Anybody here tried one of Fatdog's Lowells?

dB · August 11th, 2003, 02:16 PM

Just wondering if you really get that 40s-50s West Coast thing going on with it.
Tele content: I'm just about to commit to a cheapo copy, just 'cause I can't stand it anymore. More as it develops...

Cheers,
dB

Bob Mc · August 11th, 2003, 02:34 PM

but there have been some (really) bad reviews of his customer service. But take that for what it's worth; I'm repeating it third hand and mean it as a warning more then slander against the guy. YMMV.
I have never dealt with him, but I have been tempted.
Long story short, I have gone thru a bunch of fullbody jazzers; and some of the imports (the Cort Larry Coryells for example) are excellent bang for the buckers.
I was lucky enough to get a basket case Gretsch for my swing fix.
Let us know what you do.

fakeocaster · August 11th, 2003, 03:07 PM

I bought a Lowell directly from Fatdawg when on Holidays in the states in 2000.

The guitar is excellent and well worth the money.

Please e mail me if you want to know more

Richard

jhundt · August 11th, 2003, 03:51 PM

Fat Dog's shop in Berkeley is an interesting place. Fat Dog can be OK himself. But the level of "customer service" that you get from the staff there is so appalling, it defies description. I won't go into all the details, but among my friends/acquaintances it is notorious and legendary. I would advise against any mail-order dealings based on my experience in the shop. Maybe others have had a pleasant experience there.

gtrjones · August 11th, 2003, 06:37 PM

I have a 3 p-90'd lowell... I bought it used, and never dealt directly w/ the fatdawg people. It is a very good guitar, especially for the price I paid ($700, w/ hsc, delivered...) the pickups sound great, the fit and finish are good to very good, the hardware looks and feels good, and I personally love the neck profile and the ebony fingerboard.

as with anything, if you can play it and measure it yourself, it's better, but I've seen a few epiphones that weren't this good...

eryque · August 11th, 2003, 06:43 PM

This isn't exactly what you asked about, but if you're at all nervous about buying from him you should check out the Samick and Epi guitars. I have a Sheraton, and the worksmanship has proven to be every bit as good as Gibson's, and the fretwork was excellent, particularly considering that it's a $600 guitar. The shop where I bought this also keeps a couple of the Epi archtops around, and they seem to be just as nice.

Samick also has their own line of archtops, which are not at all disappointing. Not surprising, since Samick makes the Epis.

I'm curious to know about Fatdawg's operation. He couldn't possibly be making these by hand and selling them for $700, could he?

bek · August 11th, 2003, 07:15 PM

I've been in Fatdawg's shop a few times. They seem to expect you to act like it's a special privilege to buy something there. It's so "shabby-chic" that it's a form of reverse-snobbism. I liked the stuff, though, and I'll bet it can be good, but I would be very clear about what I expected.

Raymond · August 11th, 2003, 09:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eryque

I'm curious to know about Fatdawg's operation. He couldn't possibly be making these by hand and selling them for $700, could he?

This is fatdog's site.

http://www.fatdawg.com/

It's a mistery, but it's a fact...Actually, I was tempted to order an acoustic from him, but due to recent economical developments, I'd have to wait a few months. It's amazing that you can get a killer acoustic for such a low price.

http://www.tdpri.com/viewtopic.php?t=3065

(read the 5th post...)

Bob Mc · August 12th, 2003, 10:33 AM

He does a bunch of work to bodies he 'contracts'. If you've ever seen Bill Blue's Liberty guitars (he does pretty much the same thing on reso's), you'll know this can be a real value.
Kind alike what I see at the shop; folks buy a Samick (most guitars at these range come from them anyway) and drop new pots, PUPs in them set them up and have a great work horse instrument.

Raymond · August 12th, 2003, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Mc

He does a bunch of work to bodies he 'contracts'.....them set them up and have a great work horse instrument.

I think you're right. A buddy of mine once said that he could get a toys r us children guitar play like a Gibson J-45!
But, he also builds replicas. The most famous is a Martin D-28 that he sells for 250 bucks!
http://www.fatdawg.com/g3big.jpg

I have no idea how it looks like because he clearly says "Even if you forget about the fancy stuff, the sound quality is similar to instruments starting at $600". I really don't know what that's suppose to mean....
When I got my first acoustic 10 years ago, I paid close to 200 bucks for an MIJ Ibanez that I still have and play almost every day.....but, I wish I knew about this before! This would've been a great guitar for a serious beginner like me at the time....

bluesy · August 13th, 2003, 09:01 AM

Another possibility to consider is the new made in China Ibanez Artcore series offering full hollowbodies, thinline hollowbodies and semi solidbodies....all of em have humbuckers, some models are equipped with an Ibanez "Bigsby" and none of em street for over $350 (sans case). I love my AFS75T thinline, picked er up for $319 brand spankin new, great neck, good fretwork, good tone and doesn't squeal uncontrollably at gig volumes. Guitar Player magazine gave it an editor's pic award several months back.

August 11th, 2003, 02:16 PM	#1 (permalink)
dB Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 394	Anybody here tried one of Fatdog's Lowells? Just wondering if you really get that 40s-50s West Coast thing going on with it. Tele content: I'm just about to commit to a cheapo copy, just 'cause I can't stand it anymore. More as it develops... Cheers, dB

August 11th, 2003, 02:34 PM	#2 (permalink)
Bob Mc Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Mo'town NJ Posts: 1,615	Fatdog's stuff looks interesting but there have been some (really) bad reviews of his customer service. But take that for what it's worth; I'm repeating it third hand and mean it as a warning more then slander against the guy. YMMV. I have never dealt with him, but I have been tempted. Long story short, I have gone thru a bunch of fullbody jazzers; and some of the imports (the Cort Larry Coryells for example) are excellent bang for the buckers. I was lucky enough to get a basket case Gretsch for my swing fix. Let us know what you do. __________________ All of us contain Music & Truth, but most of us can't get it out. Mark Twain

August 11th, 2003, 03:07 PM	#3 (permalink)
fakeocaster Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Enniscorthy, Ireland Posts: 655	Been there done that I bought a Lowell directly from Fatdawg when on Holidays in the states in 2000. The guitar is excellent and well worth the money. Please e mail me if you want to know more Richard __________________ cheers fakeocaster

August 11th, 2003, 03:51 PM	#4 (permalink)
jhundt Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Netherlands Age: 54 Posts: 2,987 9 Photos	Customer Service ? Fat Dog's shop in Berkeley is an interesting place. Fat Dog can be OK himself. But the level of "customer service" that you get from the staff there is so appalling, it defies description. I won't go into all the details, but among my friends/acquaintances it is notorious and legendary. I would advise against any mail-order dealings based on my experience in the shop. Maybe others have had a pleasant experience there.

August 11th, 2003, 06:37 PM	#5 (permalink)
gtrjones Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Austin, TX y'all Posts: 816	Yep... I have a 3 p-90'd lowell... I bought it used, and never dealt directly w/ the fatdawg people. It is a very good guitar, especially for the price I paid ($700, w/ hsc, delivered...) the pickups sound great, the fit and finish are good to very good, the hardware looks and feels good, and I personally love the neck profile and the ebony fingerboard. as with anything, if you can play it and measure it yourself, it's better, but I've seen a few epiphones that weren't this good...

August 11th, 2003, 06:43 PM	#6 (permalink)
eryque Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: albany, ny [not chicago] Posts: 7,090 44 Photos	This isn't exactly what you asked about, but if you're at all nervous about buying from him you should check out the Samick and Epi guitars. I have a Sheraton, and the worksmanship has proven to be every bit as good as Gibson's, and the fretwork was excellent, particularly considering that it's a $600 guitar. The shop where I bought this also keeps a couple of the Epi archtops around, and they seem to be just as nice. Samick also has their own line of archtops, which are not at all disappointing. Not surprising, since Samick makes the Epis. I'm curious to know about Fatdawg's operation. He couldn't possibly be making these by hand and selling them for $700, could he?

August 11th, 2003, 07:15 PM	#7 (permalink)
bek Tele-Holic Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: California Posts: 555	I've been in Fatdawg's shop a few times. They seem to expect you to act like it's a special privilege to buy something there. It's so "shabby-chic" that it's a form of reverse-snobbism. I liked the stuff, though, and I'll bet it can be good, but I would be very clear about what I expected.

August 12th, 2003, 10:33 AM	#9 (permalink)
Bob Mc Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Mo'town NJ Posts: 1,615	They aint' by hand if I read his ad correctly He does a bunch of work to bodies he 'contracts'. If you've ever seen Bill Blue's Liberty guitars (he does pretty much the same thing on reso's), you'll know this can be a real value. Kind alike what I see at the shop; folks buy a Samick (most guitars at these range come from them anyway) and drop new pots, PUPs in them set them up and have a great work horse instrument. __________________ All of us contain Music & Truth, but most of us can't get it out. Mark Twain

August 13th, 2003, 09:01 AM	#11 (permalink)
bluesy Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Minnesota Age: 48 Posts: 556	Another possibility to consider is the new made in China Ibanez Artcore series offering full hollowbodies, thinline hollowbodies and semi solidbodies....all of em have humbuckers, some models are equipped with an Ibanez "Bigsby" and none of em street for over $350 (sans case). I love my AFS75T thinline, picked er up for $319 brand spankin new, great neck, good fretwork, good tone and doesn't squeal uncontrollably at gig volumes. Guitar Player magazine gave it an editor's pic award several months back. __________________ "You don't get down off an elephant, you get down off a duck."