I had a Lowden S-23 and that was the best guitar I ever owned. I’ve also played many larger guitar manufacturers guitars from working in a guitar store. My lowden was by far the best guitar I’d ever laid my fingers to. I now have 2 Sheerans since launch, W02 and W04. I couldn’t wait for them to get to America so I bought one from Ireland 🇮🇪 and then the next day they showed up in Chicago. I kept both haha! These guitars are amazing. They will only get better over time. Stage ready, player ready, quality and Irish made all in house. I can’t wait to get out and show more musicians what Sheeran is about. I’ll be supporting for years to come.
Great to hear from you and thank you for sharing! I too am rather obsessed with Lowdens and have played almost every guitar manufactures instruments out there. Lowden is easily in the top every time and I am thrilled the Sheerans will give people a chance to step into that world for a fraction of the cost. Best to you and again, thank you for your time!
Dear Baxter, Thank you for a wonderful video and explaining the whole Lowden experience. You have spoken complete truth and honesty (Unlike Richard's Guitars in the UK). I own an Ed Sheeran guitar. I love it. Just like you said, you can't weigh apples with oranges. Every guitar has it's own unique qualities whether it's a Taylor, Martin. You explained it best, all guitars sound different and play different. It's like you don't ask somebody which is better, a Rolls Royce or a Ferrari. They're two completely different cars that serve two different purposes. Just as guitars are and I totally agree with you. Thank you, Steve.
I’m from Northern Ireland and live in Norway. I had the chance to buy aLowden from the factory about 22 years ago but chose a Martin instead! Last year I stumbled over a used wee Lowden in a small shop on the north west coast of Ireland and ended up buying it. No looking back since. The guitar is fabulous. It’s all in the feel! I’m starting to come back to my others guitars again after the initial infatuation and what I am finding is that the Lowden is inspiring different approaches to playing the different instruments . I agree with you that the different instruments are useful on differing jobs when I pick up the wee Lowden I feel blessed
Jim Thank you for sharing your story there and thank you for taking the time to watch the video. I to am a lover of so many manufacturers but at the end of the day, the Lowdens unfortunately draw me in in a different way. That being said, they are particularly suited to my playing style. And finally, where in Northern Ireland are you from ? I love that strange and wonderful part of the world and it would be fun to know where you call home. I have probably been there or near by. We just had a customer from Newry and I cracked up as that is our sister city and I go there every year. Small small world sometimes and I love it!
Great video, Baxter. Your comment on the "strange guy in Florida" had me literally laughing out loud.. I am most excited for my Lowden 50 series build this year!
Those people in Florida are a special breed and this one is in particular "S"pecial! I can say that with love as well. And I am very excited about this 50 Series as well!
I have had many guitars and currently the proud owner of 3 Lowden guitars. They are, in my opinion, the best guitars on the planet. I love a good Martin guitar, but Lowdens are magical.
John you are truly a lucky man to have 3 Lowdens in your collection. My hats off to you there. And thank you for watching and taking the time to share here!
Baxter, I've been looking for a new acoustic for the last few weeks, and this pushed me over the edge to go for a Lowden (O23 w/ LR Baggs)... Like you said, it's like a 6 string piano, deep, warm and sweet, beautifully constructed, crafted... Luckily I'm in Scotland so the prices compared to Taylor/Santa Cruz/Martin are competitive... Very different beasts to the aforementioned USA built guitars, which are wonderful in their own right...
Just bought my third Lowden, a wonderful S35 12 Fret cedar and walnut. Stunning guitar so echo everything you said. I have a Martin OM28 which although good, doesn’t compare in tone. I have a Sheehan W03. It’s not a lowden but it’s a great little guitar for the money. Frustrating wait, particularly as I live 20 miles from the factory!
Martin wonderful to hear from you and I cannot believe how close you are...! They should have let you just drive in and pick one up. Next time you do want anything from them please let me know. I will personally call the guys in there and tell them Martin Davidson is ready for his instrument and doesn't need to eat a year as he literally lives down the road:) Thank you for sharing and congrats on the beautiful instruments you own!
it’s pretty common knowledge that lowden is the best boutique guitar in the world, and the price of entry isn’t that steep compared to other small bench luthiers. the finish and finish is immaculate, i didn’t want to play it when i first got it. thx baxter for being such an authentic (and weird) personality. i agree that sheeran by lowden is an inspirational move by both george and ed, makes me sad that some people are concerned about the “wait” and completely miss the point of sheeran by lowden - to bring quality guitars to everyone! ill work on closing that gap very soon, when i can find some time between ordering my second lowden, playing my sheeran and lowden, and kids :) keep up the amazing work baxter and i’m not THAT problematic
Zeebow, thank you for your thoughts there! We couldn't agree more and it is rather difficult to find a company that cares more for its people that work there or the instruments they release into the world. Have a super day young sir and we shall talk soon!
Are Lowdens even 'boutique'? I don't think we even have boutique guitar makers here. We just have low-volume makers and often one-man shows or at least small teams (Fylde and Lakestone spring to mind). Standard models are about the same price as a standard Martin, give or take a couple of hundred. No bling, just craftsmanship. Lowden's normal models start at just under £3,000 ($3,900). American boutique builders like Collings, Froggy Bottom, Santa Cruz, Bourgeois etc are all *much* more expensive than the Lowden 22-32 models (though they start at the same price range as the 35s). I had a look at Olson guitars after hearing James Taylor talk about them; they *start* at $15,000 (about £11,577 at current rates). US boutique guitars make Lowdens look like a bargain!
Had my Lowden O-25C since the mid 90's and played it for hundreds of church services and concerts. It is magnificent. It was a scratch and dent from the shop I purchased it from and whoever left it at the store, THANK YOU. Big mistake. It's boomy mids fill a room. And the delicate ring is perfect for fingerstyle. I wish George would come up with a sound hole cover because I can't use floor monitors.....too much feedback. Everyone that plays this guitar falls in love with it. My bestie said that I had to leave the guitar for him in my last will and testiment.
Owned an O-10 in late 1980s, early ‘90s and never should have sold it. Prices have gone up, but I just got a good deal on an F-22. You are right that Lowdens are all about the volume and tone you get when playing and strumming with fingers. People love them the way many folks (like me) love Martin 000-15SM model. They are what they are. But louder.
Lowden are superb. My main guitar is a O22. Fantastic instrument. Personally, for Sheeran money,I'd go Mexican Martin or Taylor. Or Eastman or Yamaha. Just my opinion.YMMV.
I have a Lowden L25 that I’ve had for 37 years. It sounds and plays amazing. I constantly try guitars out of curiosity to see if there is something out there that compares. I’ve tried many including a £8000 Martin. It didn’t come close and neither has anything else I’ve tried. I can’t comment on Sheehan’s as I’ve not tried one. Personally, I’d rather Lowden hadn’t done it and stuck to their core guitars.
I don’t have a Lowden, but would love to get my hands on a Sheeran model! I have been very close to getting one on a couple occasions, but have been trying other newer brands on the market! Thanks for the videos and representing N.C. so well!
Thank you Jason! We are thrilled and feel lucky everyday to be able to play these instruments. We have an entire selection of Sheerans in now (our first that are not held for pre-orders). Thanks again for watching and sincere thanks for your comments.
Great background. I bought an S10-12 (an O-size 12 string) in 1989... It was astonishing, and later a 1993 O23c.... After 30 years of playing in, I recently tried a new D28, it was such a disappointment after the Lowdens
I think the negative buzz revolves around the Sheeran line. Lowden's boutique line is established, however there are other boutique guitars as good or better depending on your preferences. Mcpherson guitars are some of the best. The Sheeran W03 I recieved from first preorder run was junk. It had construction issues, material issues, finish issues, and mediocre tone. A Taylor GSmini IMO is twice the guitar in all those areas of issue at half the price. Look inside your Sheeran body, I used a scope camera, and was shocked. The shop I ordered it through was also shocked and took it back. The main point is, the Sheeran W03 is not a $1200 guitar, its a $300-$500 guitar at best excluding some of the issues mine had. Doesnt matter how good the Lowden line is, I will never consider them again based on this experience. There will be Sheeran guitars on the store racks unsold once the brand hype is over and people start looking at the guitar for what it is, verses what they want it to be.
A side-by-side comparison with the new S03 and my Taylor GSMini Ovankol was definitive: The Taylor was brighter and crisper - both plugged AND, more importantly - UN plugged.
Many years ago a ‘Country Christmas Special’ show was on- a Nashville type production. As I was listening but not watching a guitarist started playing an accent piece to the song. I thought, “that sounds like a Lowden”. Sure enough, if was.
OK in my early 90s (fab) Martin D28 the bridge went off. Flew from Italy to Paris to have it repaired by an official Martin luthier. Now it's coming off again. What's the point? Do you judge a entire range of guitars from a couple of bridges coming off? Bridges do come off. I know they do. My D28 is a very special guitar nonetheless
If I haven't commented prior (senior moments abound these days), let me just mention: I was the "bridge-popped-off guy", and Baxter - and the RVERB folks behaved above & beyond expectations with respect to customer service. I was completely reimbursed and made whole. Although I am, understandably, skittish to sample another Sheeran model, I'm nonetheless interested - surely the folks in DownPatrick have worked-out those production bugs, right? PS: I too, pestered Tessa with monthly trans-Atlantic phone calls; and she was a darling lass to endure the inquiries.
Wow there are some pretty negative comments in this thread. My main question would be does the laminate on the back and sides make a big difference in a negative way? I’m not excited about owning a guitar that is not all wood but my interest is piqued. Well anyway, I have a Lowden S12. I absolutely love the guitar. Every time I pick it up I enjoy it more and more. In drop D tuning it is spectacular. I have a Martin HD 28 from 1986 and I’m the original owner. But I’m just not a bluegrass Strummer. My style fits the Lowden like a glove. I also have a Taylor nylon string. I think I’m going to consider dumping the Taylor and go try one of these Sheeran. While I would love to have a different style and all wood Loudoun, I just don’t have 3000 to 4000 to spend.
Jim thank you for taking the time to watch this video and share your thoughts. The Sheerans have become a bit of a lightning rod in the threads as of late and I appreciate the chance to be able to talk with you about them. I do love the Lowden line and think that they build some of the best guitars in the world hands down. The Sheeran launch is an affordable alternative to have a guitar that is built in Ireland (N. Ireland to be precise) that can be an alternative to many of the other instruments in this price range for players looking for something a bit different. Taylor Guitars has the number one selling layered wood guitars in the US market with the 224ce Dlx Koa and the GS min-e Koa. They are both fantastic instruments that sound great (I actually prefer the GS mini over the 224) and can withstand climate changes better than most solid body instruments. The Sheerans have a sound all their own. They are loud for their size and very articulate. If you have the opportunity to try one I recommend comparing it with a Taylor in that range. The new Taylor GS mini Koa Plus coming out in March/April would be a direct price comparison as well. Each offers a great playing experience that are also very different. That being said, it's really hard to beat an HD-28 and a Lowden S:) Thanks again for your time!
Jim Winder don’t waste your money. If you want an amazing solid wood small Body get a Yamaha fs5 or a Yamaha ac5r. Made in Japan by master luthiers and all solid wood with foward shiftted scalloped x bracing
@@nakana_212 Those are some fantastic instruments as well, cannot argue with that for either of those Yamahas. We also love the GS mini and they come in at a fantastic price for the non electric versions. Thanks for the input Nathan and thank you for taking the time to watch the video.
I like my S04. I have O35, F23 and a WL35 too. Whereas the Sheeran is much more plain, it plays well and sounds good, and I am comfortable at the price. I also have Taylor, Martin and Gibson acoustics. I replaced a Taylor 114e with the Sheeran. It still sounds like a Lowden, though not as epic as my 'core' Lowdens. very good plugged in sound. No problems with it. Try one out.
Jim Winder The five piece back and sides are made with three pieces of mahogany on the inside then either walnut or rosewood on the outer layers so whilst technically a laminate construction, you still get real, quality wood there.
I have a Lowden, a 032se, it is a stunningly beautiful, and fabulous sounding instrument. I don't think the Sheeran range is anywhere near in terms of quality of sound, but it is a good business move for Lowden. It's a shame that the shop I bought it (Richards Guitars in the UK), have recently announced they won't be selling Lowden or Sheeran anymore as the owner does not believe in the brand, but he has his own reasons and I respect him for it.
Rgr that Nik and thank you for sharing your thoughts on both guitars.The Sheerans are for sure not at the same level of the Lowdens but I hope they accomplish what they are meant to and bring more players into the fold:) And I am sorry that the shop you bought yours from has parted ways with Lowden. There are usually many underlying reasons to a dealer dropping a line and I sincerely wish him well for whatever reason that may be. I tend to root for any independent dealer as well so give him my best from an indy in the states as well!
@John White I'm the same as you, tried dozens of Guitars, but once I tried a Lowden I knew that was the one. I fingerpick using only my flesh no add-on thumbpick or anything else. When my guitar arrived at Richards shop, he phoned me, and was absolutely gushing over it, "what a beautiful instrument, it sounds amazing, everyone in the shop is excited about it" etc etc, so I don't understand his comments lately when he says Lowden are nothing special, and you can get better for a lot less money. I'm not rich, it took me 18 months to pay it off (I'm still paying for the next 4 months), but it's worth the sacrifice because it really is a magical instrument. I honestly don't know what's gone on between Richard and George (Lowden) but something has happened and I think Richard must have fallen out with him, because there is no other reason to give up the honour and privilege of being a Lowden dealer.
@John White I have not tried any of the Sheeran range, so I couldn't comment on them. Lot's of reviewers like them a lot, but I trust my own ears, not anyone else's (even Richard's). From what I can read online, Richard has stopped selling other brands in the past too, so maybe he simply thinks his opinion is more important than anyone else's, and if he doesn't like a brand then he doesn't sell it, I guess it's his shop and his decision. I actually bought mine online from him, after playing a couple of Lowdens elsewhere. Glad I did, it's a wonderful instrument.
What's kind of odd about Sheeran and Lowden is that the company is making two ranges of guitars, one of which stops at just below £1,000 and the other which starts just below £3,000, and that middle ground is where every other major quality guitar is priced, everything from the Larrivee 03 series, all the major Furch models except for the custom Rainbow models, the Martin 15 to 28, the Gibson Standards, the Taylor 300s and 400s, the list goes on. If they had brought in a couple of the 'layered' (I'm told it's not laminate but ... it's not solid wood) bodies and a couple of simplified Lowdens with solid back and sides in the lower £1,000 range, they might be less controversial and even more so if Sheeran's name wasn't on the headstock of the upper models; regardless of his charity work (which I wasn't aware of) he is not considered a deep songwriter, he is basically an artist who appeals to teeny-boppers. Lowden were previously heavily associated with skilled guitarists and were an aspirational brand, their guitars were something you saved up for. As for their national origin, they are made in Northern Ireland which is part of the UK but people born there can choose either nationality (British or Irish) or both. Downpatrick, so I've heard, is a very Catholic (i.e. pro-Irish) town and Lowden markets their guitars as Irish and made in Ireland, but they are made in the UK and the adjective for that is British. So, either description is correct.
Matthew thank you for your time in both watching this and then for your thoughtful comments. I really do appreciate that. I can for sure appreciate your thoughts on the Sheeran line from both the build choices and also on linking with Ed. On the build choices I know from talking with pretty much everyone at Lowden and including Ed Sheeran himself that the impetus was truly to create the most affordable instrument, built locally, to bring in more players to the fold. From what I gathered form my short time speaking with Ed he was always inspired by Lowdens as they have always been the pinnacle to him and his passion was to see a build that could be affordable to a new convert. As a lifelong musician myself I was thrilled that an artist such as he were linking with a line that has traditionally been associated with phenomenal players as he could broaden the audience that could discover the Lowden line. We have been selling Martin, Taylor, and Gibson acoustic guitars for years and I can honestly tell you that Lowden is not that known over here in the states. Hopefully his interjection into the conversation will slowly change that. As far as the nationality goes I tend to stay clear of that as whenever I visit Downpatrick in Northern Ireland there are plenty of ribbings between the Catholics and the Protestants and all sorts of good natured humor that often comes down to, from their words..."we don't give a sh&t." And true, it is pretty Catholic there but you'll find the occasional Unionist plodding away on a guitar and there is nothing but love in that strange and magical place. Sincere thanks for your thoughts and I hope to run into you someday in the real world and well rap about guitars and what nots. Best to you and yours!
Neo Spike777 I can only assume so. I think the video summed up exactly why Richard decided not to stock them, bridges popping off, plus other issues and the time it took to rectify. This shows the high standards he expects at that price point and the service he wants to give the customer. Each shop has its own standards and if Casino guitars are stocking them, that’s fine, although concerning that such a personal experience led to confusion over Lowdens geographic location.
Missing gig bag from lowden order directly. Once you order a hard case bag they will shortchange you. Promised to ship out replacement gig bag since Oct till Dec 2023. Nothing done so far. Regretted buying from such poor after sales support. Go somewhere else so much talk about them being a great company.
I had a Lowden, didn't think much of it and sold it on. Far too extensive as well, money is better spent developing technique which will lead to good tone.
I too had a lowden O10 about 27 years ago..I persevered with it for about 10 years) .every one raves about them but as much as I tried to convince myself it was great ultimately it just felt just Ok ...decent for fingetstye. but strummed sounded very restrained....eventually as I need a guitar for the band I played in I'd bought (and yes this to some is tantamount to heresy) a Chinese made tanglewood Sundance tw45 electro acoustic (,solid spruce top mahogany back ,laminate sides..a very well made guitar although wish it had ebony fingerboard rather than rosewood...) and it made the lowden sound dead...so I sold it...your the only person who hasn't raved about them...I guess we both got duds...but I paid 1300 for the lowden and the tanglewood 500...I was blinded by all the great reviews and hype and thought it's open up...when I bought it I wasn't that experienced as a player.....that said I'm not a total philistine....I do appreciate a fine handbuilt guitar and own a concert level grade classical made in Spain that has that special quality...sadly these days I couldn't afford a lowden anyway as they are astronomical....I'd probably look at a smaller less name brand company ...I sincerely believe that I got a bad one though as most players love them...at the time when I got mine they were quite rare...I got mine 2nd hand at a time when they used to say " you cannot find a 2nd hand lowden as they're so good once owned you never let them go"
thesecretpolice Dreadful guitar matched with appalling customer service. Don’t even think about it! Action 7mm and Bridge lifting. Truss rod not even connected. After 4 months I finally received a replacement. Guess what? Bridge lifting on the new one. Refused a refund- ongoing fucking Saga....
Sorry Drake...didn't mean to talk you out of liking or wanting to try a Sheeran/Lowden:( I do highly recommend getting your hands on one just to give her a spin. We are super excited for the GS Mini Koa Plus coming out from Taylor and are excited to see how they and the Sheerans stack up. Thanks for taking the time to watch and sinker thanks for your thoughts!
We agree, that's why the guitar was returned no questions asked. Now on inspection it did look like there was a little tampering with the bridge but nonetheless, we made sure to get everyone sorted on that one, no questions asked.
9:11 I beg to differ. So in summary... You weren't overly impressed with the NAMM models. Of the 20 to 30 guitar orders you received, one of the bridges popped off within days or weeks of ownership. This all sounds very similar to my own experiences. Very very poor.
Richard thank you for watching and I am sorry you have had a different experience. The NAMM run was decent but not mind-blowing as we stated. The next batch we received were leaps and bounds above in quality, playability, and tone. And we found out after the fact that the bridge in question happened while being "tweaked" by the customer. Sincere thank you for taking the time to watch this video and to share your thoughts and experiences.
Casino Guitars thanks for the reply and I appreciate you have to sell them but in 25 years selling over 50000 guitars I have never ever sold a guitar where the bridge has popped off within weeks of owning it. Have you? I really don’t think your experiences are much different to my own. I do appreciate you replying
@@RichardsGuitarshop Richard thank you for responding as well! On the bridge, as I said, there was some user "errors" involved. But in my unfortunately too many years in this world as well (I am getting way too old for my liking) I have seen some amazing instruments with some issues. Martin had about a 5 year run of some serious bridge issues, the fret work on an entire batch of Eastmans were atrocious, and I had a few Taylor's the were duds, just uninspiring. Fortunately these all went back to the manufactures. Sincere thanks for your thoughts and comments and I would love to talk more.
Thanks for the time to watch and the comment Alan. We'd probably disagree on the baby Martin comp but that is what makes this strange little planet go around we suppose. Thanks again for your time and best of luck out there in the guitar loving universe!
Sorry you feel that way Kevin and that's honestly the first time anyone has ever said that about anyone at our wee shop...but we do appreciate originality. Usually we here "how did they get Robert Smith on their channel" or "comb your hair + random expletive)" but well take what we get. Thanks for taking the time to watch the video and I hoper you get a chance to try a Lowden in store sometime if you haven't already. Best to you and yours and have a stellar day!
@@CasinoGuitars well it cetainly wont be a Sheeran. Price wise they are ridiculous. Your review goes back and forth between a Sheeran and a Lowden. Two totally different guitars. Its like someone else said I can get you a better guitar for less price than these Sheerans. But hey people will buy them. Just look at those ridiculous Acoustisonics!
Number 1 rule : Never buy an Artist Signature instrument Number 2: Same as number 1 + make your own signature instrument. Make your own sounds. Play as you are and stop trying being someone else. Number 3: Sheeran is not Clapton. So don't waste your money there.
Number 1. It’s not a signature model, it’s a new line where Sheeran wants to encourage the younger generation to play guitars. Number 2. Who said Sheeran wants to be Clapton? Does Clapton play with a loop pedal and perform solo? Not sure what your point is
Sheeran guitars a trash. Any store who will sell a $300 dollar build quality guitar for over $900 is ripping you off and offering you trash for way too much money. Carrying lowden is amazing but this new Sheeran line is a joke. I hope they notice all these negative comments about the new Sheeran line and take them off the market. And Ed Sheeran is an ass just for telling everyone these guitars are amazing and they clearly are way too overpriced for what your Getting. Buy a entry level Yamaha if your a beginner and that will produce a way better sound than a $1000 laminated guitar that sounds like a toy.
Thank you for your thoughts Nathan and sincere thanks for taking the time to comment. We appreciate your thoughts and agree that some of the Yamahas are amazing bargains. We also love the Taylor GS Mini's in this range and think they are really tough to beat. Thank you again and thank you for the passion!
Hey! We did notice your comments and having taken them on board surprisingly we decided to leave our guitars out there for people to play and hopefully just judge them on that alone instead of what they heard on UA-cam. Hope that’s cool, thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts on our guitars!
I had a Lowden S-23 and that was the best guitar I ever owned. I’ve also played many larger guitar manufacturers guitars from working in a guitar store. My lowden was by far the best guitar I’d ever laid my fingers to. I now have 2 Sheerans since launch, W02 and W04. I couldn’t wait for them to get to America so I bought one from Ireland 🇮🇪 and then the next day they showed up in Chicago. I kept both haha! These guitars are amazing. They will only get better over time. Stage ready, player ready, quality and Irish made all in house. I can’t wait to get out and show more musicians what Sheeran is about. I’ll be supporting for years to come.
Great to hear from you and thank you for sharing! I too am rather obsessed with Lowdens and have played almost every guitar manufactures instruments out there. Lowden is easily in the top every time and I am thrilled the Sheerans will give people a chance to step into that world for a fraction of the cost.
Best to you and again, thank you for your time!
Dear Baxter, Thank you for a wonderful video and explaining the whole Lowden experience. You have spoken complete truth and honesty (Unlike Richard's Guitars in the UK). I own an Ed Sheeran guitar. I love it. Just like you said, you can't weigh apples with oranges. Every guitar has it's own unique qualities whether it's a Taylor, Martin. You explained it best, all guitars sound different and play different. It's like you don't ask somebody which is better, a Rolls Royce or a Ferrari. They're two completely different cars that serve two different purposes. Just as guitars are and I totally agree with you. Thank you, Steve.
Baxter for president!!
Lowden Guitars Baxter hates politics, but thank you:)
I’m from Northern Ireland and live in Norway. I had the chance to buy aLowden from the factory about 22 years ago but chose a Martin instead! Last year I stumbled over a used wee Lowden in a small shop on the north west coast of Ireland and ended up buying it. No looking back since. The guitar is fabulous. It’s all in the feel! I’m starting to come back to my others guitars again after the initial infatuation and what I am finding is that the Lowden is inspiring different approaches to playing the different instruments . I agree with you that the different instruments are useful on differing jobs when I pick up the wee Lowden I feel blessed
Jim Thank you for sharing your story there and thank you for taking the time to watch the video. I to am a lover of so many manufacturers but at the end of the day, the Lowdens unfortunately draw me in in a different way. That being said, they are particularly suited to my playing style.
And finally, where in Northern Ireland are you from ? I love that strange and wonderful part of the world and it would be fun to know where you call home. I have probably been there or near by.
We just had a customer from Newry and I cracked up as that is our sister city and I go there every year. Small small world sometimes and I love it!
Great video, Baxter. Your comment on the "strange guy in Florida" had me literally laughing out loud.. I am most excited for my Lowden 50 series build this year!
Those people in Florida are a special breed and this one is in particular "S"pecial! I can say that with love as well. And I am very excited about this 50 Series as well!
I have had many guitars and currently the proud owner of 3 Lowden guitars. They are, in my opinion, the best guitars on the planet. I love a good Martin guitar, but Lowdens are magical.
John you are truly a lucky man to have 3 Lowdens in your collection. My hats off to you there. And thank you for watching and taking the time to share here!
@@CasinoGuitars Thanks for the great content. Love the channel and what you are building here. Keep it coming!
Casino Guitars Rock!!
They do sometimes...and sometimes they roll, but mostly they vacillate about amazing guitars. Its a tough road but someone has to pave it.
Love this. Would like to see one for every brand you guys carry!
Baxter, I've been looking for a new acoustic for the last few weeks, and this pushed me over the edge to go for a Lowden (O23 w/ LR Baggs)... Like you said, it's like a 6 string piano, deep, warm and sweet, beautifully constructed, crafted... Luckily I'm in Scotland so the prices compared to Taylor/Santa Cruz/Martin are competitive... Very different beasts to the aforementioned USA built guitars, which are wonderful in their own right...
Just bought my third Lowden, a wonderful S35 12 Fret cedar and walnut. Stunning guitar so echo everything you said. I have a Martin OM28 which although good, doesn’t compare in tone. I have a Sheehan W03. It’s not a lowden but it’s a great little guitar for the money. Frustrating wait, particularly as I live 20 miles from the factory!
Martin wonderful to hear from you and I cannot believe how close you are...! They should have let you just drive in and pick one up. Next time you do want anything from them please let me know. I will personally call the guys in there and tell them Martin Davidson is ready for his instrument and doesn't need to eat a year as he literally lives down the road:)
Thank you for sharing and congrats on the beautiful instruments you own!
@@CasinoGuitars - :) 😂 good man Baxter i know where to go now!
I have a ‘97 Lowden f12 that I truly love, paid about $2400 new. I am blown away by the price of a new Lowden today.
it’s pretty common knowledge that lowden is the best boutique guitar in the world, and the price of entry isn’t that steep compared to other small bench luthiers. the finish and finish is immaculate, i didn’t want to play it when i first got it. thx baxter for being such an authentic (and weird) personality. i agree that sheeran by lowden is an inspirational move by both george and ed, makes me sad that some people are concerned about the “wait” and completely miss the point of sheeran by lowden - to bring quality guitars to everyone! ill work on closing that gap very soon, when i can find some time between ordering my second lowden, playing my sheeran and lowden, and kids :) keep up the amazing work baxter and i’m not THAT problematic
Zeebow, thank you for your thoughts there! We couldn't agree more and it is rather difficult to find a company that cares more for its people that work there or the instruments they release into the world. Have a super day young sir and we shall talk soon!
Are Lowdens even 'boutique'? I don't think we even have boutique guitar makers here. We just have low-volume makers and often one-man shows or at least small teams (Fylde and Lakestone spring to mind). Standard models are about the same price as a standard Martin, give or take a couple of hundred. No bling, just craftsmanship. Lowden's normal models start at just under £3,000 ($3,900). American boutique builders like Collings, Froggy Bottom, Santa Cruz, Bourgeois etc are all *much* more expensive than the Lowden 22-32 models (though they start at the same price range as the 35s). I had a look at Olson guitars after hearing James Taylor talk about them; they *start* at $15,000 (about £11,577 at current rates). US boutique guitars make Lowdens look like a bargain!
Had my Lowden O-25C since the mid 90's and played it for hundreds of church services and concerts. It is magnificent. It was a scratch and dent from the shop I purchased it from and whoever left it at the store, THANK YOU. Big mistake. It's boomy mids fill a room. And the delicate ring is perfect for fingerstyle. I wish George would come up with a sound hole cover because I can't use floor monitors.....too much feedback.
Everyone that plays this guitar falls in love with it. My bestie said that I had to leave the guitar for him in my last will and testiment.
Owned an O-10 in late 1980s, early ‘90s and never should have sold it. Prices have gone up, but I just got a good deal on an F-22. You are right that Lowdens are all about the volume and tone you get when playing and strumming with fingers. People love them the way many folks (like me) love Martin 000-15SM model. They are what they are. But louder.
Lowden are superb. My main guitar is a O22. Fantastic instrument. Personally, for Sheeran money,I'd go Mexican Martin or Taylor. Or Eastman or Yamaha. Just my opinion.YMMV.
I have a Lowden L25 that I’ve had for 37 years. It sounds and plays amazing. I constantly try guitars out of curiosity to see if there is something out there that compares. I’ve tried many including a £8000 Martin. It didn’t come close and neither has anything else I’ve tried. I can’t comment on Sheehan’s as I’ve not tried one. Personally, I’d rather Lowden hadn’t done it and stuck to their core guitars.
Alan Howell I couldn’t agree more.
I don’t have a Lowden, but would love to get my hands on a Sheeran model! I have been very close to getting one on a couple occasions, but have been trying other newer brands on the market! Thanks for the videos and representing N.C. so well!
Thank you Jason! We are thrilled and feel lucky everyday to be able to play these instruments. We have an entire selection of Sheerans in now (our first that are not held for pre-orders). Thanks again for watching and sincere thanks for your comments.
You can get a far better guitar than that I had one but sold it and brought a simon and patrick mini jumbo so much better than the louden sheeran
Great background. I bought an S10-12 (an O-size 12 string) in 1989... It was astonishing, and later a 1993 O23c.... After 30 years of playing in, I recently tried a new D28, it was such a disappointment after the Lowdens
I think the negative buzz revolves around the Sheeran line. Lowden's boutique line is established, however there are other boutique guitars as good or better depending on your preferences. Mcpherson guitars are some of the best. The Sheeran W03 I recieved from first preorder run was junk. It had construction issues, material issues, finish issues, and mediocre tone. A Taylor GSmini IMO is twice the guitar in all those areas of issue at half the price. Look inside your Sheeran body, I used a scope camera, and was shocked. The shop I ordered it through was also shocked and took it back. The main point is, the Sheeran W03 is not a $1200 guitar, its a $300-$500 guitar at best excluding some of the issues mine had. Doesnt matter how good the Lowden line is, I will never consider them again based on this experience. There will be Sheeran guitars on the store racks unsold once the brand hype is over and people start looking at the guitar for what it is, verses what they want it to be.
A side-by-side comparison with the new S03 and my Taylor GSMini Ovankol was definitive: The Taylor was brighter and crisper - both plugged AND, more importantly - UN plugged.
Many years ago a ‘Country Christmas Special’ show was on- a Nashville type production. As I was listening but not watching a guitarist started playing an accent piece to the song. I thought, “that sounds like a Lowden”. Sure enough, if was.
Tried an F32 recently and was disappointed, ended up getting a McIlroy
OK in my early 90s (fab) Martin D28 the bridge went off. Flew from Italy to Paris to have it repaired by an official Martin luthier. Now it's coming off again. What's the point? Do you judge a entire range of guitars from a couple of bridges coming off? Bridges do come off. I know they do. My D28 is a very special guitar nonetheless
If I haven't commented prior (senior moments abound these days), let me just mention: I was the "bridge-popped-off guy", and Baxter - and the RVERB folks behaved above & beyond expectations with respect to customer service. I was completely reimbursed and made whole. Although I am, understandably, skittish to sample another Sheeran model, I'm nonetheless interested - surely the folks in DownPatrick have worked-out those production bugs, right?
PS: I too, pestered Tessa with monthly trans-Atlantic phone calls; and she was a darling lass to endure the inquiries.
Wow there are some pretty negative comments in this thread. My main question would be does the laminate on the back and sides make a big difference in a negative way? I’m not excited about owning a guitar that is not all wood but my interest is piqued.
Well anyway, I have a Lowden S12. I absolutely love the guitar. Every time I pick it up I enjoy it more and more. In drop D tuning it is spectacular. I have a Martin HD 28 from 1986 and I’m the original owner. But I’m just not a bluegrass Strummer. My style fits the Lowden like a glove. I also have a Taylor nylon string. I think I’m going to consider dumping the Taylor and go try one of these Sheeran. While I would love to have a different style and all wood Loudoun, I just don’t have 3000 to 4000 to spend.
Jim thank you for taking the time to watch this video and share your thoughts. The Sheerans have become a bit of a lightning rod in the threads as of late and I appreciate the chance to be able to talk with you about them.
I do love the Lowden line and think that they build some of the best guitars in the world hands down. The Sheeran launch is an affordable alternative to have a guitar that is built in Ireland (N. Ireland to be precise) that can be an alternative to many of the other instruments in this price range for players looking for something a bit different.
Taylor Guitars has the number one selling layered wood guitars in the US market with the 224ce Dlx Koa and the GS min-e Koa. They are both fantastic instruments that sound great (I actually prefer the GS mini over the 224) and can withstand climate changes better than most solid body instruments.
The Sheerans have a sound all their own. They are loud for their size and very articulate. If you have the opportunity to try one I recommend comparing it with a Taylor in that range. The new Taylor GS mini Koa Plus coming out in March/April would be a direct price comparison as well. Each offers a great playing experience that are also very different.
That being said, it's really hard to beat an HD-28 and a Lowden S:)
Thanks again for your time!
Jim Winder don’t waste your money. If you want an amazing solid wood small
Body get a Yamaha fs5 or a Yamaha ac5r. Made in Japan by master luthiers and all solid wood with foward shiftted scalloped x bracing
@@nakana_212 Those are some fantastic instruments as well, cannot argue with that for either of those Yamahas. We also love the GS mini and they come in at a fantastic price for the non electric versions. Thanks for the input Nathan and thank you for taking the time to watch the video.
I like my S04. I have O35, F23 and a WL35 too. Whereas the Sheeran is much more plain, it plays well and sounds good, and I am comfortable at the price. I also have Taylor, Martin and Gibson acoustics. I replaced a Taylor 114e with the Sheeran. It still sounds like a Lowden, though not as epic as my 'core' Lowdens. very good plugged in sound. No problems with it. Try one out.
Jim Winder The five piece back and sides are made with three pieces of mahogany on the inside then either walnut or rosewood on the outer layers so whilst technically a laminate construction, you still get real, quality wood there.
I have a Lowden, a 032se, it is a stunningly beautiful, and fabulous sounding instrument. I don't think the Sheeran range is anywhere near in terms of quality of sound, but it is a good business move for Lowden. It's a shame that the shop I bought it (Richards Guitars in the UK), have recently announced they won't be selling Lowden or Sheeran anymore as the owner does not believe in the brand, but he has his own reasons and I respect him for it.
Rgr that Nik and thank you for sharing your thoughts on both guitars.The Sheerans are for sure not at the same level of the Lowdens but I hope they accomplish what they are meant to and bring more players into the fold:)
And I am sorry that the shop you bought yours from has parted ways with Lowden. There are usually many underlying reasons to a dealer dropping a line and I sincerely wish him well for whatever reason that may be. I tend to root for any independent dealer as well so give him my best from an indy in the states as well!
@John White I'm the same as you, tried dozens of Guitars, but once I tried a Lowden I knew that was the one. I fingerpick using only my flesh no add-on thumbpick or anything else. When my guitar arrived at Richards shop, he phoned me, and was absolutely gushing over it, "what a beautiful instrument, it sounds amazing, everyone in the shop is excited about it" etc etc, so I don't understand his comments lately when he says Lowden are nothing special, and you can get better for a lot less money. I'm not rich, it took me 18 months to pay it off (I'm still paying for the next 4 months), but it's worth the sacrifice because it really is a magical instrument. I honestly don't know what's gone on between Richard and George (Lowden) but something has happened and I think Richard must have fallen out with him, because there is no other reason to give up the honour and privilege of being a Lowden dealer.
@John White I have not tried any of the Sheeran range, so I couldn't comment on them. Lot's of reviewers like them a lot, but I trust my own ears, not anyone else's (even Richard's). From what I can read online, Richard has stopped selling other brands in the past too, so maybe he simply thinks his opinion is more important than anyone else's, and if he doesn't like a brand then he doesn't sell it, I guess it's his shop and his decision. I actually bought mine online from him, after playing a couple of Lowdens elsewhere. Glad I did, it's a wonderful instrument.
What's kind of odd about Sheeran and Lowden is that the company is making two ranges of guitars, one of which stops at just below £1,000 and the other which starts just below £3,000, and that middle ground is where every other major quality guitar is priced, everything from the Larrivee 03 series, all the major Furch models except for the custom Rainbow models, the Martin 15 to 28, the Gibson Standards, the Taylor 300s and 400s, the list goes on. If they had brought in a couple of the 'layered' (I'm told it's not laminate but ... it's not solid wood) bodies and a couple of simplified Lowdens with solid back and sides in the lower £1,000 range, they might be less controversial and even more so if Sheeran's name wasn't on the headstock of the upper models; regardless of his charity work (which I wasn't aware of) he is not considered a deep songwriter, he is basically an artist who appeals to teeny-boppers. Lowden were previously heavily associated with skilled guitarists and were an aspirational brand, their guitars were something you saved up for.
As for their national origin, they are made in Northern Ireland which is part of the UK but people born there can choose either nationality (British or Irish) or both. Downpatrick, so I've heard, is a very Catholic (i.e. pro-Irish) town and Lowden markets their guitars as Irish and made in Ireland, but they are made in the UK and the adjective for that is British. So, either description is correct.
Matthew thank you for your time in both watching this and then for your thoughtful comments. I really do appreciate that. I can for sure appreciate your thoughts on the Sheeran line from both the build choices and also on linking with Ed. On the build choices I know from talking with pretty much everyone at Lowden and including Ed Sheeran himself that the impetus was truly to create the most affordable instrument, built locally, to bring in more players to the fold. From what I gathered form my short time speaking with Ed he was always inspired by Lowdens as they have always been the pinnacle to him and his passion was to see a build that could be affordable to a new convert. As a lifelong musician myself I was thrilled that an artist such as he were linking with a line that has traditionally been associated with phenomenal players as he could broaden the audience that could discover the Lowden line.
We have been selling Martin, Taylor, and Gibson acoustic guitars for years and I can honestly tell you that Lowden is not that known over here in the states. Hopefully his interjection into the conversation will slowly change that.
As far as the nationality goes I tend to stay clear of that as whenever I visit Downpatrick in Northern Ireland there are plenty of ribbings between the Catholics and the Protestants and all sorts of good natured humor that often comes down to, from their words..."we don't give a sh&t."
And true, it is pretty Catholic there but you'll find the occasional Unionist plodding away on a guitar and there is nothing but love in that strange and magical place.
Sincere thanks for your thoughts and I hope to run into you someday in the real world and well rap about guitars and what nots. Best to you and yours!
Because Ed Sheeran is new Jimi Hendrix.
Is this in response to Richard Guitars video saying they were really poor quality?
exactly, i go by richard..
Neo Spike777 I can only assume so. I think the video summed up exactly why Richard decided not to stock them, bridges popping off, plus other issues and the time it took to rectify. This shows the high standards he expects at that price point and the service he wants to give the customer. Each shop has its own standards and if Casino guitars are stocking them, that’s fine, although concerning that such a personal experience led to confusion over Lowdens geographic location.
FRST2012 feels like this I badly titled. People are entitled to different view points. Richard is not wrong that is his view and he is entitled to it.
TJ&JM Brooks, indeed. It’s good to get a range of views. 👍
Just interesting. Richard put up his video and it felt like the following day casino guitars posted this
Missing gig bag from lowden order directly. Once you order a hard case bag they will shortchange you. Promised to ship out replacement gig bag since Oct till Dec 2023. Nothing done so far. Regretted buying from such poor after sales support. Go somewhere else so much talk about them being a great company.
I had a Lowden, didn't think much of it and sold it on. Far too extensive as well, money is better spent developing technique which will lead to good tone.
I too had a lowden O10 about 27 years ago..I persevered with it for about 10 years) .every one raves about them but as much as I tried to convince myself it was great ultimately it just felt just Ok ...decent for fingetstye. but strummed sounded very restrained....eventually as I need a guitar for the band I played in I'd bought (and yes this to some is tantamount to heresy) a Chinese made tanglewood Sundance tw45 electro acoustic (,solid spruce top mahogany back ,laminate sides..a very well made guitar although wish it had ebony fingerboard rather than rosewood...) and it made the lowden sound dead...so I sold it...your the only person who hasn't raved about them...I guess we both got duds...but I paid 1300 for the lowden and the tanglewood 500...I was blinded by all the great reviews and hype and thought it's open up...when I bought it I wasn't that experienced as a player.....that said I'm not a total philistine....I do appreciate a fine handbuilt guitar and own a concert level grade classical made in Spain that has that special quality...sadly these days I couldn't afford a lowden anyway as they are astronomical....I'd probably look at a smaller less name brand company ...I sincerely believe that I got a bad one though as most players love them...at the time when I got mine they were quite rare...I got mine 2nd hand at a time when they used to say " you cannot find a 2nd hand lowden as they're so good once owned you never let them go"
thesecretpolice
Dreadful guitar matched with appalling customer service. Don’t even think about it!
Action 7mm and Bridge lifting. Truss rod not even connected. After 4 months I finally received a replacement. Guess what? Bridge lifting on the new one.
Refused a refund- ongoing fucking Saga....
You basically talked me out of trying one. Lol
Sorry Drake...didn't mean to talk you out of liking or wanting to try a Sheeran/Lowden:( I do highly recommend getting your hands on one just to give her a spin. We are super excited for the GS Mini Koa Plus coming out from Taylor and are excited to see how they and the Sheerans stack up. Thanks for taking the time to watch and sinker thanks for your thoughts!
Lowden can no longer claim to be handcrafted, that crown now rests on the brow of the excellent Avalon Guitars. The Sheerhan guitars are really poor.
If a brand new guitar bridge pops off I won’t have any faith in these guitars anymore even if they replaced it.
We agree, that's why the guitar was returned no questions asked. Now on inspection it did look like there was a little tampering with the bridge but nonetheless, we made sure to get everyone sorted on that one, no questions asked.
As a gun toting A2 extremist I am very triggered buy the color font choice of your misleading click bait title.
9:11 I beg to differ. So in summary... You weren't overly impressed with the NAMM models. Of the 20 to 30 guitar orders you received, one of the bridges popped off within days or weeks of ownership. This all sounds very similar to my own experiences. Very very poor.
Richard thank you for watching and I am sorry you have had a different experience. The NAMM run was decent but not mind-blowing as we stated. The next batch we received were leaps and bounds above in quality, playability, and tone. And we found out after the fact that the bridge in question happened while being "tweaked" by the customer.
Sincere thank you for taking the time to watch this video and to share your thoughts and experiences.
Casino Guitars thanks for the reply and I appreciate you have to sell them but in 25 years selling over 50000 guitars I have never ever sold a guitar where the bridge has popped off within weeks of owning it. Have you? I really don’t think your experiences are much different to my own. I do appreciate you replying
@@RichardsGuitarshop Richard thank you for responding as well! On the bridge, as I said, there was some user "errors" involved. But in my unfortunately too many years in this world as well (I am getting way too old for my liking) I have seen some amazing instruments with some issues. Martin had about a 5 year run of some serious bridge issues, the fret work on an entire batch of Eastmans were atrocious, and I had a few Taylor's the were duds, just uninspiring. Fortunately these all went back to the manufactures. Sincere thanks for your thoughts and comments and I would love to talk more.
Just a toy guitar really baby martins are better
Thanks for the time to watch and the comment Alan. We'd probably disagree on the baby Martin comp but that is what makes this strange little planet go around we suppose.
Thanks again for your time and best of luck out there in the guitar loving universe!
OMG this guy is like a car salesman
Sorry you feel that way Kevin and that's honestly the first time anyone has ever said that about anyone at our wee shop...but we do appreciate originality. Usually we here "how did they get Robert Smith on their channel" or "comb your hair + random expletive)" but well take what we get. Thanks for taking the time to watch the video and I hoper you get a chance to try a Lowden in store sometime if you haven't already. Best to you and yours and have a stellar day!
@@CasinoGuitars well it cetainly wont be a Sheeran. Price wise they are ridiculous. Your review goes back and forth between a Sheeran and a Lowden. Two totally different guitars. Its like someone else said I can get you a better guitar for less price than these Sheerans. But hey people will buy them. Just look at those ridiculous Acoustisonics!
Number 1 rule :
Never buy an Artist Signature instrument
Number 2:
Same as number 1 + make your own signature instrument. Make your own sounds. Play as you are and stop trying being someone else.
Number 3:
Sheeran is not Clapton. So don't waste your money there.
Number 1. It’s not a signature model, it’s a new line where Sheeran wants to encourage the younger generation to play guitars.
Number 2. Who said Sheeran wants to be Clapton? Does Clapton play with a loop pedal and perform solo? Not sure what your point is
@@zeeb0w My point is, I just don't give a damn
Aidil Adha you didn’t care but you take time to write a comment on a video about sheeran guitars? i’m even more confused now
Thus thread brought me much joy and happiness:) Thank you both for engaging and hopefully through this...becoming pals
Sheeran guitars a trash. Any store who will sell a $300 dollar build quality guitar for over $900 is ripping you off and offering you trash for way too much money. Carrying lowden is amazing but this new Sheeran line is a joke. I hope they notice all these negative comments about the new Sheeran line and take them off the market. And Ed Sheeran is an ass just for telling everyone these guitars are amazing and they clearly are way too overpriced for what your
Getting. Buy a entry level Yamaha if your a beginner and that will produce a way better sound than a $1000 laminated guitar that sounds like a toy.
Thank you for your thoughts Nathan and sincere thanks for taking the time to comment. We appreciate your thoughts and agree that some of the Yamahas are amazing bargains. We also love the Taylor GS Mini's in this range and think they are really tough to beat.
Thank you again and thank you for the passion!
Hey! We did notice your comments and having taken them on board surprisingly we decided to leave our guitars out there for people to play and hopefully just judge them on that alone instead of what they heard on UA-cam. Hope that’s cool, thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts on our guitars!
Sheerin guitars are absolute crap. Don't waste your money.