Lowden F10 and F12

Lowden introduces two more-affordable midsize instruments in its Original Series.

May 14, 2025

Built in Northern Ireland, Lowden guitars are among the most-established and best-respected steel-string flattops made outside of North America. Founded by luthier George Lowden in 1974, the company’s instruments feature a distinctive aesthetic, creative design solutions, and above all, a unique tonal signature. Lowdens have been the guitars of choice for Pierre Bensusan, Paul Brady, Alex DeGrassi, and Richard Thompson (all of whom have signature models). Especially popular with fingerstyle players and Irish-style guitarists, they work well with many other musical styles as well. The Lowden line comprises three main series, Original, 35, and 50 (plus signature models, electrics, and nylon-string Jazz models). Recently the company bolstered its Original Series with the entry level F10 and F12 models. With a bolt-on neck design (rather than the traditional dovetail) and featuring a simplified design, these models list about $800 lower than other Original Series models with similar woods. We had a chance to check out both guitars courtesy of Organic Sounds Select Guitars in Santa Ana, California, and in this video, I demonstrate them in the Peghead Nation studio.

The F10 and F12 feature Lowden’s mid-size F body shape. Both have Indian rosewood backs and sides, with a cedar top on the F10 and Sitka spruce on the F12. The quality of the wood on our demo models is on par with other Original Series Lowdens: The rosewood is dark with attractive grain patterns, and both the cedar and spruce are tight-grained and evenly colored. It’s worth noting that in the 1970s, Lowden was among the first to use cedar as a top wood on steel-string guitars, inspiring other makers to follow suit. Similarly, many of Lowden’s choices for appointments owe more to traditional classical guitars than to typical American steel-strings: Wooden binding (cherry on our demo models), no fingerboard inlay (just position markers on the side), and a semi-satin finish are all typical of George Lowden’s melding of European and American influences. The F10 and F12 are fitted with Lowden’s typical two-piece saddles, and their X-bracing has the distinctive tall and thin shape. Both guitars feature excellent craftsmanship with precise fit and finish throughout.

Lowden doesn’t masquerade the F10 and F12’s bolt-on necks. Basic inspection reveals a pair of Allen-head bolts in the neck block and another set of bolts under the fingerboard extension. Several years in development, this new neck joint is lightweight and doesn’t impede the resonance that Lowdens are famous for. Lowden found that a more flexible neck sounded better with the bolt-on, so these models use a three-piece design similar to the typical five-piece Lowden neck, but without the hardwood reinforcement strips.

One of my own main guitars is a 1999 Lowden O10 that I’ve been playing since it was new, and I’ve spent a lot of time around Lowdens of all sizes and styles, so I’m quite familiar with their characteristics. I’m happy to report that these guitars easily live up to my hopes: They have the distinctive Lowden voice, often described as looser and more diffused than most steel-string flattops, with rich overtones, and a huge dynamic range. F-size Lowdens can be more muted than the larger O-size guitars, but tonal complexity is front and center with the F10 and F12. Both guitars sounded great regardless of whether I played them fingerstyle or strummed with them with a pick. The spruce-top F12 was a bit brighter and louder when played hard, while the cedar top on the F10 yielded a slightly darker tonal quality. In the video, I played both instruments back-to-back, and they are far more similar than they are different.

Overall, the new Lowden F10 and F12 are fabulous additions to Lowden’s offerings. Whether you’re new to Lowdens or have been hoping for a slightly more affordable option, you can rest assured that these guitars offer the real deal!