GEAR REVIEW
BREEDLOVE ’ S NEW DISCOVERY S CONCERTO SS ACOUSTIC GUITAR | Bruce Adolph
KEY FEATURES
• Sustainably sourced tonewoods
• EcoTonewood mahogany back and sides
• Solid Sitka spruce top
• Comfortable mahogany neck
• Pinless bridge makes string changes easy
Years ago I met Tom Bedell at a NAMM Convention when he launched his overseas made Bedell acoustic guitars . The mother company ’ s name was Two Old Hippies and I gave him a tie-dye shirt with the outline of an acoustic guitar on it as a gift . He liked it ! Tom had gone out of his way to make a very good guitar in China that was priced well . He had an inexpensive parlor size Bedell that a friend of mine bought who still proudly proclaims to this day what a great sounding instrument it is for so little money . My friend was right .
Soon after that Mr . Bedell purchased the popular Breedlove guitar company in Bend , OR , and Weber Mandolins ( a very good brand ), based out of Bozeman , MT . He then moved Weber and Bedell brands to Bend so they could all work alongside each other . line of acoustic guitars , they have added another important layer to this unique design goal and to sustainability … EcoTonewood .
EcoTonewood isn ’ t a synthetic material to replace tonewoods ; it ’ s the opposite . It ' s a laminate material featuring two outer tonewood plies with a center ply of African mahogany for added resonance . This makes it a whole grade above regular laminate woods and Breedlove has gone out of their way to have complete environmental sustainability .
Now let ’ s look at this specific model in the extensive ECO Collection – the Discovery S Concerto SS . This larger body acoustic sports player-centered innovations including a toploading bridge ( I don ’ t know why every acoustic guitar doesn ’ t have this feature – it is way easier and quicker to change a string ), a solid Sitka Spruce top , the mahogany EcoTonewood back and sides we already discussed and a unique neck profile . The thinner neck feels comfortable in your hands and a slight roundness to the edges of the fretboard add to that comfort level while playing . It has a quick-playing African mahogany neck with a radiused fretboard and a narrow nut width . Chrome tuners and the Breedlove Wave headstock shape works well on this acoustic .
From the company ’ s beginning in 1990 , Breedlove has focused their efforts on unique designs and on offsetting their impact on the planet without compromising the quality of their instruments . Their approach to sustainability led Breedlove to create their Tonewood Certification Program and commit to visiting the locations where their timber is harvested to ensure that their sustainability standards are met .
Now with launching their new ECO Collection
But now for the sound . Does this
EcoTonewood really make a difference or is it a fancy sales pitch to get around using the “ L ” word … laminate ?
Using a flatpick , the sound is full and rich – pleasing to the ear . The resonance is where their new technology wins the day . This guitar really rings true and the chords / notes lasts a while before fading away .
EcoTonewood works ! I then switched to fingerstyle playing and this guitar sounded