Lakewood Guitars in Australia

Lakewood Guitars and how it all started

In the beginning, there was a name—Lakewood. Had I known
how often I would be asked about its meaning, would I have chosen another
name? No, even after all these years and so many questions, I remain happy
with the name Lakewood, which has now become entrenched in the awareness
of guitar history.

The Lakewood Story

The Lakewood adventure began in the spring of 1986. After completing my
training under master luthier, Manfred Pletz, I was endeavouring to find
my niche as an independent luthier. Graduating from nylon string classical
to steel string guitars, I was motivated to put Germany on the acoustic
guitar world map in a country predominantly known for classical guitars at
that time.

About Martin Seeliger

But I have omitted to introduce myself: my name is
Martin Seeliger and with me, everything must start
somewhere. I was 28 years old and very curious, a trait that persists to
this day, to the inspiration and sometimes the frustration of those
working with me. When I was searching for a name for my steel string
guitars, my finger stopped on a map at a small town ‘Lakewood’ on Lake
Erie in the USA. The name just suited guitars so I decided there and then
and have never regretted it. Lakewood became a German steel string guitar
brand.

Our Craftsmanship

We have been building Lakewood guitars in Giessen, near Frankfurt/Main
since 1986. Much expertise has been accumulated by us in the professional,
artistic creation of fine guitars. Traditions are significant to us if
they manifest in everyday working reality. New technology offers
incentives and challenges for the creation of something as complex as an
acoustic guitar which demands the highest levels of precision. We are
driven to build instruments whose tone, aesthetics, and finish meet the
highest standards. To achieve this, we delve into the absolute finest
detail and are proud to be writing part of German musical instrument
history.

Our Impact

Since those early years, much has been achieved. Over 20,000 guitars have
been created, which could tell many a story and have become part of many
diverse lives. This history represents an obligation for all of us at
Lakewood. A Lakewood represents a piece of luck.

On behalf of all Lakewood colleagues.

Guitar selection

We divide our guitars into four series: the Natural, Deluxe, Premium and
Signature series. Guitars are different as to tone, appearance and
configuration. Each series has a particular focus so that a suitable
instrument can be found for each preference.

For more models, please contact Carlingford Music Centre:
[email protected]
|
(02) 9873-2333

Alternatives in the selection process

In addition to selection by way of our series (see above) we offer a number
of alternative selection criteria for choosing your guitar. These are shown
in the lower tile row. In this way you may select your guitar by way of
body shape, tone woods, pure acoustic vs electric-acoustic or your own
search filter.

But how it works?

Lakewood Guitars are handcrafted, one-by-one, by expert luthiers using the
best selection of wood and accessories in the industry to provide you with
amazing and unique sound performance. If you are looking for a one of a
kind guitar, you are in the right place.

The Process, Body selection and More

Choosing the Body Shape

Body Shapes	Description Body shape is of vital importance in the quest for a suitable guitar. Below are the various shapes offered by Lakewood, each with unique attributes. These descriptions are guides rather than strict categorizations—the best choice always depends on what suits you best!	Link
	Concert – The Concert shape is distinctly smaller than our A-shape, with a 630 mm scale length. Despite its size, it offers very good projection and a lot of power.	Show all Concert models
	Auditorium – The smallest body shape in the Lakewood range, the Auditorium is compact, comfortable, and fast responding, making it a favorite among flat pickers and blue grass players.	Show all Auditorium models
	Grand Concert – Our most popular body shape, the Grand Concert fits most players and is versatile enough for fingerstyle playing and general song accompaniment.	Show all Grand Concert models
	Dreadnought – The classic choice among singer/songwriters, the Dreadnought offers a commanding presence and is historically favored by legends in the music industry.	Show all Dreadnought models
	Jumbo – The Jumbo is known for its sheer power and rich voice, making it ideal for solo performances and singer/songwriters who require a robust sound.	Show all Jumbo models

Choosing the Wood

Wood Type	Botanic Name	Origin	Properties	Models
AAAA European spruce	Picea abies	European alps, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy	Complex and transparent tonal spectrum with high resolution characteristics and perfect response. Bright color, with fine and narrow annual rings, well-visible vascular rays. Very high rigidity and low weight.
AAA Cedar	Thuya plicata	Northwest coast of USA and Canada	Even and warm sonic characteristics with soft response. Light to dark brown color with clear annual rings.
Mahogany (Style 14)	Entandrophragma cylindricum	West Africa	Warm and well-balanced sound with soft basses, present mid range and comfortably gentle trebles. Red-brownish color with fine texture, interlocked grain plays with colors in certain light conditions.
Ovangkol (Style 18)	Guibourtia ehie	West Africa	Strong bass with clear harmonics. Yellow-brown, sometimes almost golden color with obvious growth lines and a tiny hue of green.
Indian rosewood AA (Style 31)	Dalbergia latifolia	India and Pakistan	Soundwise like AAA rosewood. Basic color like AAA rosewood, but with a few more (sometimes irregular) stripes. Sometimes also with a stronger red hue.
Indian rosewood AAA (Style 32)	Dalbergia latifolia	India and Pakistan	Powerful transparent tone with strong basses and prominent trebles. Brown with sometimes purple shades with straight annual rings.
Oak (Style 35)	Quercus alba	France, Germany	Strong warm and very complex tone with good separation throughout the range. Yellowish base tone with typical dark-brown structure.
Cypress (Style 36)	Taxodinum distichum	Turkey	Warm tone with rich harmonics and very quick response. Golden-yellow color with subtle, straight annual rings. Noticeable sweet smell.
Ziricote (Style 45)	Cordia dodecandra	Mexico	Complex and expressive characterful tone in low and high frets with a good balance between strong bass frequencies, comfortable mids and shining trebles. Very good response with the right amount of harmonics and a dynamic range that exceeds the necessary. Brown basic color with sometimes a shade of green. The texture is formed by remarkable dark-brown lines, that go wavy and overlapping each other across the surface.
Myrtle (Style 52)	Umbellularia californica	Northwest of the USA	Smooth and even sound with quick response and especially delicate and silvery trebles. Yellow-brownish base color with strong texture and darker lines. Myrtle can look pretty ‘wild’ and sometimes gets distinctive dark spots or ‘stains’ within the grain.
Cocobolo (Style 53)	Dalbergia retusa	Mexico, Guatemala	Clear and almost compressed sound with strong basses. The tone has got a high transparency with broad harmonics spectrum. Strings get a good sustain with wide dynamic range. Red color with reddish shades and exciting dark lines. The weight of cocobolo is a little heavier.
Koa (Style 56)	Acacia koa	Hawaii	Warm and punchy sound with delicate trebles and not too strong basses. Brown color with exciting dark-brown lines and flames.
Flamed maple (Style 50)	Acer pseudoplatanus	Austria, Switzerland, Scotland	Sweet singing tone with rich mids, not too much bass and subtle trebles. The so-called flames are caused by the weight of the tree itself. In the years of growth the lower log sections get compressed, which makes the fibers grow wavy. Those waves produce the flames in the eye of the beholder.

Choose by Full Acoustic or Electric-Acoustic

Guitar Type	Description	Option
Purely Acoustic Guitars	No Pickup, Purely Acoustic
Acoustic Guitars with Pickup System	With Pickup for stage performances.