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Some of you may remember my post earlier this year that I had arranged a quid pro quo with George Lowden...swapping LS redwood tops for a Lowden guitar to be built from walnut and LS redwood that I would supply.
Well, I just received an email that it's on the way, Fedex, with an expected arrival this Friday. After the appropriate drooling period is over, I'll post some photos and description of the instrument. Of course, this now obligates me to really play the instrument, so any input on how to limber up 61 year old stubby fingers will be graciously welcomed.
The public debut of this fine instrument will probably occur in a couple weeks at Sunday morning worship, after I put in a new K&K pickup. Can't think of a more fitting way to begin years of enjoyment.

And to enter the realm of "conspicuous consumption", I have the same deal going with my good buddy, Lance McCollum. That guitar goes into the finishing process this week, so there will be an appropriate gushing upon it's arrival.
These two instruments represent the first new guitars, save ones I built for myself, that I have acquired in nearly 20 years. Now that ought to qualify for some sort of long term GAS award.

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Hank Mauel

Wow, I'll have to stop by and see them one of these days after you get both of them. Congrats. How is Peter's 00 coming along?

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Tickle your guitar daily, and it'll tickle you back.

George is the finest builder in the world, no argument! I have been after his sound for many years and paid him a visit in Belfast three or four years ago. He's the one we all look up to on this side of the pond.

ColinColin S38979.5461574074

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

Congrats Hank!

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Lance@LuthiersForum.com

Lowden and the N.Ireland gang of luthiers (McIlroy, Irwin et. al) are just awesome and have great standards of build and tone quality..

I'm soo wanting to try out some top quality Avalons and Lowdens, I'm gonna drive over to Leicester soon to spend a day guitar "window shopping" and researching.

Looking forward to the pics.
Sam Price38979.5450115741

Neat Hank. Be sure to tell us how she sounds...maybe even a sound clip or two...please...

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Joe Breault
Merrimack, NH
Perpetual novice

Wow...a Lowden. <sigh>

The one guitar I let get away, and have regretted it for 20+ years....was a mahogany/cedar Lowden.
What was I thinkin'?

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

Hey Hank, I'll make the same deal with ya Bro!
   

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

[QUOTE=Hank Mauel]   After the appropriate drooling period is over, I'll post some photos and description of the instrument. [/QUOTE]
Wipe it down first, okay?

Sounds like big fun is on the way! The wait has gotta be hard, though.

Have you been able to venture into your shop for some building activity? Hope so. More Mauel guitars would be a good thing!

Congrats Hank, sure sounds like the fun part is about to begin for ya!

[QUOTE=CarltonM] Have you been able to venture into your shop for some building activity? Hope so. More Mauel guitars would be a good thing! [/QUOTE]


Not really...about a day a week, if lucky. My current "alternate work activity" has been keeping me busy. As fall/winter get here, hopefully that will slow down and I'll start back in the shop, slowly, and see what happens.

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Hank Mauel

Good luck, my friend. Suit up, and stay well!

Congrats Hank! To limber up, just do what Eliot Fisk does...1st finger, low e string, 1st fret, pinky finger, high e-string, 7th fret. Once you can do that stretch, you're ready to start playing (he really does do this)!   

Cheers!

John

Congradulations,
Which K&K pickup do you prefer?
Mike

hank, i can't wait to see it. i try to pay close attention to which builder my favorite players and songwriters play and it seems like the lowden name shows up an aweful lot. a real testament to not just building great guitars, but building inspiring guitars.
about limbering up the fingers, if you're a church player there's currently loads of great music to help warm up and inspire at the same time. along with the steel string renisance has also come a worship songwriting renisance of sorts.
phil

[QUOTE=Don Williams]
The one guitar I let get away, and have regretted it for 20+ years....was a mahogany/cedar Lowden.
What was I thinkin'?[/QUOTE]

You WHAT??? How COULD you????

Yeah Don, how could ya?????

A mahogany/cedar Lowden eh, got to be one of the all-time classic guitars. Wish I had one

Colin

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

Yes I know, but back in the early 80's, I had never even heard of a Lowden.
Back in my home town, a small-town kind of town, nobody had heard of them. There was a guitar dealer in the city that had a shop in his garage where I bought all my instruments. He sold Gibsons and Fenders and Guilds and other stuff since the '50's. I walked in one day and there was this acoustic hanging on the rack behind the glass, as all were. It was very different looking. I'd never seen a cedar top before, and curiosity got the better of me, so I tried it and loved it. I had no money, and had bought a new Guild a just couple years before that, and then a '59 reissue Les Paul. I was tapped out. I talked with the owner about trading in my new Les Paul for it, and he agreed, but I never went through with the deal.

The Les Paul sits in the case, and gets pulled out on average once every couple of years when I get the urge to look at it.

On the one hand, I have no idea how much that Lowden would be worth today, but the Les Paul has way more than doubled/tripled or more in value. One of these days I'm going to sell it and buy some mahogany and cedar to build something nice with. Oh wait...I've got 60 sets of mahogany, and bunches of cedar & redwood. Nevermind...

I still may sell the Les Paul now that it's 25+ years old, and practically in the same condition as when I bought it.

But I still wish I'd traded it for the Lowden.

Don Williams38980.3746875

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

Don, to buy it new from George Lowden today would be at least $7500, if it was just the standard base model. A 25+ year old one would be at least as much probably much more, people just don't sell the earlier ones. Hope this doesn't make you too unwell! A new 'George Lowden' can go up $25k (worth every penny!)

Colin

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

[QUOTE=John Elshaw] Congrats Hank! To limber up, just do what Eliot Fisk does...1st finger, low e string, 1st fret, pinky finger, high e-string, 7th fret. Once you can do that stretch, you're ready to start playing (he really does do this)!   

Cheers!

John[/QUOTE]

Egads! I can feel the need for a truss coming on!

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Hank Mauel

[QUOTE=MikeT] Congradulations,
Which K&K pickup do you prefer?
Mike
[/QUOTE]
Generally the K&K Pure Western Mini w/o any on board gear, i.e. Passive.
I run the instruments through an Ultrasound, using it as a floor monitor and sending the signal, out through the XLR, to the board at church.

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Hank Mauel