# General Mandolin Topics > eBay, Craig's List, etc. >  Blueridge Guitars

## banjoboy

I'm looking for an inexpensive guitar. I'm considering Blueridge 160A or Eastman 10 or 20. Anyone have experience with these guitars?

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## Mark Miller

I have a Blueridge 160. Loud and well balanced and has great tone for bluegrass and early country. It sounds best to me when I'm playing Carter-style (with a flatpick)--it has a great twang for that style. Also sounds great for digging in on a blues.  Contrary to some Blueridge enthusiasts I do not think it has the sound or playability of a Martin. But then it's 1/3 of the price. When I finally bought a Martin I bought an OM-21 because I mainly fingerpick on the guitar now. But I haven't been willing to sell the Blueridge. That says something I guess. For the price I don't think you can beat it. Mine is Sitka not Adi though.

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DavidKOS, 

jim simpson

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## ptmurphy

I have a Blueridge 160A. I gave around $700 for it on Amazon in 2012. I wouldn't normally buy an instrument off of Amazon but with their return policy and the low price I took a gamble. I'd buy it again in a minute. My brother bought a new Martin HD-28 shortly thereafter (it was the best sounding guitar we could find in Little Rock that day), and we lined them up and really compared them. His had a little more volume and tone in that low punch, but my Blueridge was very close. Of course every instrument is different, but I thought it was an interesting comparison with them both being brand new. 

Mine is probably not as playable as a good Martin, but with a skilled setup (not my tinkering) I think it could get there. If I were playing it at gigs rather than the mandolin, I would probably pay to have a little work done on it. Currently it rarely leaves the house. 

Overall, with it not being my primary instrument, it cured my desire for a quality guitar. I imagine it will be years before I seek out anything better.

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jim simpson

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## Gail Hester

My husband bought a Blueridge BR-243A which is one of their top of the line mahogany-000 models.  It was an Adirondack topped model which they stopped making for awhile and was difficult to find a few years ago.  He ordered it from an obscure place on-line and we were horrified when it arrived rattling around in a plastic bag in a box, no padding or packaging whatsoever.  Fortunately it was in perfect condition and has become an everyday player.  It plays like a fine guitar should and sounds beautiful and records well.  It’s not a Martin-000 but at a fraction of the price it has been a very nice instrument.  I would recommend them, at least the upper end versions.

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DavidKOS

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## Mark Wilson

Played one at a jam so I couldn't hear all the fine points.  But...

Plenty loud with a full bottom end.  Played easy.  I would easily recommend it in it's price range 

imo

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DavidKOS

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## Three-Dz

I had a BR-160a for a good while, loud and very responsive. The only thing I couldn't get use to was the thin neck, but that's just a matter of preference. I think you can't beat them for sound and build quality for the price!

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## Cary Fagan

I owned a blueridge dread, not sure the model but it wasn't expensive, and then sold it to a person in my jam.  She brings it every week instead of her Martin because she finds it easier to play with a slimmer neck and really likes the sound.

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## Larry S Sherman

I have the BR-140A and really love it. High quality for a low price.

I got mine online from Maury's Music (NFI), and had them do a setup and change the pins and strings. I bought it without a case and found a nice used Santa Cruz case here on the classifieds that fits like a glove.

Larry

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## DavidKOS

Blueridge does a good job of providing good instruments at a reasonable price point. I used to work at a company that wholesaled them and got to check out several hundred of their guitars, and they were very good for what they were.

Overall Saga makes fine instruments - my current Gypsy Jazz guitar is a Saga Gitane JJ sig "tuxedo" model, and it sounds and plays great.

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## almeriastrings

They really are terrific value. A person I teach has one, a 'hog dread with adi top. For what he paid, it is a very good sounding guitar indeed. Personally, I am not so fond of the thin neck, or the garish headstock overlays a lot of them have, but... you come back to that price tag and the sound they can be capable of. They can hold their own up against some far more pricey guitars. If you want "finess" and the extra 10% or whatever of tone then, as always, it costs, and you don't get a Martin or Collings at a Blueridge price....

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DavidKOS

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## CES

I've played several Eastman and Blueridge guitars at local stores. As with import mandolins, there is a fair amount of variation from guitar to guitar. One BR 160 legitimately equalled the D28s hanging on the wall with it, several of the others, not so much. But, they were all good guitars, no dogs, including the BR 140s. I also played a cutaway Eastman OM model and a dread that were awesome guitars, rivaling much more expensive ones. Some of the others I've played were not spectacular, but, again, none were dogs.

I have a friend with a Blueridge parlor that has a gorgeous piece of wider grained spruce on top, and sounds fantastic as well. Seagull also makes some nice instruments, though their skinny headstock is not my favorite look, and Yamaha makes some really impressive inexpensive guitars. Also, consider Epiphones's Masterbuilt series...

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DavidKOS, 

gtani7

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## Jim

I have a BR OM Spruce over Mahogany, Great sounding and playing instrument, Got it at a Pawn shop for $80 in need of a bridge saddle, a truss rod adjust and a nut recut. It is Loud with good tone and can hang with a BG jam.

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## Friggs

I know you are talking about dreads, but I will chime in about my 000. I have a BR-162 which is a 12 fret 000. It has amazing tone. To me it has that Martin tone. Or at least close to it. Build quality is fantastic. I could not find anything wrong with it. When I did install the LR Baggs Lyric pickup I noticed the back of the top was rough as it seems it was not sanded down to a nice smooth piece like others are. But you don't see it and it does not affect the tone it seems and it is one way for them to save a few dollars. The back and sides are sanded inside. I really, really like it. I would be very upset if something happened to it and I would be trying to get another one. If I had the funds I would be buying more of them for sure.

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## colorado_al

I've been really happy with my Blueridge BR-40TCE Tenor that I modified into an octave mandolin. Great tone and sustain, very nice woods and finish, comfortable neck.

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## Folkmusician.com

I sold quite a few Blueridge guitars back in the day...  Always great values.  Our household beater is a BR-70. Something happened to it and I couldn't sell it as new. It doesn't sound as good as the All solid models, but it is nice for what it is and has proven quite durable. It has never seen the inside of a case.   :Grin:

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## Stephen Perry

Both really light up with a bit of tweaking.  Excellent values, more a matter of taste.  I am trying to come up with generalizations and failing - there is indeed variation!

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## remellick

I have a BR40T with golden gate hsc for sale as a matter of fact!

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## catmandu2

I've owned the B*G* guitars 60 and 160 - these 'slope-shouldered' models emulate Gibsons rather than Martin dreadnaughts.  They're great for the price (at least when I got mine 10 years ago - dont know what they are now) - punchy with good tone - great old-timey instruments.

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## Andrew B. Carlson

We got a BR-160 a couple months ago. It's a phenomenal guitar for the money. Not as complex as my authentic Martin, but it did make me feel a bit sheepish. It sounds that good for that little.

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