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  #31  
Old 05-25-2018, 08:14 AM
Red_Label Red_Label is offline
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I've owned seven Breedloves, including an American C25 SRe/H, Voice CM, Masterclass Bossa Nova, and pair of Premier KM Mandos. I've compared them to Martins, Gibsons, and Taylors and I felt that you had to spend $1K more on those brands to get comparable instruments to the Breedloves. The Breedloves give you so much bang for your buck. They have the midrange and bottom end of the Martins and Gibsons, with the zing of Taylors. I could have bought any of those brands, but I always came back to Breedlove. I almost added an Oregon series copper concert that I was demo'ing at home few weeks ago, as it was amazing responsive and punchy. I liked it better than the American C25 that I have and the Voice CM that I had I was looking to get smaller scale instruments (ala Ed Sheerhan), so I had to force myself to take it back. Plus, I plan to do some tapping on the top in my percussion loops and I was just too afraid to beat on the seemingly delicate Oregon. I'm sure that it could take it, but it was just so magnificent looking and sounding that I didn't feel comfortable going in, knowing that I was going to abuse it. So I chose the Composite Acoustics Cargo route instead. Not worried about any damage to those, and if it happens, no big deal. But that Oregon still haunts me.
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  #32  
Old 05-25-2018, 08:15 AM
tbeltrans tbeltrans is offline
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Originally Posted by Bax Burgess View Post
If it has a bridge doctor and the tension is incorrect, then it will be every bit as uninspiring as you say.
Does that mean that it can be adjusted to get the sound everybody raves about? If so, is the adjustment easy to do or does it require a luthier's expertise?

Thanks,

Tony
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  #33  
Old 05-25-2018, 08:16 AM
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Originally Posted by tbeltrans View Post
Currently, there is a Breedlove Master Class CM with walnut b/s and cedar top at one of our local Guitar Center stores. I was curious to try a high end Breedlove, since I have never had the opportunity.

I was stunned that it was absolutely lacking in tone! The strings are pretty new, and contrary to many posts around here, this Guitar Center takes care of the guitars and keeps them in good shape, even the used ones. I was VERY disappointed in this guitar.

It is not my intention to judge all Breedlove guitars by this one experience, but I am curious as to how this could be possible, when this model has gotten so many rave reviews. I am tempted to go back and try it again, because other than tone, it was a really nice instrument - comfortable to play and easy on the eyes. I am baffled about the tone.

Tony
As has been mentioned, there very well may be an adjustment issue with that CM. Mine was great and held up with my amazing American C25 easily... which is the nicest sounding steel string I've ever owned and I've had it for 7 years or so. I only sold the CM because it was worth more and the "odd duck" in my collection. But I wish I had it back now.
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  #34  
Old 05-25-2018, 08:21 AM
Red_Label Red_Label is offline
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Originally Posted by Goodallboy View Post
I've played several Breedloves and various price points. They're one of the greatest disappointments I've experienced in auditioning guitars. I've never played one that appealed to me.

Larivee's are more to my liking, yet still a bit anemic. I like a full, robust tone and these two, for me, don't measure up.

Now, having said that, I'm certain that there are exceptions with some of the guitars owned by folks on this forum. My experience is limited to those I've played.
I could not disagree more. My LGS gets everything in their high-end acoustic room. I have a standing invitation to take anything I want home to demo for a couple of weeks, and keep it and pay for it with no interest over a year or two if I choose to keep it. The Gibson Montanas, Martins, Larivees and Taylors have all been good, but the Breedloves have been the only ones so far that didn't get returned. They were far from anemic. My concert-sized C25 is full and robust like a dread or jumbo. I'm not saying that it has quite that much volume and punch, but I don't play those guitars and then feel like the air went out of the balloon when I pick up the C25.

Everyone's perceptions are different. So to each his/her own. It's all good. But I could have owned many Gibsons, Martins, Taylors, and Larivees over the years... and yet I've chosen to own Breedloves.
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  #35  
Old 05-25-2018, 08:25 AM
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Originally Posted by paulzoom View Post
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.
They've got the presence (zing) of a Taylor, with the mid-range howl of a Gibson, and the bottom thump of a Martin. That's been my experience with the many instruments of all of those makers that I've tried. I find Breedloves to be very well-balanced.
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  #36  
Old 05-25-2018, 08:28 AM
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Originally Posted by Stevien View Post
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
The new Oregon copper concert that I demo'd for a couple of weeks recently was the best Breedlove I've ever played, including the Masterclass and Focus series that I used to own. So punchy, lively, responsive, etc. Amazing little $2K instrument. All of this typing about it and making me think that I should run down and grab it again if it's still around.
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  #37  
Old 05-25-2018, 08:31 AM
Bax Burgess Bax Burgess is offline
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Originally Posted by tbeltrans View Post
Does that mean that it can be adjusted to get the sound everybody raves about? If so, is the adjustment easy to do or does it require a luthier's expertise?

Thanks,

Tony
The adjustment is performed through the soundhole with an allen wrench. The dowel that braces against the end-block should be as centered and level as possible where it contacts the end-block - I use a cable camera to check this, though, a small mirror and small flashlight might do. A tension setting that has worked for me when I adjust is 'slightly firm' - too firm or too slack sucks the life out, a couple of attempts may be necessary.
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  #38  
Old 05-25-2018, 08:34 AM
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Originally Posted by tbeltrans View Post
Does that mean that it can be adjusted to get the sound everybody raves about? If so, is the adjustment easy to do or does it require a luthier's expertise?

Thanks,

Tony
I believe that it's a bridge truss system located under the bridge and adjusted by the large, hex wrench that should come with the guitar. An easy adjustment to change tension on the soundboard. Though I don't recall ever having to tweak mine.

It's entirely possible the guitar that you are referring to was a "dog". Pretty much all builders put out a dog here and there. And it's also possible that whatever frequencies that particular guitar is putting out there, just don't do anything for you. Many players can't stand the tone of a Taylor. I'm generally not fond of Gibson's tone. So it might just be that you aren't a Breedlove kind of player. But rest assured, I've played (and owned) many offerings from most of the big names in acoustic and electric guitars, and Breedlove takes a back seat to NO major manufacturer in terms of quality of product, fit & finish, playability, tone, etc. It just may not speak to your tastes as a player.
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  #39  
Old 05-25-2018, 09:11 AM
tbeltrans tbeltrans is offline
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Originally Posted by Red_Label View Post
I believe that it's a bridge truss system located under the bridge and adjusted by the large, hex wrench that should come with the guitar. An easy adjustment to change tension on the soundboard. Though I don't recall ever having to tweak mine.

It's entirely possible the guitar that you are referring to was a "dog". Pretty much all builders put out a dog here and there. And it's also possible that whatever frequencies that particular guitar is putting out there, just don't do anything for you. Many players can't stand the tone of a Taylor. I'm generally not fond of Gibson's tone. So it might just be that you aren't a Breedlove kind of player. But rest assured, I've played (and owned) many offerings from most of the big names in acoustic and electric guitars, and Breedlove takes a back seat to NO major manufacturer in terms of quality of product, fit & finish, playability, tone, etc. It just may not speak to your tastes as a player.
In the particular case of this one Breedlove, it doesn't have any volume or tone. In short, sonically, it is dead. I have rarely heard that in any guitar. A guitar can be reasonably loud and a person might not care for the tone, but with this one, it isn't even loud enough to know. I was expecting an open, airy type of sound which I would like.

As for not liking the sound of particular brands of guitar, I tend to like them all. What I do and don't like usually is when the fretboard is too narrow or when the body is too large to hold comfortably. I like at least a 1 13/16" nut and at least a 2 1/4" string spacing at the saddle.

Also, some guitars seem to have a stiffer feel than others, even after a good setup. Taylor seems to consistently have a really good feel, while Martins tend to vary in that regard, at least in my own experience.

By far, the easiest playing guitar I have yet encountered for fingerstyle is my Huss & Dalton 00. The Breedlove was not bad in terms of playability. The fretboard on the one I tried was about at my lower limit for comfort, so I could work with it. If it had the sound I read so much about Breedlove having, I would be sorely tempted to snap it up.

That Breedlove also has an LR Baggs pickup. I could see the typical LR Baggs control just inside the sound hole, with a volume control and small plastic screw type adjustment of some kind. Since my other two wood steel string guitars (Huss & Dalton 00 and William Kelday 000, both 12 fret) don't have electronics (and I don't want to ruin them that way), the Breedlove would be a good fit.

Though the Breedlove's shape was strange looking, it is surprisingly comfortable to hold. The guitar looks larger than it feels, and to me, that is a good thing, however they accomplished that.

Tony
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  #40  
Old 05-27-2018, 09:30 AM
HAMFIST HAMFIST is offline
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Sorry I am late to the party ... but will pipe in with my opinion on Breedlove. Before I found my #1, a Breedlove limited edition Oregon C20, I was playing Larrivee acoustics. I had a Larrivee OM-03MT and a Larrive L-03WL. I trade the L-03 in on the Oregon immediately. Once I played that Oregon, I heard so much more complexity and projection than I was getting out of my Larrivees. I was not PLANNING this, but it had to be done.

I traded my OM-03 even up on a Breedlove C20 SM American series.

The two Breedloves are very different from each other and from my Larrivees. The Oregon has no bridge truss, while the C20 has one. Oregon is mytle B&S, American is hog. The Oregon is rich and deep and complex. The American series is strident, powerful and bright. I call them the Golden Feather and the Silver Hammer.

Similatiries to Larrivee -- very balanced across and up and down the neck. Not mid-focused like Taylors or boomy like some Martins. Both are all solid wood like every Larrivee.

My Larrivees though seemed quieter than my Breedloves. The Oregon in particular is more complex. It hangs well with Santa Cruz OMs when I go down the way and A-B the two. I have a hard time thinking that Cruz is worth three of my Oregon, that is for darn sure.

Larrivees ARE superior in some ways to Breedlove in that they have maple instead of plastic binding. That is always a classy touch. They are set neck instead of the Breedlove bolt-in, which I find is not a negative with regard to tone but some guys seem to prefer a glued-in neck joint.

I may own another Larrivee at some point. They are a great guitar for a working professional. Breedlove just bowled me off my feet is all.

Last edited by HAMFIST; 05-27-2018 at 09:41 AM. Reason: gotta put glasses on before posting, dang it
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  #41  
Old 05-27-2018, 09:48 AM
Rosewood99 Rosewood99 is offline
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Originally Posted by Red_Label View Post
They've got the presence (zing) of a Taylor, with the mid-range howl of a Gibson, and the bottom thump of a Martin. That's been my experience with the many instruments of all of those makers that I've tried. I find Breedloves to be very well-balanced.
None of the Breedloves I've owned or played had the mid-range growl of a Gibson. The only bad thing I could say about Breedloves is that they were a bit on the quiet side. Not a problem if you primarily play by yourself or amplified. Other than that, excellent guitars.
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  #42  
Old 05-27-2018, 10:02 AM
HAMFIST HAMFIST is offline
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Originally Posted by paulzoom View Post
None of the Breedloves I've owned or played had the mid-range growl of a Gibson. The only bad thing I could say about Breedloves is that they were a bit on the quiet side. Not a problem if you primarily play by yourself or amplified. Other than that, excellent guitars.

Midrange is different on a Breedlove, IMHO. Gibsons have a lot of midrange in the fundamental. On my Breedloves, there are a lot of overtones in the mids -- warm and thumping mid, but than all of this jangly stuff everywhere in the mids too.

BTW -- unless I misremember, Paul used to own the C20 American I have here. Thanks again, brohama.
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  #43  
Old 05-27-2018, 11:57 AM
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Well if it means anything I will keep my Breedlove Masterclass Phoenix

As and anecdote : Having been friends with Chuck the manager of the Acoustic section of Apple Music in Portland who was for a number of consecutive years the top salesman of Breedlove guitars nationally . And as such was rewarded by Breedlove each year, with a free build to order.
So all that really means is I got play number of stock and build to order Breedlove and honestly I found them be one of best values in higher end guitars .
Now as for the OP ( Of course everybody tastes are different ) However one of the other lines that Apple carried and stocked numbers of was Larrivee.
Personally for me the Breedlove tone and build was superior. While Larrive'e are pleasant enough sounding, IMO they lack the clarity of detail of tone of the Breedlove .....That said, everyones boat floats on different water ....best go try both
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  #44  
Old 05-28-2018, 09:31 AM
Rick1114 Rick1114 is offline
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I own a Breedlove Oregon Sitka/Myrtle concert and it's a great guitar. I haven't ever played a Collins or Santa Cruz Guitar but after tons of listening online, I think overall they are comparable in terms of modern sound. I know the build on mine is impeccable. The only upgrade I could want is bone saddle/nut. The only things I would say is the neck shape can take some getting used to, and the sound may skew too modern for some styles. It's def not in the Martin/Gibson camp!

Last edited by Rick1114; 05-28-2018 at 10:05 AM.
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  #45  
Old 05-28-2018, 12:05 PM
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Default More love for Breedlove

Ok, I'll chime in on this as a fan of Breedloves, having owned six in all, and currently two. The first I picked up was one of the Korean made Cascade C25cre. That was nice, but it had a slightly cramped bridge string spacing, and I sold it after about a year. After that I tried out a used Pro C25, which was very bass heavy. It sounded better to my ears and had wider string spacing, but I decided to return it within a week. After that I read up on the American series, and waited for one to come up used. That C25/CRe was great in every respect. I liked it so much I picked up another American series guitar, this one part of the Revival line. That one is a 000/SSe (haircut headstock, so after the Two Old Hippies takeover, I presume) and if I had to rank it, I would put it on par with the other American, but it is very different. I still have that one. It is loud, snappy, balanced and full throughout the spectrum. I recently sold another Revival series guitar, a very nice Bowerman Revival OM/AR, that I picked up at the end of 2015. A very nice guitar, but it was monopolizing my playing time, so Iet her go to another home.

The Breedlove that I currently have I picked up last year after dropping by a local Guitar Center and trying is one of the Myrtle topped Oregon C20es. I was blown away by how loud that guitar was when I tried it, so I played the waiting game again until I saw one come up used (GC again), and the one that showed up was on par with the new one, just not as aesthetically pleasing as that new one. But I think those Oregons are a great blend of the previous two lines, the Revival without the bridge truss system, and the contemporary series. My impression of Two Old Hippies is that they have done a very good job of managing the company. When I reached out to them for some information about one of the guitars I had, they themselves got it to me. That, and the high quality of the newer "lower" end Revival 000 are what I am basing that on.

So, obviously I agree Breedlove makes some fine guitars! Now, regarding Bedell, what I have read about them is intriguing. In fact there is one out there I would love to hear about, since I know that I won't be playing it. Here is the Reverb link and some pics from it. Hopefully whoever ends up with it does NGD of it.

https://bit.ly/2IX4Id4

And don't wipe your screen. I have no idea what that is on that picture of the back.




Last edited by OMsong; 05-28-2018 at 12:11 PM.
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