Breedlove Guitars AD200/SM

Solid sitka spruce top, laminate mahogany sides and back. Would be better with solid sides and back, but it's an entry level guitar. Rosewood fingerboard. String thru bridge design, no bridge pins.

Sound is the best part about this guitar. It has a very full-bodied tone, emphasizing the low end more than other acoustics. The mids and highs are very well balanced. Puts out a ton of sound if you strum it hard, without ever sounding "at the limit." Also, one of the longest sustaining acoustics I've played.

I'm taking off a point here because I think the guitar could do with a tad less bass. Just a personal preference.

A nitpicky thing is that the pearl dots on the fretboard are pretty small and hard to see, especially in dim lighting. Binding is very nicely done, feels smooth. I also like the satin finish, as it feels very fast on the neck. Action is set medium-low, just right.

Very well made guitar, seems solid. Tuners are great. Another little thing about this guitar is that most wound acoustic strings are made for guitars with bridge pins. Since this one is string thru brigde, the bare metal unwound part of the low strings is exposed and sits on the bridge. I imagine over time this would lead to some odd wear on the bridge.

Never dealt with them. It's a small company, I'm sure they are great.

For the price, this guitar is a great value. I would put it up there with entry level Taylors as the best guitars available at a reasonable price. Go to a store and pick up other guitars at the 200-500 dollar range; they sound cheap and thin. This guitar sounds like a much more expensive guitar.

As an update to my previous review, I did notice one flaw in the body. When I bought this guitar, the store had two in stock and one had a small scratch/dent on the neck. I bought the one that did not have that scratch :-) and spent a while looking for flaws on it before I forked over $500.

But then, a month or so later, I finally noticed a very small imperfection - there is a small place on the edge of the sound hole, on the side nearest the neck where the varnish didn't quite coat all the way. It's only on that inside edge (not on the top) and it's probably only a fraction of an inch long but it's an imperfection never the less. So far, that has been my only problem with this otherwise immaculate guitar. I can't quite give it a 10 anymore but if that's my only gripe and it took me that long to find it, maybe a 9 would be more fitting rating.

Other reviews have good write up. I would mention the pinless bridge, Grover tuners, and cantilever bridge setup

Excellent! lows are full , mids and highs sing out. The sound just rings for a long time. Light guage strings make it very easy to play and still puts out incredable volume.

Played correctly from the first day. The outside finish is very nice and appears durable. Some inside glue marks but nothing on the exterior.

Plays as well as other brands at 2x the price. With the step up in grade of tuners, you have more leaway to keep in tune and make small adjustments

called for questions and the support perople at Breedlove have been grreat. I imagine they will as well take care should their actually be a problem

While shopping for Taylors I could not get over the fixed price of the 300 & 400 series models. Shopped for 2 months and then came across this Breedlove.Obviously God new I did not need to spend $1000 on a Taylor when I could get ALMOST the same sound and playability in this Breedlove. I

nice. all around, same as above entries. doesn't come with bag or straps, but its still nice.

The bass and higher midrange tones are great. Similar to a Taylor or higher class Martin, but the bass is boomy and dreamy also. This is something you don't find on most guitars. Just a few problems when you strumm the first E too hard, it does buzz a lil bit, but not ifyou play it lighter.

Since mine was new b stock (refurbished or simple scratches), I can't tell exactly how nice it is. The guitar didn't really contain flaws from what I saw, but the wood on the front was probably one which wasn't as nice. It looks stained, but its probably how the wood is.

The guitar is strong and sturdy built. The finish will seem to stay on for a while. It's heavier than other guitars without a bracing or truss system. This is definately a guitar which sounds $$$$$$$$$ for $.

music123.com is decent. they had a sale on their new b stock. The guitar was either opened before or refurbished. The warranty is still the original warranty of breedlove (5 years).

I've been playing for 8 years, and have to say this is a great guitar. The JLD truss system is very noticeable once you pick it up. If this guitar was lost, I would be upset. I wouldn't buy a new one. I would find the robber who stole it. :)

Purchased in Sept. 2004 from Appalachian Bluegrass in Catonsville, MD for $395 (with another $100 for a case, plus taxes). I went in to check out Martins, and the owner suggested Breedlove considering my price range (thanks, Emory!). Made in Korea using technology developed by Breedlove of Oregon, which makes great $3,000 guitars.

It's a nice-looking instrument - plain but high-quality materials - Grover tuners, solid spruce top, rosewood fretboard and bridge, laminated mahogany back and sides. A full-size dreadnought, with a 1 11/16 nut. Nice spacing between the strings over the soundhole. I'm giving it a 9 because it's real quality for a very low price.

The sound is what got me - a 10 for the price. Full, rich, just beautiful. I can't stop playing it. I think about the sound all the time. Isn't that everyone's dream in a guitar? I play a lot of folk and bluegrass (I mainly play to accompany my singing), and the guitar is perfect for this. Breedlove seems to use very unique bracing - I can feel it vibrate when I play. Nice.

It sounded a whole lot better than everything else in its price range - Seagull, Taylor, Baby Martin and Martin DX1R. I thought it even sounded better than the all-mahogany Martin D-15, although I'd like to hear the special spruce top limited edition D-15 sold by Musician's Friend. The only guitar I played that I thought sounded better was the $1,000 Martin D-16RGT - just a little more refined and brighter, but another guy in the store with me said he couldn't hear the difference between the two.

This is the only place I can take off anything at all - the action seems a little high to me. That can probably be adjusted, though, and it seems easier to play every day - perhaps I'm getting used to it, or the guitar is loosening up some. Very interesting details, like a downward slanting nut to compensate for the difference in the gauge of the strings and a pinless bridge - it's strung through the wood of the bridge itself. I'll give it a 9 here - a very interesting instrument.

Not sure how much I can say here - it seems like it should last and age well. Time will tell! Definitely loud enough for live music, I would think.

I've been playing for 30 years, electric and acoustic, although entirely acoustic in recent years. The Breedlove replaces a 31-year-old Yamaha - it was time. Overall, I'd have to give the Breedlove a 9.5 or higher - call it a 9.8, taking a smidge off for the slightly high action. If there's anything else in this price range that sounds <i>anywhere</i> near as good, I haven't heard it.

Atlas series Breedlove, Korean made. Solid Spruce top with Laminate Mahoghany back and sides. Finish is satin. Abalone inlay around the sound hole. Not very many appointments at all. Sealed tuners. Basic acoustic guitar........however.....

The guitar sound shines. This is an excellent sounding guitar. I was totally shocked and blown away by the tone. Although I am using it for fingerstyle, and it is a dreadnought, it still sounds wonderful. Rich and full tone. You can feel the whole body resonate when the guitar is played. I think this may be due to the JLD bridge system. I am definitely totally happy with the sound.

The guitar was set up okay. The was a little too much bow in the neck. I adjust it almost straight. The truss rod has so much more to go and was not tight at all which is great! The solid spruce top for such an in expensive instrument is very nice. The action is great. Any lower and it would be just to easy. I checked the intonation is fine. Any differences are not audible.

I think everything about this guitar is fine. I have no complaints. I do take care of my instruments.

No experience. But I plan on buying the real thing in the fall so I will be speaking with Breedlove directly.

I have to tell that music 123 is a great place. I purchased this guitar as new unsealed. By the time my check cleared, they had sold the guitar so they sent me a brand new one for the same $$! I have been playing for about 38 years and I've owned Martin, Alvarez, Larrivee. Most of them 3 or 4 times the cost of this guitar. As with most of my guitars, I am very happy with it. Before purchasing this, and my new Alvarez PF90SC, I played everything I could at the GCs in my area. Taylor, Tacoma, Martin, etc. They didn't move me. I was lucky because I didn't get to play this guitar before I bought it. I really feel that these offshore made Breedlove's may be the best kept secret. I think they are that good. I will probably buy the concert size cutaway and non-cutaway next. If it were stolen, I would spend my time finding the thief and make him understand why he shouldn't steal things.