NGD: Wee Lowden - Chechen Rosewood / Sinker Redwood

mellowsun

Had this a couple of weeks now. It just loves open tunings. Tiny guitar but sounds so full and sustains forever.





Thanks to the great team at Coda for doing me a nice deal on a part-exchange!

Strangefan

Good god that is beautiful,  

artiebear

That is quite stunning, something to treasure and play the hell out of .

Bridgehouse

Wow.

Moe_Zambeek

Lovely! How do you think it compares to the S?

mellowsun

@Moe_Zambeek I tried a few different S35 and S50 models. They were great too, but for me this particular Wee Lowden had nicer trebles and clearer midrange.

You know the phenomenon when you try something in the shop but it doesn't sound as good when you get it home? This was the opposite! Sounds even better.

AliGorie

lovely little guitar MS, looks 'vintage' already with that top, I dare'nt try any redwood topped Lowdies for fear of HAVING to buy one.
Interesting GL - as always is 'matching' the striped redwood with a contrasting Bocote bridge which naturally has bold stripes when quarter sawn.
A subtle point, he has used a variety of 'rosewoods' for bridges over the years to suite his sense of aesthetics with different body timbers. I have come to think that the 'speed of sound' and much less damping has something to do with the 'Lowden' sound. Never known him to use Ebony - therefor noticeable by it's absence from his design philosophy.
It's recognized that Ebony bridges add to the typical 'Martin' sound of the past 40 years, again - due to the amount of mass and damping but they did, in the past use Brazilian r/wood and those instruments are highly prized.
As someone said - drop a rosewood and ebony piece of wood on a stone / tiled floor and see which one you'd choose for to make Marimba 'key's' outa - answer - they preferred and use Honduras r/wood
for more on this - if u’r interested ? -
http://theunofficialmartinguitarforum.yuku.com/topic/112978/Bridges-Ebony-or-Brazilian-Rosewood-for-Max-Tone#.WLGFxxCZ93k

Winny_Pooh

Beautiful guitar. Wide nut?

Chris_J

Want!

mellowsun

Winny_Pooh said:

Beautiful guitar. Wide nut?

Standard Lowden 45 mm nut I think

BigLicks67

Lovely stuff. Does this mean the arthritis/tendinitis has cleared up?

mellowsun

BigLicks67 said:

Lovely stuff. Does this mean the arthritis/tendinitis has cleared up?

It has, thanks, but I don't want to risk it again, which was one reason for getting a smaller bodied, short scale acoustic

enjo

Beautiful!

bluechargeboy

It's lovely that. One of them with a cutaway please!

mellowsun

@AliGorie thanks, that's really interesting about rosewood vs ebony bridges. I'd not considered this before. I'm fairly sure the first Lowden I bought, an O10 from 1993, had an ebony bridge, but I sold it some years ago so I can't prove it!

AliGorie

AliGorie said:

 Never known him to use Ebony - therefor noticeable by it's absence from his design philosophy.

I pretty much doubt it MS, although in saying that - the 1993 production WAS during the 'Made Under License' period when 'things got changed' e.g.neck profiles and bracing and who knows what else, all put aright when GL took back control in 2004.
I know he has used very dark Brazilian r/w for bridges - way back , when it was available (and relatively less expensive) and  may have used African Blackwood though I've personal not seen it, it is a true Dalbergia (rosewood) and almost indistinguishable in looks from Ebony.
Whilst on the subject, I've a piece of Braz r'wood which I scrape every so often - heaven to a woodworker, thats why it's called 'rose - wood'. Apparently most of the Brazilian r/w ever used was used for it's scent - in the perfume industry !.

mellowsun

@AliGorie this O50 has an ebony bridge

http://thenorthamericanguitar.com/lowden-050-acoustic-guitar-cuban-mahogany-sitka-spruce/

AliGorie

who knew ?
well done MS, now try 'n find another
a 50 series I've always had a love of Cuban mahogany - harder and heavier than Honduran and tone between Hog 'n Rosewood, ya don't get much better tonewood. I played an Alpine / Cuban 'F' super guitar.

Stevepage

Lucky man. For a small guitar they sound huge and feel amazing. congrats