Who has chosen another guitar over a Lowden after thinking they wanted a Lowden?

buckfast · November 2015

Hi all,

Clearly there is a lot of love for Lowdens the world over. But I just wonder who here has had a Lowden on their shortlist of guitars and ended up purchasing a different guitar? What was that guitar and what were you reasons for purchasing it?

ToneControl · November 2015

I bought Goodalls and Bourgeois, since at current UK second hand prices, they were better guitars (£5k+ guitars for around £2.5k)

And at the same quality level as £3k Lowdens, Avalons are better value second hand, there's one on here for less than £1k

And I bought an Alan Arnold baritone, again better value used than a Lowden at present

It's a bit like buying Merc/BMW/Audi, a Lowden will hold its value more, so they are a good deal when considering RRP, but used, they are overpriced compared to the competition

ToneControl · November 2015

There are many threads you can find on google about Goodall vs Lowden vs Bourgeois vs Avalon

here's a good one:

http://69.41.173.82/forums/showthread.php?p=2533234

where someone put it nicely:

From my experience, having owned a Goodall CJ, lots of experience with my dad's Lowden S23 and played a few Bourgeois OMs:
Goodall and Lowden both do the thick, heavily laden overtones thing. Lowden is less bright, more 'woody' sounding, and Goodall has more 'zing'. Bourgeois are more vintage voiced, stronger fundamental and less on the overtones.
Bourgeois will have a bigger contrast against either of the other two. Goodall and Lowden dboth do the thick sounding thing, but with different slants.
Don't know if this helps, but if you're after variety I'd have a Bourgeois and one of the other two.

ArchtopDave · November 2015

ToneControl said:

It's a bit like buying Merc/BMW/Audi, a Lowden will hold its value more, so they are a good deal when considering RRP, but used, they are overpriced compared to the competition

There is also another truth here - some like Mercs, some like BMW's, and apparently some like Audi's.

It really comes down to what sound you're looking for, and what sound a particular guitar produces when you yourself play it.

I've just recently bought a Lowden O (Cedar/Walnut). I was looking for the Lowden type of sound. I did try a Lowden O (Indian Rosewood/Sitka) and a secondhand Lowden O (Brazilian Rosewood/Cedar). They were all good, but the one I bought had the best sound from my point of view. Also incredibly easy to play (has 12's on it).

I've played Bourgeois's previously. Good guitars, but didn't consider them this time partly because I wasn't after an American sounding guitar, but also because I'm hopefully putting the finishing touches to a guitar, that I've been making over to last 18 months, in December. It's based on Martin design, so I should have the American sound covered by it.

ICBM · November 2015

Not quite what you're asking, but I owned one - an older O10 - and it was not for me. It was a very nice guitar, but the sound was too 'soft' somehow - I play with fingers-only, which may not have helped - and was too deep at the bottom end (which takes up quite a lot of the string energy) while not having any punch in the midrange, so it sounded quite nice at home but disappeared when played with a band. They seem to suit either solo fingerstyle or pick-and-strum players more, and they also seem to sound best in open tunings - I only use standard or occasionally drop D.

In the end I sold it because I preferred my old 1970s all-ply Hondo Everly Brothers copy, and sadly I am not joking despite the enormous difference in the value and quality...

richardhomer · November 2015

ICBM;839742" said:
Not quite what you're asking, but I owned one - an older O10 - and it was not for me. It was a very nice guitar, but the sound was too 'soft' somehow - I play with fingers-only, which may not have helped - and was too deep at the bottom end (which takes up quite a lot of the string energy) while not having any punch in the midrange, so it sounded quite nice at home but disappeared when played with a band. They seem to suit either solo fingerstyle or pick-and-strum players more, and they also seem to sound best in open tunings - I only use standard or occasionally drop D

I agree with this.

I've played quite a few over the years - including one very recently.

In the hands of the right player (I'm a massive Richard Thompson fan) they sound fantastic. Unfortunately, they just don't work for me. I want more punch, a sharper attack and a more forward mid-range. Classic Martin traits in other words.

The one I played recently was beautifully made - and played very nicely. If they do what you want tonally, I'm sure they're great.

buckfast · November 2015

Thanks guys. I currently own a Collings OM2H, which I use for fingerstyle, but the reason I am considering a Lowden is that they offer a different tone to Collings, and they are arguably equally if not more esteemed than Collings. However, as I want to use this guitar for solo strumming, I am little apprehensive about the Lowden. Perhaps I should be looking at a Santa Cruz or Bourgeois or Huss & Dalton dread?

richardhomer · November 2015

Or a Martin Dreadnought. The only high priced non-Martin Dread I've played which really convinced me, was a Santa Cruz - but all the 'designer' models strike me as over-priced.

The other option is Gibson - some of the best strummed acoustic tones ever recorded were played on J45s and the like. Their guitars are highly variable - but good ones sound great.

Given your intended use, I wouldn't consider a Lowden.

buckfast · November 2015

richardhomer said:

Or a Martin Dreadnought. The only high priced non-Martin Dread I've played which really convinced me, was a Santa Cruz - but all the 'designer' models strike me as over-priced.

The other option is Gibson - some of the best strummed acoustic tones ever recorded were played on J45s and the like. Their guitars are highly variable - but good ones sound great.

Given your intended use, I wouldn't consider a Lowden.

Interesting,thanks Richard. Have you played H&D or Bourgeois dreads?

richardhomer · November 2015

^ No - a friend of mine raves about H & Ds - I've yet to play one.

I'm sure they'll be worth checking out. The guy I'm refering to techs for a band who has an endorsement with them. He loves the guitars and the company - reckons they are great to deal with.

One of the things which you pay for with a lot of high-end acoustics, is lightness of build. On a guitar which is going to the finger-picked, this is particularly desirable, as they don't take much effort to get decent volume from.

The trouble is, when you knock seven bells out of them when strumming hard with a pick, they tend to compress - in much the same way that low-power valve amps do. In other words they lack headroom.

For this reason, you many find a Martin or a Gibson better than something fancier.

People play (and hear) things differently - you need to find somewhere with plenty of choice and spend plenty of time trying out the various options.

BigLicks67 · November 2015

I went for Martin OM18v at a time when they were around the same price as Lowdens. I tried a Lowden amongst other brands and decided the Martin was the one for me. I preferred the feel and the darker sound of the Martin. Having said that the Lowden was a fine guitar.

Fuzzdog · November 2015

Owned one briefly about ten years ago, had always lusted after Lowdens, they were pretty much my dream acoustics.

Totally didn't get on with it at all. I love them when someone else plays them, but it didn't mesh with my playing at all, my playing is often quite soft on acoustic, and I found it didn't respond well unless I really laid into it. Sold it for quite a profit though, so can't complain!

I have realised since that all the Lowden players whose tones I like seem to also beat the living crap out of them, so that may have something to do with it.

On the subject of Huss & Dalton - the only two acoustic guitars I have ever played which actually made me feel rather emotional were both H&Ds. Absolutely stunning instruments.

woody · November 2015

Ive got both but you never responded when i asked you where you were based..youre welcome to give them a run.. theres no substitute for playing them..

buckfast · November 2015

woody said:

Ive got both but you never responded when i asked you where you were based..youre welcome to give them a run.. theres no substitute for playing them..

Sorry, didn't mean to be ignorant. I'm in Ireland, so it's a bit of a long shot that you are too!

woody · November 2015

Yup,im in ireland..midlands..

ToneControl · November 2015

here's an example of asking price for used Lowdens:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lowden-F23C-Acoustic-Guitar-With-Extra-Bass-Pickup-/311477077378?

so - not good value used, but hold their value well from new

jimkehoe · November 2015

http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/39350/fs-ft-rare-1995-martin-hj-28#latest

robmac5150 · November 2015

I have engineered quite a few gigs back in the day and as I remember the Lowdens I heard were huge, full and warm beasts generally speaking as several people have said. I have to say - for my personal taste I did a gig for some Russians and the guitarist used a Santa Cruz, and that was best guitar I ever heard live on any gig i did. He was a brilliant musician which never hurts! Heard a good few Martins sound nice too but always the really high end models. Maybe you do get what you pay for!!

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Who has chosen another guitar over a Lowden after thinking they wanted a Lowden?

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