Blueridge BR-160

Slope-shouldered guitar (very j 45 in its shape) with a high gloss tobacco-burst finish, pearl headstock and flower inlays on the fret board. Solid spruce top with solid rosewood back & sides. Slim neck makes for ease of playing. Fourteen frets to the body - large and chunky so easy fretting.

I play a variety of styles ??? blues, rock, folk, ragtime ??? a bit of everything ??? mainly finger-picking, but some plecky work too. Suits most styles with no problem ??? bright sound, but not overly so ??? sounds better for finger picking than my Martin D-15 mahogany. Nice finish ??? some brush marks to the finish, but this a is not a top end of the market guitar ??? having said that the finish is very very good and you can???t complain at the price. I love this guitar - it sounds and looks the dogs doodas!

I bought second hand from ebay ??? nothing wrong with that ??? the set-up was fine, but I did let the action down a little (I have arthritis and need a very easy playing set up). I use d???addario 10???s and it sounds fantastic. Everything was in it???s right place ??? neck fine, internal strutting very good. The previous owner had fitted some Wilkinson Tulip Style Klusons - looked awful - I changed them for Wilkinson Kluson with a button - looks much better - can't comment on the original tuners as not with the guitar when purchased. Been playing for 30 years and have owned more guitars that had hot dinners! ??? had read a lot about this guitar and wanted to try one ??? so bought second hand. It compares with a good many high end guitars I have had including Martin. I don???t think you can fault this guitar for the price ??? especially if you can get one second hand.

I haven???t had the guitar that long and no longer perform live, but I have had many guitars over the years and I definitely think this will stand the test of time ??? everything seem rock solid and I am guessing if you wanted to abuse this guitar you could ??? but who would want to ??? it looks gorgeous and plays like a dream ??? so look after it!

Haven't had to so can't comment

As I said been playing for 30 years - owned everything near enough - if it was nicked it I would be after another like a shot. I have had a hard time try to find fault and I am very picky - I don't think I will part with this guitar - it is absolutley fine for my needs.

Solid Sitka spruce top, solid rosewood sides and bridge. Bone nut and saddle. Poly finish, tortoise pickguard. Neck is a bit thin, but well dressed with no high frets. Wood quality is high, and fit and finish is excellent. My guitar is now 5 years old and just keeps getting better. I play 1-2 hours a day.

Rich and warm, wonderfull bass and definition. Very close to a Martin HD-28. LOUD, very expressive. I even use this dread for fingerpicking and it records so well. Im frequently asked by people "What model Martin did you use on that recording!" The overtones are wonderful and loud, chords ring forever, sustain is excellent.

Guitar was well set up, however intonation was a bit off, and the nut was a bit high. I had a new wider nut cut to D28 dimensions, and had an intonated saddle placed. Now its insane how clear this guitar sounds. I use Martin SP mediums and they play like lights play in a cheaper guitar.

Only thing I didnt like were stock tuners. They worked well but didnt match the look of the guitar (I had the older closed backs). Also the 14:1 ratio is not as precise. I upgraded to Grover Sta-tights which was easy and now they work like butter. I tune once a week!

Ive used this guitar live, and in the studio. Its never let me down. Never even broke a string. I even use it with a removable soundhole pup and it sounds great. No flaws in finish, very durable poly. Id use it without a backup but take my Blueridge BR-40 just in case.

Warranty was 1 year I believe. Ive had no issues. Most good acoustics suffer if left in poor humidity or in temp extremes. I take care of my guitars and have had no issues.

Best guitar under 1.5K PERIOD! I got mine cheap and its the most underrated guitar out there. Hands down my favorite guitar. This stomps the economy Martins and Parkwoods, even Recording Kings.

High (not luthier) grade spruce top, Indian rosewood sides, back, rosewood fretboard, bone nut and saddle, and ebony pins (pins my addition). Stock "butterbean" tuners. Quite a bit of MOP inlay, Braced like a pre-war Martin D-28 (I wonder how/why Martin allows a direct rip-off of their pattern to continue, although I suppose US patent laws are hard to enforce in China). It's a well-made guitar.

I've had my 160 for three years and also have a 1976 Guild D-25. I've had a Martin D-28 and have played various Gibson dreadnaughts and jumbos. Compared to my Guild, the 160 is louder and brighter. I call it my "shouter" in bluegrass jams. The Guild is softer and has more bottom and, on softer songs, more presence. It's my "whisperer." I enjoy both instruments. Compared to the D-28 I had, the Blueridge is substantially lighter physically and has less bottom sonically. The difference in low end and presence isn't so noticeable live, but becomes much more apparent in recording. Frankly, I think it's hard to record with this instrument, although one of my recording engineer friends showed me a microphone position that improved the sound somewhat.

It's light. The neck bends rather easily. However, I've noticed that, over the years, the neck hasn't been a problem. When mine came to me from an internet dealer,it wasn't well set up. The luthier who set it up had no trouble doing so. I understand that these instruments are supported better by the distributer now.

I record and play live with it. It's a blast to play, one of the easiest to play that I've ever had. Contrary to both my Guild and Martin, it's an easy guitar to maintain -- weather changes really don't affect it and it's generally more stable than I thought it'd be. I wanted a guitar that I could take to festivals and jam in the parking lot without the instrument losing tune or falling apart and this instrument gets the job done.

I didn't know it had a warranty. After the initial set up, I've never had trouble with it.

I got my first guitar, an Aldens "Holiday" finger shredder, in 1968 and have played ever since. I'm not in a financial position to keep an expensive instrument (had to give up the Martin for that reason, so I wanted the best instrument I could obtain with the money I could spend (at the time, about 500 dollars). I'm blessed that many of my friends are musicians, ranging from tailgate pickers to guys who do it for a living. When they first played my 160, they had two pretty consistent reactions: (1) it was among the nicest sounding guitars they'd played, and (2) I was a jerk for taking business away from American luthiers, many of whom acknowledge that the technology used to manufacture these guitars is making it harder for hand-builders to compete. Nontheless, I like mine and intend to keep it.

I had read a lot of reviews, and articles about blueridge guitars. I have to tell you, i was a little apprehensive about it being made in china. Well the price won out, i bought a used br-160. I love this guitar. Gave it a 9 only because of the aging toner& pickguard, Everything else is great!

This guitar sounds beautiful, with bluegrass it rocks.

I bought my blueridge used so previous owner had changed the saddle to compensated tuscany, and had action adjusted accordingly. plays fabiously with elixer 80/20 bronze lights. I also added brass bridge pins. This blueridge will talk to you!

I havent had guitar very long, but it is about 2 years old, and it still looks and plays like new.

Bought it used, havent had to deal with them.

I would have to overall rate this guitar a 10. My lawsuit F-375 takamine sits in the corner gathering dust now. I also have a takamine NV-360 Nashville. It will kick both their butts!

Made in 2006. Thin neck, solid woods(sitka spruce/EIR), you know the features most likely. The only reason I am giving it a nine is because the neck could be a little fatter for my tastes.

I bought this guitar in the beginning of 2007 and wanted to wait about a year to give it a review. I have played most of the Martin lineup, including vintage axes, I've even been to the martin factory and played all the guitars from their picking parlor. I love Martins, just can't afford them. When I first strummed this guitar, I immediately thought Martin, from the way it vibrated and projected. It is very similar to most D-28's I have played. It has matured in the year I have had it and I only see it getting better. It will get a 9 here, because it isn't a pre-war dreadnaught, which will cost you 20x more than the Blueridge will.

Action was good from the factory, a little stiff at the nut. I had it filed down which wasn't much money, and definitely made it more playable. The wood quality, on mine atleast, is excellent...great grain, girls call it pretty. Bracing, fretwire, etc. all very good quality for chinese. The headstock, like everyone says, is ugly and overdone. They should put a thinner finish on it though, it's just thick plastic that kills some of the tone that could be unleashed. The thick finish does keep it from scratching the wood though.

I have played this guitar pretty often in the year and half I have had it. I see no problems so far, and I don't see why it won't stand the test of time.

Supposedly a 1 year warranty, I never had to use it though...

If it was stolen, I'd definetly try to find another one, or maybe the Br-163 just for something different.

Dreadnaught. No pickup. Solid spruce top. The quality of the materials seems very high.

All I can say is I am delighted with the way it sounds. I have a Takamine(EG-15C) and the Blueridge really is in another league. The sound is so rich and full with great bass and ringing highs. The reason I bought it was because I had read so many independent reviews that rated this guitar highly and I was not at all dissapointed. Is not a modest performer... is really quite loud although when played softly is very sweet.

The action was too low and buzzed when I got it. Had it raised and it is fine now. The finish is good although a little overdone with the headstock almost tacky in the way it has been designed. Some don't like the small tight tuners, but they seem to work fine keeping the guitar in tune well for long periods.

I have played for twenty years, motly accoustic. Owned a few Yamaha guitars the last being one of the better solid top models and the Takamine (EG-15C). I don't recall the Yamaha's having the tonal range this Blueridge has and as I have said the Takamnine sounds like a tin can compared. Although I will concede the Takamine is nicer to play in that it is smoother. I was so pleased with this guitar I went and bought a cheaper Blueridge (BR 70)to take to the batch and that is also a great guitar for the price.

To sum up. This guitar sounds better than anything I have ever owned. It's weakness however is its rather overdone finish. As I am a man into sound not looks I am extremely pleased with the guitar. I would buy another of these in a flash should I lose it. Check out the guys playing them on U-Tube. gives you some idea of the great sound they have.

Fantastic feel,finish and inlay. Rosewood fretboard, bone nut

Sounds great if you slap on some martin sp's or elixers (13 gauge brings best tone)
really full of tone, resembles martins hd-28, lots of bass

set-up was good but it needs better tuners, the stock ones fall apart after a bit of use
I just put on grovers and its flawless

everythings great ezcept tuners
great finish
i would trust it without a backup

new tuners and pickguard,thats all

great guitar if you want martin sound without martin price this is your guitar
if it was stolen i would definetly get another

I like the sound from the solid woods. I'm not sure about the open tuners, but they work great for now. I also really like the aging toner that makes the top more vintage looking.

When I first got it, it had very old light gage strings on it. After a fresh set of med. string, it had the boomy bass bluegrass sound I was looking for.

I picked mine up used, so the set-up was really nice. I haven't done anything to it yet.

Okay, unlike some of the other guys on here, I am not ready to say that the guitar soounds better than my Martin. I have a 2000 model HD-28 that is clearly louder that the BR-160. But, I didn't expect it to be. ( Everyone compares their guitar to a Martin for a reason guys ) I was very surprised by the tone and sound of the BR-160. I have no regrets about buying it and it is definately a keeper.

I have been playing guitar for 20 + years. I currently have the 2000 HD-28, a 1980 Yamaha FG-340 and the 2005 BR-160. I can't see any of them leaving. They are all a little different, and that is what I like about them. Even my beloved HD-28 doesn't fit every situation.
( Sorry Martin lovers )

tuners don't slip, stays in tune. the neck is beefy but fits real nice in my hand and feels like it's a quality instrument.

very full sound. mellow sounding, much like a martin, this is not bright like a taylor.
i like that old country d-28 sound and this guitar gives it to me. great for folk, country, classic rock neil young, jimmy page (D-28) vibe.

the action was a bit high and i've been meaning to get around to sanding down the bridge a bit to lower the action but it's been about 5 years and i still haven't done it so i guess it works cause this is my main guitar and it gets a lot of use...eventually i'll do that.
the finish is nice and the neck was right on from the day i got it. i haven't had to adjust the neck yet. i should probably get around to taking it in and having it professionally tweaked but it hasn't given me any problems.

this guitar has held up like a champ. i really don't even treat it like i should and it still keeps goin without any problems.

i think this brand is beginning to get more popular. most of the time when i tell someone i play a blue ridge they have no idea what i'm talking about. i just hope they keep making a decent product and give good customer service as they get larger.

it's made by saga which is a pretty big company and it's made in china so do with that what you will...

...if you've got the money buy american (or canadian or somewhere not china or korea ect). if not...and you have to get a chinese guitar this one pretty much kicks ***.

I guess all has been said many times already but to the best of my knowledge all of the work done on it looks perfect to me.

Contrary to others I find that it sounded somewhat dull or "checked" if you like in the beginning but it is now opening up allright. the sound is absolutely full and very balanced and yes it can go very loud without affecting the quality of the tone. Perfect for finger picking and not bad on strumming either, though it struck me how great a difference just two sets of strings could actually produce on this guitar. (I tried out Martin 0.12 Phosphor Bronze and the D'addario 0.12. With finger picking the Martins sounded much better on this guitar whereas with strumming many might prefer the D'addarios, and I have not even begun to try others !!!)
The neck could be a tick wider but on average it plays quite well.

the set up is a tat high like others commented but nothing that needs seeing to right away. I am no judge of the intracacies of guitar building so there is not a lot that I can add here other than that it looks allright to me.

I am not gigging so I have no idea how it will stand up to that or intensive playing for that matter.

no idea

I have been playing the guitar for 30 odd years on a fairly simple level and have had my fair share of guitars, in particular many cheapos !!!
I also had a (used)Martin D28 and a Gibson acoustic. I think that it is somewhat over the top to say that on average these Blueridges are as good or even better as the average D28, but having said that I played on several Martin D28s which sounded pretty awful. This Blueridge sounds good straight out of the box and is supposed to sound a lot better even after a year or so, I guess I will have to report back then !!!!
One thing I can say though: you folks in the USA are really lucky to be able to purchase these quality guitars at giveaway prices !!!!
Here in Europe I had to pay 800 euros, which is just over 1000 dollars to get one. With the prices in the USA I would probably get two or three Blueridges, laugh my head off and never look back !!!!!!

It's basic but it's nice. And the rosewood back and sides on mine is the nicest I have ever seen. I have an HD28V that is beautiful, but the rosewood grain on this Blueridge is superior looking. Bought it at Carmine Street Guitars in New York City.

As I said I have a Martin HD28V, a Santa Cruz Vintage Southerner, and a Larrivee L03 Koa. This Blueridge is brighter than the Martin and has slightly less bass, but its separation of notes is far superior to the Martin. It's a much more balanced guitar. It has a lot of depth already, but I can tell that it is just waiting to open up-- the hints of greateness are definitely there.

I have played some great dreadnoughts at Mandolin Brothers here in New York, particularly the Collings and Santa Cruzes, and some Froggy Bottoms at Rudy's. The best way I can describe the sound of this BR-160 is that it's in between the Martin's bassiness and the Collings brightness that I've heard on a D2H or D1A. And it does this with a dovetail neck joint, not the bolt on approach that Collings uses. It's nice enough that I've been debating on selling the Martin I have, but i want to hold off and wait to see how the sound sits with me over time. Also, it's two weeks old and hasn't opened up yet, while the Martin is three years old. Don't want to jump to conclusions yet because the Martin is great. T

his Blueridge is a great bluegrass guitar, and it sounds fantastic for fingersyle. That was surpising to me.

This thing is light but extremely sturdy and well made. The bookmatching on the top is flawless and no seem is even detectible. The rosewood on the back and sides is the nicest I have seen, hands down. The frets are perfect. Could use a little lower action, maybe. Tuners are great. But it plays extremely smoothly. The inlays on the fretboard are quite nice, also.

It's very solid as far as I see.

Haven't dealt with them.

I've been playing 20-25 years and can play just about anything I hear. I began with Al Dimeola style playing, and I've got the Tony Rice thing down pretty well now after some practice. I have a Martin HD28V, a Santa Cruz Vintage Southerner, and a Larrivee L03 Koa, two Fender Teles and A Bill Nash Tele. This is a great guitar; don't let anyone tell you otherwise. You may have to play a few, but that goes for all brands, including the high-end makers. This guitar inspires you to learn bluegrass, and it sounds fantastic. That is probably due the great wood used, plus the scalloped bracing. But also important is the bone material used on the nut and the saddle. Martin doesn't do that on the HD28V. The headstock is maybe a little too ornate and small -- I wish they'd enlarge it to the cize of a Collings, which looks more traditional -- but it's growing on me. And I thought I would have preferred an ebony fretboard, but the sound difference is negligible from what most luthiers tell me. Moreover, neither of these things change the fact that it sounds and plays fantastic. As I said, it's so good that I'm debating selling the Martin, which cost over four times this one. The Santa Cruz Vintage Southerner models itself after a Gibson J-45, but it blows any J-45 I've played away. When I bought the BR-160 at Carmine Street Guitars I played a Blueridge BG-140, another J-45 copy, and that sounds so close to the Santa Cruz or just as good that I'm debating selling that one, too. The Saqnta Cruz cost me $3,000; the Bg-140 about $525. Rick Kelly at Carmine Street in New York sells these at great prices and he services them.

It seems to be well built and carefully made. Flamed top makes the finish look thick and plastic-y. I don't know what the woods are, but the specs are readily available.

I simply cannot undersand how these mid-level BlueRidge models get the good sonic ratings that they do. Jeez guys, go to a real guitar store and play a quality model.

The tone is basically good. Probably due to the top. That is the end of the good news. The sound is not resonant or clear. The bass strings have a hint of a dull thud in there, which is a dead giveaway that this is an El Cheapo guitar. But wait, it isn't inexpensive. At one-half the price I would consider it a decent value.

It seems, as I said earlier, to be a well built object.

It seems, as I said earlier, to be a well built object.

I have played for 30+ years. I have several nice guitars in my possession, and I was hoping to use this as the travel/jam guitar, but I will press one of my older good sounding models into service.

Sonically, I am disappoited with this guitar. Great reputation, looks great, nice to play, sounds clunky. And it ain't just mine, I have since played a few others of these and yup, they sound similar. I think that this and other mid-level BlueRidge models are over-rated.

-Solid Sitka Spruce Top w/Aged Toner
-Solid East Indian Rosewood Back and Sides
-Dovetailed Mahogany Neck
-Pseudo Pre-War (More-so Parabolic) Shifted Brace & Deep Scalloped
-14:1 Open Butterbean Tuners
-Overthetop Abalone and Mother of Pearl
-Herringbone & White Binding Appointments
-Bone Nut & Saddle
-Rosewood Fretboard and Bridge
-Decent Hardcase

I do NOT care what anybody says, try finding a 100% solid wood guitar for under 700.00. You can purchase 1,000+ dollar Martins and Taylors, high dollar Yamahas, Takamines, Seagulls..and you would still end up with a "hardwood and/or nato" neck, laminate back & sides, and Mortis-Tenon joint.

It may be typical features for a high-dollar American Dread, but at well under 700, the features are not only unheard of, but they are OUTSTANDING!

I've owned this guitar for well over 8 months now, and for the first time, I haven't found myself scouring the walls for a replacement. When first purchased, the guitar was exceptionally bright. Over the past few months, it has mellowed sound with a tinge of lovely chime. It is VERY similar to the D-28, however through experience, it's a touch lighter on the bass register. Overall, the guitar is very well balanced, projects extremely well, and is buttery smooth.

Some cringe at the idea of a Chinese manufactured guitar being compared to the Martin D-28 & HD-28. Pay no mind to the ethnocentric critics, they find fault because they need to justify their 2,000+ dollar purchase and/or they are simply ignorant.

As much as I have strained, I can't seem to find any imperfections that would impact the function, playability, and sound of the instrument. Cosmetically, HARDLY visible glue seep from the neck joint, and a SMALL bit of filler visible on ONE inlay. Seriously, unless you are viewing it with a microscope, by plain sight and even upclose...it's still a knockout!

I can't be honest on the setup, it was adjusted by a guitar-tech the minute it arrived at the store.

I must say, the shallow set neck was somewhat of an adjustment.

This is as durable as my Martin and the components (although no-frills) are simple and durable. The gloss thickness offers the right amount of protection without sacrificing tone.

Who gigs without a backup?

I've been playing for approximetly 13 years now, I've owned a little bit of everything, Samick, Peavey, Custom Fenders, Hamer, Martin, Ibanez, Ovation, Seagull, on and on and on.....this is by far one of the best guitars on the market.

When I was in the market for a new guitar, I was mainly looking at the Martin D-28 and Taylor 310. I stumbled across the guitar by accident. Forget about the name, if you played this thing blindfolded, your impression would be either the same or exceeding that of any Taylor or Martin.

This guitar's features are well known; regardless of its Chinese origin
its materials will give it the same sound as its model, more or less.
This review is based on and about the reasons people sell them on ebay.
For a friend too disorganized to do it, for the past couple of months,
I've undertaken this study.

I don't own one, so except in a hypothetical,I can't comment on this.

n\a

Naturally, most BR-160 for sale are new. Almost all of the used are
sold because their owners have a sense of impending doom. The most
frequent defect is cracks around strap holder; second is splits on the
lower bout. Possible stress marks at the base of the neck have been
encountered and one had an earthquake along severe run-out of the spruce. I'm sure these problems are in a very small number of those
produced, but the potential buyer should be wary. Guitar luthiers
generally play or have played extremely fine instuments and thusly
have points of comparison; I doubt Chinese maker have this chance.

n\a

I've played for decades, I own no-name Chinese guitars, very fine!
and a 1955 Guild, 12 string

You have the drill on the specific features of this guitar from all the other reviewers. Overall, the only thing I'd add is that it's a pretty little dreadnought with a neck that slides across the web of my hand like butter. Inlay is spiffy but not too Minnie Pearl. The color is a little too amber for some people, which is the only reason I'm giving it a score of 8.

It's a funny thing. This guitar really does r-i-n-g when you want it to do so, and when you do the D through low E resonate beautifully and diminish slowly. With practice you can tame it so that it sings quietly and sadly and without a ring, but the resonance and slow diminish stay right with you. Slap a capo onto the neck anywhere south of the 6th fret, fingerpick and, well, yep, that's the sound I like with a dulcimer or acoustic bass.

What can you play with this? The sound lends itself over to bluegrass, folk and Celtic music. Not well suited for classical unless you like screwing with history and inventing something new -- which I would highly encourage people to do.

Action's fast, though to get it there I had to adjust the truss. Factory delivered I found the neck adjustement too high, which began to slow down the action at about the 5th fret until it got doughy by the 10th. Since the adjustment and string drop it smokes.

I believe mine arrived with D'Addario light/medium. Got rid of them fast and replaced them with a few combinations of medium-weight strings. Finally hit upon a combination of uncoated Elixir (E,B,G) and Gibson (D,A,E). Ay-yi-yi! That's when the guitar started talking to me. Bridge, saddle and nut arrived intact; hardward is fine.

The BR-160 stands up to live playing -- very well in fact. It also travels well in a Gator and holds its tuning when being carried across town. My guitar is three years old and the finish still looks great. I DO use it in gigs without a backup from time to time, so long as they don't require me to switch guitars for tuning purposes.

I haven't had any relationship with the manufacturer because I've never had reason to call it up with complaints.

I've been playing classical guitar for 25 years and bluegrass for 16. I also own a fretless Fender Standard P-Bass, an Alhambra 9FC, an Antonio Mar??n Montero 2005, a Bourgeois County Boy, a Martin D-28 Marquis and D-40FW, some crappy little Yamahas and a bunch of hand-me-down Frankenguitars, dulcimers and other stuff.

This Blueridge is a great guitar. I really wish people would stop using Martin (even mine!) as THE gold standard. I frequently use the Blueridge as my primary guitar while performing and the Martin as my secondary for unorthodox tunings. Know what? People dance, I smile and my bandmates stop cursing the presence of an Asian guitar on their hallowed stage.



Bad news for lefties. Blueridge is no longer manufacturing the BR-160 in lefty mode. Thinking I'd be bummed if I were to lose mine and couldn't replace it, I bought another one last month.

You already know all the specs/features; mine came w/a strap button installed on the neck; i like the bone nut and saddle, dislike the plastic bridge pins (replacing w/ ebony pins that are on order). My spruce top has dark lines that run w/the grain; they actually give the top a cool look. the pickguard is not as bad as I thought; the headstock inlay is, from what I understand, a 'veneer' or thin sheet that is applied to the finished top- before the topcoat? I don't know; it looks ok, not bad. For the money, the whole thing is GREAT- solid woods, nice bracing, clean.

BRIGHT tone, I'm hoping it mellows a little with the ebony pins and time. It sounds great- very even tone, louder by far than my other guitars. I think it'll end up sounding better and better over time. I haven't tried medium gauge on it yet- lights sound really good and the action is very nice.

Action was great- I got it used on eBay for 366(!) with very very little wear on it ( a few scratches on pickguard!). tuned up great. It buzzes a tiny bit on A and D strings at ~ the 5th to 7th frets. Many people have told me that a simple fret dress will take care of it. I don't even notice it unless I'm really hitting it hard. Some sloppy stainwork on the top-side of the fretboard (by the side fret markers) at the 1st to 3rd frets. barely notice it. One tiny bubble in the topcoat on the spruce top. can't see unless holding it to a light and catching a reflection. Very clean inside. Poorly mounted tuners, crooked and obviously quickly mounted. Pretty small complaints that have very little to do with what I care about, which is how is sounds.

I've only had the guitar for a couple weeks so I can't really speak about how durable it is. It seems solid enough, and aside from some new tuners in the future, I think it will last a lifetime. I think.

No opinion- got it used and will never deal with the company I expect. For the price, who cares!

Been playing for 26 years; I've got two other acoustics (beater laminates, but both play and sound fine), two electrics, lots of electronics, mandolin, lots more. I love this guitar- plays great, and I think it will just sound better and better with age. I'd get another if lost or stolen, maybe another model just to check it out- they're cheap enough! I played a few Martins, ranging from 15s, 16s and one D-18, range in cost was from 900.00 to 2100.00 (electronics included in the pricey ones). I liked this one better than any of them, and saved 600 to 1800.00! I'll get it professionally set up soon, and then it'll be even more righteous.

Features:
Year: 2003
Blueridge BR160
Aged Toner Finish
Headstock Inlay (beautiful)
Bone Nut/Saddle
Spruce Top/Indian Rosewood Back and Sides
No electronics
Tuners: Sealed Butterbeans

Golden Gate Hardshell Case.

The Blueridge 160 that I own is full of volume and tone. I have heard many guitarists with age and experience say that a guitar conforms to it's owner's style. I play mine with a vengence. It rings like a liberty bell. I personally play in a bluegrass band in which my uncle plays rhythm on a 1964 Martin D-28 (with the genuine Brazilian Rosewood) and my 160 stays right with it easily. They actually sound very similar. He'll agree. Granted the 64 is worth about 10 times what my 160 is though. haha I love Martins and I love Blueridges. I own two Martins myself including a Limited Edition HD-28. Every guitar is different. I won't claim that my 160 will be better than anyone elses guitar without hearing the proof with my own ears, but this one is truly a jem. Many fans of our group tell me to put my Martins up and ALWAYS play my Blueridge after they hear me play each of them. These are folks who mostly aren't guitarists. They are folks that know if music sounds good or doesn't. As for playablility, all my guitars play just as I want them to. I set them up myself. I don't prefer one over the other. I love the distinction of my Martins. But for some odd reason, the blueridge does out-perform them in virutally every catergory. Just include this in the list of guitars to own. Don't pass a Martin or any other high-quality guitar up based on any single opinion. Every guitar has it's beauty and personality. Blueridge is simply a great guitar and I confidently stand by that claim based on my 160.

Was set-up quite well from the factory. Wood and workmanship looks excellent. I'd have to say perfection for the money. One flaw that has appeared, is a crack in the top-side in the valley of the slope. It's about 3 inches long and runs parallel with the grain. Will it continue? We'll see. Does it hurt the sound? Hasn't hurt it yet. Will I get it repaired? Within another year if it gets worse. I build instruments and I would do it myself. It's not a drastic law though.

I bought my 160 to perform with. I own Martins and I'm afraid to let anyone touch them. The 160 is my workhorse. I encourage people to play the heck out of it. Very durable guitar considering the abuse it has taken. And yes, I have used it many times in gigs without a back-up. Never has let me down a single time.

I would assume it would be based on the dealer. I have never had to have mine repaired. Saga is a good company though. I wouldn't say great, but good.

I have been playing 23 years and I have owned/played a substantial amount of guitars in those years. Yes it it were stolen I'd try (hope and pray) to get another 160 that even came close to comparing to this one. I have yet to hear a bad one though. Action is great (factory). Flatpicking is phenominal on it. Many guitarists/listeners have fell in love with it. Sound is extraordinary. I have owned this guitar for a few years now and there's definately no box sound here. It slams most dreadnoughts like Andre The Giant. 20 years from now? Mercy.

Chinese made Dreadnaught guitar, basically a Martin D-28 clone. Has a bone nut and saddle, vintage style open back tuners and a slightly "aged" high gloss finish. This guitar looks like a Martin HD-28 (but with a VERY over the top "fancy" headstock design!), and has according to the Saga website a "pre-war" forward shifted scalloped bracing like the old Martin HD-28s... This is not true - the bracing is not forward shifted, and it is more "parabolic" than scalloped... The construction is much more comparable to an after-war standard D-28, and so is it??s sound...

I play kind of folky stuff, Neil Young type of stuff, Indie, Alt Country, etc... mostly strumming rythms with a pic. Therefore this guitar beats most other guitars in that price range - big, clear american Dreadnaught sound in the tradition of Martin guitars... It sounds very much like a standard D-28, and has basically the SAME sound as the Guild GAD-50 (no wonder, same construction, same factory!!!). Compared it to a Guild GAD-50, a Nashville Takamine, an american made Guild dreadnaught for about 2000 $ and a Taylor 210... I did like the expensive Guild a little bit better, the GAD-50 sounded exactly the same (but the Blueridge felt better), the Taylor was VERY nice too but a bit too open and glassy sounding for me - and - the Blueridge was the better deal price wise!!!

People saying that tese guitars are nothing for pros and just sound like chinese junk are ignorant snobs - this guitar holds up against many more expensive guitars, those Chinese do such a good job that Guild (GAD series) and Epiphone (Masterbilt) are making their guitars in the same factory now as Saga...

Very good setup from the factory - had not to change everthing!

As with all massive guitars this guitar cannot be beaten as an electric - the open tuners do a fine job, the finish is flawless - very good. I??d have an older Ovation for stage use, though...

I play for about 14 years and I??m mainly playing electric. But this guitars sounds so nice that I??m playing much more acoustic stuff than before.

Basic well put together all solid wood dreadnaught guitar; nothing fancy except the headstock which is lavished with MOP. I'd have been happy with something a bit more restrained, but the rest of the guitar suits me fine. The woods used are beautiful, the finish essentially flawless.

I purchased the left handed version of this guitar, the only LH guitar Blueridge makes, and had to pay $100 more than the RH version. Having said that, for the sound this thing puts out it was worth every penny. A word of warning though, when I played it literally straight out of the box it didn't sound like what I expected, I guess that is the "boxy" sound that others are describing. Now that I have owned it and played it for a few months things have really loosened up and the sound is incredible. I'm wondering if it will keep changing and keep getting better. If it changes will it be better? Is there a better guitar sound than the sound this BR-160LH is making right now? If there is, I have not heard it and I have played lots of guitars for a long time. No doubt this is a fantastic sounding guitar and the best thing out there for the money, or a lot more money, or any money at all that I know of.

On initial inspection this guitar was perfect, not a flaw anywhere, and the setup was excellent, low and fast. It is very easy to play and the frets are very smooth. After a month or so I did find one flaw, on the upper side of the upper bout there is a very very small dimple in the finish. It is so small that I would never have noticed it but for the very smooth shiny surface. By holding it in the light just right I can see the flaw, but it takes a minute to find it. Given the way the guitar is sounding, I wouldn't consider returning it over this extremely small imperfection.
There was one curious thing at first and that was an odd smell to the guitar, almost like freshly cut wood, but strange smelling wood. In any case, the smell was gone in a few days. I suspect it had something to do with the wood, glue and finish as well as being packaged up inside plastic. This smell wasn't exacly bad, but it was a smell and I'm glad that it went away swiftly.

I regularly use this guitar in my church, mainly playing for the teenagers, and at a local old folks home, it has yet to give me any problems. It seems to be well built, but this is something that only time will tell. For any rough treatment, camping and so on, I use my Yamaha beater.

Never had a reason to contact them.

I have been playing guitar for about 24 years and own Martin and Yamaha acoustics as well as a few electric guitars. I have played a lot of guitars over the years (I can play both left and right handed) and this Blueridge is undoubtedly an excellent guitar; in there with the best. It plays very well, like a Taylor, and sounds fantastic, like - but not identical to - a good Martin D-28 (not all D-28s sound the way a D-28 should). I'm not sold on the open backed tuners and the headstock is a little garish for my tastes. With those very minor caveats, I don't hesitate to recommend this guitar, it is undoubtedly one of the best values out there and I have no regrets about not paying 4 times as much for a Martin D-28. It is the best gamble I have ever made on a sight unseen and, more importantly, unheard guitar. If $ 600 is your price limit, the Blueridge BR-160 is the guitar to get.

2004 model, rosewood back and sides, sitka spruce top. All solids.

i write and record a range of musical styles; ballads, pop-rock, jazz, souls, country. You name it!
The BR160 is terrific for the big, strummy stuff ( i have a BR163 for the fingerpicked, detailed parts) both have taken precedence over my Taylor 613CE, Gibson J200jr, and Guild D15.

well set-up, well put-together, and very well-finished.

looks good and durable. Mine'll live in the studio, but this looks the business all-round.

easy to deal with the uk distributors, and the retailer (County Music Supplies, Shrewsbury, UK)

i have played for 25 years, taught for 7, and work as a guitar technician. I own pretty well every guitar/amp i could have dreamed of in my youth, numerous Gibsons, Gretsches, Guild,Taylor, Yamaha,Rickenbackers .... no Martins! I bought the Blueridge BR163 over a Martin OM42, saving nearly three thousand pounds ( just under $5000 US)

This is an update to my review for the BR-160 that I purchased about a month ago.

After 4 weeks and a set of bone bridge pins this guitar has really opened up. It is a totally amazing guitar. I love it and have no regrets about buying it instead of a Martin. I took it up to Guitar Center with a buddy and we did a guitar off between a D-35, D-28, HD-28 and a D-41. The Blueridge held its ground and was as good sounding as all 4 of the Martins. What a sweet guitar. I wished when I was buying it that I could have heard it first, so I have made this little site with some sample recordings of my guitar, so you can hear how it sounds too. go to www.artkat.biz/br160/index.html to hear it for yourself.

www.onlineguitar.com is replacing 1 tuner that has a slight problem with the tuning key. They are very easy to work with.

What are you waiting for. Get one before they realize what they have and raise the price.

2005
Made in china
Solidtop
Same feature as the rest of review posted here.
Paid 590 US NEW W/CASE

I play bluegrass. I was hesitant about buying a chinese built guitar.
It is loud but not in a good way..Very Twanky, and lacks any real tonal quality. I would say that it sounds n par with other cheap imports.
I've tried many different sets of strings now and still cant get anything out of it.

The action as others have stated was very high. The string spacing was overly tight. The frets had sharp edges. I dont think anyone does setups prior to these leaving the factory. The intonation was out even with a compensated saddle. Not very impressed.

The spruce top is a basic grade. Bookmatch was fine however the grain has some run out in it.

Inside the body, there is glue protruding from joints. And the bracing is splintery. Also does not have a good smell coming from the sound hole.

Also noticed that tuners were drilled and set crooked. If you look at the back of the headstock the tuners looked very crooked (Probably can reset them ) but this is new shouldnt have to.)

Also seems the body and neck were finished while joined. Hope I never need a neck reset. Maybe this a cost cutting at that factory I dunno,,,Looks cheap.

Base on the fit and finish I wouldnt gig without a back up and I wouldnt bring this on stage. I think this would make a very good beginner guitar. It's seems solid so I will give it a 4 in this dept.

Actually tried calling saga to get some warranty info on it. And they dont deal directly with you....Got the run around. But for a chinese 590 beater, guess It doesnt matter

At the end of the day it's an affordable import. It's nowhere near the guitar it attempts to replicate. I wont say that name out of respect. It's good for the beginner..If you are a perfectionist do not buy this. You will be disappointed. But if you like Cheap Eyecandy and bad sound go for it...

10-Excellent, I play bluegrass and let me tell you this is as fine as any over priced Martinout there. You will not be able to convince some Martin players of that, but then again that's who Martin makes them for.

10- Like I said you won't get any better

10- very fast and smooth

10- appears to be made very well

haven't needed it

10-Don't listen to people who will tell you that it has to be a Martin to be bluegrass. This is the one of the best on the market and I saved 1500 dollars.CGc

Mine is a 2005 BR - 160 made in China and you probably already know the features from reading the other 40 odd reviews. Please note that I have owned this guitar for 3 days, so it has not had ample time to open up. I will review it again in about a year. I purchased this gutiar from www.onlineguitar.com as they were the cheapest that I could find. They included a free extra set of Martin SPs and an imitation SKB case (sweet). This guitar has all the features of much higher priced ($2300 to $2500) Martins. That is not to say that they are of the same quality level as the Martin stuff, but they are nice features for the price. I don't like the sparkly rear purfling, but that is just a taste thing.

This guitar is amazing for the price. Over the past year I have played about 100 or so different guitars in my quest to find the perfect balance of price and quality. And then I chucked all my hard work by purchasing this guitar site unseen from an online guitar store. Thankfully I still came out ahead on my gamble. This guitar sounds great. It is not as good as a real Martin HD 28, and is not as bassy as some of the D-16R and D-15 models that I played, but it has a very well balanced and woody tone. It sounds better than any of the Taylor and Takemine guitars that I have played over the past year and is made of better woods. It can't compare with Bourgeois or Collings, but then again, not many guitars can. It is certainly loud enough to hang with my pals Bourgeois slope d, but the tonal quality is not there yet. Once again, this guitar is only 3 days old, so time will tell. I have put about 7 hours of play time on it since I got it Monday and it is definitely getting better. It does have a bit of a boxy tone like the last reviewer said, though I hold this guitar in higher regards than the last reviewer. He said he would buy another one, but called it a "beater". I would say that the Alvarez, Ibanez, and Yamaha laminent based guitars are beaters. This one is definitely several notches about those. As a side note, my friends have a couple of old (1970, 1971) Guild acoustic guitars (spruce and mahogany) and this guitar sounds very much like those. I also played a 1973 Gibson that sounded very similar. And for $500 bucks, that ain't half bad.

This guitar came set up a bit high at the saddle, but no problem. I used my stewmac saddle vise and files to straighten that out. This guitar was far more beautiful than I imagined. I was afraid that it would be very orange (like some of the other reviews) and that the pickgaurd would suck, but the guitar is yellow with no orange in it at all. Maybe Saga heard the complaints and changed the formula. I also got a good dalmation pickguard that was very even in its spots. The wood seems to be of high quality, and the spruce top has a pretty tight grain and even some bear claw qualities. I am not sure why everyone complains about the tuners. I haven't had any problems with them and I love the "waverly" look and feel. I didn't like the head stock in photos, but in real life it looks cool. I have only 3 complaints. 1. The fretboard inlays have a JUDICIOUS helping of black glue to hide overcuts. This looks extremely bad. I would rather see a very plain fretboard done right. 2. I don't like the back purfling, it is too sparkley and looks cheap. 3. The bridge pins and GLUED IN endpin are made of cheap plastic. These are all being replaced in about 2 weeks (next paycheck). I love the action of this guitar. It feels just like my friends DC16-GTE. Small fast neck with medium string height. Perfect.

This guitar seems well put together, but time will tell.

Haven't had to call - yet

I have been playing guitar for 16 years, I play at least an hour a day, but usually more. I am primarily an electric player, but have really been enjoying the whole acoustic guitar "thing" for the past 2 years, almost to the point of fanatacism. I am even considering buying and building the StewMac Triple - 0 kit for fun. Someday I will buy that Bourgeois or Collings, but for now I am glad to finally have a good guitar that sounds nice, looks good, and yet can still go camping with me without causing me too much anxiety :).

Bought my ~2004 BR 160 about a year ago for $499, thirty bucks for shipping. This Chinese made dreadnought came with extra strings, nylon strap, sturdy molded hardshell case. It is constructed of solid Indian rosewood back and sides, solid Sitka spruce top with nice b/w herringbone binding, mahogany neck and Kluson butterbean tuners. Inlaid marquetry stripe in middle of the back. Aging toner on top, gloss finish all around. Also has inlaid abalone snowflake on fingerboard and some rather gaudy abalone inlay on the peg head. This seems to be aimed at the bluegrass crowd, so a few embellishments are not out of place. The neck dimensions feel real nice on my hands. Another strap button would have been nice.

Can't really say I play any particular style, but it's probably most influenced by folks like Doc Watson, Junior Kimbrough, George Harrison amongst many others. Mostly I let my fingers go where they want to, and every now and then they come up with something new and neat, something that makes me happy.

The BR 160 was balanced and tight, with enough middle and crisp high end to cut through the substantial low end. Granted, even my ear can hear that it does not have the upper register complexity and sweetness of the D 28. But. For the money, wow.

Man oh man can this thing roar. And then it will produce some of the sweetest sounds when noodling around For a first guitar, I am extremely pleased with this one. Not as full sounding as the Martin at the store in the side by side test, but after more than a year my 160 seems to have opened up, with an even bigger sound across the spectrum. And, depending how it's tuned, has developed a more complex shimmer in the upper registers.

Fit and finish seem real decent. Action might be a titch high, but I am still learning what I like and don't like, and haven't really experimented with different gauge strings to see how that would affect playability. This has been through some climate changes here in MN and has needed no adjustments save retuning after settling into either the high humidity summer or the drier winters. No finish runs or sags, though it seems pretty thick. The inner bracing is tight and cleanly glued, frets are all silky smooth. All the pretty stuff is very tightly routed and inlaid.

Sturdy, substantial. Doesn't seem to pick up nicks or scuffs very easily, as mine has been banged into the odd chair with no dings. Just noticed some very light pick marks on the top that may or may not buff out (I do like to wail on it in a nice full E when doing my Junior K thing ;-) )

I don't play for crowds, but should that day come, this would be my sole guitar.

I have other Saga instruments: 1998 Blueridge BB60 banjo and 2004 Cremona SC 175 cello. Replaced a plastic nut on the banjo after warranty expired. No other work needed on any of their instruments.

I've just taken up guitar in the last year or so. Also purchased a middle to low end resonator to goof around on, and I love them both. I came to it via saxophone, banjo and keyboards, had decided it was time to take the plunge.

Before scouring online sources for best pricing and packages, I wandered into several local shops and compared the 160 against a few of it's brothers and sisters: the BR 40, 60, 70, 140 and 180. I also had the chance to plunk around on a Seagull (neck was too shallow and wide), several Taylors, as well as a low end Martin (D15?), two $2K + Gibsons, and a couple different D 28s starting at ~$2200. To be honest, I was initially attracted to the sound of the BR 70, but after hearing some of the higher end guitars, it sounded flabby in the low end. Plus, all sources I consulted assured me that the solid wood construction of more spendy guitars would allow further development of the guitars' sound over the years. That and price sealed the deal for me, and I can't imagine life without this guy hanging on my wall. Great guitar, supreme value.