Breedlove Guitars AD25/SM

You have all read about the awesome features here (gold Grover tuners, Fishman Electronics, Solid Mohagany back with lanimated sides (best way to build an accoustic), Solid Spruce Top, On-board EQ, fabulous gig bag). The only feature that this guitar is lacking is an on-board tuner. HOWEVER, I found that built-in tuners are WAY too small to use/read and some are not even accurate.

I purchased 9 accoustic guitars from GC for comparison ($500 - %2500.00) because I wanted the BEST guitar (sound, fit, finish) and the Breedlove stood head and shoulders above the rest. The next best was a Taylor but the Breedlove had the better undertones. The rich sound of this guitar is nothing less than perfection. From the first chord, it sound like an orchestra.

You can't go wrong with this guitar. If its not the best you've ever heard, go back to taking lessons.

I purchased this guitar from GC. The problem there is that GC hangs everything on the wall and you don't know how long its been there or who played it before you. If its been there over a couple weeks, consider it a used guitar. It must have been my lucky day because the GC guy brought this out while I was there. The action, fit, and finish was (still) perfect when I played it - no flaws whatsoever. Unfortunately, GC already threw away the original box but the Breeedlove gigbag is really, really good.

First of all, the guitar. Everything is solid as a rock. Even after gigging with this guitar for over a year and sweating on it, etc., the finish is still excellent. I have never had a problem with the electronics. I routinely use this guitar without a back-up.

Secondly, the tight-fitting gig bag privides protection better than most hard cases.

This guitar is a little heavier than most others. I believe that's because of: a) the solid mohagany; b) the use of all premium woods; c) the durable finish; and d) the quality Breedlove craftmanship.

Customer service at Breedlove is UNBELEIVABLY WONDERFUL. I have contacted them about various string guages/preferences and guess what - I actually talked to a person! I even spoke with Jayson Bowerman, one of Breedlove's master luthiers and leader of R&D.

Now, hows that for customer service?

I have been playing guitar for 20+ years. I've played in bands for several years and now I'm a solo musician. I have a collection of electric guitars - Gibsons, Fenders, PRS, etc. along with several accoustics and a couple basses. If my Breedlove was ever lost or stolen, first of all I'd cry, secondly I'd purchase another immediately, and thirdly, I would hunt down the thief. I guess then I'd be playing 'Jailhouse Rock' for quite a long time.

I like the way it feels, love the look.

The sound is ok. It has a good tone but it is very quite. Well at least to me it is. I like my guitar alot louder and warmer like the c25/CR herringbone.
Feels more likea taylor, its bright. Has more depth but not enough.

Its almost perfect, i like my action to be a little lower. Very good feel as I said before and the finish is great.

Almost every guitar when you drop it hard enough it will break.

In a gig I would trust it wouldn't die, but I always have a back up. Everything on it is solid just don't drop it.

don't know

The sound kills it. Its decent though.

Beautiful gloss finish cutaway dreadnought, 20 medium-frets, rosewood fingerboard. Included one of the best gig bags I've ever seen. Made in Korea and setup in Oregon by Breedlove. Solid spruce top w/sold mahogany back and laminated sides. Has the Fishman Classic 4 pickup EQ system.

Wish they'd saved this category for last (see Action, Fit & Finish to see why). I play an eclectic style of music, including nearly everything from bluegrass to rock to country and more, and have been playing over 40 years. I also own a Breedlove Quartz KF mandolin, which has become my most cherished instrument, being as near perfect in every category as I've ever heard. This led me to purchase the guitar. Upon inspection, the guitar was beautiful, fit and finish flawless, among the best I'd seen.

I was dismayed, however, when I played it. The guitar lacks projection, resonance, brilliance, though the tone is good. It sounds great amplified, but acoustically, it can't keep up with a very cheap Alvarez RD-8 (laminated back and sides, spruce top) guitar that I also own. The first word that came to my mind when I strummed it the first time was "thunk." It just sounds dead to me.

The guitar was only half-way set up at the factory. The action was OK, but the JLD truss system was crooked and loose--thankfully, easily fixed, and Breedlove provides the necessary instructions/tool to do the job right. Otherwise, the guitar was beautiful. Fit and finish were flawless to my eyes. I've seen few other guitars as beautifully executed--the thing is gorgeous.

The guitar is well-built, and I would foresee no problems in either live or studio playing with it.

Sold the guitar before I had to use it. Don't know.

As mentioned, I've been playing over 40 years, and also own and play 12-string guitar, electric guitar (Schecter), mandolin, bouzouki, bass, piano, harmonica, and any other instrument I can make sound pleasing to my own ears. Therein is probably the whole point here--music and sound are quite subjective. Most here seem to have a very different opinion on the sound of these guitars, and I respect that. But if it were lost or stolen, I'd look for the tone-deaf crook who took it to retrieve it and sell it.

This was the first acoustic guitar I'd ever purchased online, and frankly, I went by reviews--especially here--in making my decision (along with my love for my Quartz mandolin). This had led me to rethink my ideas about purchasing acoustic instruments. I've lost a bit of faith in online reviews, and am back to playing an instrument before I purchase.

6-String, cut away acoustic/electric, Grover tuners all absolutely immaculate out of the box. The finish is beautiful. From the abalone surrounding the sound-hole to the binding, this is a georgous guitar. Worth mentioning is the neck finish is satin compared to the glossy finish on the body. Fretwork is tidy and the fret-board flawless. This one was made in Korea and set up in Oregon, I believe. Fishman Classic 4 PU with EG, volume, no tuner.
All I care about is how amazing this instrument sounds and plays. I'm sure the technical specs can be found elsewhere. Rated 8, because of no tuner. Otherwise, 10.

I play classic rock, some country and a lot of blues based music. Also love strumming and some finger style. I have been playing around 20 years and I'm not an expert in guitar jargon, so I'll try my best here.
I saw it at Guitar Center, pulled it off the wall and hit simple G chord. This is my preferred chord for testing because I find fault in most acoustics with the bass strings producing overpowering lows. I was simply blown away. The sound is almost indescribable. The sound is perfectly lively, think more Taylor than Martin, but every bit as good, if not, much, much better. The blending of bass, mid and highs on this instrument is perfect, especially the blended lows. I'm not trying to over hype, but I don't know any other way to describe the beautiful sound of the note interacting. Nothing is out of place. There are lush overtones that are almost 12-string sounding. I new I had gotten lucky ( given the selection at GC) and continued to play. No matter what you are into, the sound of this guitar will not disappoint. If I was blindfolded, I would think I was playing a $4,500+ guitar. That's how good it sounds. It's a whole new tone in it's own right.
When plugged into a Fender Twin, VOX Modeler (exact model unknown) it sounded so dimentional. No effects other than a little reverb. Since it wasn't my amp, I could have sworn there was a doubling or chorus effect on, but there was not and it remained while unplugged! That's really the only way to describe the sound both amplified and accoustic. It's rich and layered with perfect overtones, undertones and everything in between. Man, I could go on forever, but you get the picture, a PERFECT blend! In fact, I think Breedlove worked for Taylor for a while, which would explain a lot.

I actually came back a week later and had to order mine and out of the box it was the same as the demo. Mine arrived set up with nice low action, not a single buzz on any string and requires nothing more than a wisp of a touch to create the notes. It's insane to me how expensive this guitar feels and sounds. A satin finish on a medium-thin neck makes barred chords effortless and single note runs sound well rounded, clear and easy to create. It is a bit narrow at the nut, but strangely, this is not really as noticeable when playing as one might think. Great job with the nut and string spacing! The routing is excellent and the frets are perfectly polished and finished. Breedlove must be keeping a close eye on Korea's line to make such a nice rig in this price range. It's the only way I can explain it. They sure didn't compromise sound quality or feel. I'm not sure as to the specific blend of woods and where they are placed. For all I care they could have used playdough, but whatever it is there is resonance and sustain galore!

I'm not a professional (anymore), and I never made is past the minors anyway, but I would use it live maybe with a backup mic system only because this guitar is too nice for the money and I'm cynical. They had to compromise cost somewhere, and the electronics are usually first on the list that get you into trouble while gigging. I have not plugged in enough to really comment on this, but I would gig with it in a heartbeat. Solid strap buttons and the overall quality makes me faithful in this guitar. It's solidly built and the finish might wear a little if you really dig in, but only time will tell.

No issues yet.

In 20 years of on and off playing various classic rock, blues, strumming and fingerstyle, this is the best guitar I have ever played. I know this is a personal choice and each has his/her own criteria, but for a guy on a limited budget and no need for a several thousand dollar guitar, it's perfect! Not only the price, but the sound and feel. My medium-sized hands can maneuver my favorite feature, the smooth satin neck, quickly and accurately. It's forgiving to a degree, yet it will let you know if you get to far off course with your technique.
I'm feel stunned, lucky and fortunate to have found this guitar after an exhausting two year search which concluded in me buying a PRS SE Singlecut electric as well (see my review if you care). It's exciting to get two dream guitars for under $1500 with no need in site to ever upgrade. If it was stolen I would immediately start severing left hands off suspected thief or thieves and then buy a new one. Great work Breedlove!

Breedlove AD25/SM. Atlas series Dreadnought 25, Spruce/mahogany. Made in Korea 2006, with a final set-up in the US. Included "deluxe gig bag" which is a pretty nice softshell case, a spare saddle and a truss rod adjuster. Solid spruce top (and a drop dead gorgeous one at that), solid mahogany back, and laminated mahogany sides. Dreadnought body with a cutaway. Body is gloss finished, with a "rubbed" mahogany neck that's somewhere between gloss and satin. Feels absolutely great. 20 medium frets, access is good through about the 16th (and really, why do you need that much an acoustic?). Neck is a "C" shape, plays almost like an electric neck. Gold Grover tuners that are smooth and keep it in tune very well. The saddle and nut are plastic, but has a pinless bridge which makes it much nicer to restring. Electronics are a fishman under-saddle piezo and a Classic 4 active preamp with 4 band EQ(bass, mid, treble, and brilliance). Battery life is good, and EQ is responsive. About the only thing else you could ask for would be a built-in tuner, but it's definitely not a deal-breaker.

This is one of the best-sounding acoustic guitars I've ever played. You may want to take that with a grain of salt, as I'm only 17 and have only been playing a few years, but this is by far the best sounding guitar in its pricerange. It has a nice rich sound. Not too boomy since the body is a little thinner than your standard dreadnought. But it is absolutely great. I mostly play with a flatpick, but it sounds good with your fingers too. I use it for rock, mostly (anywhere from Neil Young to Oasis to Foo Fighters). One thing to note is: change the strings often, even if you continue to use the "extended play" type strings that came on the guitar: with old strings, the guitars tone is noticeably dulled along with the volume.

Guitar was set up great out of the box, everything was in order. It plays like a dream, the action almost as good as my Les Paul's. It will definitely suit the unplugged rocker, but out of the box it's not really suitable for slide at all (but that's the tradeoff you have to make). There were no flaws in the finish or anything, and the grain of the wood is absolutely beautiful.

This guitar is solid. The high-gloss finish seems nice and thick- it will show fingerprints very quickly, but it's quite scratch-resistant. The strap buttons are solid, and you can absolutely depend on this guitar. While you should never gig without a backup, I don't think you would have any problem doing so. Played live with it several times and have not had a problem.

This guitar has been good to me so far, and I have not had to deal with customer support. I do believe it comes with a one-year warranty.

I've been playing for since I was 14, but I've only started to get serious about guitar in the past year or so (I'm 17 now). I also own a chandler Les Paul and a Vox AD50VT. If this guitar was stolen, I would get another one in a minute. It's absolutely great. I love the tone and playability. I compared it to several others in the pricerange, (Martins, taylors, ovations, and parkwoods mostly) and this just blew them away. A stellar buy, highly reccomended.

Back and sides mahogany with sitka spruce top. Dreadnought style body w/ cutway. Grover tuners. Nice smooth neck. Included a very sturdy guitar, not like the typical cheap kind. Sounds great plugged.

Nice full sound. not too bright. Love the bass
Not as loud as i had expected it to be.
Great for worship.

A setup is needed on this guitar at the moment.
Nice low action, but when arrived from the factory, there was fret-buzzing.
Pain to take out the battery from the pickup.

A week into receiving the guitar, i noticed a loose wire in the body. Turns out the adhesive just fell off and all i had to do was stick it back on. strap button isnt going anywhere. reliable guitar

have yet to deal with them

i've been playing for 3 years now and this is my very first guitar. i must say i am impressed. i was skeptical at first but i am now a believer in breedlove co. way better than the low end taylors (110-e, 214)and possibly up there with the highend ones. I would most definately consider buying another breedlove if lost or stolen. I love the features and the details they put on the guitar.
This guitar by the way is pretty heavy

This is an update to my previous review. I am the first one to write a review on this instrument. I ended up buying a house instead of being a gigging musician so my Breedlove became an in house guitar. This guitar still sounds just as good if not better as it did when I first got it. Due to being indoors all this time the neck has never needed adjustment and the body is still in perfect condition except for the usual scratches and wear. The arch in the top and back are still perfect. It is overdue for a fret job though so I went searching for another Atlas Series Breadlove so I did have to spend a week without a guitar and the fact that I just wanted another Breedlove. Well, I was just unable to find another Breedlove that even came close to sounding as good as the one I own. Don't quite understand what the problem is. Might just have to spend a few extra dollars on one of those guitars from the company that starts with a "T" . Thanks goes to Breedlove for an exceptional guitar. Just wish I could find one that sounds just as good.

First, I must say this guitar is absolutely beautiful. The Tortoise shell binding, gold hardware, Fishman Classic-4, and string-through saddle make this guitar more than worth while. The spruce top and mahogany back are wonderful too.

The sound of this guitar is much like a Taylor, big and robust. I would probably choose this guitar over a Taylor any day. You can play tons of styles, and still get a pretty sound. It stays well in tune too. I LOVE the sound this guitar makes. (it's sort of like a fresh Larivee sound too)

I think the action on this guitar is perfect. I can do Bar chords better on it than my les paul! The top on mine was perfectly bookmatced and the bridge was set perfect. Everything on it was aligned perfectly and i could find no flaws whatsoever.

This guitar will definitely last for a longggg time. The hardware is high quality as well as the other parts too. Everything is solid on it.

Haven't had to deal with the company at all yet!

I've been playing for a while now, and have owned and still own plenty of high end (and low end) guitars. This is the best sounding acoustic and the most solid acoustic I've played in a long time. If it were stolen, I'd hunt the burglar down and beat him with a stick. (haha!)

No need to repeat on what's been written previously below, but for more info regarding the AD25/SM check out breedlove's website for info regarding materials used for this guitar.

What caught my attention personally were the gold grover tuners, the extra pin strap so that I could use a full on strap (since several reviewers didn't have one), and the excellent work they did with the tortoise binding.

It's not a Martin, much closer to a Taylor. Sounds crisp, full, and well defined in the higher registers. Bass sounds adequate. I am comparing this to a lower end acoustic/electric Martin guitar like the DCX1E (which has a lot more bottom end) and they're very different but the Breedlove can hang in terms of volume unplugged. But definitely crisp/full sound and very defined. A joy to play with and when I began playing it, couldn't put it down. It's great for plucking and strumming.

I bought mine refurbished from musiciansfriend and it was great. It was previously used but wasn't trashy or had scratches or dents on it. Looked brand new to me with the exception of the pickguard which had scratches on it.

Plugged, it sounded ok. I tried it through a small VOX amp which probably didn't do it much justice, but with the Fishman pickups and the eq you should have no problem adjusting to compensate for the sound you like.

Action was surprisingly low. Easy to do the barre chords without straining. I figure that's what makes people love this guitar. I get a little buzz on the low E and A when strumming hard to get a loud response, but it's just a part of playing live. However, when going up and down the fretboard, no buzzes of any kind. Good for soloing.

Finish was good, however I saw some glue residue around several spots. No biggie really, just around the areas where the neck was attached to the body.

I don't really know yet. Just got the guitar, but I'm sure it will last a long time. I take really good care of my instruments and wipe it down after playing to take body oils and sweat off the fretboard and body.

But then again, let's see.

Overall, I'm really impressed with this guitar. It's light responsive to my playing. Sounds really full and bright. I haven't played with it a long time but I'm sure it will go a long way. I fell in love with the sound of this guitar while testing it at a store close to my house. I really wanted to get a Taylor or Martin, but wanted something different & 'distinct' but with the high quality that Martin and Taylor had. I have heard Breelove actually worked for Taylor for a while. I can hear the influence they have on Taylors.

I'll write a review later on to tell you all how it goes but for right now, this guitar is great. I would recommend this guitar for someone who likes to strum, and pluck.

Reviewing a recent AD25SM, dreadnaught cutaway, spruce top, mahogany sides and back. Everything about this guitar is very, very good, especially for a guitar of this price. I own a Martin and a Taylor and it compares well with them. I am impressed. I didn't try out the pickups but I played this guitar for two weeks while visiting a relative (her guitar). The only concession is the laminated mahogany sides, but I guess for this price something has to give.

Sounds GREAT! Enough said.

Set up just right for me. Setup is a personal choice. If you get a guitar that is not set up for you, have it set up correctly. It has a truss rod.

This is a follow-up on my previous review, now that I have had a chance to play live with this guitar in a rock band setting and quieter acoustic setting.

The sound from the Fishman system is amazing. It is not as natural as I'd hoped, but is offset by the way it cuts through the music to be in the forefront as a lead instument. And the tone can be varied from the premap control onboard the guitar. Little or no feedback problem, either!

The low action made playing 4 hours a breeze. I love the solidity of the neck and the balance now that I installed a strap button at the neck.

No problems at all with this.

See previous.

This is one of the nicest electro-acoustics I have ever gigged with. I did two gigs over the weekend, and my fingers are note sore. The clients we played for are happy, I made money, so I'm happy!
I love the look, feel, playability and sound of these guitars.
I hope they make an Atlas 12 some day, since there's no way I can afford their USA made 12 strings.

Made in Korea, Designed and set up in Tumalo, Oregon.
Dreadnought cutaway, deep body. Rosewood fretboard and bridge. JDL truss bridge system. Gold Grover tuners. 25 1/2" scale, 1 11/16' at nut.
20 frets, Solid top, Solid Mahogany sides. Fishman Classic 4 preamp/undersaddle pickup. Neck Mahogany, top Spruce. High gloss and tortoise shell binding, abalone markers and rosette.
No bag, no case, no 2nd strap button. Comes with EXP lites.

Incredible sound. Full, deep and bright. Long sustain.
Sounds great through the AcoustaSonic amp, and pretty vivid direct to board in recording. Not toally natural out the preamp, but no real quack, and it has fullness and a lot of bite. Fairly quiet self noise except for a bass hum that increases if you EQ more bass into the mix. I like this, and am surprised a Fishman can sound this good. Perhaps it's due to less pressure on the piezo element, thanks to the inovatice bridge system.

Flawless low action, flat neck. Almost no effort to bar and fret this baby! Intonation sounds dead-on to my ears...
Pickup is totally balanced. Great bookmatched top and sides, and the mahogany looks inches deep and jewel-like. There is one tiny gap or lump at 12 o'clock on the soundhole, otherwise flawlees, immaculate.

Durable, yes. Hardware is Grover's so, yes it should last.
Finish is a deep gloss but does not impede roar of the bass strings.
I could gig this with no backup.

Very god. I called Breedlove when this was late getting to the store and got the UPS tracking number. Plus, they anwer emaols same day. So far, so good. 5 year gaurantee on this guitar, too.
Dave and the gang at Blue Note were very helpful. Plus, they are the only store around SF Bay to carry a selection of Atlas and the pricey USA-made Breedloves. Best 12-string I ever played is there!

Been playing since the '60's. I use Ultrasound and AcoustaSonic amps.
I wish it came with 2nd strap button. The place to find instructions on critical installation of this (it has dovetail joint with dowels that you could ruin) is Folk of the Wood's web site.
I'd buy this again. Had an AC25/SM, but got this to be louder, and it is!
I love its look, its feel and its sound.
I wish it came with a 2nd source and blender, like a K & K Pure Western or onboard mic. And a notch filter, maybe!

Korean Breedlove. Constructed per Breedlove specs. Excellent sound. Playability a little above average. Action is good. Solid Sitka Sodid spruce top, rosewood back. Cut-away electric with active Fishman electronics. Lifetime warranty. Bought mine through local dealer, who provides free adjustments. I like to support local people too. Patented bridge support design removes stress from the top and re-directs to the base which allows for thinner top, ergo more resonance. Excellent balance. I have guitars from the top manufacturers and this one stacks up nicely. Excellent bang for the buck. As beautiful to look at as it sounds. Grover tuners. High gloss laquer finish top.

Suits my style well. Flatpicking, folk , blues. Use with acoustic and electric tube amp. Sounds excellent with both. Bright and rich.

Action from factory excellent. No flaws.

Recently purchased, but no reason to believe it will not hold up well.

Local dealer is 7th largest Breedlove dealer in the country and provides excellent service and support. Dealer states that Breedlove stands behind their products.

Have been playing 35 years. If stolen would probably replace it.

Look on the website to get features.

Suits my style perfectly. Strumming, flatpicking and fingerpicking.
Piezo sounds great. I split the signal with a "y" cable into a Behringer dual tube mic pre-amp and then straight into Alesis M1 monitors. Sound unplugged is a balanced and bright but not brittle and with the piezo of course you can shape the sound any way you like.

This guitar was set up great. Action is low with out string buzz. Perfect for electric guitarist going into the acoustic realm. I did not see any flaws in the materials or constructions but I bought it for the sound not the anality of it's looks. Intonation is the best of any guitar I have ever had.

So far has held up very well. Only seems to need adjustments due to weather climates. All guitars do.

Um, don't know. I buy stuff and keep using them no matter what happens. I don't think I've ever called about or returned a musical purchase in my life and I've owned some pretty crappy stuff.

Don't remember when I started playing. My parents can't remember anytime when I didn't have an instrument in my hands either. Just seems to have always been there. If this guitars was stolen or lost I would buy another guitar. Maybe not the same model or the same manufacturer but just another guitar. I don't have to stick with the same thing forever you know. Even if it wasn't stolen or lost I'd buy another guitar. Got to have a backup incase the backups backup needs a backup.