I played a Lowden F32C today

Bucket · August 2016

http://www.coda-music.com/images/P1110004.JPG

How much do kidneys generally go for on the black market? Because I need £3745 in short order.

Misty · August 2016

Coincidentally I played one a few days ago as well, though not a fan fret model, and I'm seriously considering trading my two Martins for it. I loved it, though I'm aware that I only compared it directly to the stage model. The F32c is the one I wanted to try though, and it was luverly.....

thomasross20 · August 2016

Looks very cool though I'm not sure about fanned frets (tried them on a Steinberg which is also cool but so used to normal frets!)

Bucket · August 2016

thomasross20 said:

Looks very cool though I'm not sure about fanned frets (tried them on a Steinberg which is also cool but so used to normal frets!)

Not that much of a learning curve really. The Strandbergs (I assume you mean those?) are amazing guitars... I like the fanned frets on the 7-strings in particular, where it's very important because the low B can get floppy otherwise - or with a full baritone scale, the high strings can be too tight.

Turns out I like it on an acoustic too - works very well, I think. Keeps the low string ringing out clear as a bell while the high strings are a little more forgiving. It was tuned down to Eb as well, which helped.

I was playing it for as long as I could get away with and wanted to take it home with me, it felt sublime. Beautifully crafted, played like a dream and sounded so deep, rich and warm. As well it should have for that money, but you know. You definitely get what you pay for, I think. Tried a couple of smaller-bodied Collings acoustics which were lovely too but just not in the same ballpark. Despite my love for Taylors I didn't even try any against the Lowden because I knew they'd only be disappointing.

thomasross20 · August 2016

Woops, yes - I meant Strandberg!

I'll have to try one if I ever see one in stock. Where did you try?
I hate to beat this drum but have you tried a Larrivee? Great guitars for the money. Or maybe it's just me..

I've tried a lot of cack expensive acoustics.
One really good one was a £2.5k+ Taylor nylon string - really special, it was!

I prefer Martin to Taylor, in general - so I think our acoustic tastes are different.

I try not to play acoustics that are too expensive... for all the time that I'd play one live. I don't want to be tempted

Saying that, if you really liked it... pare down the collection and keep a few really high-end bits of gear like the Lowden?

Bucket · August 2016

@thomasross20 This was at Coda in Stevenage - they're the UK's biggest official Lowden stockist AFAIK. The one in the pic is most likely the exact one I played.

Never tried a Larrivee but I'd like to at some point

I've tried a lot of acoustics I haven't really got on with - Martins in particular. I like Taylors, they're very consistent and are quite friendly for electric players.

As for paring down the collection... if I planned to get one of these I'd have a HELL of a lot of paring to do

I think this one Lowden is worth more than all my other guitars combined.

thomasross20 · August 2016

Coda - maybe one day I'll get to visit that and other shops 8)

monquixote · August 2016

If Picasso made guitars.

Bucket · August 2016

monquixote said:

If Jesus made guitars.

FTFY

monquixote · August 2016

Bucket said:

monquixote said:

If Jesus made guitars.

FTFY

Wasn't he a carpenter?

Bucket · August 2016

monquixote said:

Bucket said:

monquixote said:

If Jesus made guitars.

FTFY

Wasn't he a carpenter?

Nah that was his old man, I dunno if he trained under him or something but after all the Bible stuff he settled down in a quiet part of Dorset to build fanned-fret acoustics for the righteous. Skod has one I think.

earwighoney · August 2016

@Bucket, ;

I recommend making a trip to TAMCO if you want to try some more acoustic multi scales and higher end acoustics. The guitars there are on the pricier side of things, generally starting at £3k or so but it's an incredible learning experience.

If you are looking to a fanned fret acoustic for not that much, the Avians are supposed to be excellent and are priced about a grand.

AliGorie · August 2016

weird, what is it for ?

Bucket · August 2016

AliGorie said:

weird, what is it for ?

It's like a normal acoustic, but with super powers

The point of the fanned frets is that the low strings have a longer scale so are tenser and don't flap about, while the high strings stay at a conventional tension. Also excellent if you do what a lot of modern acoustic players do and use altered tunings which often have very low-pitched bass strings. It looks weird but doesn't feel particularly bad - not much of a learning curve to get used to it.

AliGorie · August 2016

ah Buck, tunings - thanks.
wouldn't a 13-56 gauge set not give the desired tensions for many of the not to 'low' tunings, then a guitar with 15 20 30 38 49 64 cover the crazy low stuff ?, I think some alternative 'tuners' take this route.
I'm also thinking, the in vogue @ the moment may not be easy to resell in the future should it be deemed a fad, I say this because I notice high end custom guitars being commission in ubber exotic and rare tonewoods, particularly b/sides being built with standard fret layout by players who play 'in tunings'.
I reckon these are deliberately being built as 'investment instruments' as they don't get 'gigged' in the real world as such - touring etc. Sure they may appear in small select venues or 'get together's' to heighten 'exposure'.
just some thoughts

Bucket · August 2016

AliGorie said:

ah Buck, tunings - thanks.
wouldn't a 13-56 gauge set not give the desired tensions for many of the not to 'low' tunings, then a guitar with 15 20 30 38 49 64 cover the crazy low stuff ?, I think some alternative 'tuners' take this route.
I'm also thinking, the in vogue @ the moment may not be easy to resell in the future should it be deemed a fad, I say this because I notice high end custom guitars being commission in ubber exotic and rare tonewoods, particularly b/sides being built with standard fret layout by players who play 'in tunings'.
I reckon these are deliberately being built as 'investment instruments' as they don't get 'gigged' in the real world as such - touring etc. Sure they may appear in small select venues or 'get together's' to heighten 'exposure'.
just some thoughts

I see your point about just using heavy strings - personally though, I have weak shitty dyspraxic fingers and I don't like heavy strings very much - given the choice, I'd far rather use a normal set of strings and have the scale length(s) take care of the tension.

As for the second bit of that - I personally don't really hold with the notion of "investment" guitars - I buy guitars to play them. If they happen to go up in value, great. I don't sell guitars very often, I usually buy a guitar with a view to keeping it.

That's why I have so many of the bleedin' things now

AliGorie · August 2016

ok Buck, I’ll come clean, I only play ‘in tunings’, I’ve got it down to about half a dozen tunings I regularly use and for that I have settled on 13-56 gauge which handle then nicely.
Your first sentence above “weak shitty dyspraxic fingers” and ‘heavy strings’ and that the FF would somehow sort out the tensions across the strings - well not really - if you think about it as it's all relevant too the s/l + string gauge.
Infact if your prepared to do a little work with u’r noggin, heres a String Tension Calculator ya just put in the scale length / gauge and pitch and it’ll give u the tension e.g., is the tension a (typical) set of 13-56 will generate in normal tuning - 80.67, and in DADGAD - 72.88 on a 25.5 s/l.
So u can work out u’r preferred tension and choose an appropriate gauging and order them up from the likes of Newtone Strings as a custom gauge.

http://www.mcdonaldstrings.com/stringxxiii.html

http://www.newtonestrings.com/products/product-details/#cid=1206828

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I played a Lowden F32C today

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