Blueridge BG140

[AlanSam]

Hi Josh - In response to your question, this from my original post -  ' ... I have personally owned a Blueridge BG140 solid Mahogany b&s, Sitka top slope dread and found it to be a good guitar, especially for the price. Does it sound like a Martin - well a lot more so than it sounds like a Taylor or Eastman. And acceptably resonant, quite punchy when you need it. It's a bit of a looker too if you like that kind of thing. But the 1 11/16" nut was a tad narrow for me, and I had to buy my own [hard] case. But still good value for money. So if you are in the market for a slope hog dread it may be worth a look ...'

On reflection, three years later, I was a bit hasty posting that review as evidenced by the fact that I quickly moved it on.The tuners were poor and the neck never felt right. Sounded rather good though. I didn't own it long enough or play it often enough to offer a deeper assessment, but this is the exact same model:-   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAsOXAu9ndU

I must get it out of my system and buy me a good, light J45 with a dry resonance and a neck I am fully comfy with even if primarily for strumming. This means displaying a bit of patience and if necessary travelling a ways to get hands on before buying. A dark batwing over sunburst would be good - a screw through the top less so.

[Charlieb]

I have a BG 60 I've had for close to 25 years. I broke a tuner button off probably 10 years ago and it hasn't had strings on it in 10 or more years. I tuned the guitar up the other day and had to use a pair of pliers to tune string with broken button. Stings are very dead but it tuned up nicely and still played nicely and sounded pretty good with 10 year old dead strings.

I'm getting a very good tech friend of mine to put new tuners on it and do a setup. He said, who know you may have a diamond in the rough lol maybe but I'll probably try and sell it once I get the new tuners and setup done...my mandolin shipped today so I'll probably be pretty busy practicing for quiet a bit.

[campacj]

I have a BG 60 I've had for close to 25 years. I broke a tuner button off probably 10 years ago and it hasn't had strings on it in 10 or more years. I tuned the guitar up the other day and had to use a pair of pliers to tune string with broken button. Stings are very dead but it tuned up nicely and still played nicely and sounded pretty good with 10 year old dead strings.

I'm getting a very good tech friend of mine to put new tuners on it and do a setup. He said, who know you may have a diamond in the rough lol maybe but I'll probably try and sell it once I get the new tuners and setup done...my mandolin shipped today so I'll probably be pretty busy practicing for quiet a bit.

I have a Blueridge BR-140a (a for Adirondack) that I have owned for three years or so. It is a very good guitar with rich sound, great playability, impressive projection, and excellent build quality. It is also quite a looker. Blueridge makes great guitars, especially for the price. If you can't afford a Martin, and I know a lot of folks can't, I think Blueridge is a considerable and satisfying alternative.

[AlanSam]

here is a demonstration, not a review, of the bg60 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiRFtI-av18

If push came to a shove I could probably live with a good laminate b&s guitar - but not a laminate top.

[GraemeN]

Hi Josh - In response to your question, this from my original post -  ' ... I have personally owned a Blueridge BG140 solid Mahogany b&s, Sitka top slope dread and found it to be a good guitar, especially for the price. Does it sound like a Martin - well a lot more so than it sounds like a Taylor or Eastman. And acceptably resonant, quite punchy when you need it. It's a bit of a looker too if you like that kind of thing. But the 1 11/16" nut was a tad narrow for me, and I had to buy my own [hard] case. But still good value for money. So if you are in the market for a slope hog dread it may be worth a look ...'

On reflection, three years later, I was a bit hasty posting that review as evidenced by the fact that I quickly moved it on.The tuners were poor and the neck never felt right. Sounded rather good though. I didn't own it long enough or play it often enough to offer a deeper assessment, but this is the exact same model:-   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAsOXAu9ndU

I must get it out of my system and buy me a good, light J45 with a dry resonance and a neck I am fully comfy with even if primarily for strumming. This means displaying a bit of patience and if necessary travelling a ways to get hands on before buying. A dark batwing over sunburst would be good - a screw through the top less so.

I also considered a Blueridge BG140 while on the hunt for a "budget J45". They seem few and far between, but I eventually found one used, 15 years old but still near mint condition, and went to meet the seller. It sounded quite nice, but not really that similar to a Gibson J45, and build quality just felt a bit cheap, the neck and headstock seemed to lack weight and density somehow. I passed on it, and bought a Epiphone IBG J45 instead. Build quality is great, although its heavier than a Gibson (and sounds like a heavier guitar too, less responsive). But I'd actually say its closer to a Gibson J45 tone than that Blueridge was, I just need to strum a bit harder or use a thicker pick to get a J45-esque tone out of it. Definitely worth a look if you still can't bring yourself to buy an actual Gibson J45.

[Westy]

I used to own a BG-40 and was quite impressed by it actually it played nicely and it's one of the guitars I wish I still had.
It got replaced by a J-45 which really wasn't a whole lot better, sure it had a bit more volume.

When I was on the hunt for a new guitar this time I seriously considered a Blueridge BG-160 or 140.

Funny story I sold my Blueridge very cheaply to a workmate whose Uncle then put it into a charity container to be sent to Tonga when he was drunk.