NAMM: Announcing (Ed) Sheeran (FKA Ed Sheehan) Guitars (Brand) by Lowden

[Duffryn]

Really thoughtful article here which goes a long way to answering your question regarding Sheeran's investment.

https://guitar.com/features/opinion-...e-instruments/

[chrislongAgain]

i have an opinion that will undoubtedly prove to be unpopular:

george L is getting on in years. he's made his mark, unquestionably. is he "rich"? i highly doubt it, but i don't know. i think that george is expecting the free market to put more money in his pockets. and why not? i'd do the same thing. if he can put out a good product at a decent price point and sell a ton of instruments to beginners in the process, SO WHAT if they're not "great" instruments? i haven't seen one, but i bet they're very good and could last for decades. sound quality is another subject, but with a 'beginner' guitar it's not consideration #1.

also: both ed and george seem like genuinely nice guys. they mean well. they WANT people making music and enjoying these instruments. this whole venture is a win/win, in my opinion.

i LIKE people and companies who do things like this. if these guitars suck, which i highly doubt, then they'll disappear. the consumers will vote, with their wallets. i applaud ed sheeran (even though i'm not a fan) and george lowden for this bold move. i hope they make a ton of money and legions of new fans. heck, i might buy a sheeran myself, though i already have a lowden s-32, which is fantastic.

if you don't like these new guitars, or have no interest, look at something different. no need to disparage this unique new line.

[gr81dorn]

I actually played one last week and it blew me away. I was in a room full of the nicest guitars on the planet, including a ton of lowdens. It blew me away, quite frankly. It felt way more like a Lowden than I was expecting, it was also way louder and more balanced. It was a S size with walnut b/s and cedar top. Loud, clear, handled strumming amazingly well, finger style shined. I’d get one to scratch my Lowden itch and save thousands over a real one. It’s obviously not as good in almost any way, but the cost-to-quality ratio is super favorable.

[ManyMartinMan]

Originally Posted by chrislongAgain

...if you don't like these new guitars, or have no interest, look at something different. no need to disparage this unique new line.

Unfortunately, that's exactly what forums/bulletin boards are for. This one specifically is replete with opinions, evaluations, reviews and (at times) disparagement of things that people don't like. That's just the nature of the beast.

[Red_Label]

Originally Posted by gr81dorn

I actually played one last week and it blew me away. I was in a room full of the nicest guitars on the planet, including a ton of lowdens. It blew me away, quite frankly. It felt way more like a Lowden than I was expecting, it was also way louder and more balanced. It was a S size with walnut b/s and cedar top. Loud, clear, handled strumming amazingly well, finger style shined. I’d get one to scratch my Lowden itch and save thousands over a real one. It’s obviously not as good in almost any way, but the cost-to-quality ratio is super favorable.

Good to hear! I'll be buying one at some point.

[chrislongAgain]

how do i delete this? agh.

[personatech]

Originally Posted by chrislongAgain

i have an opinion that will undoubtedly prove to be unpopular:

george L is getting on in years. he's made his mark, unquestionably. is he "rich"? i highly doubt it, but i don't know. i think that george is expecting the free market to put more money in his pockets. and why not? i'd do the same thing. if he can put out a good product at a decent price point and sell a ton of instruments to beginners in the process, SO WHAT if they're not "great" instruments? i haven't seen one, but i bet they're very good and could last for decades. sound quality is another subject, but with a 'beginner' guitar it's not consideration #1.

also: both ed and george seem like genuinely nice guys. they mean well. they WANT people making music and enjoying these instruments. this whole venture is a win/win, in my opinion.

i LIKE people and companies who do things like this. if these guitars suck, which i highly doubt, then they'll disappear. the consumers will vote, with their wallets. i applaud ed sheeran (even though i'm not a fan) and george lowden for this bold move. i hope they make a ton of money and legions of new fans. heck, i might buy a sheeran myself, though i already have a lowden s-32, which is fantastic.

if you don't like these new guitars, or have no interest, look at something different. no need to disparage this unique new line.

I can't imagine why you'd think your opinion would be unpopular - I think it's spot on. I'd love to have one of these S models myself as I simply cannot afford a Lowden.

[Akousticplyr]

Originally Posted by gr81dorn

I actually played one last week and it blew me away. I was in a room full of the nicest guitars on the planet, including a ton of lowdens. It blew me away, quite frankly. It felt way more like a Lowden than I was expecting, it was also way louder and more balanced. It was a S size with walnut b/s and cedar top. Loud, clear, handled strumming amazingly well, finger style shined. I’d get one to scratch my Lowden itch and save thousands over a real one. It’s obviously not as good in almost any way, but the cost-to-quality ratio is super favorable.

I'm planning on getting one, just don't know which model yet. Hopefully a local store gets some in stock to sell so I can try them out first.

[chrislongAgain]

Originally Posted by personatech

I can't imagine why you'd think your opinion would be unpopular - I think it's spot on. I'd love to have one of these S models myself as I simply cannot afford a Lowden.

i think the opinion might be unpopular because i believe that george lowden is building these new guitars for MONEY. that's the point. money money money. not trying to save the earth. trying to load his pockets!
to which i say: GO FOR IT! i hope it makes him rich, if these instruments prove to be as good as i expect them to be. everybody wins.

[Red_Label]

Originally Posted by chrislongAgain

i think the opinion might be unpopular because i believe that george lowden is building these new guitars for MONEY. that's the point. money money money. not trying to save the earth. trying to load his pockets!
to which i say: GO FOR IT! i hope it makes him rich, if these instruments prove to be as good as i expect them to be. everybody wins.

I agree... to a point. I do believe that both George and Ed really want to get these guitars into hands of those who can't afford full-on Lowdens. But hey... why not make money as well? I SERIOUSLY doubt the margins are anywhere near where they'd be if they were made in China. So if money was #1, then why make them in Ireland?

Anyways... I've decided on an S-04. But I may get a W-02 or W-04 after that as well. I'm not in as big of a hurry on that because I already have a Yamaha CSF1M, that seems very similar to the Wee Lowden body style. The S-04 should be a nice companion to the 2004 Avalon L23c that I just received a few days ago.

[lowrider]

'' I've decided on an S-04. But I may get a W-02 or W-04 after that as well.''

How can you have decided to get an S-04 when almost nobody, except the people who want to sell them to you has even played one? And they might not have even been made yet.

I was as interested as anyone about these guitars until the second time I tried the Lowden S at Music Zoo. The first time I tried it I thought it was very cool. The second time it was just no big deal.

I see all over Reverb that they are taking pre-orders on the Sheeran guitars. I think everyone ought to take a step back and wait to see just what these guitars are when they do arrive.

[Red_Label]

Originally Posted by lowrider

'' I've decided on an S-04. But I may get a W-02 or W-04 after that as well.''

How can you have decided to get an S-04 when almost nobody, except the people who want to sell them to you has even played one? And they might not have even been made yet.

I was as interested as anyone about these guitars until the second time I tried the Lowden S at Music Zoo. The first time I tried it I thought it was very cool. The second time it was just no big deal.

I see all over Reverb that they are taking pre-orders on the Sheeran guitars. I think everyone ought to take a step back and wait to see just what these guitars are when they do arrive.

Ummm... I've decided that the I want an S-04 based on its listed features? I live in MT and won't have the opportunity to play one. So I'll take a chance and order one. No big deal. Some one has to do early reviews.

[chrislongAgain]

Red_Label; I do believe that both George and Ed really want to get these guitars into hands of those who can't afford full-on Lowdens. But hey... why not make money as well? I SERIOUSLY doubt the margins are anywhere near where they'd be if they were made in China. So if money was #1, then why make them in Ireland?

—

red label makes a good point. ireland vs. china. NO doubt they could make higher profits with the latter! anyway, i'm guessing (sheer speculation) that george will make a boatload of dough on these, at least initially. good for him! and ed too, of course. these look like everything a good $1000 guitar should be, in my opinion. i have me eye on those WEE models, mostly due to 24” scale. anyone aware of something different that's similar? small, shortscale? thx.

[Vyse Hazuky]

Is there any word on release dates? It seems like it'll be June soon and there's no actual stock anywhere or news that preorders have been delivered (talking about European stores, at least)