GEAR REVIEW
BREEDLOVE’ S ROOTS SERIES CONCERT SME EDGEBURST | Bruce Adolph
When I heard that Tom Bedell had sold Breedlove Guitars last year, I was curious to see what the next step for the Oregon based company would be. I’ ve had a good relationship with Breedlove over the years and was hoping that would continue. Who is at the helm you ask today? Longtime Breedlove artist and singer-songwriter Pete Mroz and music industry executive Shannon Pollard is the answer. So far, I have seen two smart moves by the new owners. One, they decided to stop having Breedlove’ s made overseas in Far East Asia. They are focusing solely on the American made guitars hand built in Bend, OR. And two, they assigned the“ Wave” headstock shape( originally designed by Kim Breedlove back in the early 2000’ s) to be the main headstock on all models moving forward. In my mind it is way more subtle than their earlier headstock shapes and will appeal across the board to far more players.
In this Root Series they offer three body shapes; the dreadnought, concert and parlor( traditional shapes they offered in past years but not in any
of the product lines in the past decade), and they gave me a choice of which body shape I would like to review. With the growing popularity of smaller to midsize body stage instruments in the modern worship music genre, I chose the concert. The Concert SMe Edgeburst to be exact. It comes with a LR Baggs Hi-Fi pick-up system for the worship platform and a deluxe hardshell case to protect it while getting there.
Opening the case was a treat. The Edgeburst stain Sitka tonewood top looks inviting. Once I picked it up and started playing a few things jumped out at me all at once. First, the wide nut( 1.75”). Normally a must for fingerstyle players but my fingers just loved having all this room to run. Two, the soft“ C” neck shape. It was a little thinner than I thought it might be but felt great in your hands. And three, the sound. It was big and balanced. Soft and sweet when I wanted it to be and then boomed when I wanted to hit it harder. I loved the rounded bass and entire tonal range. The set up of the action was spot on.
First impression was in the“ Wow” category. Then you factor in the feature set of a hand voiced solid Sitka top and Honduran Mahogany back and sides – all made in the U. S. A. for $ 2,899 with that deluxe hardshell case I already mentioned, and I was sold.
Add to this Breedlove’ s own nickel 18:1 ratio tuners, a bone nut and Koa wood rosette and this new Roots Series is a home run. I like the back and sides-stained satin finish too. This guitar is light weight, plays and sounds great.
I spent time at the NAMM Show in the Breedlove booth and was able to see all their new instruments. So, what do I think about the new direction Breedlove is going? I would say that they are already making“ Waves”( headstock shape pun intended).
Go try one for yourself …
Retail $ 2,899 www. BreedloveGuitars. com
52 March 2026 Subscribe for Free...