Blueridge?

[TeleBrew]

Any experience with them? Good, bad, indifferent? Thanks!

[AnthemBassMan]

-I've played the BR-140, BR-160, BR-143CE and BR-243. All of them were excellent guitars. I ws especially fond of the last two. 000 size bodies and the BR-143CE also had a single cutaway and Fishman electronics. I was pretty shocked when I looked inside and saw the "Made In China" label there. I've been out of acoustics for a little while and although I've heard of Blueridge, I never actually saw one. Very impressive.

L8R,
Matt D.

[Doug Ferguson]

I've owned a BR-343 000 for a little over three years. I'm very impressed with its sound, the fit and finish, and overall quality. The inlays are beautiful! I'd been wanting an 000 for some time, and the BR seemed the right way to go. Good price, good reviews, etc. The action's a little high, but the thin neck compensates -- doesn't tire out my hands as fast as most higher action guitars I've had. I bought my son a BR-40 lefty for Christmas, and once again was very pleased with the sound, fit & finish, and slightly lower action than on mine. It's got sparkly highs and a rich mid-range. I bought both from Musician's Friend, having never played either. I got my son's simply because I'm so happy with mine. I'd recommend them (and have) to anyone. Their pre-war and Stanley Carter Memorial series' are supposed to be exceptional. May have to give them a try sometime.

[ironweed]

I have a BR-183 that gets played quite a bit. Strung with 0.012" gage, with a K&K Western Mini pickup installed with a gold 1/4" jack endpin. Several friends and family have other models (BR-343, BR-140 and others) and they are all good guitars. I have been a Martin man since the 70's. These are not Martin-equals, as some claim, but the solid wood models are darn close. Very good value for the money, IMHO, especially if you like a traditional look & sound. There is a Blueridge guitar forum, not as big or active as the TDPRI, but possible source of info.

[AnthemBassMan]

-Here's a pic of the BR-243. The 243 is part of their Prewar line. This guitar is amazing. Everywhere I looked online has them for $900. The other models I listed are form their Historic line I believe.



L8R,
Matt D.

[imwjl]

They seem fine for the money, but I prefer used and new US and Canadian made guitars where they're not as expensive as many think. My new and used Larrivees that were less than $1000 would be a good example, but Larrivees have a voice and feel of their own and are not exactly clones like the BRs. It's a feeling and tone you may or may no like.

[ROADMAN]

I've got a BR163 OOO style bought used ...really nice guitar, well made very
comfortable player...

[Colt W. Knight]

Ive played some really nice sounding BR-140, BR-160, and I think they were BR-180s. Seemed to me like they had really cheapo tuning machines and all the ones I played the pickguards were only halfway glued on with the edges protruding out. That was 4 years ago though, I would have bought one, but I didn't care for the shorter scale. Sounded amazing, some of them even gave my Martin a good run. I still wish I would have bought one when absolutely no one knew about them. Didn't take long for the word to get out that they were great sounding guitars though. I think they are pretty pricey now for a Chinese made guitar. Just my opinion.

[Rathmann]

Originally Posted by imwjl

They seem fine for the money, but I prefer used and new US and Canadian made guitars where they're not as expensive as many think. My new and used Larrivees that were less than $1000 would be a good example, but Larrivees have a voice and feel of their own and are not exactly clones like the BRs. It's a feeling and tone you may or may no like.

Right on, man. For my hard-earned money, I tend to look for American instruments.

I owned a Blueridge jumbo in the early '90s. It was big and fat sounding, but developed a crack in the top.

And it was expensive given what I had to trade to get it. Would have been better off with another Seagull or other LaPatrie, Quebec-sourced guitar.

[RickG501]

"I owned a Blueridge jumbo in the early '90s. It was big and fat sounding, but developed a crack in the top."

Do you feel that was a Blueridge Mfg. issue or a humidity/humidifier issue? I only ask because it gets pretty cold and dry up there in the winter.

[Stefan]

Blueridge guitars are great! Especially the more expensive ones. They are sometimes just as good as more expensive Martins.

[williamfriggle]

A friend was given one for his birthday and he let me take it for a test drive. It was a nice guitar. Definately worth the money paid for them. But I prefered my Guild GAD-50 myself. Like others have stated, they are nice copies of Martins. If I was in the market for another guitar I would check them out.

Bill

[guit30]

+3

[chet]

I've had the BR-160 for about three years now and it's a great sounding, loud guitar. No problems with it whatsoever.

It influenced me to buy the Blueridge BR-70 that mistermullens had for sale in the TDPRI Classifieds this week.

They sound really great with Martin SP Lights.

[Rathmann]

Originally Posted by RickG501

"I owned a Blueridge jumbo in the early '90s. It was big and fat sounding, but developed a crack in the top."

Do you feel that was a Blueridge Mfg. issue or a humidity/humidifier issue? I only ask because it gets pretty cold and dry up there in the winter.

Dunno. Lived up here all my life but this is the only instrument to crack on me. On the whole, I think these guitars are premium-priced for an import, enough so that for the same money you ought to be able to go domestic.

[Stuco]

They are decent copies of classic gibsons and martins mostly. The prices seem to be creaping up on them so i no longer feel that they are a bargain. You can get a Larrivee (much better quality) for a little more than the all solid wood blueridges.

[KDOG]

I was in Mcabes Guitar one afternoon banging away on a BR-160 and really liking the way it sounded. A salesman was trying to close the deal on a Guild that was WAY more expensive, the customer after hearing the 160 lost all interest in the Guild. Good Guitars!

[wooderson]

I'd like to get my hands on a BG160 - Gibson-style. I hear the necks are thin, though.

But the price on the higher-end models is getting up there into lower-end Martin territory, (or to the new Gibson Canada dreadnoughts).

[Southern ILL]

Sold thid one when I got sick...I loose sleep sometimes missin' it.It was a really good guitar.

[Bullwinkle]

BR-143 here. Build quality is very good but not 'great' - it's certainly not as spiffy as my Taylor 412CE was ... but then again it sounds MUCH better than the Taylor did and at a fraction of the price so who cares? The top is very uniform straight-grained spruce with crazy-tight lines, but the two halves are very obvious so I guess its not quartersawn. (oh dear!) Has Martin-style scalloped bracing, but its not as polished a job as you'd see in a $3k Martin. The back and sides are very attractive wood, but its not real Mahogany. Sapele I guess. Taylor and Martin both use sapele these days on guitars that used to be mahogany only, so that's just par for the course. The tuners on mine are covered Kluson-types, and they work. They later went to an open-gear tuner that sucked, and then changed back again. I've read there's a drop-in Grover open-gear tuner, so even if you wound up with one of those it's easily remedied.

I am considering selling it though as I'm raising money for something from a higher shelf. It's is as-new condition and w/ a hardshell case. It's a much better guitar than what I paid for it several years ago, and I'll let it go for a bit less than that. PM me if youre looking for a deal on one.

[Colo Springs E]

Originally Posted by Stuco

They are decent copies of classic gibsons and martins mostly. The prices seem to be creaping up on them so i no longer feel that they are a bargain. You can get a Larrivee (much better quality) for a little more than the all solid wood blueridges.

My sentiments exactly. They are nice guitars, but for around $1000 new, I'd spend $100 or so more and get a new Larrivee.

I have a BR-70, it's a nice guitar (not all solid, just the top). But I'm still on the hunt for a used Larrivee.

[studio1087]

There are $600 Taylors and Martins. There are $850 solid wood new Larrivees. There are $950 solid wood Martins.

If I wanted a $400 (or less) beater; I would buy a Yamaha.

If I wanted a $1000 solid wood guitar, I would buy a Martin or a Larrivee.

I'm biased. I have several Martin's and a Taylor and a Larrivee.

The imports with the really heavy gloss coat look dicey to me. It's like the one-shot thick poly that Fender uses on import acoustics....takes forever to open. The shell work on the head stocks of the better Blueridge guitars is a bit much for me.

Where do you get them serviced? If you kept a Blueridge for 10 years and it needed a neck reset is the guitar just a throw-away?

My only used guitar is a 100% solid wood Taylor 214. I paid $500 cash used (in minty condition) with a hard case.

I think that if you are spending more than $500 on an acoustic, you shop domestic be it new or used.

John

[Maradona86]

I say ster clear of them if you can and go for a Canadian made guitar. I owned a BR 183 for a couple of years and by the fourth year it began to develop problems that would have required a neck reset and even that didn't guarantee to fix the problem. After discussing this problem w/ my tech, he filled me into the fact that these Chinese made guitars, though they aremade well and do sound quite nice, are not necessarily made with wood that has been properly cured/dried. It is kiln dried in a manner that is quick, efficient, and cost effective. Problems with this tend to slip under the radar because they are not detected immediately. The result is a guitar that is prone to weather changes greatly effecting it. Then there's shipping across the ocean; enough said.

American/Canadian guitars are already used to the climates of the continent, they don't have to spend time in a shipping container going across the ocean,the wood selection is better (Canadian hardwoods RAWK! they're super old in most cases) as well as the attention to detail in places like La Patrie, Bozeman, etc...... I REALLY loved my BLueridge to bits and was really sad to have to let it go, but unfortunately, I don't make Mad amounts of money and I wasn't really wanting to nurse a sick guitar. So for now all I got is my classical, which thank goodness is doing just fine, and a handful of electrics that seem to be hanging in there. In short, the safest thing to do is play a bunch of North American made guitars and choose the best one. Good Luck!

[Wally]

Imo, the Blueridge is the best sound for the money in the market.
I have problems with the low dollar Martins. I have seen too many of them have top problems...check out the internal bracing and you will understand why. I have a low dollar 28 trimmed unit here with the top fallen in. The owner has given up on it. IT is a candidate for the Bridge Doctor, I guess. IF I want a Martin, it will be a model from the traditional nomenclature...D-__, 0-__, 00-__. In short, there is a good reason for saving your mioney to buy the non-low buck Martins, imo. check the bracing and tone bars.
Colt W. Knight wrote: "but I didn't care for the shorter scale." The Martin-clones have Martin scale...25 1/2"...while the Gibson clones have the 24 3/4" scale.
One thing that irks me about Blueridge is their new policy, now a year or so old...that could effectively limit the number of dealers. A dealer must purchase 12 units in order to get set up. The next year it is a 16 unit demand, the next year is 24.... There are small dealers who cannot or don't want to escalate their commitment in that manner. This doesn't directly affect the buyer....unless you find a dealer that is not planning on staying with the program and is unloading guitars at a good price, right? I recently ran across two dealers in such a situation. ONe was larger than the other. The smaller guy had not made the initial commitmment and had one BR-160 left. The larger store was not a large store and didn't have the room to 'grow' the commitment each year. They were not planning on renewing next year.
Does gibson own SAGA/Blueridge? hehehehe Maybe they just adopted Gibson's dealer plans?

[wooderson]

There are $950 solid wood Martins.

Even cheaper than that, if you go online!

Maury's Music quoted me ~$855 for the 000-15 and D-15.

[camari]

I have a BR-60 coming in Tuesday.