Vintage Lowden Guitar for sale
First and foremost a great sounding guitar - but of interest to collectors too!

Here's some pictures of my beautiful Lowden Guitar. It's very unique. I bought it in 1989 direct from the UK sales rep. It was one of his demonstration models and was made by George Lowden himself in Bangor - as a demonstrator. I contacted George about its origin and it appears that he stuck the wrong label in! It says S-25 and it's clearly not. George says it's closer to the L25 of its day. there's some confusion as to the woods from which the back and sides are made. I'm sure, at the time, I was told it was Mexican Walnut. Stefan Sobell says it's not Indian Rosewood which is what Lowden were using at the time. This supports my presumption that it is a one-off.

This guitar is massive with a massive mellow sound! (Be heard at sessions!!) It sounds amazing whatever style it is used for and is lusted after by many musicians. It was recently checked over and set up by respected luthier Terry Docherty who assured me it's as intact today as it was twenty two years ago. This was confirmed a few months later by Stefan Sobell- he played it and thinks I'm daft for selling it! The wonderful thing about this particular model is it sounds great with fingerpicks or a flat pick.

I have been offered large sums of money for it in the past but have always resisted. However, ill health means I may have to part with it. But it would have to be for a pretty serious amount of money! As well as being a fantastic example of George Lowden's craft - and a collectors item - It's the best sounding Lowden I've heard. George continues to make fantastic guitars but a brand new Lowden will take a few years to sound as mature as this.

I'm biased - Here's what Luthier Terry Docherty said:

"Gary's Lowden is everything he says it is and I'd have been been proud to have made it, myself. Structurally, its perfect with no sign of any top distortion or forward tilt to the bridge. The neck is in perfect alignment and "set" and although the truss rod needed some slight adjustment to reduce some excess "relief", that is to be expected in a well played guitar that has never had a set-up or needed one until now. The frets were not as badly worn as might be expected and took only a little work to level, crown, and polish and there is no excessive wear to the rosewood fingerboard. It's now set up to a medium, steel string action and fingerpicks cleanly even when well driven and easy to play big closed chords on. A great all-round guitar in my opinion and a well cared for box which is nicely aged but with only the odd, inevitable "ding" in it which is just part of its history and character anyway. It's a joy to play. Very responsive, great volume and balance and with a clear, crisp, yet mellowness of tone from a cedar top which is performing like you'd expect of a good spruce top after 20 years. No dead spots on the fingerboard anywhere and very impressive indeed. I may be Gary's friend but 'tis the truth I speak and I'd certainly recommend it as a great buy for any serious player, provided you have a crow-bar large enough to prise it away from it's owner."
Terry Docherty 2009 Check Terry's website here

"It's worth all you're asking, and more. Good guitars need to mature and  it's easy to pay £3000+ for (say) a new Martin & you'd then have to wait years before it reached the standard of this one. Hope it goes to a good home. It's my favourite guitar after my own 65 Texan"   Colin Pearson

"Guitar looks stunning! I know how good it is coz I've played it. Shall mention it to likely suspects." Bernard Wrigley

"Can you not sell something else instead?" Stefan Sobell
 

21st February 2010

Click pics to enlarge

 

 

 

   

   

   

• Hand Made by George Lowden as a demonstrator in 1988/9
  Possibly L Series but label reads S25
  Signed Oval Green-edge Label
• Jumbo body style
• Silk finish
• All-solid woods
• Solid cedar top
• Solid back and sides (Mexican Rosewood or Walnut? - hard to tell)
• 5-piece neck Mahogany with Rosewood Inserts
• Rosewood? Ebony fingerboard?
• 20 frets (14 fret join)
• Rosewood or Walnut bridge (compensated 2-piece saddle)
  Hidden Truss Rod (accessible inside)
• Gold, Lowden tuners with Abalone Buttons
  Gold, Locking Strap Buttons
• White side dot position inlays
• Headstock overlay in Walnut/Rosewood
• Simple Hardwoods Rosette
• Multiple wood body binding
• 2-piece back
• Body Depth: 4" (Front), 4-7/8" (Rear)
  Body width: 16-1/2"
  Body Length 20"
• Width at Nut: 1-3/4"
• Width at Heel: 2-1/4"
• Original Green Lowden Hard Case with Logo

No time wasters. Please don't contact me unless you have at least £3000 to spend on this quality guitar.
(My guitar-dealer friend would consider quality part-ex offers)

01670 361953
info@garyhogg.co.uk