Avalon Guitars

Avalon Guitars is a British and Irish musical-instrument company based in Newtownards, Northern Ireland. It is principally associated with handmade steel-string acoustic guitars and with a production tradition that combines individual luthiery with a workshop organized around specialized stages of instrument construction. The business originated in 1989 as The Lowden Guitar Company Limited and initially operated from Bangor, County Down. Between 1989 and 2003, the company produced approximately 15,000 acoustic guitars carrying the Lowden name. Its early history was therefore closely connected to Lowden guitar manufacturing, although the later Avalon brand developed as a separate design and commercial identity. For a short period between 1992 and 1996, the company also made solid-body electric bass guitars under the Goodfellow name. That brand was sold to Shinseido Corporation of Japan in 1996, allowing the company to concentrate on handmade acoustic instruments. Avalon's Newtownards workshops were purpose-built around a traditional approach to luthiery. The workshop layout was influenced by specialized Japanese guitar makers and was developed by technical manager Mitsuhiro Uchida, who also trained apprentice luthiers. Several of those luthiers later contributed to the development of Avalon instruments and design work. The creation of the Avalon brand in 2000 addressed restrictions associated with the company's design-licensing arrangements for Lowden instruments. Avalon subsequently invited experienced makers within the company to contribute design ideas, leading to the Avalon Gold series, which was launched in 2002. Early reviews in British guitar publications praised the series for its construction quality and tonal performance. The company later experimented with different production models. The Avalon Silver series was developed as a more mass-market line and was manufactured in Korea. Gold-series production was also temporarily transferred to the facilities of Furch Guitars in the Czech Republic so that Avalon's Northern Irish luthiers could focus on high-end custom acoustic instruments. Avalon discontinued its offshore-produced models in 2007 and returned its focus to high-end, handcrafted acoustic guitars made in Northern Ireland. The company was also reported to have produced high-end Zemaitis acoustic guitars in Ireland during the 2000s. Avalon announced in 2012 that it would enter liquidation. Three months later, in September 2012, the business was acquired out of liquidation and resumed trading as Avalon Custom Lutherie Ltd. The reorganized Avalon Guitar Company was subsequently documented in a 2013 photography essay by David Cleland. Its range has included Americana, Pioneer, Ard Rí, Arc, and Fusion series, alongside multiple acoustic body formats such as dreadnought, concert, grand auditorium, and jumbo designs. The brand has been associated with professional artists including Bruce Springsteen, Van Morrison, Bob Geldof, David Gray, James Morrison, Sinéad O'Connor, Andy McKee, The Corrs, Katie Melua, and other internationally known performers.

Avalon Guitars traces its corporate origins to 1989, when The Lowden Guitar Company Limited was formed and operated from Bangor, County Down. The company subsequently established purpose-built workshops in Newtownards, Northern Ireland. From 1989 through 2003, it produced roughly 15,000 Lowden acoustic guitars. This manufacturing relationship shaped the company's early expertise in steel-string acoustic instruments, while licensing arrangements limited the extent to which its luthiers could contribute original design concepts to the Lowden range. The company also briefly diversified into electric instruments. From 1992 to 1996 it produced solid-body electric bass guitars under the Goodfellow name. Goodfellow was sold to Shinseido Corporation of Japan in 1996, after which the business concentrated on handmade acoustic guitars. The Newtownards workshop was organized around specialized production stages, reflecting methods associated with Japanese guitar makers. Technical manager Mitsuhiro Uchida played an important role in establishing that approach and training apprentice luthiers, several of whom later developed their own design abilities. Avalon Guitars was created as a brand in 2000 to give the company's experienced makers greater freedom to develop original instruments. The resulting Avalon Gold series was launched in 2002 and received favorable early reviews from British guitar magazines, particularly for build quality and tonal character. During the following years, Avalon explored a wider manufacturing strategy. It introduced a Silver series manufactured in Korea to address the lower-priced mass market, and Gold-series production was temporarily moved to Furch Guitars' Czech facility while the Northern Irish team focused on high-end custom work. Avalon also became associated with the production of high-end Zemaitis acoustic guitars in Ireland during the 2000s. In 2007, Avalon discontinued all offshore-produced models and returned to an exclusively Northern Irish focus on high-end handcrafted acoustic guitars. Its product families have included Americana, Pioneer, Ard Rí, Arc, and Fusion, with instruments offered in dreadnought, concert, grand auditorium, and jumbo body formats. The company's most significant later corporate event came in 2012, when Avalon announced that it would enter liquidation. The business was acquired out of liquidation three months later, in September 2012, and resumed trading as Avalon Custom Lutherie Ltd. The reorganized company was the subject of a 2013 photography essay by David Cleland, whose images were subsequently used by several publications. Avalon is principally known for its Northern Irish handmade steel-string acoustic guitars and its emphasis on traditional luthiery, custom work, and high-end construction.

• 2013

  Company featured in photography essay

  [1]Avalon Guitarsen.wikipedia.org

  David Cleland documented the reorganized Avalon Guitar Company in a photography essay whose images were later used by several publications.

• 2012

  Business enters liquidation

  [1]Avalon Guitarsen.wikipedia.org

  Avalon announced that it would go into liquidation.

• 2012

  Avalon resumes trading after acquisition

  [1]Avalon Guitarsen.wikipedia.org

  The business was bought out of liquidation and resumed operations as Avalon Custom Lutherie Ltd.

• 2007

  Offshore-produced models are discontinued

  [1]Avalon Guitarsen.wikipedia.org

  Avalon ended offshore production and concentrated on high-end handcrafted guitars made in Northern Ireland.

• 2002

  Avalon Gold series launches

  [1]Avalon Guitarsen.wikipedia.org

  The Gold series was introduced as Avalon's independently developed handmade acoustic-guitar range.

• 2000

  Avalon brand is created

  [1]Avalon Guitarsen.wikipedia.org

  Avalon was established as a distinct brand to permit the company's luthiers to contribute original design ideas.

• 1996

  Goodfellow brand is sold

  [1]Avalon Guitarsen.wikipedia.org

  Goodfellow was sold to Shinseido Corporation of Japan as the company refocused on handmade acoustic guitars.

• 1992

  Goodfellow bass production begins

  [1]Avalon Guitarsen.wikipedia.org

  The company began producing solid-body electric bass guitars under the Goodfellow name.

• 1989

  The Lowden Guitar Company is formed

  [1]Avalon Guitarsen.wikipedia.org

  The company was formed as The Lowden Guitar Company Limited and initially operated from Bangor, County Down.

High-end handmade acoustic guitars combining traditional Northern Irish luthiery, individually developed designs, and professional-grade construction.

• Handmade steel-string acoustic guitars · 2002

  Avalon Gold series

  The Gold series was Avalon's principal early range developed under the Avalon name. Introduced in 2002, it emerged after the company gave its experienced luthiers greater freedom to contribute original designs. Early British guitar-magazine reviews highlighted the series' construction quality and tonal performance. Gold instruments represent the brand's high-end acoustic orientation and have been associated with both Northern Irish workshop production and a temporary period of production at Furch Guitars' Czech facility.

• Mass-market acoustic guitars

  Avalon Silver series

  The Silver series was created as a more accessible, mass-market version of Avalon acoustic guitars in response to advances in industrial guitar manufacturing. These instruments were built in Korea. Avalon later discontinued all offshore-produced models in 2007 as it returned its attention to high-end handcrafted production in Northern Ireland.

• Steel-string acoustic guitars

  Americana Series

  The Americana Series is one of the named families in Avalon's acoustic-guitar catalog. The available reference material identifies it as part of the product range but does not provide detailed model specifications, launch timing, pricing, or current availability.

• Steel-string acoustic guitars

  Pioneer Series

  The Pioneer Series is a named Avalon acoustic-guitar family. It belongs to the brand's broader steel-string offering, although the available source does not specify its individual body shapes, woods, electronics, launch date, or present production status.

• Steel-string acoustic guitars

  Ard Rí Series

  The Ard Rí Series is included among Avalon's named acoustic-guitar ranges. The reference material establishes the series name but does not supply sufficient information about its models, construction details, release history, or current status.

• Steel-string acoustic guitars

  Arc Series

  The Arc Series is one of Avalon's listed steel-string acoustic-guitar families. Specific information about its design, body formats, materials, production period, and availability is not established by the supplied reference material.

• Steel-string acoustic guitars

  Fusion Series

  The Fusion Series forms part of Avalon's named acoustic range. Available reference information does not detail the series' individual models or technical features, so it is best characterized only as a steel-string acoustic-guitar family within the Avalon catalog.

• Solid-body electric bass guitars · 1992

  Goodfellow bass guitars

  Goodfellow was a short-lived electric-bass brand produced by the company from 1992 to 1996. The instruments were solid-body electric bass guitars. The brand was sold to Shinseido Corporation of Japan in 1996 when the company decided to focus exclusively on handmade acoustic guitars.

• 2012

  Restructuring after liquidationOther

  Background

  Avalon announced that it would enter liquidation.

  Action taken

  The business was acquired out of liquidation three months later and resumed trading as Avalon Custom Lutherie Ltd.

  Aftermath

  The reorganized Avalon Guitar Company continued the brand's association with handmade acoustic guitars and was documented in a 2013 photography essay.

  Source

• 2007

  Return to Northern Irish handcrafted productionStrategy

  Background

  Avalon had experimented with offshore manufacturing for its Silver series and had temporarily used external production capacity for some Gold-series work.

  Action taken

  The company discontinued all offshore-produced models and concentrated on high-end handcrafted guitars from its Northern Irish workshop.

  Aftermath

  Avalon's positioning became more closely associated with premium, workshop-made acoustic instruments.

  Source

• 2000

  Creation of the Avalon brandStrategy

  Background

  Design-licensing restrictions connected with Lowden instruments limited the ability of the company's luthiers to contribute design ideas.

  Action taken

  The company created Avalon as a separate brand and invited experienced makers to participate in product development.

  Aftermath

  The decision led to the Avalon Gold series, launched in 2002.

  Source

• 1996

  Exit from electric-bass productionStrategy

  Background

  The company had operated the Goodfellow solid-body electric-bass line alongside its acoustic-guitar manufacturing.

  Action taken

  It sold the Goodfellow brand to Shinseido Corporation of Japan and redirected its attention to handmade acoustic guitars.

  Aftermath

  The move established acoustic luthiery as the company's central business focus.

  Source

1. 1Avalon Guitarsen.wikipedia.org