Any opinions on Breedlove ....
 

Looking for some advice on Breedlove...any opinions on the more upscale Breedlove line..Im looking to add to my collection and I'm torn between a Breedlove and a Larivee..

Hey achilies,

You don’t say if you’re looking at new or used. If you’re looking at used,
I can chime in, but my knowledge and experience of Breedlove guitars ends with the 2013 model year. That’s when Bedell bought them.

Mark

I think Breedlove is one of those brands that competes well at all price points. If you buy a $5000 Breedlove it hangs well with other $5000 instrument same goes for a $500 Breedlove.

I like the older Focus, S Class, and Masterclass models. I have a S Class Dreadnought that is Cedar and Rosewood it has Jaysen Bowerman and Kim Breedlove's signatures in the sound hole on the sticker. It plays and sounds like a $3000-$4000 instrument. The tone is just wonderful. I haven't played some of the latest high end offerings since the Bedell ownership. I'd like too.

I think they’re fine guitars (based on the one I’ve owned and several I’ve played).

I owned both a Larrivee and a Breedlove. Larrivee was an OMV-09E and the Breedlove was a Focus Maple- made in their custom shop. I traded the Larrivee and some cash for the Breedlove. I also bought a Canadian Larrivee for a friend as a going away present that I got to play for a good bit.

Both Larrrivee and Breedlove are really class instruments. I think if I were choosing between a $3000 Larrivee and a $3000 Breedlove, it would be a toss up. Id probably go Larrivee.

I really dislike the new Breedlove logo. I know that’s a silly thing. But it looks so cheap to me. Their last one was elegant and crisp. This one is basically in Comic Sans font.

I think Larrivee probably makes more consistent guitars. I’ve played some lower end Breedloves that were stellar. Then I’ve played some that were bad. I have never played a Larrivee that lacked in quality at all.

What price point? New or used?

I can only comment on the masterclass series, I've owned 3 & played many others. They are excellent, probably the closest you can get to a boutique guitar by a production builder. Very consistent in quality, materials, playability & tone! A modern sound, very open, articulate, with a dynamic bass! Great for fingerstyle.
Steve

My only quarrel with the company now. So petty, but I loved just the B at the top of the head stock.

Great playing guitars. I really liked a Moonlight (I think) model I played at my local GC. SO LIGHT and yet so full sounding. Well crafted guitars

It really sucks. When I first saw the new headstock, I assumed it was their cheaper line, just because of the logo. Then I saw the price and I realized they just changed their logo. It was really disappointing to me because I think their headstocks and old logo were among the best in the business. So unique and gorgeous. Now they use that ugly font. That was a major marketing flub, in my opinion.

Breedlove has had many marketing & advertising flubs in recent history. This has caused their re-sale on used models to suffer greatly. Their sales & marketing staff are the weak spot, but they still build great guitars. At least up to 2013. I haven't tried the newer ones since Bedell got on board.
Steve

Breedlove
 

+1 on whether you're looking at new or used and what call or price point.

Overall, excellent guitars in the mid and upper price points. I've never been impressed with their lower level entry models, but I can say the same for any one else s sub $800 guitar.

Let us now what you're looking at and I'm sure you'll get more input than you know what to do with. :D

Breedlove has a major sale going on right now. I was there yesterday and wish I had a few more coins in the piggy bank. Very awesome guitars at fair prices. You can't go wrong at any price point. For $2500 you can get a custom shop guitar that looks and sounds as good as any luthier built instrument. They have several of these in different models right now. No affiliation.

Have played a Korean-made Studio Concert a few times at a local guitar store. And the Solo Dread, also Korean made. The Studio Concert is a fine guitar, even if the sides (Maple) are laminate.

I believe Stevian has a good point; there have been so many changes to the Breedlove line over the years that it is hard to recommend any one model. I have only owned one and that was several years ago. Even though I still look over the line when I have the opportunity, I'm not sure what to recommend. I would be sure to play a wide range of them and then decide.

I do recommend Larrivee guitars, however. I currently own 3 of them ranging from 00-09 to L-09 and have owned 4 others. They are very consistently built and play and sound wonderful. They all have a fairly modern sound, but perhaps not as modern as the Breedloves I have played.

If you stick to the American made Breedlove's you can get some fine guitars. I have owned a Master Class, Focus and American series and they were all great guitars. To Generalize I would say they slightly lean towards the Taylor Sound.

I was in my local shop the other day spending some quality time in the acoustic room. The best guitar I played, amongst a decent selection of mid/high end Taylors, Martins, Yamahas and even Seagulls was a Breedlove Spruce/Myrtlewood Concerto model. If I had been looking to buy, it would have been the one. It looked, played and sounded great. So here's one vote for Breedlove's current top end lineup.

Consider Bedell, also made in Bend Oregon I believe in the same facility. (Tom Bedell owns Breedlove). I picked up one on a flyer, and I have become a fan. I now have two, and I am looking at adding a Coffe House Parlor.

These are flying way WAY under the radar in my humble opinion. I have owned Thompson, McIlroy, Lowden, Lakewood, Kronbauer, Goodall, Collings, SCGC, Breedlove, H&D. I'm sure a few more I am forgetting. And Martin's and Taylors and Guilds and Gibsons and Larrivee's of all shapes, sizes, and woods. The Bedell 64 dread I have in the house right now is as satisfying as any of them and better than most. It may be the favorite mahogany guitar I have in the house (of embarrassingly many). Customer service is outstanding. Anne Powell has returned the couple of phone calls I've made there within an hour of a message. And they sent me two bone saddles for a no-longer made Chinese model (they aren't making overseas anymore) gratis when I was in need.

Again, Breedlove and Bedell I believe are made in the same facility. I like both. But I am drawn to the Bedell line significantly more. Give one a whirl and see if you might think so too.
Brent