Breedlove Pursuit Exotic Tenor with pickup?

Hi!! I'm a (primarily classical) flutist who has been casually learning ukulele for about 7 years. Last year I joined an acoustic folk/avante garde/cross genre band and we have started writing music together, which has brought me a lot closer with my ukulele, as it's where I feel the most comfortable composing. This whole time, I've been playing on a $40 Makala dolphin soprano.... and it's definitely past time for an upgrade.
I've been looking around online for a reliable tenor that is around $400 USD and could be used for playing in a chamber folk setting-- something intermediate that I can use for writing, live performances, and recording sessions. I have gone through the extensive process of testing and buying a flute but I don't really know anything about the process for ukulele (or for any string instrument)- my flute knowledge makes me want to try out a lot of them to compare, but that doesn't seem like something people do, and it doesn't seem very possible either. A few weeks ago I went to GarageCenter and bought a Breedlove Pursuit Exotic Tenor with a solid Myrtle top and laminated Myrtle back and sides plus their in-house brand of pickup for $300. It came with Aquila Nylgut high G strings, but I plan on at least getting a low G string if not an entirely new set-- I know some people don't like them but honestly I didn't replace the original strings of my soprano until a few months ago so any strings sound really nice to me. (Full disclosure, it was the only tenor they had, but they have a 180 day return window so I decided to take it home and just see.) I really enjoy it both aesthetically and sonically. It seems to have been constructed very well and it feels comfortable and the right weight. I think it has a good ring, but I don't feel like I know what to look and listen for. Does anyone have thoughts on my purchase choice? Should I return it and get something of higher quality for the same price or a little bit more?

So TL;DR, I bought a Breedlove Pursuit Exotic Tenor with a pickup for $300 and I'm wondering if I should return it and get something with more bang for my buck. Also, what are some good low G tenor strings to buy?

Welcome to UU trafficjelly!
I can't comment on your purchase, but play it a lot and you should be able to compare it to your soprano. See what you like and, more importantly, what you dislike, what you miss and so on. Give Mim (https://mimsukes.com/) a call with your requirements. She is brilliant and she will find you a fantastic tenor. She has recently become a distributor of Flight ukuleles. She should have a few options in your price range.

I am also primarily a flutist, but since picking up the uke my flutes and traverso don't get the attention they deserve.

I have that same Breedlove tenor. It was one of my first tenors, that I managed to pick up at a discount. At the time, I was comparing it to a Gretsch tenor that I purchased for close to the same price. The Gretsch had gotten a lot of favorable reviews, but I think this Breedlove was easily the better instrument, and the Gretsch went back. But as I said, I happened to find this tenor at a discount. At $300, it has stiffer competition with brands such as Kala, Ohana, and Mainland--some of which come in all solid body. That said, I don't think it's a bad buy, even at full price, and if you like the way it sounds and plays, that's what's most important.

I've since picked up other tenors that I prefer (but also cost quite a bit more), and I've designated the Breedlove as my travel tenor, though I usually use smaller ukuleles for travel, and what with everything going on, I haven't been taking ukes outside as often. For those reasons, the Breedlove isn't getting as much play, but I like it enough that I think I'll hang onto it. It's a good uke. And for me, it hits a sweet spot between cheap enough to travel with but still nice enough to like what I'm carrying. Plus in your case, you have a lot of time to think about it. I'd suggest hanging onto it unless you find something else that you clearly prefer.

But if you want some other suggestions, I'm not the biggest fan of Kala, so I can't say for them, but you can contact Mim about Ohanas and Flights, and there are some all-solid Mainland tenors for about the same price as your Breedlove. I don't think you'll find myrtlewood at this price range though, and my instinct is to tell you just to hang onto the Breedlove since you like it and it's a decent instrument.

I like Breedlove in general. They make good guitars and ukuleles. There are certainly better out there, but that’s true for just about any brand. What matters is whether YOU like it. If you like the tone and playing it is comfortable, you should keep it and make it your workhorse for your band. Experiment with strings and see which ones fit you and the ukulele the best and write everything you can. Most importantly, just have fun!

thanks so much yall!!!

Hiya, I came across this post because I have the same Breedlove ukulele and I am looking for strings that I will like. I adapted the ukulele myself to fit a wound low G ( i used a guitar string). I love the low G but recently I changed the other strings using D'Addario Ukulele Nyltech strings and I really dislike them. They are thicker than usual and I can't get a good tone with the thicker string and my small fingers. Wondering if you have found your favorite strings yet?!

I bought one of these a few years ago also from guitar center. Right now I’ve got it strung with Fremont blacks and a soloist low G.

lils said:

Hiya, I came across this post because I have the same Breedlove ukulele and I am looking for strings that I will like. I adapted the ukulele myself to fit a wound low G ( i used a guitar string). I love the low G but recently I changed the other strings using D'Addario Ukulele Nyltech strings and I really dislike them. They are thicker than usual and I can't get a good tone with the thicker string and my small fingers. Wondering if you have found your favorite strings yet?!

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Use classical guitar strings with high tension. Don’t use wound strings with nylon. It’s unbalanced and sounds horrible. You deserve better

If you are open to fluorocarbon strings, you might try UkeLogic high tension strings on your Breeflove. I believe the Low-G wound string they include is a Freemont Soloist. I bought mine on Etsy. But, TUS (The Ukulele Site) sells them as well.

I have the purely acoustic version of this. It is a sweet uke and the best value of any uke I own.

I switched to low G early and the best strings for my ears and fingers are the Aquila reds. I'll admit a string popped for seemingly no reason, but that was after 2-3 months of frequent play.

Jim