i have two amazing cocobolo taylor GC 12 frets - lutz/cocobolo and cedar/cocobolo. i ended down a rabbit hole by peeking at more cocobolo taylors - but decided i have everything i want and more with the two i own. considered getting a GA or even GA 12 fret, but my heart always calls for small body guitars. they are more direct, more focused, and incredibly responsive. 12 frets have more warmth and power too - it’s perfect to me.
so i started a search for something different, something that wouldn’t overlap with what i already have. heard an intriguing video of a collings vs a lowden (american voicing vs european) and thought getting a lowden would compliment my current stable of taylors.
i found a S35 (small body 35 series) 12 fret with sitka/eir used, but the shop wanted almost how much a new one would cost.
found a lutz/eir S35 12 fret, thought it sounded good, but the realist in me knew i wouldn’t settle until i got a cocobolo one.
my friend has a 2005 sitka/cocobolo he would have sold to me, but my heart yearned for a cedar top and 12 fret body.
when i saw that lowden was using that they are calling “driftwood” cedar (essentially cedar submerged under water, like sinker redwood) - i became interested. there is a F38 cedar/braz that has a killer top - that pretty much sealed the deal on what i wanted
i looked through some option sheets, also opted for a curved fingerboard extension and strap button
so the config as it stands today (waiting for lowden confirmation) is:
lowden s35 12 fret
driftwood cedar top
cocobolo back/sides
tasmanian blackwood binding
fingerboard extension
gold strap button
the 35 series features gotoh 510 tuners with ebony buttons
blank ebony fretboard with maple purfling
ebony headstock veneer
ebony backstrap
i’m sending photos of wood sets i like and i don’t like, the option of picking woods isn’t available to me.
the look i’m going for is striped cedar with dark lines
quarter sewn, tight grain cocobolo with minimal to no sap wood
