BreedLove RD 20

Price Paid: US $2,500

Features: 9
Dred shaped. 14 frets clear of body. Made in Oregon. Solid Spruce top, B/S is striped ebony, neck is a dark red mahogany. Neck and inside soundhole binding is bloodwood. Abalony inlay around sound hole and purfling. High gloss finish. No electronics. Ebony tuning buttons, Grover tuners. Ebony bridge and fingerboard...bone nut and saddle. Beautiful, solid arched top hard case.

Sound: 9
Nice, reverberating bass, mids and highs are not overpowering...so overall sound is balanced. Some overtones, but not so they're out of control...very nice sustain. I'd describe the tone as warm, not muddy....somewhere between blackwood and rosewood....NOT dry!

Action, Fit, & Finish: 10
Bought used....the set up was great.....right for me.

Everything looks perfect to me.

Reliability/Durability: 10
This instrument could gig with the best of 'em, I'm certain. It's solid. I could depend on it, though I've given up performing in public, just family gatherings now. I'd tell a performer that my Breedlove RD20 is a durable, versatile piece.

Customer Support: N/A
No contact yet.

Overall Rating: 9
I've played about 35 years. I've not played alot of "boutique" builders' guitars, but have played quite a few nice Gibsons, Larrivees, Taylors, a few Martins. I own another fine handmade guitar (a custom OM) and some others....mostly beaters.

This is a very high quality instrument....I'd take it over anything I remember ever playing. A bit pricy, but it was one of 10 (it's no. 5, as a matter of fact) made for their 10th anniversary. It's flashy, and is made from top notch materials. For my taste, it's awesome....I'm proud to show it off in front of others!

Submitted by Randy B at 06/09/2004 11:33

Price Paid: US a tuckload of money!

Features: 10
1993 (third year in production. made in Oregon USA) 20 fret, 14 clear, solid select spruce top. solid rosewood back and sides, fully bound front back neck and head stock with multy layer binding and bloodwood. natural gloss finish with satin neck finish, hand carved and finished neck. dreadnot sized and shaped. with breedloves distinct bridge set up, lets just say the guitar, like all breedloves, is amazing

Sound: 10
this is the whole reason that i did this review to tell potential buyers that this guitar sounds better than any rosewood d size guitar i have ever heard and the other review on this guitar that gives it a 1 has confuesed it with somthing elce, i have no idea what but the first sign that this is the case is that he mentions a maple back and sides, well this guitar is rosewood and sounds great, so dont let his review affect your decision. thanks

Action, Fit, & Finish: 10
its a breedlove!!!!!

Reliability/Durability: 10
You know what im going to say!!!!

Customer Support: 10
These guys are amazing and super helpful with any and all questions.

Overall Rating: 10
if you want a rosewood dreadnot, look no further, go to your local breedlove dealer and play these amazing insturments, you will walk out with one funds providing. there is no better, and for that matter its hard to find an equal, if you do, i bet you that it is twice the expence!!!!! and it will only be found from a company that handbuilds everything, ie... santa cruz, collins, you know the high dollar guitars.

Submitted by vurtrider at 09/04/2001 14:52

Price Paid: US a lot

Features: 9
This instrument is a '94, Oregon-made drednaught. It has the optional quilted maple back and sides and walnut trim package on it, gold Schaller mini's, maple neck. It is a gorgeous guitar. No electronics. Gloss finish, satin neck, beautiful headstock overlay, original hardshell case. It was purchased by me in mint condition. Not a single sign of playing time on the instrument. Not even the lightest scuffing on the pickguard. It has the 1 11/16 nut, nice neck shape, winged pinless bridge. Usual unique Breedlove visual instruments.

Sound: 1
This guitar was purchased to be used as a rhythm instrument for a variety of acoustic music styles. This is where the instrument really fell down. The combination of the maple and the bridge truss system gave it a somewhat diffused, dry tone. That would have been ok. But in addition, it turned out to have the projection and punch of cigar box with a pillow in it. I had the setup done by a fine luthier (and Breedlove dealer), changed strings, nothing helped. I would put it back in the case, stick with my working guitar, go back to the Breedlove and try it again....take it out to my luthier again.
Then the time came when I had to use it for my primary working instrument for 3 or 4 gigs and in the studio. The projection is so poor and diffused that with an SM 57 practically stuck in the sound hole vocals completely covered the guitar. In the studio with the mic almost on the soundboard the engineer had to turn it up about as hot as it could go. And it's still got to be doctored to bring out the guitar. If the sound could get out of the box I think it would be beautiful. But it doesn't. It is not possible to use it for a working guitar. It is an embarrasment to play unplugged, engineers hate it. And it's hard to believe because it is such a beautiful guitar. And not inexpensive. That's why I've stuck with it.

Action, Fit, & Finish: 8
The action was very low when purchased and the instrument had light guage strings on it. In an effort to get more projection I switched to D'Adarrio phosphor bronze, medium gauge, and had the action set up. Not much change. Then I went to Elixir mediums and that was the single greatest improving factor but was still not adequate to compensate for whatever the inherent problem is with the guitar. Other elements of fit, finish and action are excellent. It is a beautifully made instrument with a very agreeable neck profile.

Reliability/Durability: 8
This is a pampered guitar. It was seldom played out. Because of the sound problems, after about 5 or 6 gigs and/or recording sessions, I quit taking it out. So I cannot reasonably comment on durability. The finish, hardware and general build quality seem to be such that it would be an outstanding instrument for years to come, though because it is lightly built it would have to be handled with care. In fact, after playing this and 4 or 5 Breedloves over the last several years, I have the personal (and purely subjective) sense that they're made to keep at home and play for one's personal enjoyment. The only instrument I would take to a gig without a backup, at this point, is my Larrivee L. Though I always prefer a backup.

Customer Support: 3
Because I am a working musician with a tight schedule and the usual shortage of money, my view on the customer support issues may well be slanted. Take them with a grain of salt. First, when I had to use the Breedlove as a primary working instrument and discovered that even using excellent equipment it couldn't be satisfactorily mic'd, it jammed me in a crack. I contacted Breedlove by e-mail to see if there were modifications they could make or recommend. (Knowing that they had changed the design of their D's - no bridge doctor, x bracing, opened up the sound hole...)After about 3 weeks there was no response from them. So I sent a second request. After about a week there was no response. So I sent a third request. Then received an e-mail from Steve Henderson suggesting I call. The usual customer service guy was out. I called. Steve Henderson was polite but suggested that I didn't know what a maple guitar should sound like. Then suggested that I take it to a luthier and have some adjustments made in the bridge truss. It was also implied that a more objective and experienced person would agree that there was no serious problem with the instrument. He also said it was likely that it would have to go the factory but that no significant improvement could be made. All in all, it was not an inspiring encounter. Especially involving a very expensive hand-made guitar.

Overall Rating: 5
I have been playing for about twenty years, off and on. I took a long hiatus and now have been hard at it for the last 5 years. My partner and I have a retired '43 Gibson, a retired '74 Mossman, and now use a Larrivee C 05, L 05 and L 19 as working instruments. I probably should have returned the Breedlove when I first purchased it. I just couldn't believe that such a beautiful instrument could have fatal sonic problems. That was my faulty decision making. If it were lost or stolen I would not replace it. Too much trouble and expensive disappointment. The wood and the quality of construction in the Breedlove are superb. It is an artwork. But I am not a collector. The sound was terrible. If a hand-made acoustic can't be played unplugged then it's not worth much. Before I bought I compared the Breedlove to a variety of major high-end makers. I chose the Breedlove because of the beautiful work and the distinctive styling elements. I ordered this one and so didn't have the comparison advantage with the specific instrument.

Submitted by Anonymous at 08/04/2000 11:33