Godin Guitars

[ransacker]

Are there any Godin players out there? LGXT? LGX? Any other 13 pin fiends out there?

[tms13pin]

That would be me. Though I've sold all three of my Godins in the
past year, I really did like all of them. Had a LGX-T, Jazz Multiac,
and a Nylon Multiac ACS. Never played the Nylon, the jazz was
nice but with only the single front pup wasn't really what I
needed for what I was playing, and the LGX-T... well, I got a
great deal on a Brian Moore C90p.13, so that axe was getting
all the rock attention, and I got a super nice Gadow Custom
Hollow 13-pin axe for semi-hollow stuff.

But, I'm still a big fan of Godins and could certainly see myself
picking another one up sometime.

--Tom

[Neill]

I thought I saw that Mahavishnu JM is playing them now...

[The Eristic]

I don't have any SA models yet, but I will. I currently own an LG-SP90, a Radiator, and a Glissentar. Looking at a second Radiator, too.

[Jon Silberman]

LGX-SA for me, currently with Z90s.

[tiltrite]

loving my MOTS radiator. best $175 (used) i ever spent.

[leofenderbender]

LGXT here in transparent red...

I replaced the neck pickup with a Suhr DSV Bridge (yes bridge) and the bridge pickup with a Voodoo '59 bridge. The neck is as jazzy as can be - the bridge is twangy with a lot of pop. The 2 & 4 positions on the selector are wired to split the two pickups - the 3 (middle) position combines the neck and the bridge split coils into one big humbucker.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y277/leofenderbender/GUITARS/Pos3split.gif

Occasionally I play through the VG-88 but most of the time it is my jazz axe. It plays great, the neck is perfect, and the tremolo is extremely stable.

[PierreL]

Got a LGX-SA. Great guitar, it has a Duncan Jazz in the neck position and a DUncan Custom Custom in the bridge position. Very versatile, smooth neck. I haven't been using the synth output for some time now, but it was working flawlessly, and the piezo sounds are coll , if not very natural.

[yanquii]

The LG guitars are awesome, and priced incredibly well.

[Douglas Baines]

I have a Radiator and I love it!

[zzzezums]

LGSP90 for me as well. Nice guitar at a great price point, but it's my 3rd (of 3) in terms of playing time behind my Reverend Commando GT and '62 Reissue Tele.

[Crazyquilt]

My lone Godin is a Glissentar. I wanted one for several years, and finally got one. Incredible instrument.

[rollyfoster]

i was really expecting to find more godin threads/discussion around here. i have my eye on the velocity right now. any input?

[The bear]

I have a multiac grand concert SA that I play alot.

[FlyingVBlues]

I recently picked up a Godin LGXT that I'm using with a Roland GI-20 GK-MIDI Interface and the Sibelius G7 Guitar Tab Notation software to do transcriptions. I think the guitar tracks well and it's a comfortable instrument to play. I've tinkered with it as a controller for soft synths and it worked great.

FVB

[rollyfoster]

what are their necks like? they *look* like a pretty comfortable guitar.

[Nebula]

5th avenue with a Lollar P90 at the neck
Radiator
SD

I love the 5th Ave & the Radiator. The SD gets played every once in a while, but the I play the other two all the time.

[guitar5]

My first guitar was an SD figured top. That thing played like butter and had a decent sound to it.

[rollyfoster]

am i imagining this or did i really fall in love with an 11-string nylon fretless electric years ago? i've never seen one since.

[FlyingVBlues]

what are their necks like? they *look* like a pretty comfortable guitar.

The neck on my LGXT is mahogany with a ebony fingerboard, 16" radius, 25 1/2" Scale, Tusq nut, and 1 11/16" nut width. It feels somewhere between a Les Paul '59 profile and a 60's slim taper. The back of the neck is unfinished, and feels very smooth and comfortable. It has locking tuners which work well. The fretwork is pretty good. When I received mine the action was pretty high, which was quickly resolved with a truss rod adjustment and a little additional tweaking.

FVB

[Jack Dotson]

Just picked up my A6 Ultra and really like it. The neck is just a little thin for my taste, but I'll get used to it.

I also played one of the new Signature Summit's while looking for my A6 and want one bad.

Really good guitars IMO.

[sinner]

My ebony 5th Avenue Kingpin just came via FedEx like 5 minutes ago! Looks good, gonna take it home in a minute to plug it in.

[rollyfoster]

i'm getting a godin. sweet!

[BBOP]

I have tried out several in stores and except for their affordability have been less than impressed with the workmanship especially the montreal and other semi hollows. I understand though why the nylon may be popular reasonably good sound and excellent playability.

[rollyfoster]

do you remember which models you've played? what didn't you like about the workmanship?

[baxen]

Here's mine, bought it right here on TGP. Its lotsa fun plugged into a Roland guitar synth. "http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq54/boroax/DSC_0026.jpg"

[The Eristic]

am i imagining this or did i really fall in love with an 11-string nylon fretless electric years ago? i've never seen one since.

Terrible pic, but hey!

http://inlinethumb09.webshots.com/24648/1146069696049709270S200x200Q85.jpg (http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/1146069696049709270jhvgIK)

[Paul Conway]

Speaks volumes, I think, that McLaughlin uses a (relatively) cheap Freeway SA.

[Pietro]

Here's mine, bought it right here on TGP. Its lotsa fun plugged into a Roland guitar synth. "http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq54/boroax/DSC_0026.jpg"

Baxen, is that the one that was mine? I loved that guitar, looks like it has a good home now!

I've had 3 Godins, a Multiac Jazz, a Nylon-string, and my Flat Five X. All played and sounded great. The necks and fretwork are great, they are really pretty, they're good sounding. The neck pocket is solid, the neck shape feels nice.

I have kept my Flat Five X for about 5 years. It gets some good playing time even though I have far more costly guitars now, too.

[fup]

do you remember which models you've played? what didn't you like about the workmanship?

Had an LG w/ p-90 a few years back. Actually the guitar played very well and I enjoyed it quite a lot but man, the fingerboard & fret job are the sloppiest I've ever seen!
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h175/coocooegg/Godin%20Fretboard/1st.jpg
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h175/coocooegg/Godin%20Fretboard/17th.jpg
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h175/coocooegg/Godin%20Fretboard/10th.jpg
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h175/coocooegg/Godin%20Fretboard/20-22.jpg

[baxen]

Baxen, is that the one that was mine? I loved that guitar, looks like it has a good home now!

I've had 3 Godins, a Multiac Jazz, a Nylon-string, and my Flat Five X. All played and sounded great. The necks and fretwork are great, they are really pretty, they're good sounding. The neck pocket is solid, the neck shape feels nice.

I have kept my Flat Five X for about 5 years. It gets some good playing time even though I have far more costly guitars now, too.
Hi Pietro, you are correct, thanks again for a great deal on a nice guitar! I don't play it alot but its a nice break from the more common stuff I usually play. It even makes me feel creative every once in a while.

[Pietro]

Baxen,

way cool! So glad you enjoy it!

[rollyfoster]

i now have a velocity on the way!

[Jack Dotson]

Had an LG w/ p-90 a few years back. Actually the guitar played very well and I enjoyed it quite a lot but man, the fingerboard & fret job are the sloppiest I've ever seen!
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h175/coocooegg/Godin%20Fretboard/1st.jpg
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h175/coocooegg/Godin%20Fretboard/17th.jpg
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h175/coocooegg/Godin%20Fretboard/10th.jpg
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h175/coocooegg/Godin%20Fretboard/20-22.jpg

Wow! That's awful. Someone was having a bad day when that guitar was built. Are you the original owner? I ask because that actually looks like damage. I need to take some close up's of my A-5. Action is too high and I need to file the bridge down a bit, but overall build quality is pretty good. Not custom shop, but pretty good.

BTW, I had to go through 3 Gibson ES-339's before I got one that didn't have an issue and they're supposed to be custom shop. I could see file marks on the binding of all but one, the Gibson logo inlay one one was terrible and I don't recall the other issue. The last one I got was perfect.

I think it boils down to luck of the draw on who built the guitar and how they felt that day. What's really a shame is that allot the supposed cheap guitars which are being built overseas seem to be much more consistent. Some of the stuff coming out of China is exceptional.

This is why I like to buy local where I can see and play the guitar first when possible.

[wemedge]

I had a multiac jazz. loved the neck, best feeling neck I've had. The guitar itself was too heavy, through.

The workmanship on mine was fine, but I had my local shop bring in a Montreal and the inside of the guitar (seen through the F holes) was horrendous. really bad, looked unfinished. literally. like someone hacked away and did not bother to smooth it out. there was a piece that looked like a wood shaving, only still attached to the guitar. weird. This was supposedly a new guitar direct from their supplier.

I only saw that one guitar, so I have no idea it was an aberration or not. However, the multiac jazz I owned was nicely finished. impeccable.

wemedge

[2leod]

I have an LGX with the stock Godin pickups (the one in my avatar) -

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a62/2leod/LGXpups.jpg

it plays really nice, I replaced the tuners because the plastic knobs on 4 of them were cracked or broken (poor design, the plastic was too thin around the gear drive post). I've been wanting to try different pickups and the combo leofenderbender mentioned earlier intrigues me!

[fup]

Wow! That's awful. Someone was having a bad day when that guitar was built. Are you the original owner? I ask because that actually looks like damage.

Yes, I was the original owner. At fist I thought maybe it was damaged by in-store demoing too but look at the 2nd pic, I don't see how some one's able to nick the fingerboard on the low E side 17th fret except during the fret installation. Later on I checked a few more Godin's in the store, while their higher end ones are fine, all of their lower end ones all have issues such as excess glue, scratchy fret slots, uneven rolled fingerboard & stuff like that.

But I gotta say all of these issues are only cosmetic, they don't really hinder the playablity so if you don't mind the aesthetic, GFY! :D

[rollyfoster]

maybe you're just a good photographer, but i really want to sink my teeth into that rosewood. it looks delicious!

[Rock Johnson]

I had a Freeway Classic I should've never gotten rid of.

[daddyo]

Godin's a big company producing tens of thousands of guitars a year so they shouldn't be in this Small Luthier's forum. Their guitars are functional and well made even though the finer details of finishing may be rough. They top the bang for buck division.

[rollyfoster]

WOW!!!!!!!!

the velocity arrived and this HDR system is incredible. it's like having a clean boost built into the guitar. i imagine it's similar to a stratoblaster. the neck is liquid and this thing is a hell of a machine!

http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l147/rollyfoster/IMG_0400.jpg

[KRosser]

I have a Glissentar...

I never really checked out their electric guitars much until today, when I went out and played several LGXT's...I dunno...I think I really, really dig them and they have a feature set that might be very useful in my work

[Nergalled]

Godin Artisan ST. Old pic, it now has Duncan Blackouts. Came with a Schaller Floyd, Birdseye top, and Birdseye neck with a Rosewood slab board. Great guitar for metal, and hard rock.

http://i42.tinypic.com/332uivc.jpg

[syncroquebec]

Just bought a Godin Passion RG3 this summer. Limited edition, meant to be THE single coil strat new reference. I can tell what are the + and - since I also own half a dozen various Fender strat models.

Indeed, pickups definition, clarity, liveliness and output power are awesome. Also has a revoicer switch that change the output and the range of each pickup at will. Plus tone plus the 5 way switch, this gives you many many sounds configurations. And I can tell, a lot of very good ones. The Sweet Home Alabama opening (4th position) is ... over and better than real, same thing for Sultans of Swing soloing. With the revoicer on, hard rock classics sounds so good (China Grove, Hearthbreaker, Tom Petty's stuff).

A special mention : the middle pickup is really something. Often, it's the forgotten and unused pickup, besides on the 2nd and 4th switch combination with either the neck of bridge. On this Godin, the middle pickup is pushing real good sounds so I'm using it a lot know.

Chambered body, astounding finish and quality control, a real plush aligator flightcase that contains a top-notch gig bag into which you store the guitar, hmm ! what else, a neat job.

On the minus side, I don't like much the upper fret access. A thad too beefy for shredding. That's about it for Godin experience.

[Pietro]

Anybody want a fantastic Godin? Check this out!

http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showthread.php?p=6906751#post6906751