In the late-'80s, Irish guitar builder George Lowden began experimenting with concert-size classical designs. As he developed and refined his approach to the nylon-string template, his own personal custom guitar making evolved into the Lowden Jazz model. Designed to be equally approachable for traditional classical players and steel string pickers, the Lowden Jazz is a well-voiced, expressive nylon-string packed with versatility.
This 2015 Lowden S-32J features a solid Alpine Spruce top with East Indian Rosewood back and sides. The Lowden Jazz body is extremely comfortable—it feels like a small-body guitar, but it's a bit deeper so it has nice resonance and a voice that projects. Because of the cutaway, radius fingerboard, and narrower 1-7/8" nut width, the Lowden Jazz facilitates a wider ranger of playing styles than most nylon guitars. It makes nylon-string sounds accessible to steel string players without needing to adjust the nuances of your playing.
The S-32J was designed to sound just as good amplified, and it features a factory-installed Fishman pickup with volume and tone controls nestled in the sound hole. When plugged in, the guitar's natural acoustic voice is nicely replicated. True to Lowden's reputation, playing it acoustically is an inspiring experience. When you plug it in, it captures the same magic and vibe.
This 2015 Lowden S-32J shows some signs of use, but it's in nice shape all around. The worst is some scuffs along the lower bout of the top, the back/edges of the headstock, and a scratch on the back by the waist (see photos). It has a very playable low, setup, and it comes alive with even the lightest touch. One complaint is that the Ebony tuner buttons occasionally rattle at certain frequencies, especially when you play hard. For some players, it wouldn't be noticeable, but for others, a fresh set of tuners may be worthwhile.
This 2015 Lowden S-32J is a cool nylon guitar that fits a wide variety of playing styles. It includes its original Hiscox case.