Breedlove Guitars SC-20

2003 SC20 Custom mad in the USA
Grand Concert with Solid Spruce top.
Cocobolo Back and sides.
B-band AST active transducer pickup installed at Breedlove factory.
Ebony fretboard and ebony stop-tail bridge.
S Series Black Binding.
Herringbone Top Purfling.
Focus fret Inlay.
Gold Tuners.
Extra strap button installed at Breedlove factory.
With Breedlove Hardshell Case.

I mostly play finger style and this guitar is perfect for my style of playing. I play a variety of music from folk to pop to more esoteric ambient type music and this guitar is magical. It very loud yet defined if you want it to be and extremely rich and full when played in a soft and subtle mode. Very articulate sounding, with warm rich low end, dynamic midrange and crystal clear brilliant & defined highs with excellent sustain. The tone is so rich and full that if someone were not looking they could easily mistake if for a 12 string in it's richness and depth of sound. I have only played it directly thru my recording gear... miked and with the B-band. Excellent for recording and studio work. My only dislike which I guess is to be expected was if I was running the sound out to my speakers while recording, the B-band pick up is so amazingly sensitive that without a hole cover on the Breedlove I would get feedback. I read in a review somewhere before I had actually heard or purchased my Breedlove that " A Breedlove makes a Taylor or Martin sound one dimensional in comparison.." Well I have to say it is the truth. They sound amazing!

The guitar right out of the case had very good action. I would think most people would be completely happy with it and never need to alter it. But I like my action on any guitar I own taken down to the lowest denominator possible. So I had the action taken down as low as possible as that is the way I like to play. Mind you there wasn't much I could take it down from the factory settings. Other than lowering the action a tad this guitar is flawless! Extremely well made with precision and accuracy. The people making Breedlove guitars are meticulous to the highest degree.

This guitar is extremely well built. It is without question one of the most solid and well built guitars I have every owned or played. The finish on this guitar is perfect. I looks and feel like it will stand the test of time and keep it's beauty and playability. The stap buttons are of high quality and very solid. This guitar is certainly one I would depend on. I would use it on a gig without a back up.. but because this guitar is so beautiful and such a work of art I am not sure I would actually want to use it to gig with. For the amount of money I spent on this guitar I would probably only use it in the studio and at home. Or at least until I can afford to have two or three breedloves around...:)

I don't suspect this guitar will ever need to go in under warranty as it is incredibly solid and meticulously well built. But it does come with a lifetime warranty just the same. Just the fact that they give a lifetime warranty on these guitars warrants at least an 8 rating. As I see that as decent customer support in itself.

I have been playing for over 30 years as a hobby. I have owned many guitars from Larrivee, Guild, Gibson, Ovation, Martin and this guitar is without exception the best sounding guitar I have ever played and without question it is for sure the most beautiful looking guitar I have had the priviledge to own. The only thing I can think of that I would add to this guitar would be a clear pick guard. I love the looks of the guitar just the way it is and fortunately I am mostly a finger style player so I probably won't even have one put on it. I only use this guitar for studio recording and it shines. These guitars are a work of art. I think they are the nicest looking guitars out there bar none. If you are thinking about buying Breedlove and have never heard one before. Do yourself a favor and make sure you check them out as in my opinion, Martin, Guild, Taylor, ovation or Gibson do not even come close in sound quality and expressiveness. The only other guitar I have played that can compete with a Breedlove as far as playability and sound quality is Larrivee and Morgans. But as far as looks go Breedloves are by far the most beautiful guitars I have ever layed eyes on. Yes they are a little pricy but they are worth every penny. I intend to buy several Breedloves. They are amazing guitars!As I said in my quest for the perfect guitar the only other Guitars that I have played that compare to a Breelove in sound quality are Larrivees and Morgans.. I am sure there are some out there but I have yet to find them. I hear the Santa Cruz guitars are amazing. But they run from about $4,000 to $15,000. Can they really sound that much better than a Breedlove? I would be surprised if they did but I will eventually get around to trying them as well.

2003 Breedlove SC20 Coco/Sitka Made in USA
Deep Body Grand Concert
Purchased New from Guitar Adoptions for $2099

Cocobolo Back/Sides

Sitka Spruce Top

Lower Bout - 15"

Depth - 4 9/16"

Fretboard Radius - 16"

Scale Length - 25 ??

Nut Width - 1 ??

Ebony fretboard, pinless bridge and headstock

Black body/neck binding

Abolone sound hole rosette

Bone nut and saddle

Single piece mahogany neck

Schaller nickel tuners

Clear pickguard

Silver strap buttons


This is Breedlove's understated, entry level model. However there is nothing entry level about this guitar. It is drop dead gorgeous!

I think it's very hard to describe the Breedlove sound. The bass is very present but it does not overpower in any way. This is the most balanced sounding guitar I've ever played. I have a heavy right hand but I can't get this guitar to sound boomy even when I try (and that's a good thing). It can play with lots of volume but very controlled. The highs are beautiful. Nothing close to shrill, metalic or thin. Usually after 10 minutes of playing, guitars with that thin, metalic sound get annoying and those notes start to stick out. Let me say again. This is THE most controlled guitar I have ever played. If you are not a fan of boominess then a Breedlove is your guitar. The attack is SO sweet. Cleeean sound even when strummed hard. Let me say again...j/k. You get the idea.

The action is setup like a Taylor. I think that says it all on the height. The neck feels smaller than a Taylor, which for me, is a good thing. My friend came over with his 714 CES last night and I did an intense AB. The Taylor neck felt bulky in the back end. The Breedlove's smaller feel on the back inspires confidence while playing. It feels like you have more control. The finish on the neck feels like a thick coat but is ever so smooth. Awesome. You dont' have to worry about the finish on this neck wearing thin anytime soon.

Intonation all the way up the neck is perfect. Sometimes I like playing E - 079900 and this guitar sounds just as good, or even better, all the way up there. It still sustains the note forever!!

The tautness of the strings is perfect for strumming / flatpicking and very good for fingerpicking. I think my Larrivee is a better fingerpicking guitar since the strings aren't as tense. Being a 90% strummer this guitar has become my favorite.

More props to the neck here. I can bar Bm and slide down to C#m like it was nothing!! SOOOO clean sounding.

This guitar feels very sturdy. However I would never gig with it because it's TOOOO nice.

The Breedlove people are really nice. Haven't talked to them much yet but they seem to have good support.

I will be putting an L.R. Baggs Element System in shortly and have the action lowered 1/32" at the same time. Everything else was installed by the dealer. Took no chances! Even down to the clear pickguard and strap buttons.

I've played Taylor, Martin, Larrivee, Tacoma, Ibanez, Alvarez, Takamine and Seagull. NONE of these can step up to Breedlove.

If stolen I would buy the exact same guitar in a heartbeat. I plan on buying more Breedloves in the future and nothing else. I'm very excited to try other wood combinations offered by them.

I have the mahogany back and side model. I like the sound of mahagony; have ever since my first Gibson J-45...it's a nice wood. The neck is wide. I would have prefered a touch less wide, but the neck is so comfortable on the hand I overlook that and did the Chet Atkins thing ...basically something like "I find all guitars neck widths to my liking..have never worried about it" (forget where I read that). Solid woods. Beautiful workmanship. Basic model. But I like simple. What they did they did well. Nut could be set up a bit better. But I like the strings loooowwww.

Good balance. Bit tight. Hope it will open up with time. Very balanced.

Great finish.

Looks sturdy...no probs yet.

I wish you could register and communicate online. Website could use some tweaking in this day and age.

Played a long time. This is a great guitar. I went to buy a Martin, and didn't like the two I played. Took the Breedlove. Hadn't even gone in to get a Breedlove. Was leaning Martin, or Taylor.

This guitar kills all other cold.

Sounds better than any other guitar out there. No lie.

Simple but beautiful.

Just stop looking at Taylor and Martins and go try a Breedlove. Those guitar are one-dimensional in comparison.

Category irrelevant

Try one.

Just a note on the review I just read. The tops of SC models are not laminated. All Breedlove guitars are solid wood, through and through.

This Guitar is US made in Tumalo, Oregon. I ordered it from them and they made it in 3 months. Its a SC model so it is there entry level model(but it beats the daylights out of any guitar I've played and can't notice a difference in the SC and the upper models except cosmetically). This is still a gorgious guitar. Cedar top(SC is lamenated), Walnut back and sides(book matched and easy on eyes), mahogany neck, ebony fret board and tuner buttons, Grover tuners(nice), Rosewood Peghead veneer. JBL bridge truss rod(the heat!) Dreadnought depth on a concert style body, MOP dot fret markers and "B" on headstock, and a TKL hardshell case.

IT IS SIMPLY THE BEST SOUNDING GUITAR THAT I HAVE EVER PLAYED. I have played guitars that cost 4 times as much and don't like them as much( I think I just got a really nice one of this model). I play every kind of style except Polka (ha ha)and it does it all if you have the skills. I use a Danelectro chorus pedal sometimes for fun. It has incredible bass, warm mids, and tastefully crisp and bright high's. You can get any sound you want out of the guitar as long as the sound you want is a lethargicly moving. PLAY ONLY WITH ELIXER STRINGS(they're the best and last)and keep it in the right humidity. Do yourself a favor and buy a hygrometer and a humidifier. NO DISLIKES.

Was set up with light strings (at the time I didn't like lights). Came with out a pick gaurd (and was beautiful that way). I added an OM sized Santa Cruz pick gaurd and it looks great on it. Workmanship was impecable from the factory. Only complaint was that I had requested a ebony peghead veneer and the put a rosewood one on but I got over it and they greatly apologized. Was a fantastic day when it arrived.

Solid as a rock. You'll never regret ordering one.

They are pretty good. They helped me with a humidity problem

I've been playin' for six years. I'd never trade it. Would buy another and want to in a heartbeat. Compared it to many others. Its my favorite. Best acoustic sound and playibility I've ever put my hands on. GET ONE