I play a Lowden (83 vintage, so thoroughly well played in)and often back Irish music with it in DADGAD tuning. I use 12-54 guage strings (light or medium light according to the brand - I usually use D'Addario but often use other good quality makes and make sure they're always fresh and bright)and a relatively light (60 or 73 guage Dunlop or similar)plectrum. I have set the saddle (good quality bone - not plastic, same with the nut but your Lowden is probably so equipped already) to give a reasonable but not especially high action. I use quite a vigourous and percussive style of picking and strumming and find the guitar carries very well in a club or session setting. For gigs I used to use a rather large DiMarzio transducer fitted internally underneath the bridge which gives a rather warm and bassy sound but more recently have been using a microphone (Shure SM 57) for a more natural sound.

Hope that this may be of some assistance.

Best regards,

mcmoo