# 5th Avenue finally arrived.



## Bubb (Jan 16, 2008)

Didn't get much of a chance to examine/play it yet.

Looks great and is well put together on first impression.
Neck is quite different(narrower)than my Seagull MJ.

Better pics will come.:banana:


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## Mogwaii (Feb 16, 2007)

wow
just
wow


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Cool. I'm thinking this guitar is going to have an underground following or cult status. It's a great idea for those of us who miss old Harmony (and others) archtops. 

Peace, Mooh.


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## devnulljp (Mar 18, 2008)

That's beautiful. Is that a solid or laminate top?


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## Graham (Jan 26, 2007)

That is just stunning.

Looking forward to your thoughts on it.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

That is a beauty indeed.

The first guitar I ever played and on which I learned my first chords was a Hofner owned by my Dad. Other than the colour it looked very similar to yours.


Enjoy.


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## Bubb (Jan 16, 2008)

It got a little workout last night.

Thoughts so far.......

This thing is tres groovy...cherry construction with a maple neck,creme binding.
Molded laminate arch.
Rosewood fingerboard and floating rosewood bridge.
A bit shallower than my dread or jumbo,comfy neck shape.
The only thing that could be called a finish flaw that I have found so far is a little spot on the edge of the headstock where it looks like the maple didn't take the stain or was sanded down.(about the size of a head of a pin).
Real punchy mid rangey sound,with a bit more bottom end than you (I) might expect,quite loud as well.

I'm liking it.


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## NB-SK (Jul 28, 2007)

It's a beautiful guitar. Godin sure knows how to make wood look the best it possibly can.


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## Graham (Jan 26, 2007)

Bubb said:


> I'm liking it.


What strings do you have on it?

I have an old Guild archtop 










I haven't played it too much yet. I know it isn't going to sound like a dread or a jumbo, but it sounds kind of "twangy". It came with flat wounds on it, which had no oomph at all and right now I have some JP 250LM Bluegrass strings on it. Still I think it should sound better so I'm trying to find a good string for this puppy.


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## Bubb (Jan 16, 2008)

I'm just using the Godin strings that came on it for now,from anything I've heard they are just re-badged D'Addarios.

Mine has a twang to it as well,as much or more a result of the shallower body than the strings I would think.Just guessing.


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## fraser (Feb 24, 2007)

real nice guitar bubb-
i love my old harmony archtops, but they are not really what youd call instruments anymore, it was all too much for them. gonna have to try one of these out-


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## Spikezone (Feb 2, 2006)

Man, that's a beauty! Wouldn't mind having one of my own!
-Mikey


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## Mike MacLeod (Nov 27, 2006)

*It's a Laminate*

Though I haven't played the Godin, I have played perhaps a hundred Archtops. Most were carved solid wood, but a few were laminates. My experience with laminates (or in a couple of cases, moulded solded wood) have been largely disappointing. The instruments just haven't had the power, projection or tone of a proper Archtop. It should be remembered that before the electric guitar, the Archtop was king. It was the biggest loudest and most expensive guitar you could buy. And, frankly, things haven't changed much. They are still the most expensive guitars you can buy. (outside of the occasional highly-ornamented flat-tops) A top quality acoustic archtop will set you back an average of $10K, and they can easily get to $25K.

Now, having said all that, I'm still looking forward to playing one of Robert Godin's Archtops. I would like to be wrong for once!  <g>


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## bickertfan (Feb 23, 2006)

Yeah, I hope your wrong too. I notice that there is a model with 1 P 90 pickup. I bet that would sound great in a laminated top.


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## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

Bubb said:


> It got a little workout last night.
> 
> 
> The only thing that could be called a finish flaw that I have found so far is a little spot on the edge of the headstock where it looks like the maple didn't take the stain or was sanded down.(about the size of a head of a pin).
> ...


Yup it's defective..... I will dispose of it for you. 

Better have a Django collection with a guitar like that. :sport-smiley-002:


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## CocoTone (Jan 22, 2006)

Mike MacLeod said:


> Though I haven't played the Godin, I have played perhaps a hundred Archtops. Most were carved solid wood, but a few were laminates. My experience with laminates (or in a couple of cases, moulded solded wood) have been largely disappointing. The instruments just haven't had the power, projection or tone of a proper Archtop. It should be remembered that before the electric guitar, the Archtop was king. It was the biggest loudest and most expensive guitar you could buy. And, frankly, things haven't changed much. They are still the most expensive guitars you can buy. (outside of the occasional highly-ornamented flat-tops) A top quality acoustic archtop will set you back an average of $10K, and they can easily get to $25K.
> 
> Now, having said all that, I'm still looking forward to playing one of Robert Godin's Archtops. I would like to be wrong for once!  <g>


Geeze Louise!! Talk about pissing on someone's parade. I have a funny feeling your wrong more often than that pal.:bow:

CT.


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## Bubb (Jan 16, 2008)

CocoTone said:


> Geeze Louise!! Talk about pissing on someone's parade. I have a funny feeling your wrong more often than that pal.:bow:
> 
> CT.


Don't worry about my parade,I'm under no illusions here.I'm no corksniffer.
I am well aware that it will not be the same as a 10K solid wood ,carved archtop guitar.
It is after all,well under $700 including case.
Being just a hobbiest,I have no desire to own a 10k guitar anyway.

What I have in my possession is a guitar that is beautiful to look at,a joy to play,and a unique sound.
To top it all off, it was given to me as a gift from my lady.

B


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## suttree (Aug 17, 2007)

Bubb said:


> What I have in my possession is a guitar that is beautiful to look at,a joy to play,and a unique sound.
> To top it all off, it was given to me as a gift from my lady.


well, it sounds to me like you've got all the important bases well covered then. also, any woman who buys you a guitar is definitely a keeper. 

also coco.... i've dealt with mike a long time back when his storefront was up and running, and the guy does really know what he's talking about. i don't think he was trying to piss on anyone's parade.. just giving the benefit of his experience... myself, i've played lots of laminate and moulded top guitars that were just fine to play and listen to, but if you're looking for a "real" archtop, then solid carved is the only way to go, really.. they're a LOT louder, and generally much sweeter sounding. 

PS, the term "moulded" top refers to a solid top that is steamed into an arched shape, and braced to keep it there... a "true" archtop is a carved piece of solid wood that uses a violin style bridge block... most feel (and my experience agrees) that this construction offers the best volume and tone.. of course, burning through 3" pieces of top quality spruce every time you make a top gets pretty expensive, which is one of the reasons solid tops generally start at $3,000.


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## CocoTone (Jan 22, 2006)

All's well that ends well then. I think Godin make some great stuff for the $$. :wave:

CT.


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## Grenvilleter (Dec 22, 2007)

I don't think Mike was watering down the soup either. If this was a thread on somebody showing off their old volkswagon beetle, would it be wrong to say the heater sucks, it's underpowered and rides rough? No it would not but that don't take away the charm that thousands held for the little common man's automobile.
No...it's not a Porche but who cares.....it's still pretty and plays wonderful I'm positive. 
If the Queen of the household gave me a guitar or a Volkswagon or a Porche, I'd be very proud and tickled pink to boot. 

For $700.00 , I would have chose the Continental King archtop that is solid maple and spruce but that's me. I'm wrong almost all the time.
Enjoy and play in good health.
Just out of curiosity, did it come with flat wound strings ?


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## Mike MacLeod (Nov 27, 2006)

*My next two cents! *

The VW analogy was pretty good. Among my other vices I happen to own a few old British vehicles. '68 BSA Spitfire, '60 MGA, and '69 MGB GT. 

No one in their right mind would call these sophisticated high performance automobiles. I also drive a C6 Corvette and a '07 Audi and ride a BMW so I know whereof I speak. 

However, I love these old vehicles and drive the bag off them when I can. They have character, personality, and a great degree of discomfort. (The BSA is like holding onto two chainsaws!) But they also give tremendous pleasure.

I hope that you play the heck out of that 5th Ave. It may get you into Swing if you are not already there. Perhaps we'll see you at Swing Camp in Sorrento one year. 

All the best!


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## Bubb (Jan 16, 2008)

It did not come with flat wound strings,I haven't changed them out yet and am still deciding what to put on it next.
Golf season has arrived and I'm a tad distracted presently,(its been a long snowy winter in Eastern Ontario):food-smiley-015:

What has surprized me so far is the volume of the guitar,I was expecting it to be a lot quieter than my dread of my Mini Jumbo but it doesn't seem that is the case,although I haven't jammed with anybody yet.
Still working on getting a good representative recording of the beast.

The VW analogy was good.:food-smiley-004:

I will play the crap out of this thing,as for inspiring new things...here's hoping.
I'd love to sit down with it and a real carved archtop and compare the two someday...here's hoping for that too.

Cheers guys


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## Mike MacLeod (Nov 27, 2006)

*Try Newton Archtop Strings.*

The 12th Fret sells these. They seem to work well on most of my Archies.

Let me know.


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## Bubb (Jan 16, 2008)

Yes..like I said on the first page.:wink:


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## suttree (Aug 17, 2007)

yah sorry paul, i knew that going in... i was just explaining what a "moulded" top referred to, as opposed to a carved top.


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