These guitars were built 1974 to 1980 in the very first workshop in Bangor, Northern Ireland by a hand picked and personally trained team of 4, under the direct supervision of George Lowden. Approximately 143 guitars were made during this period.

The first guitars with A-frame bracing and the dolphin voicing profiles were made in 1976 and in many ways have established the Lowden guitar’s distinctive and unique sound.

Guitars with this label were built between 1980 and 1985 in a small Japanese workshop under licence to George Lowden. Approximately 1000 guitars were made per year.

Lowden guitars of this period, between late 1985 and November 1988, were labelled with a slightly smaller version of the oval label.

Serial numbers 1307 to 1846 were made at Balloo Industrial Estate in Bangor, and 1847 to 15000 at the Glenvale Industrial Estate workshops in Newtownards.

Model names changed around the end of 1991. See how model names work.

All Lowden guitars are now built by our family-owned company George Lowden Guitars Ltd. They are built under George’s direct supervision in new atelier style workshops located close to our home in Downpatrick, Co Down, N. Ireland. Some models have been revised. The ‘F’ design has been further developed and the jazz (nylon string) model redesigned on George’s classical guitar basis.

All models since 2004 are built with the original ‘dolphin’ profile hand carved bracing. The current era of production is signified by the new rectangular interior label. Every guitar is also accompanied by an individual provenance document which gives full details of the guitar specifications and year of building, in addition to the warranty booklet.