The Acoustic Guitar Forum

Go Back   The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > General Acoustic Guitar Discussion

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #121  
Old 10-03-2019, 05:25 AM
cmac cmac is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Scotland
Posts: 500
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by ndavis1971 View Post
No one buys laminate over solid wood if they can avoid it.
I would, on the right guitar.
Reply With Quote
  #122  
Old 10-03-2019, 05:26 AM
Malcolm Kindnes Malcolm Kindnes is online now
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Ireland
Posts: 1,963
Default

Kieran Moloney musical instruments in Galway has some Sheeran guitars in stock. He also has a video of three of them being played on Facebook, I don't know how to copy the link here but you'll find it easily enough.
They sound good, I was quite impressed. Kieran is a very pleasant man to deal with and also stocks real Lowdens, McIlroy and O'Rainne Irish made guitars along with several Irish made mandolins and bouzoukis.
Reply With Quote
  #123  
Old 10-03-2019, 05:30 AM
JayBee1404's Avatar
JayBee1404 JayBee1404 is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: England
Posts: 5,072
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by lowrider View Post
If they are only going to make 24 guitars or 1248 per year, it's still going to be a pretty boutique-ish guitar.
Just wondering where you came by that number, LR - that’s not something I’ve heard. GLG Co. make around that number of their frontline Lowden instruments per year, I’d expect a much greater number of ‘Sheerans’ would be planned.

Could you give a link to it?
__________________
John

Brook ‘Lamorna’ OM (European Spruce/EIR) (2019)
Lowden F-23 (Red Cedar/Claro Walnut) (2017)
Martin D-18 (2012)
Martin HD-28V (2010)
Fender Standard Strat (2017-MIM)

Last edited by JayBee1404; 10-03-2019 at 05:51 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #124  
Old 10-03-2019, 05:56 AM
lowrider lowrider is online now
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2016
Posts: 7,012
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by hagerty View Post
I went on a tour of the Lowden shop in Downpatrick today, it was pretty sweet and a really great experience. Here is some updated info about the sheeran's and lowden in general ...


- played three of the sheeran models - W02, W03, S03. The W03 sounded the best to me.

- Cases are nice - made by the same manufacturer that makes Mono gig bags, looked and felt just like the M80.

- Same bracing as the traditional Lowden models, although slightly heavier, I think due to the layered back

- Built in a new factory IN Northern Ireland, about 10 minutes from the Downpatrick location. Next year all of Lowden will move to the new facility so everything will be under one roof.

- These have been 3 years in the making, pulled George out of semi retirement, and the biggest delay in production has been the finishing. Originally they were spraying them with the satin poly finish like the traditional models, but have since moved to the oil rubbed finish like the electrics.

- They will be shipping to dealers who have pre orders in the new few weeks, and then supplying 1 of each model to dealers for some stock, but said they are very back logged due to pre orders.


Lowden is still making the majority of the guitars by hand- CNC cutting necks, but they are shaped and finished by hand, a plek machine shaping the fretboards, otherwise they are cut, shaped, glued, sprayed, assembled, set up and package all by hand. They have a production goal of 24 guitars a week..

I only wish the would allow you to purchase direct from the showroom, I had some money set aside but I'm going to wait until I can get down to a dealer.
It's in this post from the previous page from Hagarty who visited the plant.

But maybe 24 is what they are hoping for now, but will up that number in the future.
Reply With Quote
  #125  
Old 10-03-2019, 06:01 AM
JayBee1404's Avatar
JayBee1404 JayBee1404 is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: England
Posts: 5,072
Default

Ah! Thanks, LR - I’d read Hagerty’s post, but that detail had gone straight over my head! Duh!
__________________
John

Brook ‘Lamorna’ OM (European Spruce/EIR) (2019)
Lowden F-23 (Red Cedar/Claro Walnut) (2017)
Martin D-18 (2012)
Martin HD-28V (2010)
Fender Standard Strat (2017-MIM)
Reply With Quote
  #126  
Old 10-03-2019, 07:03 AM
PierreM PierreM is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 77
Default

Designed by George Lowden (after his S and Wee models), built under George Lowden supervision, with a couple of cost killing options (one piece neck, no binding at all, laminate body with a solid top, reclaimed woods, single saddle, chrome tuners...) All other important Lowden features like the pinless bridge and original bracing are there. As they wrote : "George Lowden designed the guitars for the player, for uncompromising tone and playability with a careful choice of woods to ensure innate natural beauty. An ‘almost bare’ finish enhances this."
They sure aren't Lowden but certainly appealing instruments for a quarter of the less expensive new Lowden. And... they're landing in the shops now!
__________________
Lowden Addict:
1980 L34 (Indian Rosewood/Canadian Spruce)
2011 S50 (Koa/Adirondack Spruce)
2015 S32J (Indian Rosewood/Alpine Spruce)
2020 Jérôme Lair French Romantic guitar (Yew/Spruce)
Reply With Quote
  #127  
Old 10-03-2019, 06:25 PM
ndavis1971 ndavis1971 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 50
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by PierreM View Post
Designed by George Lowden (after his S and Wee models), built under George Lowden supervision, with a couple of cost killing options (one piece neck, no binding at all, laminate body with a solid top, reclaimed woods, single saddle, chrome tuners...) All other important Lowden features like the pinless bridge and original bracing are there. As they wrote : "George Lowden designed the guitars for the player, for uncompromising tone and playability with a careful choice of woods to ensure innate natural beauty. An ‘almost bare’ finish enhances this."

They sure aren't Lowden but certainly appealing instruments for a quarter of the less expensive new Lowden. And... they're landing in the shops now!


I don’t understand how solid v laminate is cost killing. It costs about $100 more for the d jr over the lower cost laminate Martin. How bout rephrasing this as “profit maximizing” options? Cmon. Make it out of solid wood. Ridiculous
Reply With Quote
  #128  
Old 11-15-2019, 07:04 AM
Dr Tone Control Dr Tone Control is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 133
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by hagerty View Post
I went on a tour of the Lowden shop in Downpatrick today, it was pretty sweet and a really great experience. Here is some updated info about the sheeran's and lowden in general ...


- played three of the sheeran models - W02, W03, S03. The W03 sounded the best to me.

- Cases are nice - made by the same manufacturer that makes Mono gig bags, looked and felt just like the M80.

- Same bracing as the traditional Lowden models, although slightly heavier, I think due to the layered back

- Built in a new factory IN Northern Ireland, about 10 minutes from the Downpatrick location. Next year all of Lowden will move to the new facility so everything will be under one roof.

- These have been 3 years in the making, pulled George out of semi retirement, and the biggest delay in production has been the finishing. Originally they were spraying them with the satin poly finish like the traditional models, but have since moved to the oil rubbed finish like the electrics.

- They will be shipping to dealers who have pre orders in the new few weeks, and then supplying 1 of each model to dealers for some stock, but said they are very back logged due to pre orders.


Lowden is still making the majority of the guitars by hand- CNC cutting necks, but they are shaped and finished by hand, a plek machine shaping the fretboards, otherwise they are cut, shaped, glued, sprayed, assembled, set up and package all by hand. They have a production goal of 24 guitars a week.

I only wish the would allow you to purchase direct from the showroom, I had some money set aside but I'm going to wait until I can get down to a dealer.
any idea if they are up to 24 guitars a week yet?
Reply With Quote
  #129  
Old 11-15-2019, 09:40 AM
Red_Label Red_Label is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 1,632
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by ndavis1971 View Post
I don’t understand how solid v laminate is cost killing. It costs about $100 more for the d jr over the lower cost laminate Martin. How bout rephrasing this as “profit maximizing” options? Cmon. Make it out of solid wood. Ridiculous
I still haven't been able to lay hands on a Sheeran, but I think that some people think that solid versus laminated back/sides makes a bigger difference in tone than it actually does. Sure, most discriminating players will choose all-solid over laminate. But just because a guitar is made out of all solid woods does not mean it'll sound better than a laminate body. In fact, right now I've got an all solid Guild F-1512 and a laminate Guild F-2512. The 2512 is louder, more responsive, and most importantly... it's LIGHTER. Laminate woods enable guitars to be build lighter. Which usually results in them being louder and more responsive. There are MANY great sounding guitars in the sub-$2K price range that are laminate. Solid top is by far the most important part of a guitar being solid. There are those who say that the more rigid the back and sides are, the better the guitar will sound. Lamination adds to rigidity.

At any rate, I've got plenty of all-solid American-made instruments in the man cave, but I don't expect a guitar coming in at the price point the Sheerans are to be all-solid. Some are, many aren't.
Reply With Quote
  #130  
Old 11-15-2019, 09:45 AM
Red_Label Red_Label is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 1,632
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by mcduffnw View Post
There is NOTHING wrong with laminate back and sides...done well...they work basically just as well as solid back and sides...and certainly on an inexpensive guitar that is not going to be highly "tuned" for maximum dynamic response, they will work just great. Yamaha has done this for many decades on many of their lower price point guitars, and those guitars...of which I have owned quite a few...can and often do sound terrific.

These are really high quality, evidently very much made by hand, lower price point guitars. Again, this was a stated goal of Ed Sheeran's, to make a guitar that was much more affordable for folks who want to learn and play, but don't have a lot of money to spend on an instrument.

Why not give them a chance. Let's see how they do as they roll them out into the public's hands before we bash the crud out of them.


duff
Be A Player...Not A Polisher
Because everyone knows that expensive cork smells better than cheap cork!!!

Reply With Quote
  #131  
Old 02-11-2020, 04:32 AM
Pillendreher Pillendreher is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Germany
Posts: 97
Default

Just saw this on Youtube:



Apparently they don't sound good (at all). From the comments (this is from Richard himself):

Quote:
The W01 literally sounds like you have strung up a tin can .... a £600 tin can though.
Sheesh.
__________________
Walden D350 CEB (Solid Sitka Spruce Top + Laminated Sapele Back & Sides)
Eastman AC320 (Solid Sitka Spruce + Solid Sapele Back & Sides)
Maestro Raffles Raffles PA CSB (Solid Sitka Spruce Top + Solid African Padauk Back & Sides)
Reply With Quote
  #132  
Old 02-11-2020, 05:37 AM
lowrider lowrider is online now
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2016
Posts: 7,012
Default

All along, it's seemed like most of the people who've tried the Sheeran's have come to the same conclusion as Richard.

A year ago, I was excited about these guitars but the comments I've been hearing have taken all of the gas out of the balloon. I got an email from Music Zoo almost two weeks ago that the Sheeran guitars were now in stock. I still haven't gone over to try them and MZ is only about 15 minutes away!
Reply With Quote
  #133  
Old 02-11-2020, 07:23 AM
Maryc-k Maryc-k is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: north of Boston
Posts: 1,233
Default

First of all, I love Lowdens, but that’s beside the point. If you are a guitar dealer, you need to carry and sell what your clients want, not what you would buy for yourself. Some dealers just don’t get that it’s a business.

As for the Sheehan’s. I was at TME in Lexington Saturday afternoon. I believe the have around 6 or 8 Sheehan’s out on the floor for sale. I lost interest with the long wait, but they are what they are. They are not Lowdens, and I never thought they would be (not at that price point). However, they are a good starting point for someone who can’t afford to spend even $5k or $6k on a Lowden, and wants that style of guitar. They are a great alternative to a Road Series Martin, or a lower end Taylor.
Reply With Quote
  #134  
Old 02-11-2020, 09:34 AM
jaymarsch jaymarsch is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: North of the Golden Gate, South of the Redwoods, East of the Pacific and West of the Sierras
Posts: 10,571
Default

Well, he is pretty up front that they are not his cup of tea and he doesn't want to be in the position of selling something he doesn't believe in. He supports what Lowden and Sheeran are doing and thinks that the guitars will get better over time. And, time will tell. Clearly, Richard is pained to not be supporting this British business venture and understands his role in advising people about quality guitars. He is not the first guitar shop owner to pick and choose his inventory based on his own experience and expertise. You only have room for so much inventory so you might as well represent the products that you believe in the most.

Best,
Jayne
Reply With Quote
  #135  
Old 02-11-2020, 09:51 AM
Maryc-k Maryc-k is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: north of Boston
Posts: 1,233
Default

I think in the price category, they are what they are. Play one or two before you label them. TME has them next to the guitars in the same price category, and they hold their own there. If you are a shopping for a sub-$1500 guitar, they are a viable option for someone looking for an alternative to Martin, Taylor, Eastman, etc.

Does anyone know if Richards Guitars has even had a Lowden in stock? I looked at his website and it is mainly Eastman, Godin, etc. I didn’t see any of the higher priced names there that I expected to see? Is this a new shop?

My point being here is that give the Sheerans a chance, and judge them amongst their “peers”.
Reply With Quote
Reply

  The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > General Acoustic Guitar Discussion

Thread Tools





All times are GMT -6. The time now is 07:01 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright ©2000 - 2022, The Acoustic Guitar Forum
vB Ad Management by =RedTyger=