Did you know that each one of our four Breedlove body shapes is our own proprietary design? How about the fact that all of them are created to offer perfect tonal balance and ergonomic comfort? We know we’ve already posted plenty about this subject. But we’re incredibly proud of these designs, and there’s much more to tell!
This article is the first in a 5-part series focusing on each shape; the Concerto, Concert, Concertina, and Companion. We’ll cover their stories, unique voices, and carefully honed ergonomics. And to kick it all off, we’ll start with a helpful overview of the entire line.
Breedlove Acoustic Guitar Body Shapes
The Concerto
The Concerto is Breedlove’s largest body shape and delivers trademark Breedlove clarity with added power and fullness. Think of it as our version of a dreadnought guitar.
Like dreadnoughts, many of our Concertos are fantastic for heavy strumming, bluegrass flatpicking, or any other style where your guitar needs to get above the noise. That’s why they often sport our Heavy Play Style designation. It may be no surprise then that our Legacy and Premier Series Concertos are a favorite for vintage-approved spruce/rosewood and spruce/mahogany tones.
Like all of our body shapes, the Concerto is based on the Concert (which we’ll get to next), so, while it’s the largest of the four, its narrower waist and unique contours still make it easier to play than many similarly-sized guitars. View Concerto models.
The Concert
The Concert is the definitive Breedlove body shape. When they created the design 30 years ago, Larry Breedlove and Steve Henderson’s goal was to craft an acoustic guitar compact enough to be comfortable but large enough to deliver a rich sound. It was Breedlove’s first completely unique design and continues to define our guitars’ look and feel to this day.
Since Breedlove and Henderson’s first prototypes, the Concert has been about tonal balance and effortless playability. You’ll notice that each note sings evenly and offers excellent string-to-string clarity, making it ideal for recording, as well as nuanced playing techniques.
Ergonomics was also extremely important. Whether playing live or strumming on your own, the guitar’s body had to meld into yours without ever impeding your music. Because of this, Concerts have been adopted by a wide variety of players. It’s also why most of our Concerts fall under our Versatile Play shape designation. View Concert models.
The Concertina
Small-bodied guitars have always been extremely popular, and our Concertina body shows why that is. Like classic parlor guitars, the Concertina is a full-size acoustic that any player would be happy to play. But, thanks to its compact dimensions, it is especially comfortable for young beginners and players with smaller hands.
The Concertina’s tone is also a lot bigger than the guitar lets on. Our selection of clear-cut-free and sustainable tonewoods gives each guitar a full range of harmonics. Its mid-forward and articulate voice are always very musical, and they’re popular for styles like gritty folk and blues. Put one in an open tuning and grab a slide; you won’t be disappointed! View Concertina models.
The Companion
The Companion is the perfect Breedlove travel guitar. Whether you’re a touring musician, taking a guitar on a flight, or packing it up for a camping trip, its smaller dimensions make it perfect for the job.
But the Companion isn’t just a great travel guitar; it’s a great acoustic guitar. Designed and crafted with the same care and attention to detail as our other three body shapes, it makes a worthy addition to every guitarist’s arsenal.
The Companion’s surprisingly full voice is why. While not having the Concerto’s low-end, it’s not supposed to. What it does have is a woody, complex voice with more volume than you’d think. And because of its comfortable neck profile, it plays much like a full-sized alternative. View Companion models.
4 Ways to Find The 1
We want to connect you with the perfect Breedlove acoustic guitar. Helping you understand each of our body shapes is one way we do that. All four cover a lot of tonal and aesthetic territory, and our tonewood, electronic, and construction options mean there’s sure to be one that fits your needs.
Want to know more about each shape? Then keep your eyes peeled on the blog. We’ll be diving into each one in more detail very soon.
