Ed Sheeran has announced a line of signature acoustic guitars.
The ‘Shape of You’ singer made a surprise appearance at the NAMM instrument conference in California yesterday (January 24) to speak about his new brand partnership with Northern Irish guitar company, Lowden.
In an interview with the company’s founder owner George Lowden, Sheeran said how it’s “any kid’s dream” to have a signature guitar [via Rolling Stone].
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He went on to explain how he’s admired the handmade guitars ever since he saw his teenage hero Damien Rice play them onstage. But he said that they were tricky to track down and finally secured one when Snow Patrol’s Gary Lightbody commissioned one for him in 2013 as a gift.
“I was so flattered,” Sheeran said, explaining that the guitar was in fact made by George Lowden himself.
The guitar range is now on sale. It includes two design families – The S Series (“The Sheeran”) and The W Series (Sheeran’s original “Wee Lowden”) – with eight models in total.
“There are fewer guitar bands and fewer artists using guitars now, and not as many kids picking up guitars,” Sheeran added at the conference.
“That is something I would like to change by getting these great quality guitars, made in Ireland, into kids’ hands and encouraging them to learn and progress. To be able to work in tandem with a guitar company like Lowden to create a whole different concept has been a really cool experience.”
Lowden develops its designs with aerospace engineers to find new ways to make guitars. The company handmakes its guitars using materials including old church pews and naturally fallen trees.
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In other news, Billboard reports that Sheeran’s ‘Shape of You’ has been certified diamond. This means that it’s been bought or streamed 10,000,000 times.
Meanwhile, The Hollywood Reporter writes that Sheeran has asked a New York federal judge to reconsider his bid to avoid a copyright infringement trial over his 2014 song ‘Thinking Out Loud’.
It’s alleged that Sheeran ripped off elements of Marvin Gaye’s iconic 1973 song ‘Let’s Get It On’ for his hit. Earlier this month it was reported that a jury was set to deliver the verdict.