Art & Lutherie Acoustic CW

21 frets with a cutaway to the 19th.
Solid Top and Back.
Volume, Treble and Bass which is really easy to use. Made by Godin.
Its a spruce top which gives a really nice natural look. Its a natural finish that looks great (in my opinion)

When I played this in the shop before plugging in I though "this guitar sounds awesome".
It has a really full sound without being too bassy. At the same time I was trying out a Gretsch. Now whilst this didn't sound so hot acousticly the Fishman pickup did it some favours, but at the same time it sounded electricy, This guitar retains its natural acoustic sound, which is just what I was looking for.

When I first tried it out the action was too high for my liking. Now some people might shoot me down for this, but I had it lowered when I bought it and went back the day after. The result seemed to work!
The solid stop is perfectly bookmatched as is the back and the natural finish is gorgeous.

It feels very light, which I like in a guitar. It does feel fragile and at the same time you have to take alot more care with solid tops in terms of exposure to temperatures. But I reckon its definetly worth it!.
I have used it on a gig (last night) and it worked for me, a vast improvement on my last guitar.

I didn't deal direct with godin, but the shop i did buy it from offer 1 free service (which they advised me to treat as an MOT) And I will in about 10 months.

This guitar is a vast improvement on my last (a Westfield)
I went out looking for a guitar that I could feel comfortable gigging with, I spent a long time looking for the right guitar in terms of sound, feel and look. I tried the Yamaha range and never found the right combo, didn't like Takamine (the sound was just wrong in my price range) but as soon as i walked into Hanks I told him my price range (up to #500) and that I wanted a cutaway. He pointed me straight at this guitar and even when he offered me the Gretsch said that this was the better deal. The only thing that made me hesitate a little was the pattern around the sound hole, it looks like its been printed on and looks a little tacky. Apart form that its an amazing guitar that has made for a great 21st Birthday present and that will last me for a long time

2004, 21 frets, solid CW cedar top. Made in Quebec, Canada, out of 95% Canadian wood.
Godin EQ Quantum pickups. Really nice non-locking tuners that actually stay in place, unlike a lot of cheapo guitars.

No accessories, which is a disapointment. Especially for a Cedar Top, a hard case would have been a nice accessory.

Really bright sound, that does not sound too tinny. Definately sounds like a guitar that would be double it's price. The Godin Quantum EQ pickup is a really nice pickup that is easy to use. Keeps the sound really nice and acoustic, without making it sound too much like an electric guitar.

Wood quality was good, the tuning pegs stayed tuned for the first month I played with it. The action was a little high, but, I didn't mind it too much. A few nicks on the cedar top, which was kind of disapointing.

This guitar feels like it can play for a long time. It is pretty dependable, execpt always bring a spare battery, cuz you never know when the pickup will just start losing power. The hardware seems pretty good, nothing to complain about. Definately worth the money

1 year limited warrenty. Kind of short in my opinion, especially for a spruce top. Haven't dealt with the company yet.

Have been playing for 5 years.
Wish I had bought a FORT EPP case with this. I'd definately buy another A&L guitar in the future. I don't know if I will look outside of the Godin company of guitars for my future purchases.

I also have a Fender telecaster, and a Fender acoustic guitar, and the Art and Lutherie is by far my favourite.

I compared this one to a Washburn, Yamaha, and Fender electric/acoustics. Washburn's have a tinny, treble sound, Fenders have a muffled sound, and Yamaha, I would have to pay anothe $250 canadian for a guitar with the same sound, and quality.

- handmade in canada from fallen trees bought from national parks (no, seriously.)
- cutout that goes to the 19th fret (out of 21)
- built in preamp featuring bass, treble, and volume controls
- combined strap peg/output jack
- pickup uses one 9V battery
- beautiful sunburst body

pretty good, rich sound. im not a great critic for acoustic tone (its the only one ive ever gotten to know that well), but everyone who's heard it says it sounds great. great for fingerpicking, a little worse with picks but still a great guitar. the EQ on the pickup (bass and treble) has MASSIVE power; on the low settings for either, you barely hear the string in question, and on the highest setting there's so much of the frequency in question that you have to be standing far from your amp (like 30 feet) with low volume to avoid feedback. I see this as a bonus because it gives you huge control over your sound, but you may want a guitar that has EQ more suited to fine-tuning and not complete overhaul of your sound.

high action on the higher frets (you decide if its good or bad, i personally like it); pretty low up to about the 7th, highest around the 14th, and goes down again slightly by the last one. other than that, its so well-made im shocked it was handmade; the only flaw (and i mean ONLY) in the manufacturing was that the G string was about a millimetre too close to the B at the bridge, but i fixed that in about 1 minute. (loosen the string, move it over, tighten it again)

the finish seems slightly odd; the whole guitar is very smooth but somehow the wood still feels grainy. looks beautiful and doesnt affect playability at all, but just takes some getting used to.

built like a rock without being heavy, ive hit it against a guitars worse enemy (sharp desk corner) without it even scratching. i dont know how well it will stand the test of time (having only owned it for a little over a month), but it seems to be great quality. im giving it an 8 for being almost unscratchable, but no more because i dont know how long it will last.

i would use it live if i had to, but it probably isnt the greatest electric acoustic on the market. it seems slightly prone to feedback when you boost the treble or bass (mind you ive been using it through an electric guitar amp), but assuming you could sit far from your amp, you'd be fine. very good for amateur gigs, but i cant imagine a professional using it.

havent dealt; no opinion.

very good guitar for anyone who needs a great sounding acoustic with a very good amplified sound. versatile, hard if not impossible to scratch, takes a week to go out of tune, etc. etc.


buy it. you wont regret it.

12 frets to body 19 in total
solid top

great rich full sound

good action

i just accidently bashed mine off the door and it didnt even scratch! unlike my fender!
Guitar that is excellent now and in 50 years time will sound absolutly fan daby doozy!!!

Its under warranty thats all i know

This is a great guitar! looks great and because its made from trees that have fallen over in the canadian national park you are helping the enviorment by buying one!! These guitars are all handmade too which is lovely! and they do look fantastic! v classy guitars!

My wife discovered this guitar at a little known music store in Valdosta, Georgia. She was tempted to buy it without my knowledge, but also noted the store had a "no refund " policy. I've been to my share of guitar stores and I own a Gibson Blue Ridge Custom acoustic (one of the last made in Kalamazoo). I had never heard of this name brand, but had heard of Godin and Seagull guitars. I looked it over completely, from string action, the bow in the neck, and the bracing underneath the top. The store clerk told me a little about the company in Canada; they purchase the trees that have fallen in Canadian national forest, harvest the wood, and build these guitars. (One up for the environment and tree-huggers of the world).
Mine is a cutaway model with a very simple pre-amp controller with the pick-up positioned under the bridge. The high E string sounds very thin, even after having the bridge reworked, but the overall sound quality is amazing. It has the tone of a 50 year old acoustic guitar that youir grandpa owned, but the strings (light gauge 11's) also have a brightness that I really like.
The finish is realy what sold this guitar-it is an antique sunburst, like they used in those old Gibson F-holes. It looks as warm as it plays. Most cutaways look obvious and non-functional, but this guitar has a subtle curve that allows for access to the higher frets.

I play mostly flatpicked country and western, with an occaional rock ballad. No fret buzz anywhere-the amplification through my Profex II processor opens up a new aura, even through my '71 Fender Twin.

The action was high, even from the factory. I had the guy adjust the neck at the truss rod, but it still needs to be lowered. I took it to another guitar shop to let him adjust it, but to no avail. He said it looked like someone had strung the guitar with med or heavy strings and set it in a window on display. I wouldn't think that you need to send a guitar that was brand new off to have the action of the neck reworked!?