PSA: The Preeminent Authority on Acoustic Sound
 

Just letting you guys know that Breedlove have updated their history page on their website, and it appears they are now no longer Distinctively Crafted Sound but the Preeminent Authority on Acoustic Sound:

https://breedlovemusic.com/handmande...n-bend/history

Interestingly, their tonewood chart on their website would indicate that Brazilian Rosewood has limited treble response:

https://smhttp-ssl-50735.nexcesscdn....ansparent2.png

Now. with this chart in my posesson, I can stop playing all those guitars when I visit a great store. Shopping from home just became easier!

Well, if it's on the interwebs it must be true.

What's a earthy tone sound like?

No doubt. Tom Bedell has been at this ten years now. I heard he may start guitar lessons soon, too.

:D

Englemann isn't really just another spruce but another tonewood entirely in response, couched between redwood and cedar... and braz is darker than EIR... er, okay.

If you follow that chart the "perfect" tonewood guitar is Sitka over Mahogany. No wonder I love a D-18!

In their defense, they do state it as a goal, not that they are now to be considered as "preeminent authorities".

"Our goal is to optimize the sound of your music by becoming the Preeminent Authority on Acoustic Sound."

The wood chart seems to indicate they aren't there yet. ;)

Well, they didn't actually say they were the authority...it's their goal.

"Our goal is to optimize the sound of your music by becoming the Preeminent Authority on Acoustic Sound."

Marketing speak...gotta love it! :rolleyes:

It's easier to charge the big money upcharge on Braz when you sell people on the sizzle of "Big Deep Bass Power". Big thunderous bass response is a big selling point for lotsa folks on back and side woods across most all acoustic guitar musical genre's, but especially the two most important to braz upgrade sales...Bluegrass Flatpicking/Old Time Country & Western, and Windham Hill/Narada fingerstyle.

For those two genres...big resonant bass is a huge selling point and coupling that selling point to brazilian rosewood is crucial for upselling braz.

Now Breedlove is not really any type of player in the Bluegrass market, but they were/are pretty big in the fingerstyle world, and brazilian rosewood is a big big money maker for them and any other guitar maker, factory, boutique factory, or luthier that offers it.

And...Tom Bedell is really into marketing.


duff
Be A Player...Not A Polisher

Well sarcasm and aside, and back to objective reality (ya I know no fun )

The article clearly states "Our goal is to optimize the sound of your music by becoming the Preeminent Authority on Acoustic Sound."
Which is a pretty good goal as far as "goals" go IMO .... not sure I would want the goal of my guitar builder to be "I want to have just enough knowledge of acoustic sound , to be mediocre" .....oops sarcasm :wink:

And to clarify "absence of evidence is not evidence of absence"
In point of fact what the chart actually shows is that Brazilian Rosewood has a strong bass response,,,, which virtually every good luthier understands :eek: juss sayin'

Yes...but back about 10/12 years ago...and further back a bit really...Breedlove had basically that same chart...but...Brazilian was more up towards the middle of the graph, and EIR was back further where brazilian is now positioned, and brazilian was more noted on their earlier charts for mid and treble response than on this current one.

But it's the BOOM that gets the bucks...not the tinkle.

Acoustic realities be ****ed...

duff
Be A Player...Not A Polisher

And they used to have German Spruce listed as a top wood as well - somehwere there to the right of Sitka.
There are a number of these types of charts available from a variety of makers and they all vary in some degree or another. Unless you can know how it will be braced or who's making it, the information is pretty general. So, I see this chart pretty much only useful as it relates to conversations with Breedlove if you are considering a custom purchase.

Best,
Jayne

Good points Jayne. Any idea where I can view some other similar tonewood charts ? THANKS!

When you say big in the fingerstyle world, on what basis? I am not aware of any "preeminent" fingerstylist playing Breedloves, although it may just be because I do not generally follow the fingerstyle crowd. I would say they have their place in the beginner's/entry-level guitar crowd. But I think most fingerstylists who are famous play high end solo luthier guitars. If by fingerstyle world you are referring to in general guitar players who play fingerstyle, again, I don't know how prominent Breedlove is with this crowd, I seem to know fingerstylists who play Martins and Taylors but not so much Breedlove, again, it's possible I just don't hang around those crowds.