For Sale: Lowden O12 - SOLD

[bbrown]

Lowden O12

SOLD

1997 Sitka Spruce/Mahogany

Asking $2500 plus shipping

PRICE DROP: $2300

New set of Bensusan Wyres included. The perfect strings for this guitar.


PayPal, check, or money order

Made in Ireland.
Highlander UST pick-up.
Hiscox case

Scale: 25 1/2" Nut Width: 1 3/4"




I am selling 2 of my 3 dreadnaughts to afford a high end small body guitar. I really hate to part with this wonderful guitar. Lowden guitars are amongst the finest handmade guitars in the world. And they are not so easy to find in the USA. Some of my favourite guitarists, Simon Fox and John Renbourn play the Lowden O12.

I've had my Collings for as long as I've been playing and it's too much a part of me. So this Lowden is offered up for sale. It's a wonderful guitar and lovely for solo work.

I bought this guitar used. It has been well played. There are scratches below the pick guard and a small divot in the body which I highlighted in the photos below. It has always stayed in its case in a room that is humidity and temperature controlled, in a smoke-free home.

This is me playing the guitar.......https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezruo60BCZc

It's a big, lush sound that responds well to a light touch fingerpicked or strummed yet will belt it out when required. I have always found it easy to play with excellent action for fingerstyle. It has a woody, Celtic sound that no other guitar I have played has. Very warm, very smooth, very complex.




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Here are some comments from forum discussions about the O12 that I think are apropos........

1. "This guitar is a living thing, simply perfect in sound, playability and quality. For the price, it's astonishing. If stolen, I'd buy another straight away - and from the ones I tried, it shouldn't take long to find a good one. They don't seem to make any donkeys, or at least they don't let them out into the market."

2. "The action on my guitar was perfect when I bought it, and now almost 10 years on, is still perfect. I have never had to take it to a guitar shop for a set-up or anything. I use gauge 12 strings, sometimes 13s when I fancy a change. The finish on Lowdens is becoming legendary. The smell when you open the case is incredible."

3. This is a very light guitar, but I don't handle it with "kid gloves", these guitars were made to be played. I don't have a second guitar at the moment, so I rely on this one totally, and so far it hasn't let me down.

4. Overall Rating : 10
I've been playing this guitar for over 8 years, and I've got everything I want in a guitar right here. Before buying I played Martins, Gibsons, Takamines and Taylors, but this was the best by far. Don't forget, Lowdens are played by Pierre Bensusan, Adrian Legg, John Renbourn, Tony McManus, Eric Roche etc etc. This many professional guitarists can't be wrong.

5. It is a superb fingerstyle guitar, 1 3/4" bone nut, slimmish C-profile neck.. a GREAT neck. Excellent separation and rich overtone. It's all about detail and complexity with this instrument.

6. Extremely loud and the volume will continue to get louder, the harder you drive it.

7. As aggressive as this guitar can be, it is a gentle beast. It can be sweet, warm and mellow especially when played finger style. It is very responsive to the touch.

8. It is very balanced due to the Lowden bracing system. Extremely powerful in all ranges. A boomy bass, very strong mids and sparkling/loud highs. Lowden guitars are unbeatable, PERIOD!

9. This guitar will sing in both standard and alternate tunings. It is also awesome for chord strumming. I play mainly fingerstyle: true Pierre Bensusan tunes/sounds come out of this guitar!



The Defects.......






Jon Gomm playing his Lowden O12 cutaway....https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmWQXknDE88
http://acousticpickers.blogspot.com/...-jon-gomm.html
You'll be able to pay like this with this guitar



More Technical info:

All soundboard and bracing materials selected from split wood only.
Integral truss-rod which does not compress the neck wood.
Unique neck joint design fully integrated to soundboard bracing for long-term neck angle stability.
Two piece saddle for more accurate tuning.
Satin smooth hand finish of all internal surfaces of sound-box.
Neck Wood: 5 PIece Mahogany
Fretboard: Ebony
Bridge: Rosewood
Bracing: Hand carved internal bracing
Headstock Overlay: Rosewood
Headstock Inlay: Lowden Logo
Tuners: Chrome Sealed
Rosette: Rosewood/Maple/Mahogany/Walnut
Body Binding: Rosewood
Nut Material: Bone
Saddle Material: Two Piece Bone Saddle
Body Depth: 4 15/16"
Lower Bout Width: 16 9/16"
Case: Original Hardshell Case Included


Thanks for looking.

--Bill

[Mark L]

Nice Lowden!

An O12 is likely a Sitka spruce top. Your pics support this, somewhat. Hard to see the grain clearly.

Good luck with the sale. Mark.

[Stevien]

Your Will Ackerman was well played, indeed! You do the Lowden justice! Good luck on your sale, but I think you should keep it!
Steve

[bbrown]

Thank you Mark! The seller was not sure. It just looked so much like Cedar to both of us. Anyway, I did some further research and I think you're right. Corrections made.

[bbrown]

Originally Posted by Stevien

Your Will Ackerman was well played, indeed! You do the Lowden justice! Good luck on your sale, but I think you should keep it!
Steve

Thanks very much Stevian. Well, it is hard to part with it, but I really want to fund a smaller high end guitar that's OM or OOO size. I'm eying the Martin OM-18 GE or Authentic at the moment, and think I will not go wrong there.
I think you'd understand (judging by your collection

[bbrown]

To top - Tuesday

Asking $2,500

[islandguitar]

Good luck with your sale, Bill! What's ahead for your small high end guitar??
Best,
Fred
oops, saw you responded with the Martin comment.......I had an original OM-35 from 2006 that really filled the bill. They are very nice.

[bbrown]

Thanks for the comments Fred.

I looked at a lot of guitars before buying this; it's got magnificent tone and action. I'm just ready now for a smaller guitar but need the cash first.

[bbrown]

To Top

Negotiable on price.

[kiva238]

Bump for the hog Lowden!
Great guitars.

[bbrown]

Thanks Kiva! And this one is special. Amazing tone and real easy to play.

--Bill

[Kerbie]

Good luck with the sale, Bill. Can't wait to hear about the new one when you get it.

[Chedeng88]

Wonderful playing! It's also nice too see someone who's into Masaaki Kishibe too!

Best of luck with the sale!

[bbrown]

Thanks so much for the kind comments.

--Bill

[bbrown]

To Top

Negotiable on price.