Lowden Guitars Original Series F-34

Sonic Evaluation

Yet again, an amazing Lowden acoustic guitar has compelled me to behave in a socially unacceptable way to my coworkers! This time, I played an E chord, marveled at its depth and complexity, and played an E chord again. And again. And again, until I realized I had been strumming the same chord at top volume for over a minute--sorry that I'm not sorry, coworkers! Such is the power of a great Lowden like this serial. Frankly, I could have kept going!

What makes this Lowden so compelling that I became a one-chord wonder? Well, the magic here lies in its rich-yet-balanced voice, astounding versatility, and wide dynamic range. Even when you play simple things, the chords ring out with such incredible lushness, it's easy to get lost in the sauce as I did. The overtone presence is jaw-dropping, but the fundamental also punches through clearly, rooting the angelic richness in woody warmth. The attack is round and rings out with immediacy like a booming wooden church bell. Speaking of booming, this guitar has SERIOUS power--it projects a mile away, and it has a great deal of headroom, too. At high or low volumes, this guitar has an open, three-dimensional sound that fills the room. The low-end is girthy, the midrange punches like Joe Frazier, and the highs have a golden-hued sweetness to them.

Try as I might, I could not find any weaknesses in this instrument. It handles a pick or fingers with equal aplomb, and its tone is beautifully suited to a wide variety of genres and play styles. I have no doubt it will inspire you to flout social norms cast politeness aside just like it did for me!

A Thing of Beauty is a Joy Forever

George Lowden was only ten years old when he built his first acoustic guitar with a square soundboard, bent nails for frets, and fishing line for strings. He’s since moved on to much, much better materials (including real strings!), but every Lowden Guitar that leaves his shop is still shot through with just as much love, joy, integrity and passion as that fateful first guitar. George Lowden calls this the “Olympic method” of making guitars, and his commitment to excellence is evident with every strum. He and his small team make their guitars in a small shop in Downpatrick, Ireland with such impeccable craftsmanship and artistic flair that they may very well transcend your notion of what an acoustic guitar can do. We know that they will transform your music-making experience for the better, and we invite you to discover the awe-inspiring sounds of these majestic Irish acoustics.

A True OG

George Lowden learned to make acoustic guitars by trial and error. When he was a young man, he got hold of a booklet called "How to Make a Folk Guitar" by a luthier named John Bailey, and it inspired him to start building his own instruments. Rather than copy an existing design, Mr. Lowden simply sketched a guitar and got to work building it. Armed only with Mr. Bailey's book and his imagination, he embarked on a journey full of sweat and sawdust. His goal? To build a revolutionary acoustic guitar. For three years, he tweaked the bracing, changed the soundhole placement, fiddled with the bridge, and generally poured his heart and soul into designing a guitar that embodied his Olympic Philosophy of guitar building. When the dust settled, he knew he had something special: a guitar with the power to make heartstrings resonate. This Original Series guitar is a tribute to that Olympic spirit, and it embodies all of the timeless qualities we love about Lowden guitars.