Can Lakewood’s D-14 2018 Edition maintain the maker’s enviable reputation for quality and value? Ben Morgan-Brown finds out.
Lakewood may not have the brand name prestige of some of the big American guitar makers, but the German company’s handcrafted acoustic have been impressing those who look beyond the brand names for some years. In place of the big name you get meticulous attention to detail, superb tonewoods, and a sense of individuality which sets a Lakewood apart from the run of the mill.
The D-14 2018 Edition is a limited edition all-mahogany 12th fret Dreadnought, which is quite distinctive in an understated kind of way. The top on our sample was nicely striped and although it’s quite a plain guitar in appearance, little touches like that striping, the open headstock, an ebony fretboard and the wooden tuner buttons set it apart from the usual, rather boring if we’re to be frank, mahogany Dreadnought.
Playing wise, Ben liked the high quality clean build as well as the v-neck profile and when you listen to his review, note the clarity and articulacy of the Lakewood’s sound. This is quite far removed from the big boomy Dreadnoughts you often hear, suiting itself, Ben thought, to singer songwriters as much as to soloists. In fact, the D-14 2018 would make quite a versatile Dreadnought to either add to a player’s collection or equally as someone’s main instrument. This is a guitar with its own voice and one which we think will just go on getting better as the years pass.
This Lakewood is excellent value for money, too, coming with a sturdy Hiscox case and so once again certainly upholds Lakewood’s reputation as a maker of distinctive instruments at very attractive prices.
Lakewood D-14 Edition 2018 SSP £1,630
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Specifications
Lakewood D-14 Edition
Top: Mahogany
Back & Sides: Mahogany (Style 14)
Neck: Mahogany
Soundhole rosette: Wooden core slim with purfling
Headstock: Slotted headstock
Headstock veneer: Ebony
Body bindings: Mahogany
Body purfling: Purfling from noble woods
Fingerboard: Ebony
Headstock inlays: White MOP Lakewood logo
Fingerboard inlays: Dots (5mm) 3-17th fret
Heel cap: Ebony
Nut: Bone
Neck width at nut: 45 mm (1.77 inch)
Neck width at body-neck-joint: 56 mm (2.20 inch)
Neck thickness: 21mm to 23mm (0.83 to 0.91 inch)
Neck profile: V-shape, softly rounded
Body-neck-joint: at 12th fret
Scale length: 650 mm (25.6 inch)
Frets: 19 frets
Bridge: Ebony
Saddle: Bone
String spacing at bridge: 57mm (2.24 inch)
Bridge pins: Ebony with pearl dot
Tuners: Schaller GrandTune chrome
Tuner buttons: Ebony
Body finish: Open-pored satin gloss (natural finish)
Neck finish: Open-pored satin gloss (natural finish)
End pin: Wooden Lakewood end pin (matching bridge pins)
Strings: Elixir Nanoweb Phosphorbronze .012 – .053 (light)
Case: Hiscox Lakewood hard case
