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New Breedlove solids target 'Gibson Gap'

Gary Cooper Aug 1 2008, 10:04am

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Fast-growing US acoustic brand introduces affordable, chambered solid-bodied models.

Breedlove is set to launch a new range of affordable, chambered solid-bodied electric guitar known as the Z-series. The instruments will be in UK shops before Christmas and are aimed directly at filling the market gap left by Gibson’s new dealership policies, says UK distributor, Go To Guitars.

The first two Z-series Breedloves - the Mk 2 and Mk 4 - are being built in Korea and follow the designs of existing Breedlove solid bodied models, but the newcomers have also received extensive input for the UK market, including work by UK guitar guru Trevor Wilkinson (pictured working on a prototype), who was called in as a consultant to advise on hardware and pickups. The result, says Go To’s Tony Owens, is a pair of guitars that will sell, complete with a fitted solid case, for around £600 but which will perform like £1,000 guitars.

"This was originally going to be a US project for Breedlove, but that changed when they found out that we were losing Hamer," says Owens. "We’ve worked very closely with Breedlove, helping them a lot to find other European distributors and making the UK their most successful export market.