Breedlove Guitars?

mkakguitarist · #1 02-01-2013, 12:04 PM

Ok, this is my first post, haha. Anyway, I've been taking porfessional guitar lessons for near 2 years, play every week for church and am in the infant stages in a band. I'm looking to upgrade my guitar in the near future. I have a decent guitar, plays great, but it's an all laminate with a quacky sounding passive pickup.

I like real woods, active pickups, and a pretty guitar. Martins are my fav, but the one's that have the basic cosmetics, such as binding and fretboard inlays, are expensive! I was looking around and came upon Breedlove guitars. Are they any good? I'm specifically looking at an Atlas Revival Om/sme (sunburst). It looks really nice, has solid top and back (laminate sides), and a great L.R. Braggs pickup and Preamp. Not to mention it has butterbean style grover tuners.

Taylors and martins the same price dont have as much solid wood, nice electronics, and cosmetics as this so...I need your opinions! Thanks in advance.

Much love.

magazine · #2 02-01-2013, 12:11 PM

Looks like an awesome guitar to me. I doubt you could go wrong with it. In that price range, you might could be looking at Eastmans or all solid recording kings but I cant say they would be better looking or playing than that Breedlove you are looking at.

PVJeff · #3 02-01-2013, 12:11 PM

While I don't have an Atlas Revival, there are quite a few folks that do and can comment on here. I think Breedlove guitars are very underrated guitars. I've noticed that you either love them or hate them. I love them and own a C2.

SuperB23 · #4 02-01-2013, 12:14 PM

All levels of Breedlove guitars compete very well within their repective price points. The $600 ones compete very well with other $600 guitars and the $6000 ones compete very well with other $6000 guitars. You can't go wrong with them IMO. For a few hundred more you can get a US made Breedlove though which is something to consider. Musicians friend had a great clearance sale a few weeks back on their Roots series guitars.

Rosewood99 · #5 02-01-2013, 12:15 PM

I'm a big fan of Breedloves. However, if you can swing it I would try to move up to the all wood American Series. The good news is that used prices are great--I purchased both of mine used and couldn't be happier.

sumognat · #6 02-01-2013, 12:21 PM

Hi,

My first guitar was a used Breedlove AC25/CM Plus, which was a beautiful guitar--solid top and back/laminate sides. It was a great guitar, but I knew I wanted something that could be played in a setting with banjos and mandolins and also have some presence, so I sold it and purchased another guitar. The Breedlove was mellow, articulate, and well suited to fingerstyle, but the string spacing was a bit cramped. Regardless, the build quality of my guitar was very good--just as good as a similar Martin or Taylor models. Aside from the string spacing issue, the playability for me was great (the neck was slim, like a Taylor). I am not sure what the Revival series sounds like, but mine had a more modern sound, similar to Taylor.

If you can, try before you buy. Buying used is also the best way to get the most for your money. Breedloves don't have the best resale value.

Good luck with your search.

state-it · #7 02-01-2013, 12:22 PM

I saw a Breedlove Passport for the first time today while browsing in a shop - but it's neck looked way too narrow for me (42mm or 1-11/16").

It did catch my eye as it looked mighty fine of it's type ( I favour the 'less-bling-is-more' thing).

What else caught my eye was it was 2/3-price: Reduced to £300.

PVJeff · #8 02-01-2013, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paulzoom

I'm a big fan of Breedloves. However, if you can swing it I would try to move up to the all wood American Series. The good news is that used prices are great--I purchased both of mine used and couldn't be happier.

I would agree that you move up to the American series. You can find new one's for very good prices and better yet, find a slightly used one for an even better price. Sumognat is correct, their resale value isn't great which if you like Breedlove, it makes it much easier to get a fantastic guitar that is easier on your wallet. I am still perplexed as to why the resale is low but for me it doesn't matter, I'm not selling mine.

Rosewood99 · #9 02-01-2013, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by state-it

I saw a Breedlove Passport for the first time today while browsing in a shop - but it's neck looked way too narrow for me (42mm or 1-11/16").

It did catch my eye as it looked mighty fine of it's type ( I favour the 'less-bling-is-more' thing).

What else caught my eye was it was 2/3-price: Reduced to £300.

For some reason almost all of the non-american made Breedlove's have the narrow neck width. I have often though of getting a cheaper Breedlove for a beater guitar but that narrow neck width always stops me.

architype · #10 02-01-2013, 01:06 PM

Breedlove guitars are very good high quality instruments. The American made all solid wood models are the best sounding of the ones that I have played.
They can turn some people off because certain models have a more modern design with the headstock and cut away shapes.
The Breedlove brothers started out w/ Taylor guitars and went out on their own. Larry returned to Taylor and is still there. Kim Breedlove is still designing and building guitars at Breedlove.
The company was bought a couple years ago by Two Old Hippies Guitars which includes Bedell and Batson Guitars.

PTC Bernie · #11 02-01-2013, 01:08 PM

I don't know that particular guitar but both of my Breedlove's are awesome guitars. Phenomenal tone and responsiveness.

I don't amplify at all, so I can't address the quackiness issue, but a hybrid system might be worth looking into.

RAD3 · #12 02-01-2013, 01:13 PM

The latest copy of the Muscians Friend catalog arrived a few days ago and the new Breedlove Oregon Series guitars caught my eye. They all look to be be solid Sitka over solid Myrtlewood back and sides. Nice looking instruments Made in USA at Bend Or. They don't look to be at all blingy, plain black binding with herringbone perfling and use a more standard looking bridge(though still pinless). Looks to be worth checking out if you are looking at Breedloves

Ray

aknow · #13 02-01-2013, 01:15 PM

The Breedlove's made in the US are wonderful. I tried a nylon-string Atlas, looked great, smelled great, wonderful case, but very limited sound.
Try a used American made Breedlove, it will be a keeper.

Rosewood99 · #14 02-01-2013, 02:55 PM

There is a pretty good deal on a Breelove America SC20 (that's one of the ones I own) on ebay. It's less than $900 shipped and it's from a trusted seller store not an individual. You might want to check it out.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Breedlove-US...item2ec5e4f71d

Shrakx · #15 02-01-2013, 03:18 PM

I got a Breedlove American Series C25/SSE a few weeks ago to be my second guitar / alternate tuning guitar. I got it fairly cheap as it was a used guitar.

The sound is completely different than my 814ce and even pretty different than the 314ce I used to own (which is the same wood pairing). However, I really love how it plays (it's actually very similar than playing on a Taylor) and I love the sound. I'd really advise you to aim for an American Series for a little more $$ if you can. I could see a difference for sure.