Lowden Guitars O-35c AAAA East Indian Rosewood & Red Cedar

Lowden introduced the 35 Series in 2004 to take the original design and dress it properly: the best tuners available, more detailed appointments throughout, and tonewood sets drawn from the top of the stock. This one is built to AAAA grade in both the East Indian Rosewood back and sides and the Red Cedar soundboard.

The O is George Lowden's first body shape, drawn in 1974, and still the largest he builds. It carries deep bass, balanced mids, and trebles with genuine sparkle, along with the piano-like sustain that has become the shape's signature. Open and altered tunings are where it really stretches out, the low strings blooming underneath without ever obscuring the melody, and the Venetian cutaway leaves the upper register free for lead lines.

Red Cedar at this grade is quick and generous, moving under the lightest touch and giving the midrange a rounded, vocal quality. The East Indian Rosewood widens that voice at both ends, adding throaty lows, articulate and ringing highs, and layers of harmonic detail that keep unfolding as a chord decays. In the O body the two together produce a large, complex sound with real dynamic range, quiet enough for close fingerstyle and open enough to fill a room.

The 35 appointments show in the detail work. Figured maple binding runs light against the dark rosewood, with maple, rocklite, and mahogany purflings, and the ebony fingerboard is bound in koa, a small warm-toned flourish that catches the light along the edge of the neck. Gotoh Gold 510 tuners with ebony buttons finish the headstock.

It ships in Lowden's current custom hardcase: a hardwood shell under a tear resistant covering, with an integrated suspension system shaped to the body and a dual support that cradles most of the neck against knocks. The close fit also slows the effect of outside humidity and temperature swings, letting the air inside the case change gradually rather than all at once.

Ideal for

Fingerstyle, open and altered tunings, solo performance, recording, and strumming.

Tone profile

Large and harmonically rich, with deep lows, a warm responsive midrange, sparkling articulate highs, and long piano-like sustain.

Specifications

• Model: Lowden O-35c (35 Series)
• Year: 2026 (New)
• Serial Number: 29126
• Completed: 31 August 2026
• Soundboard: AAAA Red Cedar
• Back & Sides: AAAA East Indian Rosewood
• Neck: 5-Piece Mahogany / Rosewood
• Neck Profile: GL Standard
• Fingerboard: Ebony with Koa Bindings
• Scale Length: 650mm (25.6")
• Body: O with Venetian Cutaway
• Binding: Figured Maple
• Purflings: Maple / Rocklite / Mahogany
• Tuners: Gotoh Gold 510 with Ebony Buttons
• Strings: Elixir Phosphor Bronze Nanoweb 11-52
• Case: Lowden Custom Hardcase