Lowdens do exist in the US, but I believe they're rare. Strong European currencies and a weak US currency stopped them going far over there, and they're a small operation (like Collings) so there aren't the numbers of mass-produced boxes like you'd get from Martin or Taylor. You can find them fairly regularly on Ebay though. If you're a flatpicker then you're probably in the wrong place - they're OK but not really suited for it. But if you're a fingerpicker then there really isn't anything like them - IMO they beat the pants of Martin, Taylor, Gibson, Collings et al.

There was a schism within the Lowden company a couple of years back though - the main company is now known as Avalon. The high-end guitars are similar to the "Lowden" ones, but there are cheaper ones too. George Lowden has now set up his own business and is again making the same guitars, but his are more expensive and in lower quantities bcos it's a smaller shop (but the quality is probably better than Avalons). This is another reason why you might not have seen them - you're more likely to see them second-hand these days than new.

I seem to remember Normans are from the same place that does Seagulls (badge engineering)? I've played a couple and was very impressed - very nice guitars for the price, and a much better instrument than the Washburns, Takemines, Ovations and low-end Martins that generally infest that price-point.

Graham.