Jeff Hilligan
Well-known member
They seem to be fantastic for the money?
Anyone play them?
Anyone play them?
J
Jdguitar
Member
Fantastic guitars for the money. Lots of them here in Ontario Canada. They just don't hold their value so if you can buy used you are really getting a steal. Look at their Seagull brand of acoustics. Great tone and well built for about $500.
boost
New member
I played a LP style with Seymour P90's stock a few years back. Very nice guitar. I also have a beat to hell Seagull that sounds and plays very nice. I think La Si Do is (or was) the parent company. I wouldn't hesitate to buy a Godin/Seagull if I was looking or came across a great deal used.
The Traveller
Member
The only experience I have with them is with their Seagull acoustics. It's a very well made and great sounding guitar. Especially for the money. I've recorded a lot with it. I wouldn't hesitate to buy another one.
JamesPeters
New member
I have one of their Freeway Classic electric (strat-style) guitars (originally sold for around $500); I got it used around 9 years ago and it was probably 1-2 years old at the time. It plays and sounds good, and the neck has been stable. Given that I live in Winnipeg, where you do a setup 2x a year minimum or suffer with a guitar that sounds/feels like a dud (drastic temperature range from winter to summer), that's pretty good. The guitar has gotten setups but has never really "fought me".
While doing setups I learned this guitar and I think all Godin guitars have dual-action truss rods (all that I could find info for, since I've done setups on a few since then). On a guitar that costs ~$500, that was something I didn't expect.
The bridge is nice and the stock pickups were pretty good. All around it is a solid guitar. Of course since I own it, the guitar ended up with significant changes over time. I replaced the block with a brass one from GFS (the standard zinc one sounded a bit "poofy" and the brass one sounds more "solid" and with more punchy mids); I also tried a steel block but prefer the brass one. I also blocked off the bridge because I never use the trem and it increased the resonance a bit while also making it sound "snappier" on the attack (more like a normal solidbody with no trem). I've changed pickups more times than I can remember, to the point I've had to replace the pickup rings and fill in the screw holes for them with toothpicks and glue. It sounded good with a lot of pickups but that's just something I go through (and of course now that I make pickups, I can say "it was all worthwhile" lol). I changed the tuners to locking tuners as well but the stock ones were fine.
A few people I know own Godin solidbodies and they've all been reliable, good sounding guitars. If you're wondering if they sound "great" well I'm not one to gush over a guitar or brand of guitars since what sounds "great" can be a subtle difference and/or coincidental to the setup, the particular cuts of wood, etc. But Godin is on the list of guitars I'd buy from local stores, if I ever want another guitar (if one of my three guitars got mangled or stolen). There are lots of brands in stores I generally avoid because of how dead or tubby the wood sounds alone (using "green wood" with inadequate drying) let alone how the necks behave over the first few years. Godin is on the good side of that fence for sure.
While doing setups I learned this guitar and I think all Godin guitars have dual-action truss rods (all that I could find info for, since I've done setups on a few since then). On a guitar that costs ~$500, that was something I didn't expect.
The bridge is nice and the stock pickups were pretty good. All around it is a solid guitar. Of course since I own it, the guitar ended up with significant changes over time. I replaced the block with a brass one from GFS (the standard zinc one sounded a bit "poofy" and the brass one sounds more "solid" and with more punchy mids); I also tried a steel block but prefer the brass one. I also blocked off the bridge because I never use the trem and it increased the resonance a bit while also making it sound "snappier" on the attack (more like a normal solidbody with no trem). I've changed pickups more times than I can remember, to the point I've had to replace the pickup rings and fill in the screw holes for them with toothpicks and glue. It sounded good with a lot of pickups but that's just something I go through (and of course now that I make pickups, I can say "it was all worthwhile" lol). I changed the tuners to locking tuners as well but the stock ones were fine.
A few people I know own Godin solidbodies and they've all been reliable, good sounding guitars. If you're wondering if they sound "great" well I'm not one to gush over a guitar or brand of guitars since what sounds "great" can be a subtle difference and/or coincidental to the setup, the particular cuts of wood, etc. But Godin is on the list of guitars I'd buy from local stores, if I ever want another guitar (if one of my three guitars got mangled or stolen). There are lots of brands in stores I generally avoid because of how dead or tubby the wood sounds alone (using "green wood" with inadequate drying) let alone how the necks behave over the first few years. Godin is on the good side of that fence for sure.
J
Jdguitar
Member
It's my understanding that Robert Godin still owns the company and everything is still made in Quebec and New Hampshire.
Mudder
Active member
Very solid guitars. The only Godin I didn't like was a Radiator, but I've owned several other models that were all terrific guitars.
M
milkchickenbomb
New member
Ive liked the electrics I've played. Did not like the one Seagull I tried out. Boomy and muffled high end, and did not find the neck and action easy to play.