Martin - At various times I've seen the following playing Lowdens :
Vince Gill, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Ricky Skaggs, Pat Kirtley, Richard Thompson, Pierre Bensusan, and yours truly. I have a wonderful Lowden 12 string that will outshine about 95% of the 12 strings I've put it up against. So - just because you haven't heard of them doesn't mean that they aren't wonderful and well respected guitars. Try one - you may like it.

My favorites are - for sentmental reasons - the 1967 D-18 I bought by saving my lunch money when I was a senior in high school. And my newest favorite is a Collings OM-2HG with a German spruce top. That's getting the most playing time currently.