What Breedlove models do you play?

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  1. hlebowi2
    hlebowi2
    I own Columbia #197.
    It has a sweet sound, and is very comfortable to play.
  2. Mandodrummer
    Mandodrummer
    Qurtz OF
  3. aphillips
    aphillips
    I have a Black Gold KF. It's got a wonderful sound and looks awesome too. It makes me want to check out some of their guitars too.
  4. MLT
    MLT
    I have a Quartz OF and a Quartz OO.
  5. unklemean
    unklemean
    Mine is #7073 Cascade, Breedlove did a fine job making my mandolin.
  6. MandoSquirrel
    MandoSquirrel
    Since last July(2008), I've had a Cascade;#7916. Prior to that I had a Quartz KO.
    I'd love to try a Columbia!
  7. Benjamin Farnum
    Benjamin Farnum
    I play a Quartz OF, and I love the way it sounds, plays, and, feels.

    I also have a Tone-Guard for it.
  8. mandohymn
    mandohymn
    I play a Spirit KO (#9562).
  9. randyd
    randyd
    I've got a Spirit OF, just put on new D'Addario J74s, nice...
  10. Chief
    Chief
    I play a quartz FF,natural, with a factory installed Schertler pick-up. Plugged in to my Ultrasound acoustic amp- through a Baggs para-acoustic pre-amp, the sound is unbelievably acoustic and pure.
  11. Dave Ashby
    Dave Ashby
    Hi, I'm new to the forum and to Breedloves. I bought a sunburst Quartz OF with factory installed Schertler pickup last Saturday and I couldn't be happier. I traded in a Michael Kelly Dragonfly III Flame for it. A great little mando but it can't touch the OF for tone and playability. I use a Baggs Para also.
  12. RobP
    RobP
    I am playing a quartz FF with a finish called Honey Burst. It has an adirondack spruce top and the built-in Schertler. It sounds fantastic. I have had it for about a year. It was incredibly STIFF when I got it brand new, so it has taken a while to break in. I also got some custom set-up work done to lower the action to make it comfortable to play (I was playing a Rigel before, which is the ultimate in easy-to-play). Everything is smooth now and the sound is great -- either acoustic or plugged in through our PA system.
  13. John Hill
    John Hill
    I have a Quartz FF #10,167. Wonderful mandolin that seems to do everything well.
  14. OKMike
    OKMike
    Quartz OO, lusting after an FO though, or maybe an FF
  15. Space Pup
    Space Pup
    I have a Quartz FF model.
  16. Pdewalt
    Pdewalt
    I've got a Black Gold KF. Has a nice tone and is easy to play. I got a good deal on it as it had a small pencil eraser tip sized piece of finish knocked off on the back of the headstock - where you can't see it. I asked Breedlove if they could fix it, but it was too costly - they have to refinish the entire mandolin - so I just live with it.

    My only real concern with this mando is the lack of binding. I sometimes worry about taking it out much as I'd hate to damage the finish on one of the edges.
  17. mandomary
    mandomary
    I've got an Orca that I really like for classical.
  18. Patrick Madden
    Patrick Madden
    I just acquired a 'new to me' used Columbia. I put some JM11's on it and am enjoying it so far. It seems to have a very balanced tone and a really nice neck. It seems well suited to celtic.
  19. DerTiefster
    DerTiefster
    I keep getting mixed up on the model names. Mine (since Feb '09 or so) is a Breedlove KO, made and labeled before the Cascade or Columbia names were attached to the line, so it only has its serial number #143 or so. I like it. I tried TI-Mittels on it for a while and now have GHS Silk&Steel strings on it. I'll probably put some standard GHS A270 phosphor bronzes on it soon, just to listen to the change. The TIs were nice for a while, but I ultimately decided I wanted something brighter. My instructor's opinion (more aware of such things than I) is that it is very well-balanced across the strings. He said he was quite taken by its potential as a studio instrument.
  20. Marcus CA
    Marcus CA
    I bought John's FF from him last summer, and I absolutely agree with his description of it.
  21. wsugai
    wsugai
    I have a Breedlove KF that came with a pickup and endpin jack. How can I tell whether this pickup was factory installed? Thanks.
  22. MandoSquirrel
    MandoSquirrel
    Probably not original on a KF. You could ask Breedlove; they're noted for customer service. Contact them with the serial number & they can probably answer.
  23. David Engdahl
    David Engdahl
    I recently purchased a Honeyburst Quartz Kf from Acoustic Vibes in Arizona (Good people to deal with-came set up nicely). This mandolin has awesome sound and the quality is outstanding. I debated getting one of the top of the line pac-rim mando's but really want to support american made products. Makes me think twice about breedlove guitars which i never really considered before.
  24. Dave Ashby
    Dave Ashby
    I would consider getting a Breedlove Korean-made guitar as the ones I've played are great...and I can't afford an American-made one.
  25. Dave Ashby
    Dave Ashby
    I have a Quartz OF which I love, but the Saga tuners are ####!!! Does anyone know if Schaller or Grover tuners are direct replacement, down to the post size and screw placement?
  26. Joshua
    Joshua
    I've played an oregon for two years and it's treated me kindly. Bottom end is much better than when I got it
  27. MandoSquirrel
    MandoSquirrel
    Dave Ashby ; I think they'll fit, but if you ask the folks at Breedlove, they're usually good about answering questions.
  28. Ed Goist
    Ed Goist
    2004 satin burst Breedlove Quartz OO

    I've owned it for three weeks now, and I am completely in love with it. Great tone and the best playability of any mandolin I've played.

    Breedlove = squelching of MAS!

    -Ed
  29. Ladyfingerpicker
    Ladyfingerpicker
    Hey, am I the only one here with a Quartz FO? It's got the gloss honeyburst finish, which in my opinion is soooooo much more attractive than Breedlove's satin tobacco sunburst. I'm going to have lots of fun with this new (well, new to me -- I just bought it used) toy!

    I also have a blonde Quartz OF that I purchased new about four or five years ago. Ed, I disagree with your opinion that having a Breedlove squelches MAS; for me, it just made me want more Breedloves! (See previous paragraph!)

    I sympathize with DerTiefster about Breedlove's naming system. Good thing I'm not dyslexic or I'd never remember which is my FO and which is my OF. To add to the confusion, Breedlove just changed the name of the Quartz line to the "American Series" line! OY!
  30. MandoSquirrel
    MandoSquirrel
    I agree, the honeyburst looks better. Welcome.
  31. parttimepicker
    parttimepicker
    Quartz FF. I'm very happy with it and I wish I could play it more!
  32. Stamper
    Stamper
    I just picked up a Quartz / American OO.

    Actually, I had a pre-owned Quartz OO as my first mandolin (I've been playing a year and half, or so) and then I let it go to trade up, and while I love what I traded up for, I always missed the Breedlove. Should have kept it, I said. And I really am smitten by the elegance of the design and the simplicity of the natural blond finish with the funky headstock. Lately I've been wanting a second mandolin for my workspace and traveling, so yesterday I drove out to Wickenberg and picked up another Double O from the Mandolin Store (they had three to pick from).

    It's a lovely thing: stiff, yes, but I'm playing it lots in the spirit of warming it up. And geeze the thing is loud. It sounds like, well, a church -- or rather like playing inside a church, or a cathedral. It rings and rings.

    But the case? Geeze, it's a modified version of the older one, only this one has a different interior fabric and an absolutely toxic fume coming out of it: my guess is it's either the glue or the bad crunchy styrofome beneath the fabric giving off the toxins. Beats me, but it's really strong, as in eye-watering, kill-all-the-locusts, so I've been keeping the mandolin in a gig bag and leaving the case outside with the lid up to air out. Any of you have this newer case? I'm wondering how many days or weeks? It's the version which has the Breedlove logo stenciled on it (the older one was simply black, more modest-seeming, and it had a plusher interior fabric, and a pretty smell as opposed to the toxic).

    I love the mandolin, I really do. The tuners are, well, you know, so I'm going to swap them out, and possibly the tailpiece. But it's a wonderful instrument and, you know, now I get to join the group.
  33. MikeF
    MikeF
    I just got a used Quartz OF...my daughter calls it the "little black dress" of mandolins, and she's right on: it's simple and elegant looking. And sounds beautiful!
  34. mandobassman
    mandobassman
    I have a 2006 Quartz OF sunburst. Changed out the original tuners for a set of Elite's with black buttons. I think they look better with the color scheme and the black tailpiece. Wonderful mandolin. Loud, warm, dry. Using Thomastik flatwound strings.
  35. greg_tsam
    greg_tsam
    I have a Quartz FF #11000 and I love it. The tuners are OK but I always get lots of compliments on the sound this little beast creates.
  36. mfeuerst
    mfeuerst
    I just picked up an American OO # 13640 and although I'm still getting used to it, I can tell it's going to be very payable and it sounds very good even with old strings.
  37. Al 13
    Al 13
    I just purchased a Quartz OO Custom and I just love it. Easy to play and produces a beautiful sound.
  38. multidon
    multidon
    I have Quartz FF in sunburst that I bought used back in June. I would have rather had natural but I got a killer deal, 899 in great shape! So I settled on color. I have to say it's grown on me, and the sound and playability is top-notch. It came with a crap no-name foam case, so I ordered a new case from Breedlove. That made it a bit more expensive but all things considered I will still take that deal all day long!
  39. iancohen82
    iancohen82
    I just bought a used Quartz KF 8450. I've only had it a few days and I can't put it down. I love the sound and I love the way it looks. I'm very happy with my new mandolin.
  40. MandoSquirrel
    MandoSquirrel
    Going by memory, not checking a list, 8450 probably was made about 2005 or 2006?

    And, multidon, 899 for a FF is a Great deal!
  41. Ken Scarbrough
    Ken Scarbrough
    The Quartz 00 and I love it so much.
  42. Varin
    Varin
    I recently bought my second Breedlove, so I guess I should introduce myself. I teach freshman level mathematics at a college in Ohio. I've been playing mandolin a lot longer than shows. I still think of guitar as my primary instrument, but for the last couple of years I've really been enjoying the mandolin. I almost bought a Breedlove Cascade 15 or so years ago as my first quality mandolin. I'd been playing one of the Flatiron pancake models, which was OK, but I felt like it should have come with a T-shirt that said "Beginner". It kind of announced itself. So I was ready to move up. Mass Street music in Kansas had a new Cascade for $1200, an outstanding price even then. I was in Georgia, so I couldn't stop by and check it out, but I was ready to take the plunge. I had the salesman on the phone, had my credit card in my hand - and the guy talked me out of it. He didn't really mean to. I think he wanted to sell me a Weber, but it was obvious that he didn't like the Breedlove. So I ended up buying a Kentucky KM-675. No complaints about the Kentucky. I got my money's worth from it, but I always wondered if I had made a mistake not grabbing the Cascade. I've gone through several mandos since then. Last year I decided I wanted an oval hole, since I'd gotten rid of the Flatiron long ago. I got a Breedlove Quartz OO from Bob Smakula. Even though I eventually decided I prefer the sound of f-holes, I sure was impressed. It's a great mandolin for the money. Every inch a professional quality instrument. Now I was pretty sure I'd missed a real opportunity passing on the Cascade.
    Then a few months ago I looked at the classified ads here and there it was. Breedlove Cascade - excellent condition - $1150. I thought it over carefully for most of two whole minutes and jumped on it. And it's everything I hoped it would be. Just the sound I'd been looking for. I love it.
    Now I see no mention on Breedlove's page of the whole premiere line. Discontinued? What a shame! If you don't care about traditional looks, this had to be a best buy in arch top f-hole mandolins, even at retail price. Maybe you can still get an American KF and with trim and finish upgrades that would be pretty much the same. Let's hope.
    By the way, my wife (who doesn't play) still thinks the OO is the prettiest instrument she's ever seen. She literally gasped when she first saw it. The Cascade doesn't do much for her. Oh well.
    --Chase
  43. mandobassman
    mandobassman
    Or you save up your pennies and go for the Alpine OF which, with the recent price increases, is now a whopping $6649 list. But, you're right, in terms of sound, there's probably not much difference between the Cascade and the American KF. I have a Quartz OF and you would never know it's the bottom of the line mandolin, based on sound quality, or build quality for that matter. Mine has really opened up and developed a real nice voice.
  44. Sid Simpson
    Sid Simpson
    I just joined the ranks. Picked up an American 00 from the Mandolin Store for the old price. I love it! I'm a beginner, but it's a serious improvement over my Kentucky KM172 I bought as a learning instrument a year ago. Looking forward to a long and productive relationship...
  45. Rob Ray
    Rob Ray
    Just got a Quartz FF via UPS today...hoped to take the aftenoon off work, but that didn't work out....I predict I'm going to enjoy it!

    Rob Ray
  46. W.Texas1886
    W.Texas1886
    I received my American OO two days ago. It's been a blast playing with my celtic group thus far!

    Wreck em, Tech.
    -MM
  47. MandoSquirrel
    MandoSquirrel
    The Quartz models are far above other "bottom of the line'" instruments, but, having upgraded from a Quartz KO to a Cascade, and tried an OF or two in a store, I'd say there is a significant difference between the Quartz and Premier series. Now that both are no more, with just American & Master, I'd expect an even greater difference. Having only tried Quartz & Premier mandolins, I don't know how much difference there is between American & Premier(or Master) series mandolins.
  48. washij
    washij
    Last year I bought a 2005 Breedlove Rogue Masterclass.
    First of all, the look and finish are stunning. It is a K shaped- mandolin with f holes, in natural finish with walnut binding. Absolute feast to the eyes!

    About the sound: great even volume from the lowest range all the way to the top frets. The sustain in the higher range is what I really like. I do have also a 1993 Flatiron F5-SB Signature with Tone bars, but the sustain dies past the 15th fret on the E string; not on the Breedlove.

    The wider neck on the BL is also a pleasure to play.
    Overall, the sound is quite bright, so I use a Golden Gate pick to mellow it out.

    I am extremely happy with this instrument.
  49. MandoSquirrel
    MandoSquirrel
    Congrats on the Rogue, washij. I'd love a Master class( esp. McKenzie).
  50. mfeuerst
    mfeuerst
    I've just upgraded from the OO I mentioned above to a new (American) FF, 15091. Equally as playable as the OO but more volume which results in an overall better tone, esp. with a ToneGard.
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