Art & Lutherie Cedar CW

As specified in the manufacturer's specs:
Back & Sides : Wild Cherry
Neck : Silver leaf maple
Top : Cedar (Pressure Tested Solid Top)
Fingerboard & Bridge : Rosewood
Finish : Semi-Gloss Custom Varnish Finish
Tusq?? nut & saddle by Graphtech.
Cutaway body.
This guitar is made in Canada from 95% Canadian wood! Decent tuners, I like the jack which is combined with the strap button. Simple saddle transducer, pre-amp with Bass, Treble and Volume controls on a nicely made pewter plate. Battery can be easily replaced.

Before picking this model I tried various guitars from Yamaha, Takamine and others, this one beats them all in the sound department, for a similar price range. It has rich bass, mid and treble. The Godin quantum electronics are also very good: plug this thing into an amp or PA and it cooks. Fitted with light gauge strings (.012 - .053).

Very nice action right out of the box. No buzz, low action. The black finish of the body is satin, which looks nice and is less prone to show fingerprints. Beautiful rosette around the soundhole. Nice white trim around the sides. Looks like a much more expensive guitar.

The cedar top easily dents, due to the nature of the material, so be careful! It's a "budget" model from Godin, so don't expect the same durability as for a more expensive guitar with glowwy finish, especially if you treat it roughly. The set neck construction seems well-made. Many professional artists use A&L guitars. Why pay more?

One year warranty. Never had to deal with Godin, but they have a very nice web site. It's a Canadian company based in Qu??bec that stands behind its products (Godin, Norman, Seagull...).

Been playing for many years, mostly folk and world music. This is my first acoustic/electric and I love it. As stated above, compared to other good brands of the same price range this one shines. I like the sound and the looks.

This is a "basic" entry level guitar so there are not a lot of features to grade. There are 21 frets with a cutaway that begins after the 14th fret and extends to about the 19th fret.

As the name implies, it has a cedar top which is solid. It comes in a variety of finishes...mine is the orange to brown burst. Looks pretty cool.

The Godin Quantum electronics are basic and functional.

Generally, I'm playing classic rock, country and rockabilly.

Sound is what attracted me to this instrument. It was my first new guitar in 25 years and the sound was just amazing for the price tag.

Very rich and more than loud enough.

Sounds great plugged or unplugged.

I've changed the strings once to elixirs...very bright despite the warmth of the cedar. You really should listen to one of these side-by-side with some high-end/high-dollar guitars before you buy.

Factory setup was too high but the guys at the shop where I bought it lowered it for me. It could stand to be lowered a little more, but that will come with time. (I'm in no rush...I do things slow and steady and accurately).

Fit was excellent, as you would expect from any conscientiously built, handmade guitar.

Finish is flat (versus gloss). I really like the flat finish.

The cedar is easily damaged however. I've got a few dings that made me cringe when they happened. I'm pretty rough on stuff though so maybe it's just me.

Stays in tune very well. I haul it with me on trips to the country and it holds up well going from a coastal humid environment to an arid central texas environment.

Cedar is soft (see above).

Have not had to deal with the company. The retailer I purchased from carries many Godin products so I'll just go to them if I need help. (Buy local if you can...avoid the chains. If you're going to invest the time and money in a guitar, don't you want it to be with someone who will remember your name the next time you walk in the store?)

I first played when I was 9 or 10, then picked it up again in my teens. After a 25 year hiatus, I'm back and this guitar was my first purchase, about 8 or 9 months ago. Since then I've bought a Ibanez AFS75T and a Fender Stage 100 amp and I'm in the market for a Tele.

I spent 4 or 5 months in the stores testing the different models prior to my purchase so I'm pretty sure there was NOT ONE SINGLE question I did not ask prior the purchase.

I just love the way it sounds and the price is great.

If I lost it or it were stolen, I would probably buy another one. Or I might upgrade to a seagull or a cheap Martin.