In a recent analysis by OnDeck of more than 500 brands and nearly 2 million Tweets posted by customers across the United States, a revelation emerges: Bend-based Breedlove Guitars is one of the most beloved local brand in Oregon, garnering 75.9% of positive feedback.

The analysis uses an artificial intelligence sentiment software called Hugging Face API, which reviewes millions of tweets expressing emotions for various brands across each state. The purpose of the analysis was to search for the highest percentage of positive feedback for local consumer brands in every state.

In this Q&A, The Bulletin sat down with Robert A. Beattie, the marketing director of Breedlove Guitars, to delve into the brand’s rich history, its commitment to sustainability, innovation and craftsmanship, and its appeal that has captured the hearts of guitar enthusiasts in Oregon and beyond. Beattie’s responses have been edited for length and content.

Bend guitar company purchased

Bend guitar company purchased

Q: How has the company evolved since its creation in 1990?

A: The company was founded on the principle of innovation and kind of doing things a little bit different than the status quo. A couple craftsmen, Larry Breedlove and Steve Henderson, were working for another guitar company in California but wanted to do something different. So they came and started the workshop in a small red barn in Tumalo. In 1994, Kim Breedlove, brother of Larry Breedlove, ended up taking over and running it for about 25 years. He was the master luthier until he sold the company to Two Old Hippies in 2010. By 2012, the company moved to the east side of town and into an expanded facility that is quite a bit larger as we needed more room for growth.

Breedlove Guitar Co. to move

Breedlove Guitar Co. to move

Q: How has being based in Bend influenced the brand’s identity and approach to guitar-making?

A: Central Oregon is a really good place to build guitars because it has a good climate — it’s dry and consistent. And then if you look at the ethos of Bend, and this whole area, there’s a lot of care for craftsmanship, sustainability, outdoor recreation and the music scene plays a big role. All those things are part of our brand and the lifestyle of Bend and they all go together pretty well.

Q: How does the brand stay true to its commitment to sustainability and using ethically sourced materials?

A: We spend a lot of time playing outside in the beautiful scenery of Central Oregon. We feel a strong desire and commitment to take care of our natural wild places. We’re the only company that is fully sustainable across all the different product lines, meaning we don’t use any clear-cut woods in our products. We go to the forests we source from and do the due diligence of researching to make sure that it is in fact ethically harvested and sustainable.

Q: Can you highlight some of the notable innovations that were introduced by Breedlove Guitars and how they have contributed to the brand’s reputation for quality and sound excellence?

A: I think the most visible point of innovation is if you look at the different sizes of guitars that we build. Traditionally, luthiers have been building guitars with traditional body shapes like dreadknots and parlors. We have all our own unique body shapes and we’re the only manufacturer that builds these body shapes. Another innovation is we pioneered the use of Myrtlewood. This wood wasn’t used traditionally to build guitars and I think it’s been over 25 years now that we have been using it in our guitars. We really pioneered that species in the guitar space.

Q: How does Breedlove Guitars balance preserving traditional craftsmanship while also adapting to meet the demands of a wider audience?

A: Well, if you look at the guitar manufacturing landscape, companies are always trying to get more efficient so they can be a little bit more profitable. But sometimes that comes at the price of losing the craftsmanship. I think we have a really good balance between utilizing technology where we need to but then also really relying heavily on a lot of handwork and a lot of craftsmanship going into every piece, making them unique. If you take craftsmen out of each step and everything was just an assembly line or mechanized, you’d really miss the art form of guitar making.

Q: What makes Breedlove Guitars stand out among other guitar manufacturers and how has the brand made a distinct identity in the market?

A: I think, from a value standpoint, we are definitely the leaders in sustainability and making sure that we’re doing the right thing for the forest and the planet. When it comes to guitars themselves, we always look at tradition and analyze it, but we’re not scared to take a different path if it leads to a better sounding instrument. I think that innovative challenger mentality makes us unique and drives us away from tradition if it gives us a better product.