Lowden Owners Thread

[foxo]

Originally Posted by paulzoom

What did you have to get used to? How was is so different from getting used to any new guitar?

I guess there’s a particular desirable sound I want from guitars that I associate with folk music from the 60s and 70s, mainly Martins and Gibsons. It took a while getting used to something very different from that.

[Dmeeg05]

I've got 3. An O-25 45th anniversary model, an S-35 Indian rosewood and Sitka and an F-50 African Blackwood and sinker redwood. I live them all but the F-50 is used 90% of the time... It's just magical to my ears. Such a meaty tone and sustain for days... I really love it!!

*Haven't uploaded pics before so apologies if this doesn't work!
https://ibb.co/NKzSfd3

[guitar george]

I had a Lowden O-25 for a few years. It was a beautiful instrument that was very bright. It was particularly great for finger picking.

[bcaylor]

I have a Pierre Bensusan model (Madagascar/Adirondack) with a LR Baggs Anthem pickup.

My first Lowden was a used O25C which I had a K&K mini installed in. It was a great guitar with a full, rich sound and lots of sustain.

I really love my current PB model. It is of course an F size with a bevel so it is really comfortable to play. It has an incredible sound with tons of sustain.

I use Elixir PB nanowebs (Lights) most of the time. I recently tried the Lowden strings and to be honest they did not hold up well for me. I had 2 sets and the first one went very dull on the low end in just a couple of days. I thought maybe I got a bad set. I tried the second set about a week ago and it lasted a little longer, but again, I got the dull thud low end in about a week.

Lowdens definitely have a very unique sound...great to my ears.

[mmarchi]

I have a F35, Myrtle/Spruce. I’ve gone back and forth between Medium and Light strings, a number of different brands. Lights played great but there was not enough oomph. A little too bright for strumming. Mediums took away some of the Lowden magic (I know they string them with lights) in terms of clarity. I found doing a Light Medium blend with Medium low strings (EAD) and Light high strings works best. Adds a bit of beef but keeps the clarity. Using Elixir PB’s. Hope this helps.

[M Sarad]

I got my 023c from classified ads here. I spent a few hours with it yesterday tuned down to BF#BEF#B. Dadgad down low. Amazing sound out of Walnut and Cedar.

[Ozzy the dog]

My F12C. Spruce and Mahogany with wonderful warm and loud sound and smells great when I open the case.

My wife bought this for me back in '98. Eric Clapton at the Royal Albert hall the night before and this from the Acoustic Guitar Center in London the day after. Great weekend.

[pukematrix]

Here's my F-25. Photo credit to Eddie's Guitars.

w2fegrqsyffa5oqsgubd (1).jpg F25 Front.jpg

F25 Back.jpg nd6czxznuvrn5ei44mea.jpg

[slimey]

I use the D'addario PB on my O25C.
Pick up I use the Trance Amulet M which works extremely well. I use the guitar as my gig instrument playing in a 6 piece band, sadly the guitar after 5 years in this role has scars but, it's the best acoustic tone while resisting feedback I've managed to obtain ever.
I love this setup .

[BluesKing777]

I am not sure where the thought came from, well I do I suppose - I started Sunday morning playing my 1993 Lowden S35 Tasmanian Blackwood/Cedar with a variety of fingerstyle versions of famous songs, had a rest and a cup of tea for an hour, played the same Lowden but with different tunes that stretch the Lowden limit. I had a rest, spoke to my sister on the phone interstate, had some lunch and then back to the music room for some DADGAD on the Lowden O22............>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

So I had a dream/vision later of my music room...'after the fire' and including an insurance payment and instead of a room full of guitars and all the stuff and guff - a number of other Lowdens to complement the 3 that I already own plus a new Imac Pro!!! Post Fire Lowden - Mac Modernism Minimalism (ish).

What do you think?


BluesKing777.

[PierreM]

I just stumbled on this Lowden owners thread
I'm the happy owner of three Lowden and a Sheeran and learnt a thing or two about these guitars history since I bought my first one in the 80s.
And I'm still working on the topic...

So, I'd be happy if I could help answering questions

The only thing I would ask in exchange is the serial numbers of your old guitars (mainly Japanese ones that are not visible on the labels) before the current era:
1974 -1980: the beginning, very few guitars, about 143 (officially!)
1980 -1985: the Japanese license (Sadao Yairi workshops in Nagoya) about 5000 guitars built
1985-1988: back to homeland, not so many guitars again, restarted from 1, ended at 1306.
1989: Irish license, first season . Lowden lived in France, building classical guitars (and a few steel strings) while the licence produced 539 guitars in the former workshop.
1990-2003: Irish license, second season, started with the new workshop in Newtownards. Around 15000 guitars.
The current era (from 2004 ) is very well documented... but they haven't build as many guitars in the past 16 years than during the Irish license did

[Rmccamey]

I'm interested in a Lowden (no wood preference at the moment). Can someone school me on the "Lowden sound" or even "the Celtic sound"? I am most familiar with Martin and Collings.

[ObiWanSymbian]

Originally Posted by Rmccamey

I'm interested in a Lowden (no wood preference at the moment). Can someone school me on the "Lowden sound" or even "the Celtic sound"? I am most familiar with Martin and Collings.

Even when describing sound of a guitar we both know, we could probably misunderstand each other, let alone in the case of a guitar you don't know.

Go out there and check the Lowdens that are available.

I used to be a great fan of Lowden for several reasons other than acoustic tone, which at that point I had never heard.

I love the guitars' proportions in every model, looks and appointments.

But the I went to a shop that had plenty of body shapes and wood combos to choose from. I spent almost two days looking for one that would suit me. With no result.

I cannot even describe what the tone is, to be precise.

My experience is, that Lowdens generally tend to project and sustain very very well. This is an objective statement.

It is also my observation that their tone (regardless on body size and wood combo), tends to sacrifice a bit of "presence around the player" for this magnificent projection.

I would learn after a couple of years that I have rather "gentle touch" and, maybe, I just couldn't drive those guitars strong enough.

Also, at the very end of the third visit, I played a Martin M-36 and immediately felt at home with all the guitar was offering.

Not much of help here. Maybe, except for...: "Feel free to dislike any high end guitar. There are plenty of other people to like them. And plenty of other guitars for you to like."

[jklotz]

Originally Posted by ObiWanSymbian

It is also my observation that their tone (regardless on body size and wood combo), tends to sacrifice a bit of "presence around the player" for this magnificent projection.

."

Not my experience at all. Jeez, my O25c just surrounds me (the player) in lush overtones and cathedral like bass and responds to the slightest touch. So I'd say my experience is the exact opposite from yours.

[ObiWanSymbian]

Originally Posted by jklotz

Not my experience at all. Jeez, my O25c just surrounds me (the player) in lush overtones and cathedral like bass and responds to the slightest touch. So I'd say my experience is the exact opposite from yours.

That's what I had expected before trying.
And my disappointment was huge. Still tend to blame my playing style for that.
And still... I'll try the guitars again. Just to make sure;-)