BreedLove AD25/SR Atlas Plus

Price Paid: US $1000

Features: 10
It's a 2005 model and the specs are the same as the others listed. My guitar, however, came with a beautiful Breedlove hard case. I've gotten as many compliments on my case as the guitar, well almost as much anyway.

Sound: 10
I play what is usually reffered to as EMO or soft rock. I started playing at age 14 and I'm currently 23. This guitar fits my music perfectly but I think this guitar would fit anything perfectly. It is such a balanced guitar. Friends of mine from different musical backgrounds have been amazed at this guitar. Some of them are seasoned musicians and can't believe how well it compares to their big name (big price) guitars.

Action, Fit, & Finish: 10
no buzzing, no flaws, no anything. it was set up when I bought it.

Reliability/Durability: N/A
no noticeable problems have shown up. The guitar seemed perfect when I bought it and has remained that way since. I've only owned the guitar a couple weeks now but it doesn't show any signs of degrading.

Customer Support: N/A
5 year warrany sounds lovely!

Overall Rating: 10
I may have payed a bit much but I couldn't help myself. I went to the store to pick up an acoustic/electric. I tried them all and was never really satisfied. I tried ovations/takamines/etc. Then they brought out the Breedlove...

Submitted by Brandon at 01/05/2006 00:09

Price Paid: US $799

Features: 10
The guitar is Korean made, but who could tell the difference?? It has a gloss finished solid Spruce top with a very nice close grain pattern -- the very same comment for the beautiful Rosewood back, sides are nice laminated Rosewood. Deep 4 9/16" Dreadnought body with soft venetian style cutaway. New Classic 4T Fishman preamp with Brilliance, Treble, Middle, Bass and Volume controls - includes built in Tuner (very handy!) Rosewood headstock overlay, bridge and fingerboard. Gold Grover tuners that stay in tune. Mother-of-Pearl "B" inlay on headstock, abalone body purfling, fingerboard inlay and rosette. Micarta nut and saddle. Came with a good quality case and a strap button on the neck.

Sound: 10
I play fingerstyle, flat-picking and harder strumming and this guitar shines in all categories. The sound has lots of depth and rich overtones. Nicely balanced up the fretboard. The top sustains well (I think because of the innovative JLD Bridge system). I have owned high-end Larrivees, Taylors, Martin (I even tried out a Zager guitar, which I wasn't too impressed with), but I think this guitar at this low price outdoes all of them. I have not tried it amplified yet, which I am eager to do. NOTHING I dislike about the sound at all -- it only makes me want to play it more often.

Action, Fit, & Finish: 10
As it came from the dealer, new from the factory, it was set up perfectly for me. No fret buzz and VERY playable with great action. My fingers don't hurt after playing for a long duration. Intonation is really good. The finish, bookmatching and overall workmanship are very, very nice with good quality wood throughout. No flaws whatsoever other than a barely noticeable glue spot inside.

Reliability/Durability: 10
This guitar seems well put together and built to last. Good hardware. Good looking finish. I have no concerns here.

Customer Support: N/A
I haven't dealt with them as yet. 5 year warranty seems fair.

Overall Rating: 10
I've been a player of acoustics for about 30 years. As I said, I've owned plenty of other high-end guitars, Taylor, Guild, Larrivee, Martin. If this were lost or stolen I would immediately get another. I feel this is the best guitar I've owned so far. I'm very happy with it and recommend it without any hesitation!

Submitted by Michael at 12/17/2005 22:22

Price Paid: US $660.00 used

Features: 9
This guitar is made in Korea and is a 2005 model. It has 20 frets, with 14 clear of the cutaway body. The guitar comes with a solid spruce top,laminated rosewood sides,solid rosewood backThe guitar comes with the Fishman Classic Four pickup and preamp.The neck is mahogany,and thickness is between a martin and a Taylor.What this guitar lacks in fingering ease it makes up for in its full bodied sound.JLD bridge truss system,Abalone binding on this guitar--around the sound hole, the purfling around the body, and the oval fretboard markers.

Sound: 9
I recently let my Taylor 814CE go on ebay and was looking for a cheaper but with high quality.After reading some reviews on this model I took a chance. Man alive was I impressed.What a nice full body sound I heard from this cut away Breedlove. If some one would have told me that this was a Korean model I would have said BULL!!!
I juiced it up on my garage PA system and was playing with some chorus and different volumes,I'm still impressed.I think a 9 justifies
my findings.Its not a $3000.00 dollar model but for $660.00 its a damn steal.

Action, Fit, & Finish: 9
This was a one owner as far as I was told.New out of the box and shipped in a hard case.The action is good,just a step below my ex taylor. But like I said it makes up in sound quality.As far as fit and finish its solid ,well built, with no flaws.

Reliability/Durability: N/A
Don't know yet ,I just got it this week. But it looks like I'll be handing this baby down ,thats how much I love this guitar.

Customer Support: N/A
No dealings with Breedlove yet . But who would need to.....

Overall Rating: 10
I'm 46 and picked up my first axe when I was 12. I've have martin,gibson,taylor,gretsch. This is just a warm welcome surprise for me.I really don't remember any of my other guitars sounding this good. If this guitar was stolen I would have to seek out another.

Submitted by Van Greene at 10/14/2005 07:40

Price Paid: US $799

Features: 10
This guitar is made in Korea and is a 2005 model. It has 20 frets, with 14 clear of the cutaway body. The guitar comes with a solid spruce top, which seems to be very carefully selected and matched as there is a small amount of bearclaw in this beautiful top. I was originally looking for an all solid guitar with rosewood back and sides and spruce top; however, after learning that most guitars with on board preamps have laminated sides, my shopping goal changed. This guitar has a solid rosewood back and laminated rosewood sides, and they are of the highest quality. The guitar comes with the Fishman Classic Four pickup and preamp, which would not be my first choice, but it seems to be quite good--maybe someday an LR Baggs will take its place, but for now it is fine. The neck is mahogany, satin finished, so it is very smooth, and the thickness is perfect, just a little thinner than a Takamine, but not too thin. The top, back and sides have a gloss finish that looks like it will open up quite well. Tuners are gold Grovers, and this guitar stays in tune no matter what!!!!! I have had it a little over two months and made 2 string changes since the original set, and once this guitar is tuned, it stays there. I also love the JLD bridge truss system. The bridge is pinless and its construction allows the guitar to resonate with a fullness not found in other guitars. Abalone abounds on this guitar--around the sound hole, the purfling around the body, and the oval fretboard markers. I was able to get the Breedlove gigbag, an amp cable, and a humidifier thrown in for the price. I honestly cannot find anything structurally or visually wrong with this guitar.

Sound: 9
My musical style runs from country to classic rock by way of a little bluegrass. The sound it produces is perfect. Strum it hard and you get a loud, well defined sound. Strum it lightly and the same sound definition is there, it is just quieter--I have never had a guitar respond to different player inputs as well as this guitar. I would have to define the sound as balanced. It is very easy to bring out the bass or treble in this guitar as needed. The only thing that trouble me, though not to the point of getting rid of the guitar, is a harmonic like sound from the 2nd string. If you pluck the string and stop its vibration, a ringing continues. I called the company and was told this was normal due to the bridge configuration and the ability of the top to vibrate more freely. Due to the quality of the guitar in all other areas, I will overlook this, but can only give a nine. I play the guitar through a Squire PA system and the sound is wonderful, but I mostly play it unplugged; its unplugged sound is what sold me on this guitar.

Action, Fit, & Finish: 10
Some may disagree, but it appears the quality of Breedlove guitars, even those made in Korea is flawless. I cannot find anything wrong with this guitar, and believe me, I have looked!!!

Reliability/Durability: 9
I wish all acoustic guitar manufacturers would put strap buttons on the necks of their guitars. I despise tying a strap to the head stock. However, the shop where I purchased the guitar put a strap button on for me. Everything else on this guitar seems solid. I would not hesitate to gig with this guitar without a backup. If taken care of, this guitar will last a lifetime, even with regular gigging. 9 due to the lack of a strap button and for no other reason.

Customer Support: 10
I've read about the support on this website and everything is true!!! When you call you speak to a real person, not some d*** machine telling you which number to push for this or that. The man I talked to was knowledgeable, and my issue was resolved in less than 5 minutes (see the harmonic issue above). Awesome.

Overall Rating: 10
I have been playing 6 years, and have owned Alvarez's, Takamines, Seagulls, and Washburns. This is my first above average guitar though. All others are in the $400 to $500 range. This guitar lists at $1200, but nobody pays list anymore. I could have bought a Martin, a Larrivee, or a Taylor, but this one was the best of all of them. The Larrivee was a close second, but the sound was not any better and the Breedlove has better aescetics (not that beauty was my main concern, but I did consider it). If this guitar were lost or stolen I would be crushed and would replace it immediately. In fact, as soon as I get the money together, I am going to buy the jumbo in the Atlas series. Also, the people at GuitarX were great to work with and quite knowledgeable, another factor to consider when making a major purchase.

Submitted by Wes Fox at 09/09/2005 20:15

Price Paid: US $640.00

Features: 8
This guitar has everthing you need, Solid Spruce Top, Solid Rosewood Back and Rosewood Laminate Sides. It has a no pin bridge whichgives it a fresh look. The finish is high gloss. Guitar is sold without a case, I have the breedlove gig bag and it is very high quality. It has Fishman pickup, with the barn door EQ mounted in the usual position. This guitar is a 2004 model.

Sound: 10
I was a bit cautious about buying this one without hearing it. Let me put this into perspective.I have several guitars and I'll use them as a comparison for sound. I have a 2004 Taylor 810CE, which sounds really good. This Breedlove blows this Taylor away, yep, I was amazed too. The sound is rich and full with the expected Rosewood bass, not boomy, very very nice. You have to get one of these, you won't be sorry. I don't consider myself a guitar or sound expert buy I have had several high end guitars among them D-35, HD28, D28, Martin 000-15S.....etc, This guitar is as good as or better than any of these. Get One! you'll love it

Action, Fit, & Finish: 9
Perfect, except for the ends of the frets being a little rough along the side of the neck, this could be a result of lack of humidification since I bought this guitar used. Anyway I took one point off just in case.

Reliability/Durability: 10
Seems to be built like a rock. You will need to add a strap buttom on the neck base. I bought this for a backup to my Taylor 810CE, now the Taylor is the backup....nuff' said!

Customer Support: N/A
I really don't expect to ever have to call them, this is very well built

Overall Rating: 10
I've been playing 28 years and I have owned just about every brand guitar out there at one time or another. This is a fantastic guitar at any price. It has a sound that is unbelievable for a guitar at this price point. It could easily be priced at 2000.00 and still be a value since it sounds so great. Buy one you'll never look back. If this was lost or stolen I would replace it immediately, no question about it.

Submitted by Anonymous at 03/27/2005 05:03

Price Paid: US $800

Features: 10
Check with the other review for this info, or check breedloveguitars.com. Bottom line: Awesome aesthetics and materials for a guitar of this price!

Sound: 10
Guitar is a second (or third) axe for me and I play a wide range of pop and jazz. This is about my fourth accoustic, which has been a ongoing process of upgrading as my chops get better. My ears and ego wanted a $2000-$3000 guitar but my wallet knew better. After playing tons of guitars from $700 to about $1500 I really felt that with the tone quality of this guitar, rich and clear bass-not boomy but full, and super clarity while warm throughout, this is a real tough one to beat. Find a dealer, play it, you'll love it!

Action, Fit, & Finish: 10
The first one I got was great but after a little while the action seemed to be getting higher. I went to a luthier and he adjusted it but said there was a problem with the way the neck was set and that it couldn't be adjusted enough to correct the problem. The dealer I bought it from no longer handled Breedlove (ouch) so I called the factory. The great folks there informed me that they had few problems with a particular range of serial numbers and they sent me a brand new one which is absolutely PERFECT right out of the box. See more at customer service.

Reliability/Durability: 9
It seems that they've been able to duplicate much of there renowned craftsmanship and quality in a foreign assembled guitar. I've had Takamine's and played Taylor's and Martin's and this can stack up with anything twice it's price. A five year warranty ought to speak for how well it's put together.

Customer Support: 10
This one's got eleven! After the problem arose with the first one I had and I contacted the Company, I got in touch with the product manager for the Atlas line. He determined that my serial number was in a range of some that had developed some problems, and without further discussion, told me to ship it in and they'd send me a new one. He was on his way to the NAMM convention and passed the responsibility on to a subordinate who called me personally, hand picked me a new one and followed up to make sure everything was fine. The new one is perfect, sounds great, and looks beautiful. Now THATS customer service!

Overall Rating: 10
I'm a degreed, experienced musician, so my ears are picky, but my guitar chops are still meager. With guitar being a secondary instrument for me I can't justify spending a whole ton of bread on them (even though I do). As I've gotten better at guitar I've upgraded bit by bit. I felt so pleased to find an instrument of this tone quality and craftsmanship in this price range. I've drooled over lots of acoustics for 2 and 3 times (and more)more money than this. It's an incredible value and with the 5 year guarantee and the costumer service from these guys how can you go wrong!

Submitted by Jim at 01/31/2005 16:11

Price Paid: US $799

Features: 10
2004 Korean-made Breedlove dreadnaught cutaway acoustic/electric -- slightly more rounded than a traditional dread -- might not fit in all standard dread cases. Solid spruce top (mine has bearclaw figuring!), solid rosewood back, laminate rosewood back & sides. Gorgeous abalone purfling and rosette. Fishman Classic IV under-saddle transducer/preamp combo. Mahogany neck with rosewood headstock faceplate. Beautiful bound neck with ebony fingerboard and Breedlove "Diamond" inlays in abalone. Standard-scale length; nut width 1-11/16" -- great for my hands. String-through pinless bridge. JLD bridge truss system. Glossy finish, but not too thick. Doesn't look or feel like it's over-finished. Gold Grover tuners. No expense seems to have been spared.

Sound: 10
I play live 3-4 gigs a week, mostly solo acoustic. I just plug it into the board and use whatever effects are available, usually just reverb and a light chorus. This guitar sounds excellent plugged in. I bought it as backup for a high-end Takamine (EAN-15C), but the Tak has been relegated to backup status. That's how good the Breedlove is. Unplugged, this guitar is a revelation. When I first picked it up and strummed an E chord, I was blown away. Here was this $800 Korean import sounding better than just about any other acoustic I've ever played -- and that's a lot! The JLD bridge system distributes some of the string tension to the sides of the guitar, allowing the top's bracing to be lighter so the top will vibrate more freely. Incredible piano-like bass, rich midrange tones, and not overly bright yet still sparkling highs -- it's one of the best-balanced acoustics I've ever played. I can't wait to record it.

Action, Fit, & Finish: 9
Initial action was a little higher than I like; after a setup that I did myself, I couldn't be happier. The Fishman under-saddle pickup was not initially evenly balanced, and cables would not stay put in the endpin jack. A call to the Breedlove factory gave me the advice I needed on how to resolve those issues.

Structurally, the guitar was put together well -- clean glue joints, beautiful finish. I now own the best guitar I've ever played.

Reliability/Durability: 10
I'm hopeful that this guitar will withstand the rigors of live playing. Only time wil tell. I've heard good things about this company's guitars, so I'm optimistic.

Customer Support: 10
Customer service at Breedlove is incredibly friendly and helpful. One phone call helped me resolve the issues mentioned above, and I feel confident that they stand behind their instruments. 5-year warranty.

Overall Rating: N/A
I've been playing guitar for nearly 30 years, a working professional for over 25. I've been playing acoustic-electrics all this time, from the Barcus-Berry stick-on-with-gum pickup to the Ovation and on to the Takamine. I've played Taks live exclusivly for the past 15 years and thought no one could do acoustic-electrics better. Like I said before, this guitar blows away my high-end Tak. I certainly wasn't expecting that, especially from an $800 guitar. Bravo to the folks at Breedlove -- they certainly got it right. I can't wait for the next generation of Atlas -- they told me that there's a 12-string model in the works!

Submitted by John Bartus at 01/30/2005 09:03