Breedlove mandolins

[Jeremy N Lisa Dowlen]

I have been playing a new Breedlove mandolin; its built in China. I like the size, playability, and I am sold on the wider nut and radius neck. The tone is okay the A and E string are great, but the two wound strings are a little weak. The chop isn't great.
My question is, are the earlier American made Breedlove mandolins better in tone and chop?

MandoNZ

[themandocello]

I have an FF Crossover. I love it. The natural finish is gorgeous, the tone is nice and it's easy to play. I don't like the bridge, it's cheap. The tailpiece is nice, carbon fiber.

[Ancient]

I have a Breedlove Rogue and a Breedlove Orca from the early 1990s. They are both excellent mandolins. They both have a great sound and a pretty good chop. The Orca is the first one that Breedlove produced and was on display at the NAMM show.i also have a letter from Breedlove as documentation that it was the first produced.

[Eric F.]

Orcas are rare. I've wanted to play one since I first heard sound samples years ago.

I think the old top-of-the-line Breedloves are special instruments. I can't speak about the imported ones as I have not played one. If you are dissatisfied, that's what matters anyhow. Lots of options on wider neck and radius these days.

[Paul Busman]

I have been playing a new Breedlove mandolin; The tone is okay the A and E string are great, but the two wound strings are a little weak. The chop isn't great.
MandoNZ

This may be a silly question but have you replaced the strings? New/different strings can make a huge difference in the wound strings.

[Bill Kammerzell]

I found the 2014 Premier OF I played a terrific mandolin for tone, chop, volume, sustain etc. Easily the best mandolin I've heard for under One thousand dollars.

[Denman John]

We bought a Breedlove Spirit A style about 8 years ago and it still gets played most days. Very comfortable neck and it has a nice tone to it. Not a strong bluegrasser, but very musical. It also came with a pickup. Somewhere along the way it lost it's tailpiece cover, but that doesn't affect sound or playability. Hopefully many more years of music together!

So yeah, the price of one of the older American built mandolins is worth it. With that said, I haven't played any of the new Breedlove's, so I can't really comment on those.

Good luck with the search.
John

[Steve Ostrander]

I have an American FF that is very good to my ears. I'm not sure what year, but it is made in Bend OR. It's my go-to instrument that I use for gigs. I had a K&K installed a couple years ago and it sounds great through my Fishman Artist.

[Bill Kammerzell]

I'd take back the Breedlove Premier OF I had any day over this Silverangel Econo A I just got.

[RichardF]

To go back to the original point though. Have you tried different strings and a set up? The wound strings may be set low either at nut or bridge? A repairer would be my second port of call after new strings.

[Jeremy N Lisa Dowlen]

i have had just about every string imaginable on the thing.

[Bill Kammerzell]

I have been playing a new Breedlove mandolin; its built in China. I like the size, playability, and I am sold on the wider nut and radius neck. The tone is okay the A and E string are great, but the two wound strings are a little weak. The chop isn't great.
My question is, are the earlier American made Breedlove mandolins better in tone and chop?

MandoNZ

In answer to your original question on US made Breedlove's. From my experience, yes, I was pleased with the tone and chop of the US made Breedlove I owned. A signed, Premier OF made in 2014 in Bend, Oregon. So much so, that was one that got away, that I wish I still had. Have not touched, a Chinese made BLove. I'd suggest having a reputable Luthier, in your area taking a look at the set up. I know the guy I took my Silverangel to, in Catonsville, MD, for a nut replacement, charges under a hundred bucks for a set up. You might ask around here about a reputable Luthier in your area. Unless you know one of course. I'd stay away from guitar shop chain stores, and the like. I have no idea what type of set up work is being done to the Chinese models Breedlove is selling now. I'm not sure I've heard anyone singing their praises, though.

[George A]

Over the years I have owned a number of made in the US Breedlove mandolins: Cascade, Premier FF, Premier OF, Premier OO and Quartz OF. I have also test driven a Crossover OO and OF.

While the Crossovers I played have the Breedlove playability, I believe the USA made Breedloves have better tone & chop than the Crossovers. Tone wise, the best one I owned was the Cascade. For volume I found the FF won out.

If your budget allows, I believe that a US made Breedlove would be an improvement over the Crossovers.

While I have enjoyed all the Breedlove mandolins I've owned (& still own one), I found the Collings MT to have better volume (chop & solo) in a Bluegrass jam situation. The string spacing is a little tighter which did improve my speed a little. If you have the chance you should give one a test drive.

[RichardF]

OK. It's honesty time. I love my Breedlove US OF into either the PA using an Ashdown preamp or into the Trace Elliot, for worship jobs and so on. But........With the band, not that loud but with bass and drums it's a solid electric every time! It's a customised Errington into a Line 6 Flextone. No preamp, pedals or feedback. Plenty of headroom. Maybe not exactly a mandolin tone. Sorry. That's what works for me.