# Godin Custom Shop-NAMM 2017



## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

Some interesting specs on these guitars in the fret board and pickup choices. And, yep, they are beautiful.


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## 5732 (Jul 30, 2009)

I'll take one of each.


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

I like the use of higher end pickups,... TV Jones, Lollar and Bare Knuckle.


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

Most of Godins stuff isn't my cup of tea but that Montreal Premier with and without the Bigsby is very nice. Love TV Jones pickups. This guitar is a total take on everything Gretsch but at least it's an improvement on Godins original designs.


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

They are also using Richlite on at least two of the fretboards in the video.


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Steadfastly said:


> They are also using Richlite on at least two of the fretboards in the video.


Couldn't care less about whether it is Richlite or 300 year old ebony. As long as it works good, feels good and sounds good.


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

Steadfastly said:


> They are also using Richlite on at least two of the fretboards in the video.


Glad they're finally catching on, others have been using it for years.


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

Robert1950 said:


> Couldn't care less about whether it is Richlite or 300 year old ebony. As long as it works good, feels good and sounds good.


I agree and think it is a good thing. I watched a Taylor guitar video about ebony and the only way they could get black ebony was to cut the tree down and open it up. If it wasn't black, it usually got left on the forest floor. So a lot of ebony was cut down and left to rot just because it wasn't pure black.


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## LanceT (Mar 7, 2014)

vadsy said:


> Most of Godins stuff isn't my cup of tea but that Montreal Premier with and without the Bigsby is very nice. Love TV Jones pickups. This guitar is a total take on everything Gretsch but at least it's an improvement on Godins original designs.


Something I agree with you on. Love the Premier.


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

LanceT said:


> Something I agree with you on. Love the Premier.


I don't love it but I think it's one of the nicer guitars they're putting out.


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## jdto (Sep 30, 2015)

I'd very much like to check out a couple of these. The TV Jones pickups are a huge plus.


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## LanceT (Mar 7, 2014)

The Premier is one of those guitars I'd eyeballed when I got back into playing. Just never picked one up but it remains on my hit list.


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## Larry (Sep 3, 2016)

Godin makes Quality Guitars, ......... materials & craftsmanship are top notch, i think they are highly undervalued. I have compared them with the Big Boys and always come away shaking my head, why the others are 4 & 5 times the price.


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## sambonee (Dec 20, 2007)

totally undervalued. And a great Canadian success story. I think there up to 200,000+ guitars a year. .


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

Larry said:


> Godin makes Quality Guitars, ......... materials & craftsmanship are top notch, i think they are highly undervalued. I have compared them with the Big Boys and always come away shaking my head, why the others are 4 & 5 times the price.


Yes, they pay attention to detail. They also are one of the most forward thinking companies making guitars today. Some of their best models aren't cheap but they are not priced over the top like you mentioned in your post. Their highest pricing tops out at just over $2000.00.


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## sulphur (Jun 2, 2011)

Nice features on some of those guitars, the aftermarket pickups are a bonus.


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

The thing I find with Godin is they don't have anything of their own that's iconic and you can only go so far copying other peoples designs. They still have a ways to go but I'm glad they're doing it. Hopefully they can keep prices affordable and jobs in North America.


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## jdto (Sep 30, 2015)

vadsy said:


> The thing I find with Godin is they don't have anything of their own that's iconic and you can only go so far copying other peoples designs. They still have a ways to go but I'm glad they're doing it. Hopefully they can keep prices affordable and jobs in North America.


It's sort of tough to have an iconic new guitar design these days. Pretty much all the shapes that would be conducive to a comfortable guitar have been done by someone. I guess Godin realize that, so they do their takes on proven designs and then add some cool features.


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## Rollin Hand (Jul 12, 2012)

vadsy said:


> The thing I find with Godin is they don't have anything of their own that's iconic and you can only go so far copying other peoples designs. They still have a ways to go but I'm glad they're doing it. Hopefully they can keep prices affordable and jobs in North America.


Guitarists aren't exactly known for flocking to new ideas in droves. It happens, but still....these guys have to make money to keep going.


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

Rollin Hand said:


> Guitarists aren't exactly known for flocking to new ideas in droves. It happens, but still....these guys have to make money to keep going.


They gotta do what they gotta do.

I've always wanted one of these but fear of putting myself in the ukulele by association camp and the price has always hindered my best efforts.


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## LanceT (Mar 7, 2014)

vadsy said:


> They gotta do what they gotta do.
> 
> I've always wanted one of these but fear of putting myself in the ukulele by association camp and the price has always hindered my best efforts.


This is totally you.


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

LanceT said:


> This is totally you.


Thats what I'm thinking as well.


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## KapnKrunch (Jul 13, 2016)

Godin Core P90. My best "budget" guitar ever. Good match for Traynor GuitarMate reissue. Love it. Take them anywhere. No worries. 

Played the inexpensive Fifth Avenue with one P90 at L&M. Liked as much as my old Gibson 175. Bought Core instead.


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## jdto (Sep 30, 2015)

KapnKrunch said:


> Godin Core P90. My best "budget" guitar ever. Good match for Traynor GuitarMate reissue. Love it. Take them anywhere. No worries.
> 
> Played the inexpensive Fifth Avenue with one P90 at L&M. Liked as much as my old Gibson 175. Bought Core instead.


Yeah, I liked the Core CT P90. I rented one for a month and enjoyed it. Wish they had a slightly fatter neck, because I probably would've bought it.


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

KapnKrunch said:


> Godin Core P90. My best "budget" guitar ever. Good match for Traynor GuitarMate reissue. Love it. Take them anywhere. No worries.
> 
> *Played the inexpensive Fifth Avenue with one P90 at L&M. Liked as much as my old Gibson 175*. Bought Core instead.


As loved as those 175's are, that is quite the positive comment for Godin's Kingpin I. I was wondering if you can share how they compare acoustically?


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## KapnKrunch (Jul 13, 2016)

Steadfastly said:


> As loved as those 175's are, that is quite the positive comment for Godin's Kingpin I. I was wondering if you can share how they compare acoustically?


This may be the second time I am screwing up today, but here goes-- 

I bought a single cutaway gibson archtop with two P90 in 1970 for $350. As near as I can tell, today anyway, it was the es175. Correct me if I am wrong. I have searched the web and its the closest...

I owned it for awhile but sold it to Ring Music in Toronto for $200 and a Gibson lap steel. I don't think he thought much of it either. Neither Gibson instrument impressed me all that much. I don't miss either one. 

Its acoustic power was nothing special. BTW, i have a friend who has fortune in Vintage gear and these days he is exclusively playing his inexpensive Godin Fifth Avenue (acoustic, no pickup). You better try one i guess.

Sorry I can't A/B them for you. 

When i see the price of a 175 today, either i am mistaken or their "value" is a joke. Like i say correct me if i am wrong. The 125 has no cutout. The 135 is too thin.

But I do miss the Fender Bassman I played those guitars through ($200), never shoulda sold that.


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## johnnyshaka (Nov 2, 2014)

I finally changed the strings and sorted out the intonation on my "new to me" Core HB this week but haven't had much time to play it just yet...soon, I hope!


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

KapnKrunch said:


> This may be the second time I am screwing up today, but here goes--
> 
> I bought a single cutaway gibson archtop with two P90 in 1970 for $350. As near as I can tell, today anyway, it was the es175. Correct me if I am wrong. I have searched the web and its the closest...
> 
> ...


I have a 5th Avenue Kingpin II and even with the two P90's mounted in the top, it is still acoustically responsive. For that style of guitar, I haven't found one more acoustically responsive at any price point. So I was wondering what your opinion was.


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## Maxer (Apr 20, 2007)

vadsy said:


> Most of Godins stuff isn't my cup of tea but that Montreal Premier with and without the Bigsby is very nice. Love TV Jones pickups. This guitar is a total take on everything Gretsch but at least it's an improvement on Godins original designs.


I for one would rather see Godin return to their original body designs and profiles rather than doing their own take on Strats and Teles, just like so many other copyist companies are already doing. I'd rather play an SD or an LG than a Session or a Summit, however nice those guitars are. Godin tends to be shortchanged by many guitar players but for my money they make great stuff. I just wish they would bring back fresh iterations of some of their first models. Their upper fret access and sculpted bodies made for superbly comfortable and playable guitars - and they have their own DNA going on. My .o2, natch. Your mileage may vary, yadda yadda.


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## aC2rs (Jul 9, 2007)

I would love to own a Godin electric guitar (or more), my problem is that I can't find a good selection of them locally to try out.
The local L&M stores might have 1 or 2 in stock but not much in the way of choice.
I have always thought any of the Godins that I have seen represented excellent value.


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## KapnKrunch (Jul 13, 2016)

Steadfastly said:


> I have a 5th Avenue Kingpin II and even with the two P90's mounted in the top, it is still acoustically responsive. For that style of guitar, I haven't found one more acoustically responsive at any price point. So I was wondering what your opinion was.


You asking me? My opinion is they are great value. Acoustically good as it gets. I agree, stop copying and go original. Pretty much what the fans are saying here.

Far as copying goes, i am actually proud that my CoreP90 is one of the rarer "lawsuit" models that gibson forced them to alter. I think the pressure came because Gibsin was being outdone in both quality and price. 

One more thing. A lot of you know that I swear by my Fury guitars made by Glenn McDougall. Glenn says that Robert Godin is a good guy. Something that matters to me, i dont know about you. (I own a different famous guitar and Glenn says: "I'd cross the street to avoid that asshole." Lol. What a guy.)


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## wayne_h (Oct 28, 2009)

A few years ago I got the SD because I wanted to try a short scale guitar and it was inexpensive. Now I am playing it almost exclusively.


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## Maxer (Apr 20, 2007)

I have two early SD models - scored this one last summer. So much fun to play it's ridiculous.


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## KapnKrunch (Jul 13, 2016)

wayne_h said:


> A few years ago I got the SD because I wanted to try a short scale guitar and it was inexpensive. Now I am playing it almost exclusively.


The godin detour is a short scale strat type. They go so cheap on ebay i can hardly stop myself, but i just dont want any more guitars or amps. Been thru so much gear in my life and have great stuff now. The Core was the last electric i will buy. I swear! Lol.


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## Maxer (Apr 20, 2007)

Also recommend an Exit-22. I've owned three of them over the years but I'm down to one. Gibsonian in its short scale and mahogany body, but Fenderish with the bolt-on maple/maple neck and the pickup configuration. Tonal versatility and just a gas to play.


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## jdto (Sep 30, 2015)

Looking at a few of their models (the Session 59 and the Summit Classic) has fired up my GAS. The models in that video also look good. I played a Summit Classic this evening and it was decent, although I wish the neck was a touch beefier.


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

jdto said:


> Looking at a few of their models (the Session 59 and the Summit Classic) has fired up my GAS. The models in that video also look good. I played a Summit Classic this evening and it was decent, although I wish the neck was a touch beefier.


I'm not sure if they have changed them or not but I find all Godin necks feel the same to me. That may be also due to my inexperience or not played most of their guitars.


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## jdto (Sep 30, 2015)

Steadfastly said:


> I'm not sure if they have changed them or not but I find all Godin necks feel the same to me. That may be also due to my inexperience or not played most of their guitars.


A lot of their neck profiles, bot acoustic and electric, are similar, based on what I've tried. Not identical, though, which is what gives me a little hope. In the meantime, my Gibson LP Traditional neck gets the job done very well.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Steadfastly said:


> I'm not sure if they have changed them or not but I find all Godin necks feel the same to me. That may be also due to my inexperience or not played most of their guitars.


The neck on my Progression is nothing at all like the neck on my LG. Neither of those was the same as the SD or the Summit, though the summit was similar to the LG. The Progression, fwiw, is still my favourite Strat style guitar.


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

Mooh said:


> The neck on my Progression is nothing at all like the neck on my LG. Neither of those was the same as the SD or the Summit, though the summit was similar to the LG. The Progression, fwiw, is still my favourite Strat style guitar.


And Mooh is once again, educating me. 

Thanks for the info, Mooh.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Godin Guitars


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## Guest (Jan 30, 2017)

There's a '98 SD in Niagara with a Dimarzio Evolution in the bridge and hardcase for $250.

1998 GODIN SD with hardcase | guitars | St. Catharines | Kijiji


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## Maxer (Apr 20, 2007)

Hard to beat. That's a lot of guitar for the money.


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