move successfully beyond the lines of tradition, but this guitar gorgeously illustrates
how Breedlove has helped bridge forward-thinking and old-world styles.
The neck is a fingerstyle-friendly 1 3/4"
at the nut, and the slim, one-piece mahogany neck has a 16" radius. Our Focus SE
also came with an L.R. Baggs Element
Active undersaddle system with a simple
Volume and Tone control, though it can be
ordered with other electronics, if desired.
Play it whisper-soft and you’ll get a
crystalline, delicate tone. Dig in, and
the Focus SE rocks without significantly
blurring overtones.
1 3/4" nut
Warm and Snappy
From the very first strum, the deep-bodied
Focus SE sounds full and brilliant. And
Ebony tuning
buttons
Ebony fretboard
at home in a lot of playing situations—
though it really works best as a fingerstyle
machine. The warm-but-snappy tone is
something you can get lost in. The active
pickup system is outstanding and a great
match for the guitar. Factor those gorgeous looks and the buttery playability,
and this guitar is ready for all comers—
even in this rarefied price range. If you’re
ready for a 6-string that’s something out
of the ordinary but playable under every
situation, the Focus SE will not let you
down.
it begs one to question why more luthiers
don’t take advantage of the walnut-and-redwood combination. It’s quite loud, projects extremely well, and is responsive to a
light touch—all of which translates to great
dynamic range. Play it whisper-soft and
you’ll get a crystalline, delicate tone. Dig
in, and the Focus SE rocks without significantly blurring overtones. That dynamic
range is great news for fingerstylists who
work in alternate tunings. DADGAD
sounded simultaneously dark and brilliant,
thanks to the snappy-but-deep qualities of the walnut back and sides—which
sound a bit like a cross between rosewood
and mahogany—while the redwood
has the warm detail of cedar. Likewise,
C–G–D–G–B–D tuning became deep
and swampy—almost hypnotic—as it sustained. There’s plenty of punch and power
for expressive use of the lowest and highest
ranges, and the essential voice of the guitar
remains intact and consistently lovely.
One reason for this Breedlove’s impressive sustain may be the 91. 5 degree neck
angle, which increases tension a touch
without sacrificing playability. The JDL
Bridge Truss also makes it possible to
put a bit more tension on the top. The
combination of the two construction elements makes the guitar exceptionally lively. The action on the Focus SE was a little
high right out of the box, but I used the
included hex wrench to crank the neck
relief a hair, back where I like it.
I tested the Focus SE at a solo festival
gig, and I was so confident that it would
handle whatever I threw at it that it was
the only guitar I took with me. I had no
regrets. With an L.R. Baggs Para Acoustic
DI in front of a rather shoddy PA, the
guitar still sounded warm and lovely. And
throughout a set in which I employed
three different tunings in brutal heat,
harsh humidity, and a fierce wind, the
Focus SE hung tough, and the pickup
sounded fantastic. If you’re a gigging musician, that’s what you want—a guitar that’s
versatile, rugged, and sweet sounding in
a multitude of musical and performance
environments. I can’t imagine putting a
guitar through a tougher gigging situation,
and the Focus SE navigated all if it while
sounding great and looking mighty stylish.
The Verdict
The Focus SE is a stellar acoustic in
almost every respect. It’s gig-ready and
Rating:
Buy If...
you need a professional, gorgeous
workhouse that plays like a dream,
sounds like an angel, and is ready
for any gigging situation.
Skip If...
your playing style veers away from
fingerstyle-friendly realms and
toward more traditional fare.
Breedlove Guitars
Street $3999
breedlovemusic.com
or use a mobile device to download
audio clips of the guitar at
CLICKHere…
