The processes that can be done more in line with mass production are done offshore since this is a production centered guitar. The engineering, final production/finishng, assembly, and setup I understand are done in Oregon. This method allows Breedlove to outsource production rather than assume the cost of expanding domestic production facilities which IMO would probably be the most expensive component of production.

While I like the fact that The final details are taken care of in the US, AS A CONSUMER I AM NOT WARM AND FUZZY about the use of Made in the USA. This kind of disrupts one of the factors of sound, feel, quality, and ORIGIN that I consider when breeching the $1.5K price range.

Regardless of this "hybrid" origins, mine sounds great, along with the others I have played, and it does have a lifetime warranty. Granted this stigma on my part could just be "vanity", but with my purchase I had expectations (MADE IN USA) that I am not completely comfortable with being interpretted in a way that creates doubt for me as a consumer.

stevezenof wrote:

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Thanks for posting the video. I believe the Breedlove employee in the video describes the manufacturing process more transparently than Breedlove's marketing materials (e.g., Web site).

As the Breedlove representative in the video puts it, "It's sort of half made over there (Korea) and then half made in our shop (Oregon)..."

For Breedlove to currently promote in their marketing materials (e.g., Web site and press releases) that the Pro Series are "Made in the U.S.A." is misleading to consumers, in my opinion.

Just look at their current guitar comparison chart which discusses the origin of their guitars: http://www.breedloveguitars.com/instruments/guitars/pro/pro_compare.php. It currently says their Custom Shop and Pro Series guitars are both "Made in the U.S.A.," while the Atlas series is "Made in Korea." Additionally, their recent Pro Series D25/SR news release clearly states its a "USA-made instrument."

I love the sound and quality of Breedlove guitars but am troubled by their current Pro Series marketing approach. Their current marketing practices are not in the prospective guitar buyer's best interests.

I guess the lack of "transparency" is the thing I find disconcerting is the whole thing. I also think the association of this guitar with their soley AMERICAN MADE guitars is what is troubling and I didn't have all the facts before my purchase. I relied on the label which is open for interpretation and I am discouraged by the fact I didn't have the opportunity answer whether it would have made a difference.

I guess it could be chalked up to "semantics". But the like employee says in the video "1/2 made".

To muddy the water even further in this global partnership of crafting a instrument, I leave this concept to consider. Historically and presently, some artists have employed assistants to aid them in creating their works of art. Some artist have delegated the whole work to assistants under the artist's direction. Who should be recognized for the work of art?

To tie this together. Breedlove has a concept/design, they employed someone else to produce components under their direction then ship components to the USA for completion and final touch to custom shop details/specs.

Really the argument should focus more on the instruments merits, pricepoint, and the competition, but buying guitars is emotional too.

omegaman41658 wrote:

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If I may elaborate on one, albeit not necessarily soothing point, for anyone who is disgruntled. My understanding is that with regards to Atlas, before Pro and Roots, a huge amount of time is devoted by the high ups in Tumalo traveling to and fro Korea. Not a few days every two months, how's about half of most, if not every, month? Supposedly they are animals about Q.C. and settle for nothing short of the best they can provide for their customers. That comes from a reliable source, so I just wanted to add that to the mix here. Highly fascinating discussion.

As an aside, I buy shirts made in Sweden for my clothing store, Eton. I buy 100 each season, that's $22,500 of retail dollars, not cost. They sell for 225 each or so. That's 45,000 each year. We just got some in that say, made in Slovenia, and Romania. Guess what the vendor told me? Nothing. Until I called and asked what's up with the new country of origin labels. He went on too tell me about the labor force dwindling and the costs rising in Sweden. I was pissed. He assured me that this line I have been buying since 1989 was just as good from these factories they own there. I felt better; we shall see. The world is changing. Global production and labor forces are combining rapidly. If the Swede is right, it's really a matter of management. Somehow, I feel Breedlove has this same attitude. Stay on top of it all. For 1499.00, it's a lot of guitar, there's still very much American roots in it. They proved a winner with Atlas, they honed a system for making them successfully. So this is a hybrid off of two proven winning systems.

Just my .02.

You are absolutely correct about the global implications and I think for my part the discussion is two fold; academic and emotional. My mind and reasoning tell me this part of the global movement which is means for small companies to survive or succeed. My emotions tell me that "Made in the USA" means the complete process or major fabrication is done domestically. The truth is the guitar is a Breedlove and you are right about the guitar's merits. It is a fine guitar and this production arrangement is not unlike some of Fender's guitar production methods. I recently had an opportunity to play a Breedlove concert body custom shop and it was awesome and even though they were produced differently than the Pro series and contained different tone woods, I could readily tell their family relationship.

We are accustomed to global production partnerships on so many other products but for me I was caught off guard when it happened to my "guitar" purchase. I have mentioned the "emotional" aspect of this topic and must also mention a factor that is far more fundamental; perception. The "Made in USA" , among other things, plays into the emotional aspect of the purchase. Perception affects emotions and as perception matures so do emotional responses. So whats the answer here? Well, that's a matter of personal opinion/perspective and is what has made this conversation educational.

I'm in a business management curriculam and this Made in USA topic has been very informational. I sometimes offer to my small local music shops the importance to market beyond our locality and guess what; Breedlove execised that very concept. Why?...maybe like any business to survive and succeed at what they do. Does that give businesses a pass on ethics? No.

At the heart of it is music and I hope, and think so, that Breedlove's intentions were true to their delivery of quality instruments to buyers at competive prices. They expanded their base by producing this instrument and I hope they are successful because they do truly build what I consider some of greatest sounding instruments I have played.

Thanks for the discussion!

ragtime man wrote:

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Capt06 wrote:

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At the heart of it is music and I hope, and think so, that Breedlove's intentions were true to their delivery of quality instruments to buyers at competive prices. They expanded their base by producing this instrument and I hope they are successful because they do truly build what I consider some of greatest sounding instruments I have played.

I think it would be hard for Breedlove to survive in the guitar world if they had just stayed with the custom guitars and the few others they were making. The Atlas and the Pro give them a much larger base to draw customer from and I wonder if there was some thought also about getting the buying "in the door" with a Pro or an Atlas and maybe their next guitar will be a Masterclass. With the price of the MasterClass guitar not everyone is going to spend that amount of money for a guitar.
ragtime man

I think your right and that point is somewhat muted by the "question" or "interpretation" of the Pro Series origin. The series fits nicely between the Atlas and Custom Shop. I hope to continue my progression into maybe the model I played recently. It was a spruce/myrtlewood and the tone was striking. Since demoing guitars in the $1K-$3K range, Breedlove has been my most liked. This experience has moved me away from Taylor, Martin, and Larrivee. Not that they are bad, it just seems very few of them appeal to me where I find numerous Breedlove samples I like.