True Harmony

Machines buzz and sanders vibrate as craftsmen instill life into Bend’s legendary Breedlove guitars. Inside the factory where these acoustic instruments are assembled, the smell of fresh wood pervades as artisans maneuver bare hands to build individual pieces of the instrument. These elements then tenderly fit together into a balanced whole, just like within the company of Two Old Hippies Stringed Instruments.

“It is the harmony of how all these things work together,” said Colin Besancon, Breedlove Stringed Instruments USA brand manager. Besancon is referring to the instruments and their distinct sound, but he could just as easily be discussing the company and its evolution from a single dream to a world-renown reputation.

Breedlove celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, commemorating the milestone with a limited edition guitar modeled after the first Breedlove built in 1990. The roots of this company, though, began years before.

Roots of Artistry

Kim Breedlove was surfing the beaches of Mexico in 1974, when he decided to begin building guitars. The artisan always loved to work with his hands, and he ran in the same San Diego social circles as Taylor and Goodall guitar founders. Kim Breedlove underwent a tutelage learning how to build banjos and guitars, and continues his guitar-building artistry as master luthier and designer for Breedlove.

Founded by Kim’s younger brother, Larry Breedlove, and friend, Steve Henderson, Breedlove officially launched in 1990. The company entered the scene building high-quality and custom guitars, and today continues to hone that credibility through multiple lines of both mandolins and guitars.

Breedlove first set up shop in Tumalo, an ideal location to build instruments, said Besancon, with a dry climate and proximity to different kinds of woods. And as the company evolved, so have the facilities. The factory moved to Northwest Crossing, and then to its current and expanding workspace in Southeast Bend.

In 2010, Breedlove joined Two Old Hippies Stringed Instruments, which today also consists of Bedell Guitars and Weber Fine Acoustic Instruments. The “head hippies” are Tom and Molly Bedell, and their employees are referred to as “co-hippies.” The company, true to its spirit, promotes an attitude of peace and connection, complete with a soul-searching mentality.

“The No. 1 belief we have is the golden rule, in building these instruments and working as a company,” said Besancon. That underlying foundation is to embody a sense of compassion for one another, for the world, for the products, and for the environment.

‘Woodstock’

In the factory, it is difficult to miss “Woodstock,” a room with bookshelves of raw wood sustainable harvested from around the world. Dirt clings to some planks, possibly cut by a family who gathers fallen trees in Alaska, or perhaps myrtlewood collected from the Oregon coast. It is in Woodstock that the “wood librarian,” Joel Chaney, carefully selects the resources that will make up the contour of the instrument’s body.

Wood choice is one of many factors that make Breedlove guitars so unique. There is rosewood from Brazil, Sitka spruce from Alaska, and Koa from Hawaii — all of which determine the tonal character of the guitar.

“Every piece of the process is done on purpose to create specific sound,” said Sami Mulher, marketing services and artist relations.

The captivating sound of Breedlove is defined by the instrument’s note to note clarity and balance, said Besancon. It is the balance of all the pieces coming together that forms harmony, both in the guitar and in the process of constructing it.

“It’s individual craftsmen that do their part in making it collective,” he explained.

The craftsmen work intently, efficiently and with focus at individual stations, listening to a dusty boom box adhered to the wall with sawdust resting on the factory floor.

Art, passion and science intertwine to create the sturdy grace of a Breedlove guitar. Science, such as wood densities and Euclidean geometry that determines projections of angles across planes, collides with art and passion, and ultimately innovation. These ingredients seamlessly combine, so the strings that vibrate resonate with a clear and balanced frequency.

If anything, the emotion a guitar evokes should be pleasure, said Besancon.

Breedlove & Musicians

Breedlove guitars are played by all types of artists, and in all types of venues. The instruments may be heard anywhere from an open mic night at Strictly Organic, to the stage at the Tower Theatre, to the Sasquatch Music Festival at the Gorge.

Franchot Tone, a local singer and songwriter, walked into Breedlove in 2009.

“They took me in as a family member,” he said. They wanted to support him, and help him be successful.

When Franchot Tone’s main performance guitar broke while opening for Marc Cohn in Florida, Breedlove quickly sent a loaner guitar free-of-charge so the musician could continue to play.

“What I love is how it feels like a family culture,” he said. “It’s a close relationship with the artists, the employees. It doesn’t feel like a corporate situation. It feels smaller and intimate.”

Other artists who play Breedlove instruments include Dallin Bulkley from Larry and His Flask, Chris Funk from The Decemberists, country singer Craig Morgan, and “The Voice” contestant Luke Wade.

Many such artists play on custom guitars, a process that is a famous Breedlove practice and harkens back to the company’s roots. Patrons can choose the wood, shape and inlays on the guitar’s neck.

“It can be more than an object,” said inlay artist Jason Chinchen, about the guitars. He helps customers design ideas, from sketchbook to finished inlays, creating images on the instrument’s neck. “It’s tapping into people’s stories and what they hold dear,” he said.

Whether it is a custom instrument, an Oregon series guitar made from Northwest wood, or a contemporary-designed mandolin, Breedlove continues to grow and evolve. The company has a definite plan for the future, and for the production of these beautiful pieces of art, always made in harmony.

“The future plan is more of the same,” said Besancon. “Keep innovation alive, balance science with an artistic approach, keep the passion alive, and speak to the people.”