I used to own and play at least half a dozen different guitars, including Martin, Washburn, Takamine etc. The I bought my Lowden, which happens to be the F12 model. Then I stopped playing the other guitars... there really was no point. Then I sold 'em all, as I wasn't playing them. Now I just have the Lowden for pleasure and for recording, plus a little Ozark travel guitar just for holidays. Lowden guitars take some beating, but as there are so many different models, visit a guitar showroom and play a few before deciding on which model best suits your playing.