what you may be use to playing - With the pinless bridge, split saddle and George's bracing system they are definitely unique in construction - No gloss finish makes it look plain and no fret markers on the fingerboard give it an austere quality - Not better or worse ... different

It is one of the easiest fretting necks I've ever played - The action is first class - Mickey Baker chords almost fall into place - Sometimes I swear it plays it self

The sound is truly unique - Not like any other guitar I've had - A tone all it's own - It can break up a little when using a pick but for fingerpicking (I use only finger pads) it has a wide dynamic range - Guitars get all kinds of descriptive adjectives - woody, chimming, jangly, lush, fundamental - If I had to pick one for my Lowden I would say ...... musical - Couldn't hurt to try one out

Here's a little history in case you are looking to buy used - You've got to be careful as the Lowden company has been through a lot of changes - The true Lowdens are remarkable but some of the clones are .... well a lot less than remarkable - The early 1990 Lowdens can be a real bargin

1980 to 1985 made in Japan
1986 to 1988 Ireland factory
1989 to 1989 in France
1990 to 1998 back in Ireland
1999 sold interest in the company
2002 ........... introduced the redesigned "S" guitar
2005 regained controll of the company

Good Luck

[ronmac]

To further complicate all of this, George continued to build guitars privately throughout all of the permutations of his corporate (non)involvement in Lowden.

This is the stuff that drives Historians and Archivists crazy!

[primitive]

I borrowed a friend of mine's S-10 (probably circa 2000) this weekend.

I was amazed at the balance, particularly the very warm low end... given it was a small bodies guitar with Mahogany back and sides.  What impressed me more than even the sound is what I would describe as the response of the guitar.  The guitar just seemed more alive.  I have since been told it is due to the pinless bridge and to a lesser extent the cedar top.   I didn't want to believe it, as I'm very cynical about the way people describe guitars, but I had to finally concede.  This was an awesome instrument.

My question for the group, if the pinless bridge really did have that impact, why aren't more guitars built this way?

[saffron_boots]

The guitar just seemed more alive.  I have since been told it is due to the pinless bridge and to a lesser extent the cedar top.   I didn't want to believe it, as I'm very cynical about the way people describe guitars, but I had to finally concede.  This was an awesome instrument.

My question for the group, if the pinless bridge really did have that impact, why aren't more guitars built this way?

I've never heard this explanation before. I'd like to know more about what you meant by "alive". I would have thought that the small body size, Lowden's bracing pattern, and mahogany b/s would have explained your experience.

Pinless bridges have a tenuous connection to the soundboard (especially if it's cedar) due to the angles of string tension. i.e. The bridge wants to pull up and shear off in the back. Cedar fibres are particularly weak and are known to fray. I don't know how George gets away with it. Normally, you don't have this problem with pinned bridges because the forces are opposite to each other (string balls pulling up in the holes and strings pushing down on the saddle) neutralizing the strain.

There seems to be slightly less mass with a pinless but I've only considered it an option for its string changing convenience onstage. A friend who does own a few Lowdens prefers his pinned bridge one due to its more immediate sound... He feels it's because there's a stronger string connection to the saddle. Go figure.

[Peter Cree]

The design is based on the instruments of Sobell.  That bridge is not the most convienient and the pulling off problem can happen. 

BUT..........can't argue with sound.  The bridge works and the ability to fine tune the two saddles is brilliant.  intonation is excellent.

that celtic sound .................Davids guitars in any size and shape all have deep bass and beautiful clear highs.  The longer necks make for excellent string tension in low tunings.  I'd put my O sized Nancy up to compare to any Larrivee dread for power with clarity.

David loves to talk to anyone interested in his ideas and their history.  Ask him anything at davetabmaster@aol.com.   I think they far exceed Lowdens' sound.  And his prices are right, very fair for what he puts into them.