Understanding Breedlove Guitars Series'

[SuperB23]

I enjoy Breedlove guitars and I've tried to make sense of their Series' over the years here is a list I came up with. If anyone can shed more light on these or add some too it, I would appreciate it.

Revival: High End Vintage Style US Custom Shop Models
Roots: Mid Line Vintage Style US Built Models
Retro: Foreign Made Lower End Vintage Style Models
Focus: US Made Modern Style Means different things different years
Masterclass: Fancy modern style custom shop models
S Series: Not fancy modern style custom shop models
Pro Series: Mid Line Modern style US Built Models
Passport: Foreign made low end laminate models
Atlas: Foreign made modern models like Retro
American: Newer version of Focus
Cascade: Newer version of Pro series
Calendar: Custom Shop Masterclass models featured in Breedlove calendar
Voice: Guitars featuring LR Baggs Anthem Voice electronics US Built
Limited Edition: Like Masterclass only in small runs



What really throws me for a loop is when a person uses two series names for one instrument like an American Series Revival guitar or a Masterclass Focus guitar.

[Jamie9]

We're all confused about their model designations and having just had a look at their site they seem to have come up with a new array of models. I really think the confusion works against Breedlove and anyone trying to sell their guitars.

[SuperB23]

Originally Posted by Jamie9

We're all confused about their model designations and having just had a look at their site they seem to have come up with a new array of models. I really think the confusion works against Breedlove and anyone trying to sell their guitars.

I agree, I thought this list might help a little bit for buyers.

[AZLiberty]

Originally Posted by SuperB23

I enjoy Breedlove guitars and I've tried to make sense of their Series' over the years here is a list I came up with. If anyone can shed more light on these or add some too it, I would appreciate it.


Pro Series: Mid Line Modern style US Built Models
American: Newer version of Focus


What really throws me for a loop is when a person uses two series names for one instrument like an American Series Revival guitar or a Masterclass Focus guitar.

Pro series were Korean built. 60/40 Korean/US content. A very few Pro series guitars were made at the end of the run while Breedlove was tooling up for the American Series.

The American is NOT a newer version of the Focus, appointments and wood choices are completely different. The Focus is a step or two above the Am. Series.

Revivals were part of the American series when the Am. series started, they were then broken out into their own line for marketing purposes.

[nickn]

I would like any more details explained as well, I have been thinking about picking up a Focus SE (redwood) and I was so confused because at one time it was Master Class, then it was not. I so emailed the nice people at Breedlove and they set it strait for me. They took Master Class off the name, but the quality and build is still there.

I was gonna go for a American Series, but man, I kinda fell in love with the Focus SE.

[JayMack]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXKeNKvl-J4

[SteveA]

If the Focus is a step or two up from the American Series, you will have a stellar Guitar

Because my American C25 SME is already there

[BBWW]

They have made it difficult. New owners and new direction. Each time they have a new owner they put "their" mark on it. How many classes of Martin D's, OM's and OOO's are there....a lot. Just as confusing. This isn't just a Breedlove issue. Taking your Good name and brand and placing it in a lot of price points with is confusing. A D-18 used to be a D-18, now it's one of many D-18's.

Custom/Martin Style Bracing and appointments, Think Masterclass for traditional players all woods available
Revival: High End Vintage Style US Custom Shop Models

Roots the "Pro Series" in the Revival Style Hybrid Korea/USA (Discontinued)
Roots: Mid Line Vintage Style US Built Models

Korean built Martin Style
Retro: Foreign Made Lower End Vintage Style Models

USA Custom shop with "Packaged Masterclass Appointments
Focus: US Made Modern Style Means different things different years

Custom Shop all US build Top of the Line. Includes Revivals now.
Masterclass: Fancy modern style custom shop models

This was the "Entry" Customshop, built the same way but woods and appointments not as fancy. Somewhere just below Focus or Fusion
S Series: Not fancy modern style custom shop models

Breedlove Style bracing and Bridge Truss/Hybrid US and Korean built.
Pro Series: Mid Line Modern style US Built Models

Just what you said.
Passport: Foreign made low end laminate models

A notch up, with Breedlove Bracing and Truss System
Atlas: Foreign made modern models like Retro

Sort of but not really. Wood is not as fancy, all US built.
American: Newer version of Focus

Exactly
Cascade: Newer version of Pro series

The best of there best
Calendar: Custom Shop Masterclass models featured in Breedlove calendar

This one I'm not sure of yet, I view this as the "S" series revisited. Sort of where the Focus was once placed in the brand. Baggs system custom for it.
Voice: Guitars featuring LR Baggs Anthem Voice electronics US Built

Often a standard model with different wood choices.
Limited Edition: Like Masterclass only in small runs

They have changed the Masterclass designation to include the Focus.

The "American Revival" is just the entry level US built Revival Style. Again think "S" series for Revival style.



What really throws me for a loop is when a person uses two series names for one instrument like an American Series Revival guitar or a Masterclass Focus guitar.[/QUOTE]

[nickn]

Originally Posted by SteveA

If the Focus is a step or two up from the American Series, you will have a stellar Guitar

Because my American C25 SME is already there

I'm pretty excited steve, I will send you some PM's when I get it and we can chat : )

I'm wondering how well redwood will do for simple strumming, I never play hard or anything and well all the videos I have seen it sounds AMAZING fingerpicked, and pretty dang amazing strummed as well. Its being a PITA finding one local to try out though.

[SuperB23]

Thanks for this clarity.

Originally Posted by BBWW

They have made it difficult. New owners and new direction. Each time they have a new owner they put "their" mark on it. How many classes of Martin D's, OM's and OOO's are there....a lot. Just as confusing. This isn't just a Breedlove issue. Taking your Good name and brand and placing it in a lot of price points with is confusing. A D-18 used to be a D-18, now it's one of many D-18's.

Custom/Martin Style Bracing and appointments, Think Masterclass for traditional players all woods available
Revival: High End Vintage Style US Custom Shop Models

Roots the "Pro Series" in the Revival Style Hybrid Korea/USA (Discontinued)
Roots: Mid Line Vintage Style US Built Models

Korean built Martin Style
Retro: Foreign Made Lower End Vintage Style Models

USA Custom shop with "Packaged Masterclass Appointments
Focus: US Made Modern Style Means different things different years

Custom Shop all US build Top of the Line. Includes Revivals now.
Masterclass: Fancy modern style custom shop models

This was the "Entry" Customshop, built the same way but woods and appointments not as fancy. Somewhere just below Focus or Fusion
S Series: Not fancy modern style custom shop models

Breedlove Style bracing and Bridge Truss/Hybrid US and Korean built.
Pro Series: Mid Line Modern style US Built Models

Just what you said.
Passport: Foreign made low end laminate models

A notch up, with Breedlove Bracing and Truss System
Atlas: Foreign made modern models like Retro

Sort of but not really. Wood is not as fancy, all US built.
American: Newer version of Focus

Exactly
Cascade: Newer version of Pro series

The best of there best
Calendar: Custom Shop Masterclass models featured in Breedlove calendar

This one I'm not sure of yet, I view this as the "S" series revisited. Sort of where the Focus was once placed in the brand. Baggs system custom for it.
Voice: Guitars featuring LR Baggs Anthem Voice electronics US Built

Often a standard model with different wood choices.
Limited Edition: Like Masterclass only in small runs

They have changed the Masterclass designation to include the Focus.

The "American Revival" is just the entry level US built Revival Style. Again think "S" series for Revival style.



What really throws me for a loop is when a person uses two series names for one instrument like an American Series Revival guitar or a Masterclass Focus guitar.

[/QUOTE]

[SuperB23]

To further convolute things Breedlove is now calling their Korean Made Atlas series guitars that are the older Martin style design Revival guitars! They have also added an Oregon Series similar idea to the norwest classic all made with woods from Northwestern US area.

[SuperB23]

Well I thought I'd resurrect this old thread because I was just on the Breedlove website and I noticed a bunch of new Series names. This is getting ridiculous!! Anyone know the run down now??

The new names I see are exotic, premier, legacy, pursuit, and discovery.

[Steely Glen]

Originally Posted by SuperB23

Well I thought I'd resurrect this old thread because I was just on the Breedlove website and I noticed a bunch of new Series names. This is getting ridiculous!! Anyone know the run down now??

The new names I see are exotic, premier, legacy, pursuit, and discovery.

I would argue that Breedlove's product line was ridiculous long ago. And I mean "ridiculous" literally: worthy of ridicule. As a consumer who has owned two of their guitars and enjoyed both of them, I am shocked when I peruse their website. If I find a model posted here on the AGF classifieds and then attempt to locate that particular model in the archives of their website, most times I cannot find what I'm looking for. It's an absolute trainwreck, but one which they seem persistent on keeping up. It's also sad because they make great guitars.

[mischultz]

The Revivals actually predated the American series and were subsequently folded into that designation. I *think* they went to the wave headstock simultaneously with the American/Revival shift. There could be some straight headstock American/Revival guitars but I haven't seen any.

Originally Posted by AZLiberty

Pro series were Korean built. 60/40 Korean/US content. A very few Pro series guitars were made at the end of the run while Breedlove was tooling up for the American Series.

The American is NOT a newer version of the Focus, appointments and wood choices are completely different. The Focus is a step or two above the Am. Series.

Revivals were part of the American series when the Am. series started, they were then broken out into their own line for marketing purposes.

[PTC Bernie]

Then you have the older ones that were made when it was just Steve and Kim. They don't have a series name, just the letter/number designation, like the one in my signature.

"What series is it?"

"None."

"Huh!?. But it's a Breedlove, isn't it?.........."

"Yep."



.