Sheeran by Lowden - Coming soon??!!

[Brent Hahn]

Originally Posted by Maryc-k

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

Here in the US, their competition is the GS Mini.

When Lowden first showed the Sheerans at 2019 winter NAMM, there was a parade of very interested players pulling them off the wall, strumming a few chords, making an "Ewww" face and putting them back. I'd have thought the guys working the booth might've taken that message home with them, but apparently not.

[dhalbert]

Originally Posted by Maryc-k

As for the Shee[r]an’s. I was at TME in Lexington Saturday afternoon. I believe the have around 6 or 8 Shee[r]an’s out on the floor for sale.

Thanks for reporting this. I'm in Lexington a couple of times a week I have been waiting for the Sheerans to be listed on the TME website, and they aren't there. The website does seem to be missing various low-end models. I had stopped by a few months ago and they said they had some samples but had sent them back.

[andyspur]

Originally Posted by Maryc-k

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?

Hi, I have made quite a few visits to Richards over the years, and he certainly has had some very nice, high end Lowdens in the shop, which I have had the pleasure to play. As well as Eastman, he holds good stocks of Furch and Auden, as well as Faith and the occasional Lakewood. Many of the brands of acoustic that he stocks are perhaps not as familiar to us as Martin, Gibson etc, but in my experience he Truly believes in the guitars that he stocks rather than just shifting boxes. Some of the Furch guitars he holds blow the competition out of the water imo, and he stocks top of the line models of these. Richards guitars have been going for 25 years, and I would have no hesitation in buying one or two guitars from him!
Just my ‘2p’

[DenverSteve]

They have lots of competition and all that I've played or heard, sound better to me. That certainly includes the GS Mini, Martin Dread Jr. also including many, many other partially laminated - and other all-solid guitars costing less.

[takamineGD93]

The thing to take with you from sheeran is to buy what you need. He needed a small guitar for traveling and stuck with it no matter what others thought. That is the point he's trying to teach you. Not to have his guitar.

[hammer40]

Originally Posted by takamineGD93

The thing to take with you from sheeran is to buy what you need. He needed a small guitar for traveling and stuck with it no matter what others thought. That is the point he's trying to teach you. Not to have his guitar.

Hmm, no disrespect, but doesn't coming out with a line of small guitars, say he does want you to have his guitar??

[ManyMartinMan]

I won't really opine on the quality/tone of the Sheeran's as I've done that many times since I played them at NAMM. I will respond to a few issues I read herein without meaning any disrespect to those quoted. I won't negatively comment on someone's "opinion" but when the information isn't quite right, I will.

Originally Posted by Maryc-k

...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.

Every guitar dealer KNOWS that it is a business - intimately. That's how they make their living and pay the bills. Additionally, many/most are experts in what they sell. I don't consider a dealer a big-box store. They aren't selling guitars for a lark or hobby, generally.

Originally Posted by Maryc-k

..I was at TME in Lexington Saturday afternoon. I believe the have around 6 or 8 ... 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.

If all you want is a guitar that says "Lowden", they are a cheap entry to that. If you want a sub-$1,500 guitar - they are way overpriced and under-performing instruments at that price point. If you want "that style" of guitar there are MANY alternatives that sound amazing in that (and below) price point.

[QUOTE=Maryc-k;6289402]...they are a viable option for someone looking for an alternative to Martin, Taylor, Eastman, etc.... My point being here is that give the Sheerans a chance, and judge them amongst their “peers”.[/QUOTE]

I did that at NAMM prior to commenting. IMO they are certainly not better than a Taylor GS Mini, Taylor Academy, Martin Road Series (all solid), many Takamine, Eastman, Alvarez, Blueridge, Washburn.... and many, many other instruments in their price range. All of these are additionally less expensive and some, quite frankly, are far superior in tone and feel.

Originally Posted by takamineGD93

..The thing to take with you from Sheeran is ... He needed a small guitar for traveling and stuck with it no matter what others thought. That is the point he's trying to teach you. Not to have his guitar.

In the past maybe. However, as soon as he entered into a partnership with Lowden, he is in fact wanting you to buy HIS guitar so he makes money. When he played the Martin X guitars, he did so because they worked for what he was doing. He's not trying to "teach" anything. He was simply playing a good guitar that sufficed for his road work. No different than Joe Walsh saying he played Takamine guitars on the road because he can take 10 Tak's on the road for the value of one Martin. If one gets broken, lost or stolen - no big deal. Additionally, with the Takamines he got a great sounding and playing amplified guitar.

If you are looking for a guitar, in your price range, you should play everything you can touch to see what works for you. It doesn't matter what the name is as long as it works for you. That said, you should never buy an instrument, of any kind, without a personal evaluation to make sure it's right for you. If it is, it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. In today's world, there is NO reason anyone can't play almost any make/model (in the U.S. at least) by having it shipped in to you for evaluation with return allowed if it doesn't work. The worst that happens is you pay return shipping if it doesn't work for you. This was done extensively for decades with violins and guitars long before there was an internet.

[Dr Tone Control]

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1675...1804891666887/

post says "Really worries me that there are so many just-purchased Sheerans up for sale at the moment."

[NotveryGood]

Originally Posted by andyspur

Hi, I have made quite a few visits to Richards over the years, and he certainly has had some very nice, high end Lowdens in the shop, which I have had the pleasure to play. As well as Eastman, he holds good stocks of Furch and Auden, as well as Faith and the occasional Lakewood. Many of the brands of acoustic that he stocks are perhaps not as familiar to us as Martin, Gibson etc, but in my experience he Truly believes in the guitars that he stocks rather than just shifting boxes. Some of the Furch guitars he holds blow the competition out of the water imo, and he stocks top of the line models of these. Richards guitars have been going for 25 years, and I would have no hesitation in buying one or two guitars from him!
Just my ‘2p’

His own videos do himself no favours though do they? He begins as if he is our best friend, but after much waffle (and he takes an age to come to the point), they often deteriorate into an odd rant.