Blueridge BR-163

Made2005/2006............. 000 style, 25+ scale, solid woods, minimal aged/colored top.

Sounds much better after I literally pounded on it as a drum for 30+ minutes. It was very dull for yhe first couple of hours of playing when I thuoght I had to do something. It sparkles now and has a nice tight bell like bass.I was comparing it with one of my alvarez/yari d-45's. Initally the d45 was better but not so now.

Action was way to high. I had to lower the saddle over 1/8th inch and it can still come down. Neck zero relief at this point. No fret buzzes. One fret sharp and knarly.Finish very nice.

Playing since 1967. I own a taylor 420 (bridge poped off and I cant give a comparison yet).d45 alvar/yari X2 nice guitars.

This should be my only comment. The sound! It sounds like a real vintage guitar. Besides the ugly orange colered top this is the perfect guitar. I do own Martin D-18, Gibson-J45 and also an Blueridge BR-180. And to my ear the 163 does sound better than the 180. I should notice that the setup is important. I did the following changes: new bone nut with Martin string spacing, new compensated bone saddle, net tuners :-) finally I sanded the neck with a grid 1200 to get a satin finish feel. Good luck with yours.

In sound the guitar is at same level as high class Martins. Note high class. The finish and quality control lacks but who cares for $499. I did play for 15 years owned a lots of guitars. I could affort to buy a more expensive guitar. But this one really did surprise me. Thanks.

2005 Model. Spruce Top, Rosewood back and sides. Bone nut and Saddle. Rosewood bridge. Rosewood Fingerboard, Mahogany neck. Nice inlays on fretboard and headstock. Aged Natural Finish (which I actually love-does not look too orange...maybe the 2005 model has fixed this problem!)

000 size!! My favorite feature-easy to play with slim neck.

Wish they had an acoustic/electric version of this one with the rosewood. I may add a pickup someday.

Comparing vs. Takamine and Seagull Dreads. I knew I had to go with a smaller size. You know you're getting older when a two hour session on a Dreadnaught leaves you sore. Playing guitar should not hurt!

I'd characterize myself as an intermediate guitarist with a distinct ear developed with Classical Piano on fantastic instruments...Influences: Rock/Blues/Classical.

Beatiful sound and sustain. Surprising Bass response. Responds very well to picking dynamics. Can be loud if you need it, light picking produces nice singing tone.

For the money: about 700 something bones with full setup, strings, case etc, this category gets a resounding 10. Solid Sitka Spruce top and Rosewood sides and back...Solid Wood for a very reasonable price. This will sound even better in a year I'd bet. Check this guitar out!

Again, very very nice for a $700ish guitar. The bookmatching is perfect. I have to look very carefully to distinguish the two sides. Beatiful fretwork, smooth and even with a perfectly straight neck. Rosewood Fretboard blends with the Mahogany neck perfectly. Aged finish on mine looks, well aged! Not overly orange! Fretboard Inlays are striking, headstock is ornate-I like it. Bridge Saddle and bone nicely placed. The Rosewood sides and back on this guitar-to me, are beautiful.

I play a lot of electric guitar so the slim neck and string spacing suit me very very well!

Action is a bit higher than I'm used to, but works well on this guitar. Absolutely no buzzing-and I've checked every note on every fret. I may lower it after the guitar gets used to my house and its' environment for a few months.

I do agree that tuning heads/headstock combo cause the strings to run too close together at the head. No problems with it yet.

Again, for 700 something bucks-wow. Purchased locally brand spankin' new, with lifetime intonation work-which for me is important. I'm sure I'll have adjustments done, just can't find any yet that I want..haha.

I have owned Dreads that could fall down stairs and barely scratch.

I'm a Fender guy with my electric guitars-they're bulletproof.

This guitar seems a bit more delicate to me for sure. Not overly fragile though.

Don't know and am not worried. Purchased from a local, long time neighborhood business. I know I can walk there and be taken care of if there's a problem!

Yeah, I could have saved money online or via Ebay. In the long run, I'd rather purchase locally anytime. I'm only 1 for 3 on Ebay guitar purchases-never again.

Support your neighborhood music store!!!!!!

Playing music since childhood. Guitar about two years-mostly Electric. Primary reason for purchase was to ease my back from a Large Dread guitar that just wasn't comfortable-actually painful. Wanted a reasonably priced all wood acoustic with a small body size. Impulse purchase actually-but now after playing it for several hours-am very pleased with my impulse!

Big thank you to all the reviews here at Harmony Central. They made a difference in my purchase decision and actually prompted me to point to this guitar on the wall and ask, "Can I try that one?" Saved me a bundle and now I have beautiful 000 sized instrument.

I have to save the overall 10 rating for my friend's Gibson Les Paul Standard: which brings me complete joy to play through her Marshall stack, "otherworldly" in fact. But for the money, playability, looks and sound-this guitar gets a very solid 9!

2004 Model, gotten second hand on ebay.com and imported on a compicated path (Cincinnatti, OH resident mother of girlfriend of brother of my girlfriend...) to Europe. Came with a very nice and sturdy case that obviously prevented the worst from happening on the transatlantic flight. Specs as stated in the other reviews - basically a clone of the coveted Martin Clapton Triple-O plus some well done abalone inlays on the headstock. All in all clever marketing that desverves a flat 10 for features in my book. What stands out is the neck: It is extremely low profile and quite narrow. The guy who sold it actually gave the guitar up because he couldn't cope with the neck. I have pretty small fingers and really enjoy myself playing this thing. If you order a Blueridge unseen, expect a feeling pretty much like on a modern electric guitar!

I play fingerstyle in the folk/blues/ragtime variety, and for me, this is THE guitar for the job. - Others might wish for a wider fretboard, see above, but I love it.
Describing the sound I'd say: 1.) Volume: This baby is LOUD! Surprisingly loud for such a small sized body. It sings nicely if you pick lightly, and really starts talking if you apply a bit of a heavier hand. - A ten for volume. 2.) Tone: Rich, complex and nice over the whole fretboard, except for a somehow - I'm searching for words - slighly nasal quality. I am not really shure yet if the reason is inherent in the body shape or lies with the strings - I got the instrument three months ago, and having five guitars I play regularly, a string change wasn't on the schedule yet. I dont know the brand, but these strings seem to produce a very distinct variety of overtones that remind me of vinci special lights that I asolutely prefer on my cedar top takamine, but did a similarly "nasal" thing on my koa body/spruce top washburn D-20. It will be most interesting how the Blueridge will sound with a set of Martin Lighs. Will let you people know if something distinct happens. So far an 8 for tone, and altogether a 9 for sound. But mark: My favourite music store gave me the chance to test drive a real Clapton 00028, and I was by far not as impressed by the sound as I am with this Blueridge!

I do not know about the factory setup, but what arrived at my home after a long jurney was a flat 10, comfortable low but never buzzing, perfect setup. About fit and finish: Not one visible flaw. Not one. Pletty pelfect, those chinamen...

Welllllll... - this is the on point I am not shure about. A Martin (I own a D-16GT) is a tank. A Takamine is a tank. But this baby? Maybe I'm overreacting, because it is so beautiful, but more than any other guitar I own, this one tells me that it wants to be cradled and protected. Facts behind the feeling: The instrument is incredibly light. Contributing to this are the above-mentioned verrrry low-profile neck and the comparatively small headstock, but oviously the tone woods are quite thin as well. This makes for a delicate vibration when playing and of course explains the tonal qualities, but if you want a guitar you can keep forever in an ultra-dry, radiator-heated or otherwise unhealthy environment - forget the Blueridge and go for a plywood box. Especially the Blueridge's top wood is definitely ultra-sensitive to climate changes: During a period of very high humidity late this summer I noticed the wood visibly bulging along the line of the brace forward of the sound hole. A week later, and in dryer weather, the bulge had disappeared without a trace. So this is definitely NOT the instrument of choice for busking in Bangalore during the monsoon season or playing the Guiness circuit in Ireland's pubs. But that is not what I bought it for... - yet, I would rate the durability a cautious 5.

Second hand instrument, not available in Europe, so servive and warranty are no issue in my case.

31 years playing, long retired from the semi-pro circuit, own a Martin D-16GT, a Washburn D-20, a koa ply/solid cedar top Takamine, a Crafter TA-050, an Aspen D-35, a very vintage Lang archtop, a Johnson single-cone resonator, a Hanika nylon string and an Aria TA-040 335 clone. I bought the Blueridge unseen because I liked the concept and because I can resell it in Europe anytime I feel like it for at least the price I got it for. I probably never will. And if it was stolen, I'd find the guy, kill him on the spot, and afterwards go for the top and buy a Blueridge 283 with a solid Brasilian body. It will be acoveted collector's item pretty soon. As will the 163.

Hard case
extra strings
strap
capo

Country. Good, full sound, you can really feel the whole instrument vibrating, I have tried other guitars in the $500 price range, this one sounds the best to me.

6th string buzz at 14th fret

It is solid, no flaws that I can see. Workmanship is excellent

shipping took almost 4 weeks, but they made up for it by giving me lots of extras listed above

I own 6 guitars, electric, classical, acoustic-electric, all made in China because I like variety and at this price I can afford lots of guitars. My philosophy is guitars are made to be used, I can use this guitar outside the home and don't have to worry too much about babying it. I like the sound of solid wood, and for the price, you can only get Chinese made guitars. I based my selection of the Blueridge on music store and internet recommendations. I am very happy with this guitar.

I recently ordered the BR-163 sight unseen from The Mandolin Store. It was delivered two days later in perfect condition with a hard shell case. The Mandolin Store is a good place to do business. I was reluctant to order the guitar because it is made in China and I didn't know what to expect. The guitar is made of excellent quality Indian Rosewood back and sides and a gorgeous Sitka spruce top. Finish is excellent and very clean.

I've played classical for many years but wanted to give flat picking a try. The sound of this guitar is utterly wonderful. Rich, clear and full with excellent sustain.

Set up was slightly high so I lowered the nut a bit and that made it much better. Workmanship is excellent. I looked inside with a mirror and flashlight and found the interior work to be very high quality. Top is bookmatched perfectly and rosewood back and sides are excellent. Top has some toner on it to make it look "old". Some don't like this look but I think it's great.

I replaced the tuners (they were fine but I wanted nicer) with some gold Grover Sta-Tites - $39 from Stewart-MacDonald. They were a perfect fit with no modification.

n/a

I've been playing for over 30 years and know a bit about guitars. This guitar is an incredible value. It looks great and sound wonderful. I almost bought a used Martin 000-28 for $1600 a few weeks ago. I'm very glad I waited and found this amazing value. I love this guitar!

I have a 2004 model purchased from a local dealer here in Johnson Ciyt, TN. It has a solid Spruce top, along with solid East Indian Rosewood back and sides. Not only does this guitar put out the sound, but it appeals to the eye as well...

I like to finger pick and this guitar is perfect for that style. The strings are also low to the neck which makes chording easy for the intermediate skilled guitar player...And of course the tone! It has a "Martin" tone for half the price!

This guitar was set up perfectly...

I have been playing the guitar for almost 7 years now...It's my favorite hobby, and I've learned a lot about all the different makes and models over the years....I can tell you that I've owned a Martin, and I currently own a Gibson Adv. Jumbo, and I would put the Blueridge's tone up against any of them. For the price, you can't beat this guitar.

The previous review does a very good job of explaining what this guitar has. It is pretty fancy looking with a nearly "over the top" head stock. Even with the fake aged lacquer, it looks very good. The appointments are very attractive. The neck, as the previous reviewer stated, seems to be narrower than some Martins (even though it is a copy of a Martin design). This may or may not be beneficial for some players with hand or wrist injuries. I make no claim here about what works better...the buyer in this instance liked the narrower neck for his hand. The hard case was included with the purchase.

The sound is really good. This was compared with a Blueridge BR-143, which is the mahogany version of this size. Both guitars were very good, but the buyer was looking for richness instead of brightness. Frankly, either guitar would have been a good pick, so it was a matter of personal preference. It was also compared to a Simon & Patrick guitar...and there was no competition at all.

This guitar was great right off the wall. It was set up well and the the whole thing looked well put together. I have to give Saga their due: they put a really good instrument together in China.

I think this guitar would definitely withstand live playing. It looks built to last and should be in fine shape over the years. It is a solid wood guitar, so it has some natural fragility built in with it.

I have no idea. Fortunately, there are a lot of good repair shops in the Berkeley area. It has a 1 year warrenty.

Actually, I helped a friend buy this guitar. He had not played in years and wanted to go back to playing guitar. He had become separated from his old guitar and -- from what I am told -- it was just as well. The old guitar had a warped neck that was painful to play. My friend likes my Martin D-16RGT (so he has discerning taste -- it is a fantastic guitar), and was ready to put the money down for the same guitar. In doing some research, though, I felt he could have a really good value from this guitar, still enjoy the rosewood sound, and find the shallower body (000 sized instead of my Dreadnaught sized guitar) more comfortable to play. Frankly, as I grow older I find that I may want to move to this size. I think this guitar will serve him very well. For value in relation to price, this guitar seems to be a good option for people who want a solid wood guitar but do not want to pay for the name "CF Martin" or "Taylor" or "Guild" on the head stocks. If one of my guitars (I also have an Olympia OD-10S) were ripped off or lost, I would look at Blueridge.

This 2003 Blueridge BR-163 acoustic guitar is made in China by Saga (an American company). The Blueridge BR-163 is similar to a Martin 0M-28V (i.e., same size as the Martin Clapton 000-28 with the same scale length of a dreadnot).

Saga lists the following features for the Blueridge BR-163:
--Finest solid spruce top with vintage style forward X-braces
--Solid, Select Indian Rosewood back and sides
--Delicate herringbone top inlay and back center stripe
--White binding
--"000" body style with a 14th-fret body joint
--Dovetail neck joint
--Slim mahogany neck has adjustable truss rod and 1 11/16" nut width
--Rosewood bridge and bridge plate
--Rosewood peghead overlay with Mother-of-pearl and abalone design
--Saga's exclusive Dalmation style pickguard
--Natural high-gloss finish with vintage aging toner
--Kluson-style vintage "butterbean" tuners with 14:1 ratio gears

The Blueridge BR-163 sounds very good right out of the box, but I think it will sound even better with better strings and with some age (like any good acoustic).

The Blueridge BR-163 uses the same grade wood, design, and workmanship as the high-end Martins (e.g., D-28, HD-28, etc.), and I think it matches up very well with the high-end Martins for tone, etc. The lower and middle line Martins do not compare with this guitar because they use lower quality wood, etc. (i.e., it's comparing apples to oranges).

The BR-163 has a very thin, low profile neck (like a classical guitar). I would have preferred to have a vintage style v-shaped neck, since this is a copy of a vintage Martin.

The BR-163 is a beautiful guitar, and the workmanship is flawless. It looks as good as any new Martin HD-28 that I have seen (same grade of wood, workmanship, etc.). It also looks much better in person than the pictures on the net. I even like the small headstock and the inlays (it looks very vintage--cool). However, I do not care for the Dalmation pickguard (I prefer the more traditional look).

The action is very good, but I may lower it just a little later.

This guitar does not come with much of a warranty (1 year), but I think it will hold up as good as any Martin because it is built with the same quality. For the money I saved on this guitar, I can afford to take it to a good tech instead of relying on the longer warranty which comes with higher priced guitars. I've owned several brands of acoustics, and I've never had any problems with any of them (even the cheap ones).

I have never used it. I bought mine from Elderly Instruments so because I think they may stand behind it better than an ebay seller, etc.

I think the BR-163 is a fantastic value. The guitar is a high-end Martin HD-28 type quality guitar (same level of wood and workmanship). Some people have told me that I should have bought a mid-level Martin, but a mid-level Martin uses lower-quality wood (laminates, etc.) and workmanship and thus will never sound as good as a Martin HD-28. It's comparing apples to oranges. However, the BR-163 does have the quality of a Martin HD-28 and thus it will sound very similar.

I love the smaller 000 body of the BR-163, and I love the quality and value. It is a beautiful guitar! I also like the dreadnot scale on this guitar (louder and better for struming than the shorter, finger picking Clapton 000-28 scale). However, I don't really like the neck shape or the pickguard, but they are both growing on me.

I did not get to play this guitar before I bought it. I would have liked to have played all the Blueridge line to see what I liked best. I almost went with the BR-143 (same guitar as the BR-163 but in mohogony), but I really like rosewood so I bought the BR-163 for $100 more.

I admit that I just got this guitar, so time will tell if I still feel the same about it in the future (my expericene tells me I probably will). I am 41 years old and have owned and played several guitars over the years, and I play a lot of high-end Martins, Taylors, and Gibsons every time I go into my favorite music stores, so I know good acoustics and have compared this Blueridge BR-163 in this review to the best Martins, etc. This Blueridge is the best value that I have seen. I hope this review has been helpful. Thanks