The dark side...

Here's yours truly playing my very fine dread (Lowden D-32) at a wee Irish session earlier this month. That's my friend Renee on the box and a very fine fiddle player who knew a LOT of tunes (first time I met him and I can't remember his name).



Truly the dark side of the good ol' G&LDP. No amps, kilted man on acoustic, fiddle and accordion. I'm evil!

(Commenting on an earlier post: this is my Lowden after I added the pickguard and put the original tuner buttons back on.) Lowden acoustics are the sh*te! They no longer make the D-series (dreadnoughts), but they occasionally show up on Ebay. If you're in the market for a dread that's has it's own sound (quite different from a Martin), seek out a Lowden. Hunt for D-32s (rosewwood/spruce) or D-10s (mahogany/spruce).

Peace...

GDub

Cool looking guitar. I like Lowden's as well. I think you can learn a lot playing acoustic which can carry over to electric. I play acoustic a lot of the time (I have a nice folk sized Washburn which I have for about 15 years) .

Nice guit, nice kilt.

Regimental style??

Is anyone else struck by the irony of GDub in SF wearing a kilt and playing a Lowden while John_L in the British Isles plays a Washburn?

You know your right it is a bit of a puzzler. It's also only three hours by train from London to Edinburgh where I have been many times yet although I'm entitled to wear one by ancestry I don't own a kilt. I normally wear Levi's a brand from SF!

In my case, wearing a kilt is all about personal choice. I'm half Irish with (as far as I know) no Scottish heritage. I do own a couple of Scottish clan tartans kilts that I bought early on in my kilted adventure because I liked the colors. But after learning more about Highland attire and heritage, I chose to stick with tartans that aren't associated with clans. What's left? There are tartans for every county in Ireland, the "national" tartans (I'm wearing the Irish National above), "fashion" tartans (most tartans not associated with a clan are generally called "fashion") like the American Heritage, the Firefighter's Memorial (designed by a US kiltmaker after 9/11), and "contemporary" kilts like the Utilikilt.... I currently have 19 kilts! These days the only time I'm not kilted is at work and that's because I'm a programmer and tend to sit a lot during the day--sitting on pleats is not all that comfortable. 99% of the time when I'm out and about I'm the only guy in a kilt. At first It was a little intimidating being kilted in public, but that quickly wore off. Now it feels normal/natural--quite pleasant actually. My wife totally digs it (she got me into kilts in the first place), and (trust me on this one guys) the ladies LOVE it! I kid you not, though it helps if you've got good legs. (And yes, regimental 100%! The boys have been set free from the tyranny of tighty whities.)

As for the Lowden, my fave guitar player has played a Lowden D-10 for many years and I love his sound. Had to get one. I was actually hunting for a D-10 when I found the D-32. The vibe was right so I scooped it up. I'm VERY glad I did.

Peace...

GDub

Maybe I will get a kilt one day I do like the Ancient Hunting Tartan. Of course here a heavyweight kilt is essential!

Utilikilts are pretty big in Seattle. Go figure

Nice acoustic, but let me be the first to say , Pick guards are for sissies

Way to wear a kilt though, thats some good man-ness going on there. Being about 5th gen Canadian (I really don't know) even though my lines are still heavily Scottish I don't bother.