Lakewood M54

With this Lakewood M54 from 1998, we present an exceptionally high-quality instrument from the upper class of German guitar making. For decades, Lakewood has stood for precise workmanship, well thought-out construction and excellent wood selection – and this is exactly what this model impressively demonstrates.

The Lakewood M54 is based on the popular Grand Concert design, which is appreciated for its balanced ergonomics and versatile sound characteristics. The back and sides are made of Rio rosewood (Style 54) with an impressive, high-contrast grain and lively play of colors. In combination with the AAA Engelmann spruce top, the result is one of the most sought-after wood combinations in the high-end segment in terms of sound.

Engelmann spruce reacts particularly sensitively to the finest nuances of touch, delivers a quick response and an exceptionally open, airy sound development. The rosewood body complements this with powerful, deep basses, brilliant overtones and a complex, floating sound structure. The result is a large, three-dimensional sound image with enormous dynamics, transparent resolution and impressive depth – ideal for sophisticated fingerstyle playing as well as differentiated strumming.

A pinless bridge system with integrated metal ferrules was subsequently installed. The ball ends of the strings are held directly in precisely inserted metal bushings in the bridge. This reduces the point load on the wood and ensures stable, low-wear string support. The more direct frictional connection also promotes efficient vibration transmission. The modification was carried out professionally by a luthier.

The string action is set very flat and comfortable and is 2.2 mm on the low E-string and 1.6 mm on the high E-string at the 12th fret. The playability is excellent across the entire fingerboard.

The condition is almost as good as new. There are hardly any traces of use and the frets are in excellent condition. Overall, this Lakewood M54 presents itself as an excellently preserved top instrument with clear collector’s potential. Corresponding CITES documents for the Rio rosewood used are available.

Specifications:

Model: Lakewood M54
Year of construction: 1998
Guitar type: 6-string
Body shape: Grand Concert
Top: AAA Engelmann spruce
Back & sides: Rio rosewood (Style 54)
Neck: Cedro
Neck profile: C-profile
Scale length: 650 mm
Neck width at nut: 44 mm
Neck width at the neck-body transition: 56 mm
Neck thickness: 21 mm – 23 mm
Neck-body connection: 14th fret
Fingerboard: Ebony
Number of frets: 20 frets
Bridge: Ebony
Bridge inlay: bone
String spacing at the bridge: 55 mm
Bridge plug: Ebony with mother-of-pearl
Headstock: Rio rosewood
Headstock inlays: Lakewood logo in white mother-of-pearl
Carcase edges: yew
Headstock edges: yew
Body chips: Abalone edging of the top
Sound hole ornamentation: wooden core with abalone rings

Link to Lakewood

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