Blueridge BR-160

Everyone here already knows the features of this guitar. But a quick rundown would be rosewood back and sides, spruce top, and mahogany neck. My guitar was puchased new in April 2005. Let me tell you the price is right for an all solid wood guitar. But let me tell you that the places that they saved money on are not the greatest, I.E. the neck and the thickness of the back and sides.

I play bluegrass music, and for a beater guitar this is a good one. But I also play professionally and my Martin D-28 CW is what I will use when I'm gigging. For jam sessions and such the Blueridge is fine but when I read people comparing this guitar to a Martin D-28 or D-18 and saying it is better I believe it is because they have never owned a Martin. The sound is pretty boxy (is that a word) compared to a real quality guitar

Hi action, but that does not bother me as I like my action high. Nice gloss finish. Good fit.

I have talked to a guy at a guitar shop who says he does not like these guitars because they fall apart after a couple of years but we will have to see.

Have not had to use it.

I have been playing professionally for 30 years. I own to much gear to list. Believe it or not I would probably replace it if it were stolen or lost. Just don't let the reviews fool you, this is not a better guitar than a D-28. Remember you get what you pay for.

I just purchased my Bluefridge 160 on August, 2005, and I really enjoy it. As you probably know it is solid Indian Rosewood and Sitka Spruce. It has a very good solid wood sound. The set up is a little high, and I plan on having the bridge shaved and nut adjusted to bring the action down a little. This guitar has so much volume that bringing the action down will not hurt the sound. There is plenty of criticism out there on the Dalmation pick guard. I plan on replacing it with a pick guard from Bruceweiart on ebay - either an ebony or rosewood with abalone, mop inlay for about $30. I did replace the plastic bridge pins with Martin ebony pins, and this simple task really made a significant difference. I have used light/med D'Addario 80/20 and Martin Bluegrass Accoustic 80/20, either work well. I did not care for the D'Addario EXP.

When I went to the fabulous store in Webster Groves, Mo., to try a guitar, they let me compare my Alvarez Yairi to the Blueridge. One of their salesmen would trade guitars with me and I got to compare the Blueridge to a Huss and Dalton, a Martin d-28, d-35, Collings D2, a used Martin D3R. The Blueridge does not have a Martin sound, but is sure is close enough that myh bluegrass friends look in amazement that I got such a fine sounding instrument for well under a $1,000. This axe has great sustain, and with a little bridge modification it should sound just fine.

Like a lot of other folks, I don't really care for the tone on the spruce, but it does have a fine gloss finish with herringbone binding. The headstock is so good looking! That really catches people's attention. With the bridge pins I put in and replacing the pickguard with an inlaid pickguard, this guitar will show very well. The action needs work, and I don't mind dropping $75-$100 to a lutheir to get what I need done.

Just bought it.

I tried to lower the action myself, and the store where I purchased the guitar helped me and told me that if I ever had a problem to bring it back.

I played since the 60's, and put my old guitar up in 1985. My brother linlaw turned me on to some good old boys (and girls) who love bluegrass, and I found my real love in music. I have been through one heck of a learning curve, but I ihave been on it for 3 years. This guitar keeps up with the big boys toys, we have Martins and Collings at our gigs, and they do not drown out my Blueridge. I don't even get comments about a guitar made in China, except for "how do they do it?"

I bought used from a guy who said that he thought it was approx. 3 years old.

All-wood dread. Backs/sides solid Indian Rosewood. Solid Spruce top. Antique-look / orange-hue finish on top (some people don't care for it,.... but I really like it..... differentiates it from the 1000's of bright spruce tops out there). Rosewood fret board.

Thin neck is shallow and easy to maneuver. I like this because I have smaller hands. I thing the nut width is 1 11/16.

Action is medium high - I've chosen to not lower because I'm a pretty aggressive player.

The butterbean silver tuners are ok,.... but nothing to write home about. Holds tune well,.. My temptation is to go looking for some heavier 18:1 tuners - really to increase the already impressive sustain and to add more pizzaz to the Bluegrass experience.

Check out the specs at: http://www.sagamusic.com/catalog/products.asp?keyword=BR-160

My style of playing is bluegrass, country & gospel.

This guitar is absolutely awesome for this style of music. Rings like a bell with lots of boom and sustain. I'm guessing that this guitar is sounding better than the other reviews of newer guitars because it's been played.

I've checked out many different brands / models of guitars and would set my reference point at either an old (20 years) Martin D-28,... or D35 which really reverberate. Compared against these two guitars,.. I'd say the real difference came in difference in age,....not quality of sound (I sense some Martin fans getting ired now!!)

I would describe as rich / full sound,.... almost "buttery". Not as bright as some guitars I've played,.. but awesome thumping bass and mids.

My wife commented to me the other day that I trade guitars like I change my shorts (I just passed by the Martin D-15 in favor of a new Larrivee D-03MT mahogany). I can tell that with this sound and play,.. I have no intent of letting this Blueridge go.

Only reason I didn't give this a 10 was because I played alongside of another one of my acoustic axes and not quite as bright on the high end strings,... this might only be because I've strung the guitar using the Martin SP Phospher Bronze Lights (I remember being given the choice for "brighter" or "mellower" when selecting -- I said "mellow").

Few complaints - mostly compliments. Would have liked to seen lower action,... but I know how to take care of this.

The glue under the corner of the pickguard appears to be a bit weak near the soundhole - not really noticeable.

Slight discoloration of the finish around the sound hole in one 1/2 centimeter spot. Have to turn the guitar just right to see this.

Frets & the abalone inlay are beautifully done. Can't say enough about the subtle ornate abalone inlays on fret boards.

Finish is very beautiful.

Concerning the interior of the guitar body I'd give it a 9.75 out of 10 only because I could only spot a very *tiny* spot of glue in *one* place (where kerfing met one of the back braces). Everywhere else... I couldn't see any glue. The kerfing are relative tall when compared with what I've seen in other guitars. You can really see the distinct grain patterns of the Indian Rosewood - it looks like they used high quality tonewoods - the *sound* verifies this.

My perception is that this guitar will be a good long term investment. It is heavier than my other dreadnought.

No experience.

Without a doubt the Blueridge BR-160 is going to carve out a name in Bluegrass / Country / Gospel music scene. The combination of the sound / playability / quality construction / price makes this a winner.

It's no surprise to me that Acoustic Guitar magazine rated it as one of the top 3 guitars under $1,000 in 2004. You can check out the review at http://www.acousticguitar.com/issues/ag131/feature131.html

I compared this guitar to the Epiphone Masterbuilts,.. Alvarez MD's (which by the way were very impressive), Martin D-15, D-28, D-35 (D-28 & 35 not fair comparisons), Takamine (can't remember models - approx $800+) and the Garrisons (again,.. another nice sounding guitar but not the punch of the Blueridge on the low end and did'nt jump at the plastic-like bracing). Fact is,.. there are many **great** sounding guitars out there from these companies,...comes down to personal taste.

I've been playing guitar (on and off) for approximately 10 years.

Let me start off by saying that I do not own this guitar. It was one of the guitars I was considering buying. I've played it quite a few times.
The features are basic. Very nice finish, nicely detailed. Spruce top, Rosewood back and sides. Does not normally come with a case (though i have seen some offer it at no charge), and has no electronics.

This is THE guitar. I love the sound of this guitar, never really played one like it. The rosewood gives that nice thick, rich, boomy sound. This is the best sounding guitar i have had the pleasure of playing...

The action was a TINY bit high, but no big deal. The neck was a bit slim, but barely noticeable. The finish was great, high marks in this department as well.

This was the deal breaker. Being a Chinese made guitar, and not having any reviews out there to tell whether this guitar really withstands the test of time drew me away from it. It's solid wood, so it should only get better. And chinese craftmanship has definately improved lately, but it was just too much risk to take when looking to purchase a guitar I would potentially never have to replace.
This guitar could be the next "IT" thing. It could reaplace Martin and Taylor, IF the guitar holds up.
If I was ever looking for a second acoustic, with no need for electronics, for the price I would not hesitate to buy this guitar.

N/A

The initial impression is that this is one amazing guitar. It has a great look and Great sound. The the that really drove me away from it was it Chinese heritage, and the lack of reviews from players who have had this guitar 5+ years. This guitar could sound Amazing now, tomorrow, weeks, months, even a few years down the road, but eventually could turn to crap. The bridge could pop off (As has happened with other cheap guitars), the pegs could seperate from the head...Who knows.
If i ever have a spare $600, or am looking for a second acoustic, I would not hesitate to give this one a shot. Unfortunately, right now It's not a chance I'm willing to take...

2005- bought online, unseen and untested before purchase. I went to a local guitar boutique in my area and played one there which was going for $695.00 without case and decided to try my luck online instead for $499.00 with hardshell case- no taxes and free shipping! And I ended up with one I like better than the dusty old string one at the guitar store. The online one also came with a free digital tuner and a set of strings and had new strings installed on it before it was sent!

Very loud. Started off with light strings as that is what it came with. I replaced with medium lights and it is much better. Sound is so full and loud it almost is too busy of a sound with the fresh strings and strong resonance of the guitar. The huge volume tends to drown out some of the higher end strings and created a busy sound for my ear. I hope and expect it to mellow out soon. it resonates/sustains like no acoustic I have ever used. I used to think Martins were the only ones that had that harmonious vibe to them but this almost vibes my whole body it emanates so strong. The tightness of the top spruce grain is what I believe gives this guitar it cannon like sound throw. I can hardly hear myself sing it is so loud! The grain

I lowered action a little bit and it seems fine. Very easy to play and hold. I like the fret work as it is clean and smooth. replaced the pickguard with a solid black one, the dalmation colored one I did not like and it was installed a little crooked. Extremely tight grain spruce top with many intermitent horizontal lines/ dark streaks and on one side has a half inch knot streak from the spruce going vertically against the grain- so not quite bookmatched.

Seems heavy duty to me, tuners may need to be replaced sometime in the distant future.

N/A have not encountered yet.

I definitely feel like I got more guitar for the money than with any other option I am aware of. I have never seen a solid spruce guitar with SOLID rosewood back and sides for under $1000.00 anywhere, and this is half that and well made.

The BR-160, modeled off pre-war style Martin D-28s, comes with a solid bookmatched Spruce top, solid Rosewood back and sides, and solid Mahogany neck with Rosewood fingerboard. They are made in China, which I always took to mean don't touch, but this guitar proved me wrong.

When looking at the 160 a Martin side by side the most noticable difference is the intricate inlay in the peghead. It is a "flower-pot" type inlay. It was custom designed by Greg Rich to be on all the guitars. Very beautiful!

The peghead is smaller. But it is modeled off the way dreadnaughts pegheads were made. It has butterbean tuners, that so far have held tuning very well.

The guitar also features front facing bracing. Which gives you more tone, and overall adds to the sound of the guitar. Pre-war Martins had this, but currently they do not.

The finish is antiqued. Meaning the top has a slight orange tint, but still looks nice. The finsish is very well applied, I couldn't find the first dent or ding anywhere on the guitar.

Out of the box, the guitar had a great tone. Not the full bassy tone that bluegrass players desire, but still a great tone.

Over time, the guitar really opens up. The high end becomes tighter, and the bass becomes a lot fuller. After playing the guitar for several months, I would play it against any guitar made. I have that much confidence in it.

I added a Fishman Natural 1 undersaddle pickup. I play through a Crate CA-112D amplifier. Th guitar just sounds like a million bucks. I play live with electric guitar and bass, an electric banjo (yes, you read that right)and a full set of drums. This guitar stands up against everyone of the other instruments on stage.

I also play a lot of studio sessions. I am constantly complemented on how great the guitar sounds. No one I talk to can believe how much I paid for it. In the studio I usually use a matched pair of Neumann U-89's, and send my pickup direct to the board. I an get any sound out of this. From the boomy bluegrass sound, to electric funk guitar sounds. (By using the pickup I can also route the guitar through any processor and effect made)

This guitar was perfect for me right out of the box. The action did not have to be touched. The frets were wonderfully dressed. The finish was as smooth as glass.

I play extremely hard and expect the most out of my gear. I use the guitar almost seven days a week, and have not had the first problem with it.

I am thinking of buying a second one and setting it up identical so I can have backup in case something terrible happens.

I have not had to use any form of customer support, so I don't know how well they work.

I have been playing for about eight years now. I have had several other guitars, all major brands. None of them can compare to the Blueridge.

For an acoustic dreadnaught guitar to get so many great sounds and tones, it is amazing. I would recommend these guitars to anyone.

This guitar is a D-28 copy. Overall very nicely put together and sturdy. Very handsome guitar that rivals any high dollar guitar in looks.

Well, i am a professional bluegrass musician so a good, loud, deep sounding guitar is in order. This guitar has that deep booming sound that most bluegrass guitarists are looking for. Still, not as loud as a good old D-28 Martin but a large number of well known musicians are turning toward this guitar. Marty Raybon's lead guitarist is picking a Blueridge.

Action was close to the way that i like it. The nut could have been a little cleaner.Good finish job on the top and the rest of the guitar. I am not too fond of the tuners. A good set of Waverlys would work much better.

This is a pretty consistant guitar that works well on stage. It is durable and i like it because i can take it to places that i don't want to take my nicer Martins. I would play a show with it and have no problems with it at all.

NA

I have been playing bluegrass music since i was 9 years old. I have played little local festivals up to the WSM Radio in Nashville Tennessee. I own a Martin D-35 and another DR-35. A Morgan Monroe archtop Stanley Model Banjo and a Gibson Archtop Banjo.OVer the blueridge is a great guitar that will work very nicely in most playing situations.

D-28 herringbone copy made in China. All solid woods (nice looking spruce and rosewood). Bone nut and saddle. Nut cuts are not perfectly spaced, 5th string annoyingly close to 6th. Action was too low. Medium strings are a must. Gloss finish, but I doubt it's lacquer. Overall construction is pretty clean and well done. The pickguard that comes with it is ugly. I replaced with a tortoise Martin type. The tuners are low end but decent butterbean type. You'll have to pay extra for a case from most sellers.

It's got decent volume with medium strings. I don't consider it a cannon. (My Gibson J-60 with the Advanced Jumbo bracing IS a cannon.) The tone is very Martinesque, with the kind of high-end and middle that you would expect from a much more expensive guitar. 80/20 bronze sound right to me (phosphor bronze is too much on the treble side, in my opinion). Overall, this is a nice sounding substitute for the type of Martin that most of us can't afford or simply won't shell out for.

Factory set-up is largely irrelevant to me. I'm going to install a new bone nut and saddle to raise the action and correct the string spacing. The guitar looks very nice with its herrinbone-type inlays and the rosewood and spruce seem to be of excellent quality and are both nicely matched. Neck is straight and the (medium?) frets feel smooth.

Ive only had it for a month so I have no idea how it will hold up.

Ive never bothered with customer support on guitars.

I've played for thirty years. My main acoustics are a Gibson J-150 and a Gibson J-60. The Blueridge is no toy, but it is not going to make you sell any of your expensive guitars and spend the cash on something else. When I perform, it is with the Gibsons. The Blueridge may hurt Martin's sales of their D-15 and D-16s and the like, but it is not the same as a good D-28. Bottom line, it is a good sounding guitar FOR THE MONEY.

This is a Follow up on the BR-160 I purchased on line in Nov.
It is mainly about the customer support. So read on.
I have now had this guitar a little over a month. And these are my impressions now.

Sound has opened up a bit and is excellent. Superb even. Sure is a cannon. I put DR strings (.12's) on it and it really came alive. Why Saga ships with .10's is a real mystery to me. The strings don't last and they are too thin to provide any real great tone.
But Nothing in the price range can compare. Certainly not Takamine or the Taylor 110. This blows it away.
Warm rich and balanced tone.
I am especially surprised at how loud and responsive it is when finger picked. Very sweet,and lush. Excellent.
The headstock is small but the strings being tight to each other on 6,5 and 1,2 is no real worry to me. It has not caused any intonation problems or string muting problems.

Neck has been a pain and tho it is straight, the trussrod is loose inside the neck, and there is fret buzz. And any tightening causes the neck to have a back bow and even worse string buzz.I have been playing since 1968, and know what I can do and not do to set up my guitars. I do know how to adjust the trussrod properly.
Frets are high on the second fret and adds a "Boing" factor. Not nice but my guitar tech will remedy that. They look high at the body too.

The tone is fantastic, but the neck has been overly sensitive, and unstable. But corrections can be made no sweat.
Tuners seem to be holding well.Intonation is fantastic.
When I get the little bugs corrected the guitar will be worth the hassle. I really do believe in this product. Just not their method of customer care. It sucks.
I have already gigged with this guitar and was really impressed.'Cept for the nagging neck bug. No rating until the work to fix the bugs are complete. I think this guitar will be fine. I am not an eager optimist usually.

Customer support is at best shaky, IF YOU BUY ON LINE. I want to stress that this is where I disagree (Respectfully) with Saga.
Having said that, They did respond to my queries immediately. But here is what happened:
I'm having a bit of trouble with instability of the neck and I wanted to take my guitar to the pros at Elderly Instruments under warranty and have it looked at. But because I bought it on line I have to send it back to where I got it from. Which means I have to spend another $30.00 to ship it there, and then they ship it back to Saga, who in turn decides what to do about the guitar.
With my Gibson Les Paul, Even though I bought it from Musician's Friend, I was able to take it to Elderly Instruments and they fixed it no questions asked.
When I contacted Saga About my guitar they told me that, that is their warranty policy, and that it would take quite a long time for all of this to take place. A couple of months! for something as simple as a trussrod fix inside the neck. The guys and gals at Elderly could have that fixed inside a week tops.
So rather than pay to ship the guitar back and then pay to have it shipped from the point of purchase home, I have decided to bite the bullet and just pay to get 'er fixed. So my advice is:
DO NOT BUY A BLUERIDGE ON LINE! Cause if you have trouble at all you are hosed. And Saga will not budge on this issue.
Saga needs to adjust their thinking on this to be sure. Customer satisfaction should not come at the customer's expense. I would do whatever it took to remedy a situation as speedily as possible were it my company.
It brought home to me that paying an extra $100.00+, is worth it when there are troubles. Something to be said for paying a bit more and having a reputable dealer to fix problems. And Elderly is the best at it. These people never leave you high and dry. They even set up all the guitars before they hit the floor. And they take a lot of pride in that, as they should. But the guy who sells on line no matter how good or responsible is can't get you in and out all that quick. Especially if he is required to send it to the factory. If it were something major I might understand the wherefore and why. But not in this situation. Bad rating.

I have no regrets for buying this guitar at all. It is so superb in tone and playability.
I would still buy another one if lost or stolen. But I would buy it from Elderly Instruments instead of on line.
I have been playing many years. I have owned mainly Guilds(Pre-Fender!) But this guitar is superb and matches any of my Guilds.

I'm adding this follow up to my review of my Blueridge BR-160.
When I changed the six factory tuning keys, to brand new standard Gotoh chromed enclosed tuners, I had to use the six hex-threaded screw-in bushings from the factory tuners, on the newer Gotoh's.
The reason is, the thickness of the 160's wood headstock is too thick to use the six hex screw-in bushings provided with the Gotoh's. Those Gotoh bushings are just too short to screw in and reach the the body of the tuner on the back side of the headstock.
Doing this, the Gotoh's worked just fine.
Now, one other thing.
With the big E sixth string, I did a reverse winding of the string on that tuning key post, because that gave the string a straight line right to the bone nut slot. This gives more clearance with the A string as it exrends down to it's nut slot.
I did the same with the small E string, doing a reverse wind there too.
That gave the 1st string a straight line to that nut slot also.
These two strings having a reverse wind causes no problems at all, and might just relieve some stress on those two bone nut slots.
Is all this really necessary? No not at all. Just some personal doings of my own.

I am writing my second review. Actually its an amendment and quick update. I am five down from here, (Rob and I bought mine through Janet Davis). This guitar is amazing! It has already opened up a bit and it now sounds as good if not better than any Martin I've come across. People at jam sessions are astonished and I have to say quite a few Martin HD-28 owners are pissed! I just wanted to amend something that I said that turned out not to be true about the build of the guitar. I said it was a one piece neck in my review. It is not. A friend of mine got it up in the light and was able to show the grain reflection differences. Not only is it a two piece, but the scarf joint is so well done that you can't tell unless you go to extreme measures of proof! I dont know how they are doing this at Saga for the price but I am definitely hooked. This friend of mine is fairly knowledgeable about wood and he also pointed out that the wood qualities are better than I had mentioned in my review. You will have to be plain crazy to pick a Martin over this guitar. I understand that the higher level models of Blueridges just shatter Martin in comparison. Well, enough said.

Materials have been amply covered. Spruce rosewood,and so on.
Made in China and well made.
Loud and clear is best suited for the tone. I would say it is better than most D-28s I have played.
Teh neck is a bit on the thin side for me. I am used to playing Guilds. This is more like playing an electric. But the setup formthe factory is superb and there is not one flaw I could find in finish or workmanship.
Came with a very nice case.
The tuners work well once in tune. But not geared especially well. A lot of turning to get it to tune. But once in tune it does hold. I recommend Grover "Staytite" tuners. They hold tune and they are 18:1 ratio.
The woods used are fine and the binding is clean as is the purfling inside and out. But why the Herringbone on the edges,and normal purfling around the soundhole? Hmmm...
Still in all who cares when the guitar is so superb to play and listen to. Just a joy to play.

Rich and full and warm. Better than A D-28 in that it is not as muddy or bassy. Deep loud bass but clear and sweet. As I have played this guitar the sound has done nothing but improve.

Action is fast true up and down the neck and ewasy to play. Excellent and solid.

Too soon to know how the durability and reliability will hold up so far in two weeks it is rock solid and showing no signs of changing. Butthen it is nor summer yet.

I have had dealings with them and I have no complaints.

I have been playing since before there was hair. I own three Guilds A Fender Strat, and a Jazz Bass and some mandolins as well as Piano and harmonicas and various other things like that
If lost or stolen I would hurry to get another one ASAP. I am so happy with this axe that I have put all other acoustics in their cases. Favorite feature is the tone and the palyability.
I will be putting a Baggs IBeam pickup system in it for performing ease. But Love the tone acoustically

solid wood mine had one bad tuner but no problem

I PLAY BLUEGRASS AND BLUEGRASS GOSPEL.I REPLACED THE LIGHT STRINGS WITH MEDIUM ELIXIR.TOOK IT TO THE MUSIC SHOP THIS MORNING HAD TRUSS ROD ADJUSTED AND STRAP BUTTON INSTALLED.GOT IN JAM SESSION WITH D-28 A HUSS&DALTON AND ANOTHER BR-160.THEY WILL HOLD THEIR OWN AGAINST ANY GUITAR.I WAS GOING TO BUY A 910 TAYLOR BUT NOT NOW.I HAVE PAID 4 TIMES AS MUCH MONEY BUT NEVER GOT MORE GUITAR.

I LOWERED THE ACTION SLIGHTLY BUT IT WAS GOOD FROM THE FACTORY WORKMANSHIP WAS GREAT NO FLAWS THAT I CAN FIND.I HAVE OWNED A 710 AND 2-810 LIMITED TAYLORS AND THIS ONE IS AS GOOD.

IT IS AS GOOD AS I HAVE PLAYED BEEN PLAYING FOR 42 YEARS WILL TAKE IT TOMORROW WITHOUT A BACKUP

HAVE A LOCAL DEALER WHO ADJUSTED MINE,THOUGH I DIDN'T BUY IT FROM HIM CHARGED $2.00 CAN'T BEAT THAT

I HAVE BEEN PLAYING FOR 42 YEARS.HAVE OWNED TAYLOR GUITARS SINCE 1995 710&810.I CAN NOT BELIEVE THIS GUITAR IF IT WERE STOLEN I WOULD BUY ANOTHER I MIGHT ANYWAY FOR WHAT I WAS GOING TO SPEND I CAN BUY 5

Wow, all solid woods. check out other folks reviews.

Yay. Praise be to china, thanks for giving me a wonderful toy without spending mucho $$. Check it, it sounds great with light gauge strings considering thats what was on it when i bought...BUT, folks, you got to try it, go medium gauge. I SWEAR the tone almost doubles, it definitely drowns my friends martin and taylor. Taylors are great, but always seemed to bright or not enough volume not to mention ridiculously expensive. I borrowed a friends taylor 810 for a gig because it had electronics and when i was getting acquainted with it i was having withdrawls from my guitar I couldnt believe how much BETTER the blueridge sounded than the 810. Really, no bs. I read from a previous reviewer that this can be compared to a botique acoustic, and he's not too far off. I thought at first ok this is one of those guys who praises everything he has just because he owns it. But all the ratings are consistent...so no bs here folks.

The frets are dressed so nicely and the inlays are so solid. Great attention to detail. Get this guitar professionally set up if you dont like the action. Its worth it. I set it up myself with mediums and it was good, but when i had it done professionally, it was like butter. My friend was playing it and thought it was light gauge. When i was using my friends 810 taylor...i was wanting my blueridge neck. It is a tad bit thicker and wider. VERY nice neck. Great action.

treat it like your child.

Yay. I've been playing for 15 years. I have been trading and selling and buying crap loads of acoustics in search for that special one. I found it. It sounds so good and the price your paying is really worth it. Really this is a flat picking guitar...the dynamics die down a little when you start fingerpicking (unless you have claws). If it were stolen...i would question what i did to deserve that kind of karma, and hope that the guy who stole it play with a johnson acoustic with heavy gauge strings in the afterlife. I love this guitar so much im going to put some electronics on it...maybe the lr baggs dual source so i dont have to cut or drill anything on this beauty.

Made in China, great looking guitar. I've seen better but I remember when I first opened it up from its case I was in shock. Didn't expect half this from a $400 guitar. The orange finish is a bit of a turnoff, but doesn't really bother me. The headstock inlay is a bit much too, but that doesn't bother me either (Most people I show it to like it). The sound and value more than make up for it. Solid woods all around, nice abalone inlay on fretboard, nice trim.

I'm a beginning guitarist, and I bought this used Blueridge blind off of eBay. Never played it in person, so I thought I made a mistake until I received it. After playing it for a few minutes, I could immediately tell a huge difference from my friends' $300 laminates and the budget Martin and Taylor guitars I tried out. It has a nice deep tone with a Taylor-like shimmer to it. I was in the market for some budget Martins and Taylors or Seagulls, and this guitar outshines them all in my opinion. It won't beat out the high-end $2k+ guitars, but it could definitely hold its ground against them.

Used guitar, and the owner apparently adjusted the truss rod well. The neck is straight, but the action is still a bit high. I'll take it to get it set up in a couple weeks, but the setup is mediocre for now. The string spacing looks a bit off over the soundhole too, so hopefully a setup will take care of that.

I certainly feel like this guitar will stand up to years of good use. It doesn't feel as well-built as the high end handcrafted boutique guitars out there, but I'm pretty sure it'll hold up like most good old Japanese guitars. Tuners seem pretty solid for now, and the guitar sure sounds like it was well-made. Just waiting for the guitar to age a bit and the solid rosewood tone to come out.

Been playing for almost a year, and this was the first real acoustic guitar I bought. I've borrowed a Classical 80's Yamaha guitar, and a $250 Yamaha acoustic. They both sound pretty good, but the Blueridge definitely sounds a lot more crisper and louder. I was looking for a first good acoustic to buy, and I'm extremely pleased with the purchase. My friends that I jam with love the guitar, and if I'm with them I rarely get to touch my Blueridge anymore. It looks great, and the rosewood tone is very lovely. It shimmers and sure sounds like it'd record well. After I get this guitar setup I'm sure it'll play much better and it's definitely the best sub-$1000 acoustic I've played (everything in GC, Takamine Martin-lawsuit guitar, Washburn, Yamaha).

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Hard to believe. When I got the guitar, it had been set up with those aweful buzzy Martin phosphor Bronzes with the bronzed B & E string. I was sent into immediate buyer's remorse. Then I got my head straight, hung some D'Addario Phosphor Bronze lights played for about 30 minutes until it broke in a bit and WOW. Definitely a Martin sound. Big bottom end but not too big. Sometimes Martins are too boomy in the bass for my taste, but the 160 is just right. I'd give it comparable if not better marks against the Martins for Bass end. Mids compare well. Highs are not as complex as most Martins, especially the 28's and 18's. But it has a wonderful evenness of response. I think when it opens up the Martin lead on the highs will probably narrow a bit. No problem with compression either. I didn't find it as loud as some of the reviews here; definitely not a cannon. But it does have the Martin punch. It responds very well to dynamics. Just a slight bit of loss in complexity when you go up the neck. I play a lot of flatpick style (David Grier, Tony Rice, Etc) and I would say it definitely fills the bill for that.

Solid feeling. Very light. Great action! I'm a little worried about the neck. It is made out of a pretty low grade mahagony and is one piece. From what I understand, the strength of the neck in the transition between the fingerboard and the headstock is compromised in single piece necks. For that reason, I don't think I would ever hang mediums on this guitar. Time will tell if this neck has longevity. The fingerboard looks to be fairly low grade rosewood stained to look like ebony. In other words, it looks like they took their short cuts on the neck. The nut is really nice. Looks like they spent some time on it. The interior of the box is really well done. The braces look hand carved. Nice tight fit. Really superb and I think that it shows in the sound. Top is mid grade spruce. Back and sides nice looking rosewood. Finish is pretty good. Typical paint wells where the neck meets the body. There is a little bit of warp on the top horn where the top meets the top binding but overall, a good paint job. I'm not at all bothered by the aging stain or the pick guard. I think it looks pretty cool. I am worried about what the guitar will look like when it is 20 years old though! Something that does bug me that no one else seemed to mention is the rosette. I wish they had put a herringbone ring in the rosette. Its a bit too simplistic without and doesn't balance well with the beautifully done herringbone edge trim. Flawless job on the headstock inlays but there is some epoxy around the fret markers. Bridge is nicely done. I've got no problems with the saddle. Cheap tuners will do for now but I definitely will replace. Already replaced the bridge pins. All things said, this guitar is a real looker and a dream to play!

As mentioned above, I don't know about the single piece neck. I'd check with a few luthiers if it bugs you. It is a very solid yet very light guitar. Sometimes asian made guitars wind up feeling like toys. Not this one.

I've been playing for 29 years and I got to say: for the price, this guitar is astonishing! It really does hold its own against the average Martin. I cannot wait to hear it when it really opens up. If you are like me and can't afford $2000+ for a guitar but have a picky ear for tone, then this is probably the best you're going to do. If it were lost or stolen, I definitely would go right back for another. In fact, I know I'm going to eventually get the 183 for fingerstyle stuff. These blueridge people got me won over! I'm giving it a nine just as a guitar but for the price, it is really a 10.

the spruce top was really tighted grained

its a flatpickers dream! the day i bought my blueridge i played three guitars that a HD-28 and D-40. the blueridge out played the HD-28 but had almost the punch of the martin D-40. also the wife was happy about the extra shopping money

the action was about right. its the best $500 dollar guitar ive ever seen

there is not a day that goes by the it dont played. it should last for years. the tuners look like there mad cheap but for a $500 dallar guitar what do expect every thing cant be perfect

1 year warranty is not long but should last for years

2003 model. I purchased on ebay, mostly due to comments I read here. I was not dissappointed. I sold my Taylor 514 as this is better. Unbeleivable value for the money. I use a lot of alternate tunings, so it's handy to have several acoustics. Blueridge makes that affordable -without sacrificing anything

Very balanced sound, with considerably more bass than my "tinny" sounding Taylor. Great for hard flatpicking as well as delicate fingerpicking.

Set up was not perfect. Had to lose the crappy strings and do a little tweaking. It's fine now. Fit & finish is excellent, although they got a bit carried away with the "aging" toner, making it a bit too orangey. My main complaint was the ridiculous looking "dalmation" pickguard, which was falling off anyway. I immediately replaced it with a Martin style tortoise shell guard (which fit perfectly) Looks great now! I also replaced the bridge pins, as they kept falling out. The tuners do look cheap, but so far seem to work fine.

Appears to be a tank. Wouldn't mind a body strap button. Backup? --you can break strings on anything.

Warranties are for cars & washing machines. The Chinese now appear to be making as good of stuff as anyone, for a lot less money. In this price range -don't fret about warranties...........

Been playing over 35 yrs. Have owned hundreds of guitars, mostly electrics -but among acoustics, have owned Martins, Gibsons, Taylors, Takamines, Larrivees, etc. The BR-160 hold it's own with any of them, for a fraction of the cost. I will probably buy more Blueridges, whether it is lost or stolen, or not. I do wish they made something with a pickup & eq setup.

2004 Br-160. Dreadnaught. Sitka/Indian rosewood, all solid. Mahogany neck. "Aging toner" on the top, makes it a little orangy. Gloss finish all over, lots of abalone, herringbone purfling. Bone nut and saddle, TUSQ bridge pins. Rosewood bridge and fretboard. Came with a Geib style case. Very happy with the features of the guitar. Slightly thinner in body depth than my D-28, otherwise very similare in dimensions. Fancier trim than the D-28. Knocking one point off because I would prefer this guitar without the 'aging toner' (orange wood stain). Otherwise, a 10.

Great sound out of this. Nice clean highs and medium bass (not as bassy as the D-28, not as bright as a Taylor... fills a great space right in between). Leads cut through great. Perfect for rythym and flatpicking. Fingerpickers might want to look into the Br-163 with wider string spacing.

Action seems a little high for me, even though I'm a strummer more than anything. Will probably try lowering the action at the saddle and going from there. The finish all looks good. No sloppy glue, even gloss coat. This is picky, but some of the pieces of abalone in the inlay are far less lusterous than others, but that's VERY minor. The pickguard is coming up just a touch at the bottom, not even enough to slip the corner of a piece of paper into. No biggie, looks like it's staying like that. Also, it's a little irritating that they glued the strap pin in. I never use a strap, I'd prefer it gone.

The headstock is too small, changing strings is a bit of a pain, I'm sure others have already commented on that. I'm dealing with it, it's fine.

Seems sturdy enough. I got this guitar as my beater, so we'll see how the beach and car treat it. All seems well made though, and doesn't feel unstable.

1 year wartranty. Fine for a $500 dollar guitar. Haven't had to deal with Customer Service, doubt I will.

I got this guitar to travel with me rather than carting the far more expensive D-28 around. This is the best VALUE out there for a solid wood acoustic. Does it sound as nice as my D-28? No, I can't try to trick myself into thinking that. It's not as complex in sound or as deep on the bass side. Does it sound better than any guitar I've heard under $1000? Oh yeah, especially when compared to the low end models made by some of the high end manufacturers (Martin DM/DX/15 series, Taylor Big Baby/310). I tell everyone about this guitar and am trying to convince some beginning players to skip the typical beginner guitars, save some cash, and start off with a great sounding instrument, the Blueridge. If it was lost or stolen, I'd replace it without a second thought. A great sounding guitar I don't feel guilty about taking to potentially unfriendly environments... it's exactly what I wanted, and haven't seen anything else that could fill that gap for $500.

I think Cylus is wrong about Blueridge guitars going down in value. My dealer told me as of July 1st, Saga is raising the price of all Blueridge guitars $100. For all of us who own Blueridge guitars, they are worth more now! Besides, you ought to own one before you judge them! If mine were lost or stolen, I'd buy another and I'll have to pay more for it. They are a Fantastic value and a great bluegrass guitar!

Solid spruce top with the tightest grain I've seen on any guitar.
Solid rosewood back and sides. Very well made crafted instrument, including finish and the inside is as clean as any of the high end
American made models. This is a solid well made guitar. It deserves maybe some better tuners but they seem to function fine and I have had no promblems with them. Like Cylus I have been playin for a long time and have toured and played in the U.S. and Europe.I still make
my living in the music business.

The sound of these guitars is truly amazing considering the cost. I'm not gonna get into a big list of guitars I have owned or played regardless of the cost of some of them, the bottom line is what do they sound like? I can honestly say that the BR160 rates with the best dreadnaught models I have ever had and that can be a hard thing to admit when you have always considered the American made guitars the best in the world.

Very well crafted the spruce top is the finest grade I've seen and compares easily to my Engleman top guitars I own.

So far not any problems everything performs well including any truss rod adjustments nice and smooth.

So far haven't needed any but I know Saga is a well respected music
company.

If your looking for a guitar that will compete with the big 3 major
U.S. brands then I would suggest to give one of these a try. If you happen to have owned some of the higher end American models you
will have a good basis for judging this line. Last I would like to say
that I'm not bashing any of the American made lines because I own a lot of them and make my living playing and recording with them. I am simply saying in fairness that the Blueridge dreadnaughts are
amazing sounding and will compete with the upper market and in lot of comparisons will out perform them you be the judge.

Nice basic no frills guitar

Played one in a store. It sounded good, but have to disagree with Everette. It didn't sound Gibson good, or Martin good. Someone needs to give Everette a spelling lesson also, and remind him 5 years down the road, his Blueridge will go down in value while a vintage Martin or Gibson will go up in value. I know this, I have a 1955 D28, a 1965 D18, and a 1970 Gibson J50. Yes I have played almost 61 years, so I think I can speak with authority on these matters. Toured for almost 42 years, but now am content to sit and remember the testimony I built!

Well made, liked the faded top.

Have to wait and see, seems well built.

Solid spruce top, solid Indian Rosewood back and sides. Rosewood neck and fretboard. Dovetail joint. etc etc.

My style is still developing. I have owned a Takamine N-10, purchased over 15 years ago. Nice cedar top guitar with mahogany back and sides. Warm tone, easy playing. I wanted something else, and found the Blueridge articles and "BUZZ" on the Net. Bought the BR140 first, and have had that for about 2 months now. Nice solid mahogany guitar with identical appointments to the BR160, minus some purfling and inlay details.

The BR160 is the much better guitar in my opinion. The bone nut and saddle make a big difference, as does the Rosewood. The sustain is excellent and very ringing. The guitar is very lightweight, which is an indication of a very resonant instrument.

Guitar was setup with almost perfect action. Much lower than standard factory setups. Its just right. Finish is virtually flawless. The pickguard on this 160 is beveled, (whereas it was not on the earlier BR140.) Believe it or not, the "vintage" orange-ish finish of the top looks better on the 160 than it does on the 140. I can't explain why. The whole thing just looks better, (and I've been studying the 140 for 2 months in contrast.)

My only knock on it is that the B string buzzes a bit if you strum it hard and don't press very firmly right behind the frets. I've had this issue with guitars before, so its nothing new. The BR140 has it as well, and that one came with a plastic compensating saddle. (Didn't help.)

Seems very durable. Everyone reports no problems. Saga certainly has dialed in a winner here.

This is an instrument that will let you play to your ability without getting in the way. How deceiving in how the cheap guitar makes you so less confident about your playing. You don't have to worry about that with this guitar. It will go anywhere you want. Its a great deal.

For the money, it is the guitar deal of the world right now. I've strummed Martins, and for the money, there is no comparison. Sure, I would say the Martin I most recently played, (HD-28LV, new) was better. (It sure smelled better! Wow!) But not $2300 better!

Everyone should be paying around $1200 for this guitar. I made sure to snap one up before the prices went higher. They seem stable on eBay for now, but who knows what might change in the future. If Saga keeps this up, you can be sure we will all soon be playing these orange guitars with dalmation pickguards.

I thoroughly reviewed the Blueridge Guitar line before I purchased one, and only heard good things about them so i bought one. I was contemplating purchasing a Martin HD-28, before I became turned on to these guitars. Beautiful Solid Spruce Top, Perfectly Matched Solid Indian Rosewood Back and Sides. Beautiful and Tasteful snowflake inlay on the fretboard. I personally think the pickguard and vintage toner on top really make the guitar look cool, and set it apart from the crowd. I like the thinner neck it has. Tuners stay in tune great, and love the vintage look on those too.

What more can I say about the sound of this guitar than to say that it is a CANNON!! Like I said, I was seriously contemplating purchasing a Martin HD-28 before I played one of these, and I know this will offend the die-hard Martin players out there, but this guitar sounded better than two of the HD-28's I played prior to the purchase of this guitar. I play a lot of bluegrass, and mainly then, its rhythym guitar. This thing is perfect for that. But it is also perfectly suited for lead playing as well. It has a slightly better bass response than the HD-28, and tons better mids and treble response than the HD-28. It's really unbelievable that this guitar only cost $500!!!!!

I have looked this guitar over thoroughly and have found absolutely nothing that would be thought of as "cheap" or "typical" of a foreign made instrument. In fact this guitar, being foreign made, seems much nicer than many domestic guitars ive come across.

This guitar seems rock solid. The woods are very solid, and the finish seems of very good quality. Ive heard negative things about the tuners, but from what Ive experienced they seem very good,a nd stay in tune great.

No dealings

I cannot say enough good things about this guitar. I am constantly amazed. I would have bought this guitar if it had cost $2500+, but the fact that they only cost $525-$550, makes them, in my opinion the best deal in the guitar market. Keep an eye out, Blueridge will be the next big brand. If this guitar were stolen I would waste no time in buying me another one. I love the sound of the guitar. I just think its the perfect bluegrass guitar.

Made in 2003. Features as noted in other reviews. Solid woods with spruce top and back with rosewood sides. Not overly fancy, but well equipped.

The soud is amazing. I have had experienced players go wide-eyed when playing my guitar. First question most have asked is how much did you pay for it? Most did not believe the price. For me, the clarity and sustain are amazing and it is the best sounding guitar I have played

The action was low, which suits my fingerstyle playing. I have looked hard to find flaws in the fit and finish, but haven't found any. The frets are excellent. I love the grain of the wood. It is well matched.

I have only had the guitar for 3 months now, but it gives every appearance of being very durable and reliable. All of the construction is tight and solid

I have not dealt directly with Saga. Surprisingly, there is only a 1-year warranty. The quality merits a better warranty.

I have been playing guitar and banjo for 30 years. I would defintely go for another if this one was lost or stolen. It is the best guitar I have ever owned. I really love the overall appearance. It is classy without being gaudy. The neck is wonderful and fast. It stays in tune and is a joy to play. I looked at everything available in the price range and there was no comparison. I might put a pickup on it someday, but it is plenty loud enough to be heard.