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Post subject: Late Spring GAS Attack.. !!
Posted: Fri Jun 14, 2013 1:11 pm
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As I wander further down the path, I find that my sense of Tone is improving... so much so that my Epiphone AJ just isn't cutting it anymore. It has good bottom, but muddled mids. Add to this that it has a passive pickup and sounds very poor when plugged in.

So yesterday, I visit several local git shops to check out some quality mid-priced (<$1000) acoustics. I tried some Martins, Fenders, Taylors, Breedloves, Seagulls, Yamahas and was fairly disappointed. The guitars in this price range use laminates, poor hardware and are either made in Indonesia or China. I liked the Seagulls the best, but they seemed a little short on bottom-end.

At the last store, the owner tells me that they just started selling a new (to them) guitar - the Blueridge from Saga Musical Instruments. These are made outside San Francisco using updated traditional designs, ALL Solid Woods, quality hardware (Gotoh) w/ Bone nuts and saddles. I pick out a Blueridge BR-160CE and WOW !!

This guitar leaves all the others in the dust ! Solid Sitka Spruce Top, Solid Indian Rosewood Back & Sides, Mahogany Neck, Indian Rosewood Fretboard, MOP/Abalone inlays, beautiful Herringbone binding on the Body w/ Tortoise PG and a Fishman Prefix Plus pickup. All made in USA !

Great feel and action, very good tone. Played it for 2 hrs. alongside a Yamaha A3R, a Taylor 712ce-N, an Epiphone 'Dave Navarro', a Martin GPC4R Performing Artist, a J35 Gibson and a Taylor 316ce. Although each of these cost more (except the Epi), none of them sounded better, and the build quality of the Blueridge stood above them all.

Got it w/ HSC out the door for $740 ! Gonna give the Epi to my friend's 12 y.o. kid who's starting out.

Blueridge is kinda off the Radar, but if you get the chance, check them out, it'll surprise you.

cheers!

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Post subject: Re: Late Spring GAS Attack.. !!
Posted: Fri Jun 14, 2013 5:10 pm
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Lightning...Very nice score :!: Sounds like you got a nice new partner to enjoy. And I commend you for passing the Epi on.

T2

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Post subject: Re: Late Spring GAS Attack.. !!
Posted: Fri Jun 14, 2013 5:28 pm
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Not trying to be disrespectful in any way, but I always thought Blueridge guitars were made in China. Correct me if I am wrong though.
Regardless, they are great sounding guitars, and congrats on the NGD!


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Post subject: Re: Late Spring GAS Attack.. !!
Posted: Fri Jun 14, 2013 6:35 pm
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Congratulations Lightnin MN a beautiful guitar, hope it'll satisfy the G.A.S. attack for a little while :lol: rock on Bros!

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Post subject: Re: Late Spring GAS Attack.. !!
Posted: Fri Jun 14, 2013 6:47 pm
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FatNWeak wrote:
Not trying to be disrespectful in any way, but I always thought Blueridge guitars were made in China. Correct me if I am wrong though.
Regardless, they are great sounding guitars, and congrats on the NGD!


The Historics line are USA made.

EDIT: These are USA designed, Chinese made.

Still, so are the Taylors, Martins, etc. in the same range.

But unlike the others, these are all solid construction not laminates.

Country of Origin is not important to me so far as an individual guitar is concerned. There are Cherries and Lemons from every Factory/Country. Had this particular guitar had a Made in China label on it, I wouldn't have hesitated to buy it (though I must admit I might not have even tried it... such are the prejudices and fallacies of CoO when it comes to individual instruments).

My MIM Tele sounds/plays great... better than a CS Tele owned by my instructor (according to him). And this Blueridge plays beautifully and better than the others I tried side-by-side - and for $ hundreds less.

cheers!

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'11 FSR Am. Vtg. Ltd. Ed. CAR '57 Stratocaster (SN# LE02639)
'14 American Deluxe Ash Stratocaster
'12 Telebration Empress Telecaster
'99 Deluxe Nashville Telecaster
'12 FSR Telecaster HH
'10 Heritage H-535
'99 Martin DC-1E
'13 Lanikai Tenor Ukulele


Last edited by Lightnin MN on Sat Jun 15, 2013 12:30 am, edited 8 times in total.

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Post subject: Re: Late Spring GAS Attack.. !!
Posted: Fri Jun 14, 2013 7:05 pm
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Merry New Guitar Day!

She's a beaut...congratulations.

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Post subject: Re: Late Spring GAS Attack.. !!
Posted: Fri Jun 14, 2013 8:29 pm
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Congrats on getting a great guitar,Blueridge guitars have been getting really positive reviews in all the guitar oriented publications that carry out tests on them.My local Mom and Pop shop has started selling them too,which speaks volumes because they only deal in better quality gear.

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Post subject: Re: Late Spring GAS Attack.. !!
Posted: Fri Jun 14, 2013 9:47 pm
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Where's the pics, nugget?

It doesn't happen here without photos.

:mrgreen:

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Late Spring GAS Attack.. !!
Posted: Fri Jun 14, 2013 11:04 pm
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Retroverbial wrote:
Where's the pics, nugget?

It doesn't happen here without photos.

:mrgreen:

Arjay


Yea... I know... I know... you're right... but it looks just like the one on the link above.

Mrs. Lightnin MN left yesterday for Columbus, OH for a client tasting for the Presidents Cup in Sept.

She took my camera to shoot the buffets for her company's new website page.

I'll have the camera back on Thursday, by way of the US Open, so I'll post pics then.

cheers!

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Image

'11 FSR Am. Vtg. Ltd. Ed. CAR '57 Stratocaster (SN# LE02639)
'14 American Deluxe Ash Stratocaster
'12 Telebration Empress Telecaster
'99 Deluxe Nashville Telecaster
'12 FSR Telecaster HH
'10 Heritage H-535
'99 Martin DC-1E
'13 Lanikai Tenor Ukulele


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Late Spring GAS Attack.. !!
Posted: Sat Jun 15, 2013 8:06 pm
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Glad you found something that makes you happy. thyat was a noble gesture to pass the Epi on to the lad.

Enjoy!


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Post subject: Re: Late Spring GAS Attack.. !!
Posted: Sat Jun 15, 2013 8:06 pm
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Location: North of Pittsburgh
Glad you found something that makes you happy. thyat was a noble gesture to pass the Epi on to the lad.

Enjoy!


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