1997 Lowden F32 Acoustic Guitar, Near Mint w/ Amulet Pickup & Preamp

Up for sale, a 1997 Lowden F32 in near mint condition and in perfect working order, complete with the original hardshell case and upgraded with an Amulet pickup and preamp (a $570 value). A stunningly clean, one-owner guitar that's a bit richer in its appointments than current F32 models with an abalone rosette and amber tuning buttons, this Lowden F32 was handcrafted in Northern Ireland, featuring a solid spruce top and solid rosewood back and sides.With a 15 5/8" lower bout width and 4 3/4" body depth, the sound is bold and extremely detailed, offering a piano-like clarity. Each string occupies its own sonic space, yielding ample projection and an extremely balanced sound as you travel up the fretboard. The bass strings are rich and clear, while the trebles are sparkling and crisp with dense upper harmonics. The sustain is exquisite, and the F32 is prized for fingerstyle playing as well as strumming with a flatpick. The guitar weighs 4lbs 10oz, professionally dialed in here at Mike & Mike's Guitar Bar with easy-playing action and fresh 12-53 bronze strings.The three-piece mahogany neck with rosewood stringers has a medium C shape with moderate shoulder and just enough substance to feel fast, yet substantial, measuring .830" deep at the 1st fret and .895" at the 9th. The ebony fingerboard features practically perfect medium jumbo fretwire, and the guitar plays cleanly up the 25 1/2" scale with a straight neck. The nut measures 1 3/4" in width, and the headstock features gold Lowden-branded Gotoh tuners with large transparent amber buttons.The rosewood bridge sits flush with the top on all edges, and the two piece compensated saddle ensures ideal intonation. The guitar features an abalone rosette and transparent pickguard, with the clean Lowden serialized label visible through the soundhole, dating the guitar to 1997. A strap button has been added to the neck heel, and the upgraded Amulet pickup necessitates a 1/4" jack at the endpin.The Amulet is a true-stereo acoustic guitar pickup and preamplifier system designed to exceed the fidelity and response of traditional saddle and magnetic pickups.The Amulet utilizes two of Trance Audio's Acoustic Lens transducers which are mounted to the soundboard on the inside of the guitar. The Acoustic Lens accurately reproduces the warm, woody textures generated by the guitar's soundboard, and an internal stereo preamp boosts the signal at the guitar and outputs a low impedance signal, allowing long cable runs without loss of fidelity. The compact control unit at the other end of the cable presents a stereo or mono signal to a mixer or amplifier. The Amulet pickup represents a $570 value, and the system was professionally installed by Gryphon Stringed Instruments.Incredibly clean and crack-free, this Lowden features a satin nitro lacquer finish on the body, and the top features multi-ply purfling with an outer ply of sycamore (one-ply sycamore binding frames the back). Cosmetic wear is limited to a few faint pick marks across the strum path, and a couple pinhead-sized marks at the bass-side waist on top. The neck profile finish has been buffed to a semi-gloss from contact with the palm.The original molded Lowden hardshell case is included, along with the Amulet preamp and a brand new cable furnished by Amulet.