Sometimes it all ends in failure

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VikingBlues
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Sometimes it all ends in failure

Post by VikingBlues »

Way back - Oct 01, 2014 - I started a thread called "New Lowden", about the Lowden S32 acoustic guitar.

I see looking back that there was a paragraph in that opening post that said:-

"So I had a choice of the Clyst which was much easier to play and the S32 that had the higher quality of sound. The S32 was more expensive and I was very, very, very, very, very, very tempted by the Clyst. But I was also tempted a great deal by the Lowden as it just exuded class. I found myself taking a deep breath and going for the Lowden for an extra £360 (460 euros). It will be a Christmas 2014, 60th Birthday and 2015 Christmas present combined. Plus I'll be saving hard for another 7 months at least to pay for it. It is under the bed in it's case till Christmas. I can't help feeling I'm mad to spend so much on a guitar - it is maybe also too good for my ability level."

It looks very obvious to me looking at that old thread now that I did not exercise a great deal of common sense!

A guitar "that was much easier to play" and about which I also said in the post "was the easiest acoustic guitar to play that I've ever tried and the music flowed very easily." was passed over for a guitar where I said "it is maybe also too good for my ability level". :wall:

I have tried. I really have. For a year or so. The Lowden undeniably is a very good guitar - the clarity, balance, sustain, tonal bloom, responsiveness are all great. It is most definitely the best guitar I have ever played.

BUT - if you have an acoustic guitar that has great clarity the player needs to use their skill to get tonal variation and warmth. If you have a guitar with balance the player needs to be able to emphasise the melodic / main line in the music. If you have a guitar with great sustain you need to have the skill to damp it when required. It has become apparent that I don't have those skills in great enough amount. Without those skills playing becomes timid and stilted or riddled with mistakes.

Plus the wider fretboard and more chunky rounded back to the neck are causing pain to my left hand finger joints that I don't have if I use my smaller Tanglewood guitars. As a result I have been going to my other guitars to play while the Lowden is actually the one nearest to where I usually sit.

So I'm afraid, if I can find anyone to buy it, the Lowden is to be sold. I'm not exactly happy about it all to be honest -the feeling of failure prevents that for a start. If it does get sold I don't think I'll be chasing after another high quality, high price acoustic guitar. IF I've learned my lesson. :roll:
An improv a day keeps the demons at bay!
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12bar
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Re: Sometimes it all ends in failure

Post by 12bar »

I think we all make wrong decisions sometimes - that's life. :icon_whoknows:
And most of us have bought some gear which afterwards did not match our needs. The more expensive it is, the more it hurts.
Don't worry too much about, play the guitar that suits best. :music1:
Years ago I've bought two 3/4 classical guitars for my kids. Reviews where not bad (for cheap guitars), but it turned out that the quality is poor and it's hard to play end even harder to learn guitar on it. It's the opposite - I did not spend enough money for a decent one. Lesson learned...
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VikingBlues
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Re: Sometimes it all ends in failure

Post by VikingBlues »

All good points - thank you for the support! :thumbsup:

Well - that's the Lowden gone last night - and I think it's to a home where it will be played and enjoyed - so that's good for the guitar. Decent sale price too. Well, as much as a resale price of a new guitar can be decent.

Very strange mix of feelings just now. No regrets but I do wish I'd thought things through better. I've just calculated it worked out at a net cost of about £20/week (28 euros) from Xmas last year.

So I will now try and concentrate on playing for a while and enjoy what I have got.
An improv a day keeps the demons at bay!
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HalfBlindLefty
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Re: Sometimes it all ends in failure

Post by HalfBlindLefty »

VB, For sometimes the about the same reasons I sold off guitars I have had for less then a year.
Most of the times I was very happy with a guitar, only to get frustrated after a while.
Well, I just say goodbye and move on. No regrets
A long time ago, in the old forum : Registered: Mon, 27 Nov 2006. Wonder were the other old members all went....
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VikingBlues
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Re: Sometimes it all ends in failure

Post by VikingBlues »

HalfBlindLefty wrote:VB, For sometimes the about the same reasons I sold off guitars I have had for less then a year.
Most of the times I was very happy with a guitar, only to get frustrated after a while.
Well, I just say goodbye and move on. No regrets
Thanks HBL - wise words. :thumbsup: I was reminded when I was wrestling with this problem of your own situation a year or so ago with the Fender American Vintage '62 Reissue Stratocaster. Another "special" guitar - and doesn't that make the struggle with trying to bond an even longer process.

I've also been in a sort of similar place before with the MIJ Tokai Les Paul Custom which was my favourite guitar for quite some time before I rapidly found that over a few weeks I had fallen out of love with its sound. Though at least that was less of a ridiculous original cost. On the plus side I hadn't given the Lowden a name - I remember that it having given it a name made the Tokai sale more difficult.

I still find it difficult to believe I bought a guitar that cost 25% of the cost of the last new car I bought! Total madness! :roll:
An improv a day keeps the demons at bay!
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12bar
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Re: Sometimes it all ends in failure

Post by 12bar »

... see my other post, luckily there is the money back option.

But sometimes you have luck. I ordered my Sheraton via Ebay, used, I never played one before, didn't know the seller. But it was perfect.
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