Gearank

Blueridge’s BR-140 is a Martin-styled dreadnought, at a more affordable price point. The BR-140 is arguably the closest you’re going to get to that pre-War Martin tone while still keeping your budget under $1000.

Because of this, it’s a great deal if you’re looking for a Bluegrass guitar especially. However, the BR-140 is also at home with singer-songwriter work and vintage finger-style arrangements as well.

The best thing about this guitar is that it’s actually made from all-solid woods. The tone you get from this instrument is going to be significantly better than the tone you’ll get from a laminated instrument, making the extra investment worth it if you’re serious about getting good acoustic tone.

Features:

• Body Shape: Dreadnought
• Top: Select Solid Sitka Spruce
• Back and Sides: Select Solid Mahogany
• Finish: Vintage-Toned High Gloss
• Bridge: Santos Rosewood
• Neck: Select Mahogany
• Neck Profile: Slim
• Fingerboard: Santos Rosewood
• Fingerboard Radius: Not Stated
• Number of Frets: 20
• Frets to Body: 14
• Scale Length: 25.6"
• Nut Width: 1 11/16"

Pros

As expected, there are plenty of favorable comparisons with Martin dreads, be it as a more affordable alternative, or as a backup/portable substitute for their expensive guitars. Some even report that it can stand its ground when paired with iconic guitars like the Martin D-18. Many describe the tone of this guitar as being bright with full bass much like traditional dreadnoughts. Owners describe this guitar as being loud and with a rich deep tone while sounding bright and cutting through at the same time - that's a list of tonal qualities you don't often find together.

Cons

There are a few who complain about the action being a bit higher than what they're used to, but this is a common issue among old school American made acoustics. Over ten years ago there were a number of reports that described the tuners as 'problematic', however those issues seem to have gone away long ago - just thought it was important to point that out in case you've seen similar old reports on forums yourself.

Overall

If your're looking for a reasonably priced all solid wood dreadnought based on classic designs, then do check out the Blueridge BR-140.

Although this was previously on our recommended list, there are now more highly rated options available which you can see in our guide to The Best Acoustic Guitars Under $1000.