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Lowdens Attention To The Finer Details Of Build & Tone Pay Dividends On The O-50
Let's not mess around here. It's a Lowden O-50, highest-spec throughout, plus fan fretting, it's going to be good isn't it? The answer of course is yes, but this is more than just a good guitar. The 50 Series are Lowden's highest grade models, and George Lowden himself states they are "simply the very best" that they can produce. This O-50 is certainly one of Lowden's finest achievements.
From the moment you open the Lowden embossed Hiscox hard case, the O-50 is stunning. Everything is perfectly presented, packaged and finished.
Firstly, the timbers in this build deserve special recognition; the solid AAA grade Alpine Spruce on the soundboard is slightly darker and golden compared to its Sitka cousin and it gives it a warm glowing look. The figured timber on the soundhole rosette is beautifully complimented by an intricate Abalone ring, and the angled bridge, unique to the fan fret, is made with Rosewood and is a work of art on its own. The Ebony fretboard is bound with a contrast maple which looks fantastic, and the gold and black machine heads on its ebony layered headstock match beautifully, as does the Mother of Pearl Lowden logo.
African Blackwood is a highly prized tonewood, and in this case is magnificent to behold. The body bindings are intricate, crisp and sit beautifully with the traditional Lowden 5-piece neck, made with Flamed Honduran Mahogany and Rosewood. As to be expected, it's hard to find superlatives to describe the build and the design of this guitar, it's neither shouty nor flash, highly sophisticated, a masterclass in acoustic guitar aesthetics.
To play, it's a heavier acoustic than one might be used to, and being an O shape from Lowden it's also a sizeable instrument, but it is so well balanced that it is comfortable and you quickly become at ease with its considerable dimensions. At first sight, I expected the fan frets would take some getting used to, but to me they immediately felt quite normal (as long as you don't crane your neck over and look at the fretboard!) I think the best approach is to treat them like a normal set. Just close your eyes, play, and you'll find the design works ergonomically with your left hand in allowing you to reach up the neck without unnecessary stretching.
The fan fretting also allows the bass strings to be longer, and treble strings to be shorter than they would usually be (and as such closer to their optimum length - think of a grand piano rather than a stand-up), and I would certainly say this guitar has an incredibly precise tone from string to string - I have rarely encoutered an instrument with so much definition. Whether this can be attributed solely to the fan-fretting, or rather as a combination of the size, tonewoods and overall build it's impossible to tell - but the result is clear.
Rich, deep, clean, vibrant, the tone is unique. Bell like highs combine with some of the richest bass notes we've heard on an acoustic guitar. The intonation is superb, and this guitar would especially suit players who like to use complex picking, close harmony cluster chords or alternate tunings. Simply put, it's an extremely high performance acoustic, and has a unique character.
Verdict
Of course it's a masterpiece - and like anything built to this standard it comes at a cost. It's a high-quality handmade guitar made by some of the best luthiers using the finest materials on the planet. These are only produced in small numbers, and the end product is such an achievement in sound, vision and feel that it surely warrants the price tag.
Lowden O-50 Fan Fret AB/AS RRP - £7100.00
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Published 3rd April 2017
