In the “Guitar Owners Club” section, I posted to the “Breedlove Club.” So in one sense you could say I am a fan of Breedlove guitars. But in another sense, I have had some problems with my Breedlove. I mentioned this in passing in that thread, but didn’t dwell on it, because I assumed the tone of the thread was expected to be positive and appreciative. But I have decided that I would like to discuss this with others, and so I’m posting here to see what kind of discussion and input can come of this.
First of all, I have a Breedlove AD25/SM acoustic/electric (A=Atlas [MIK] series; D=dreadnaught; 2=deep body; 5=soft cutaway; S=Sitka Spruce top; M=solid Mahogany Back and laminate Mahogany sides). Last August, this model was being discontinued, and so MF and GC had it at the discounted price of $550, so I snapped it up. Here are some pics.
On the left (in my right hand) is my Breedlove. In the center is my Logan Custom mahogany solid body Tele. On the right (in my left hand) is my 26 year old vintage Japanese-made Hohner G940.
My Breedlove AD25/SM in action.
When I was trying it out at the local GC, it played fine. The action was a little stiffer than I prefer, but at the time I thought that would be an easy fix. I played it about 20-30 minutes two days in a row, and then pulled the trigger.
In between, I did research online. There was one bad review (more on that in a moment), but with only 1 negative out of 67 user ratings I decided to go for it.
After I got it home, I started to get acquainted, playing it a lot, letting it settle in. It came strung with D’Addario EXP Coated Phosphor Bronze Wound strings, the “Light” gauge (12-53) EXP16s. While I had not previously been an EXP user, I was intimately familiar with their “un-coated” counterpart, D’Addario’s Phosphor Bronze Wound Light (12-53) EJ16.
So I started with a truss rod adjustment. I even let a Breedlove tech talk me through it so that there would be no warranty issues. The adjustment helped some, but did not completely solve the problem. I have thus far resisted shaving the saddle. Next, I changed to D’Addario’s Phosphor Bronze Wound Custom Light set (11-52) EJ26. Now I had a buzz problem. So I’ve gone back to the 12s, but the action’s still stiffer than I’d like. So I don’t play it much except for gigs and rehearsals.
Another problem is the Rosewood fretboard is “fading.” It’s like it was tinted to give it a darker color, and that color is coming off when I play. My fingertips are typically black after playing it, and the board is noticeably lighter in spots. It looks like paint has been worn off in places.
Okay, now back to that 1 negative review out of 67. The reviewer identified himself as “Beware from PA.” And he had a similar experience: at the store it “played very well.” After he got it home and changed the strings, “it seemed like the action had changed in 3-4 months.” He had the bridge shaved down and that seemed to work for a while, then he had fret buzz. He paid a luthier to set it up, but months later the buzz was back.
“Beware from PA” also stated “The other cosmetic thing is the paint on the fretboard is fading.”
So, I know it’s not just me. Did “Beware from PA” and I get the only two lemons in the bunch, or does anyone else have issues with this guitar? If so, what did you do or what have you done about it? Return it? Get repairs that worked? ???