Folk of the Wood presents
Breedlove Mandolins Introduction
My Perspectives: These mandolins really ring true with a crystal clear tone...NO dissonant overtones! It has a perfect radiused fingerboard that allows for ease of playability...I, personally, own and play both a Breedlove guitar and a Breedlove mandolin. You've got to play one to see the difference...I've played and owned many vintage instruments of all makes...and I'd have to say that Breedlove, along with Rigel and Weber, is making an instrument that is manufactured for optimal ergonomics. Anymore, when playing in jam sessions or recording sessions, it's becoming more and more demanding to keep up as a mando player. So many critical factors come into play: volume (the ability to play as loud or as soft as one desires...dynamically), playability (the mando has to be designed for ease of playability for lightening speeds...if not, the design of the neck becomes the weakest link in your playing), quality of materials (again, this can most definitely be your weakest link in tonal quality), tuning machine quality (very critical for fast accurate tuning in pressured playing situations and to ensure that the mando doesn't slowly go out of tune), and most importantly, aesthetics (for stage appearance, and personal inspiration, your mando should have a look that will turn heads). Mickey Cochran
After receiving our first shipment of Breedlove mandos, I was truly amazed in every respect. The Breedlove is constructed with a solid feel and beautiful appointments. To date, I haven't seen any other mando that you can say a Breedlove is similar to. They are as unique as the Rigels; both have distinguished themselves as innovative mando designers. Now, as a comparison of tonal quality, I'd have to say that the Breedlove is brighter in comparison...not as soft and seasoned as the Rigel...but powerful through its tonal presence. It's obvious that the Breedlove will slice through any wall of sound...the Rigel has a well-seasoned tone on average with soft overtones...it also has decent volume although the Breedlove would have the edge on volume. Now, I haven't heard any aged Breedloves to give you my opinion of how they season...even so, I'm sufficiently impressed with their newly produced models...hope this helps. We have a few in stock if you'd like to try one out.
Mickey
Breedlove Construction
X-Bracing: All Breedlove Models with an Oval Soundhole have X-Bracing. X-Brace Oval Hole mandolins tend to be a little more open, richer, and fuller. This tones down the natural tendency of an Oval Hole to be too bright...great for Celtic and Classical music....
Tone Bars: Tone Bars add a little more projection...a little more top end...a little more bite on the top end...great for a loud jamming situation and bluegrass settings. Breedlove models with F Soundholes have tone bar bracing.
About Breedlove
East of the rugged Cascade Mountains, in Central Oregon's high desert, the consistent climate is perfect for making fine instruments. It is here that the skilled luthiers at the Breedlove Guitar Company design and build some of the worlds finest guitars and mandolins with meticulous care and attention to detail. Breedlove designers are pioneers in melding the best aspects of traditional guitar making with new ideas, appropriate technology and master luthier skills to create instruments with unsurpassed tone, feel and striking visual appeal. A continual interaction between function and art informs all of their designs.
At the peak of their art form, and a lifetime of experience in traditional guitar design and construction, Steve Henderson and Larry Breedlove had a vision to build fine guitars...(and mandolins) their own way. They moved to Oregon in 1990 and chose their team with the same care they select their materials. Today, Steve remains chief designer and innovator, while Larry's older brother, Kim Breedlove, is a master luthier and artist supported by other highly skilled luthiers whose passion and dedication are apparent in the quality and craftsmanship of each instrument they create.
Uncompromising traditional craftsmanship, environmental consciousness, and customer focus are at the core of the Breedlove philosophy. Breedlove guitars (and mandolins) are built from hand-selected, naturally aged tone woods from the Northwest and around the world. Breedlove is dedicated to using alternatives to endangered rain forest woods and offers the widest selection of non-traditional tone woods in the industry. They also boast impressive custom inlay work and an extraordinary range of body configurations and appointment upgrades.
Breedlove's Location
East of the rugged Cascade Mountains, in Central Oregon's high desert, the consistent climate is perfect for making fine instruments. It is here that skilled luthiers at the Breedlove Guitar Company design and build some of the world's finest guitars and mandolins with meticulous care and attention to detail. Breedlove designers are pioneers in melding the best aspects of traditional guitar making with new ideas, appropriate technology and master luthier skills to create instruments with unsurpassed tone, feel and striking visual appeal.
Progressive Mandolin Design
No strangers to progressive instrument design, the luthiers at Breedlove are proud to introduce their full line of modern Mandolins. Hand crafted for the most discerning of players, these instruments feature solid flamed maple backs and sides, with tops carved from solid Sitka Spruce. Each Breedlove Mandolin boasts an Ebony bridge, fingerboard, and peghead veneer, and precision Schaller tuners. Slightly oversized frets and a subtle fingerboard radius combine for fast accurate fretting. Available with a classic sunburst finish or blond gloss, every Breedlove Mandolin represents the seamless union of modern design and timeless craftsmanship.
Every Breedlove Mandolin Model offers the following features:
- Ebony Bridge
- Ebony Fingerboard
- Ebony Peghead Veneer
- Schaller Tuners (Quartz models currently use Saga Tuners)
- Subtle Fingerboard Radius
- Oversized Frets
- Breedlove ships with D'Addario strings EXT Mandolin (EXT 74) Coated phosphor bronze .011-.040 (as of 7/31/02 this info is still current)
BREEDLOVE MANDOLIN PRICING
Breedlove Mandolins:
Each Breedlove mandolin has an ebony bridge, fingerboard, and peghead veneer. Slightly oversized frets and a subtle fingerboard radius combine for fast, accurate fretting. Each instrument has Breedlove playability, aesthetics, tone, and many custom options to match your distinctive tastes.
Quartz Mandolins:
As natural as the Northwest, the intrinsic beauty of solid maple and spruce shine through on this carved teardrop mandolin with satin finish. There are two body styles, the O-shape and the K-shape, outfitted with either an oval soundhole or traditional f-holes. Optional gig bag or hardshell case.
* Quartz OO (O-shape, Oval Hole)
* Quartz OF (O-shape, F-Hole)
* Quartz KO (K-shape, Oval Hole)
* Quartz KF (K-shape, F-Hole)
Premier Mandolins:
The Breedlove Premier Mandolins are all appointed with tasteful black binding, monteleon style tailpieces, chrome tuners, high gloss finish, highly figured maple sides and back, the finest Sitka Spruce tops, with ebony peghead veneer, fingerboard, and bridge. Includes a deluxe hard-shell case.
* Olympic (O-shape, Oval sound hole) : The balanced vioice, deep resonance, and graceful teardrop body harkens back to the Golden Age of Mandolins.
* Oregon (O-shape, F-holes) : Continuing in the tradition of fine American Mandolins, Breedlove offers the ageless appeal of the Oregon Mandolin.
* Columbia (K-shape, Oval sound hole) : The warm, full-bodied tones of the Columbia mandolin make it a great choice for today's classical, folk and Celtic musician.
* Cascade (K-shape, F-holes) : The Cascade Mandolin has the volume and projection the modern bluegrass and country picker demands.
Master Class Mandolins:
Individually voiced by Kim Breedlove, these mandolins represent the peak of Breedlove craftmanship and aesthetic and tone.
* Orca : Black Glossy finish, K-shape, Oval sound hole, Master Class Appointments in ivoroid, Breedlove fret markers and chrome hardware.
*Alpine : O-shape, F-hole mandolin, individually voiced, Master Class Appointments in black, gold hardware and Alpine Inlay pattern.
* Rogue : K-shape, F-hole, McIntyre MT-100 pickup, Master Class Appointments in walnut, Glossy Blonde finish, and Rogue inlay.
* McKenzie : K-shape, F-hole, Master Class Appointments in walnut, Glossy Sunburst finish, and Appointed Ivoroid Binding, Inlay Elements from Oregon’s McKenzie River
Testimonials:
Date: Fri, 6 May 2005 07:59:08 -0700
Subject: Re: Fwd: Thank you very much
Hello Mickey, You are more than welcome. I had always wanted a Breedlove
Guitar but trying to convince my wife that i really needed one was not
going to happen so when i took up the mandolin about a year ago and
really got serious about it although i have always been pretty serious
about my guitar playing and she had always encouraged me to perform in
public " You know the type" When I had my first public performance with
the mandolin at the Cascade School of Music in central Oregon which
freaked me out pretty good when I along with the rest of our little group
of 6 mando players and 10 fiddle players were greeted by at least 300
people " not bad for our first performance" that was the moment when
Pam, my wife really knew that I loved doing this So she really supported
me getting the Breedlove. Not being able to really afford a Gibson or
one of the more famous brands out there I decided on the Breedlove, In my
opinion along with others "for the money I don't think there is a better
sounding Mandolin in the world" a few people that I play with are sold on
these instruments. At our last gathering I let all of them play it and
they were hooked, so hopefully you guys will be getting some more
business from Central Oregon, I actually talked one guy out of buying a
Gibson or actually the Breedlove talked him out of it. I have the day of
from my window cleaning business because of the non stop rain we have had
here so you can guess what I'm going to do with my time. Again thank you
all very much for your great customer service and recommendation I
appreciate your honesty in not just wanting to see the most expensive
thing just to make a sale.
Sincerely,
Dennis
Date: Tue, 26 Nov 2002 13:17:53 EST
Subject: Yeah! Breedlove!
Mickey, Once again, you have sent me an INCREDIBLE instrument. The Breedlove
mandolin is the best I've ever played. Everything you wrote about is
absolutely true. The sound is so rich, warm, and the fingerboard so
comfortable. It's hard to know which to do-- stare at its beauty or play it.
As usual everyone on the phone from FOTW was superb in handling this and
getting the Breedlove out to me quickly. Sorry about some of the confusion at
my end of things. Anyway, I'm still playing a lot of klezmer and classical
and the Breedlove is perfect for it. Happy Thanksgiving to you, Susie, James
and everyone else I spoke with. Jenny Michaels
Date: Fri, 30 Mar 2001 Thank you all for sending my new Breedlove mandolin, I love it!! It arrived in perfect shape even though FedEx decided to send it from Ruidoso through Ft. Worth to Phoenix on its way to Tucson. Doesn't make sense but all's well. The tone is outstanding, it plays easy and even short fat fingers like mine may actually learn to make music someday. Thank you especially Mickey for helping me and offering me that lesson. As soon as I get past Oh Susanna and Yankee Doodle Dandy and several months of scale practice, I'll give you a call. If I can be of any service to you here in Tucson in the meantime, please don't hesitate to ask. Take care & thanks again, Alan Simpson
Date: Fri, 30 Mar 2001 Thank you all for sending my new Breedlove (Cascade) mandolin, I love it!! It arrived in perfect shape even though FedEx decided to send it from Ruidoso through Ft. Worth to Phoenix on its way to Tucson. Doesn't make sense but all's well. The tone is outstanding, it plays easy and even short fat fingers like mine may actually learn to make music someday.
Thank you especially Mickey for helping me and offering me that lesson. As soon as I get past Oh Susanna and Yankee Doodle Dandy and several months of scale practice, I'll give you a call. If I can be of any service to you here in Tucson in the meantime, please don't hesitate to ask. Take care & thanks again, A. Simpson
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