Godin A-6 Acoustic/Electric

The color of this guitar is beautiful! It always turns heads!The neck feels great. I love the light weight and the fact that it has no sound hole. The EQ is very good as well.

I love the sound. It's very distinguishable. I can hear a Godin sometimes just by hearing it being played in a band. LOL. Depending on how you set up your amp you can get a deep rich sound or twangy. I love the rich and sound and you can mix the acoustic bridge sound with the magnetic pickup to get a = unique sound.

The action was perfect and the store I bough it from (Glades Guitars in Hollywood, FL) they did a free setup for me and everything. They are very cool guys there. I found no flaws in the paint or body at all.

It is very durable but you have to take very good care of it as with any guitar. Everything seems solid.

Like I said the guys at Glades Guitars in Hollywood, FL have been awesome! And since they are authorized dealers they get quick response times from Godin.

I LOVE MY GODIN A6 ULTRA!!

Features have been well covered. I got this A6 new back in 2005, deeply discounted because of "demo" dings and such. The mom-and-pop music store here was basically trying to move it out for newer (Godin) inventory. I played on it for almost a year at that store, everytime I went in for strings and stuff - plugging it in different amps and effects. The sales guy noticed my fondness for this guitar and made the offer. I decided I couldn't pass up the discount for this baby. Pretty basic electronics, considering what's out there currently. But it's all you need for this guitar. I have the natural satin finish - which over time, seems to be getting glossy in spots... maybe 'cause I'm wiping it down too often? This axe is pretty nifty and versatile for most types of music I play. The included gig bag is decent enough, but very little protection for real gigging. I'm still looking for a hard case... it's shaped like a Telecaster, but will not fit standard electric cases made for Strats/Teles. I emailed Godin and they said they don't make a hard case for the A6.. which is BULL, because I've seen the A6 on eBay that included the original Godin A6 hard case. So for "acoustic" gigs, I've been using my Godin Flat Five X hard case with extra foam inside to keep the A6 from sliding around. Yeah, I got the Flat Five X too... but that's another review.

I play through a (discontinued) Marshall AS80R and a Fishman Loudbox 100. Sounds Great plugged straight in to either. Prefer the Loudbox. Very rich sounding acoustic voice all its own. I won't compare it to any other standard acoustic guitar.. because it's not one. And of course through effects, you can make it sound almost like any other electric guitar. The under saddle pickup is extremely sensitive, though you've got to turn down most of the mids and some bass off for a convincing acoustic tone. There's NO feedback problem because there's NO soundhole - which I love! I've experimented with various strings on this axe. Godin recommends Electric 10's, which feel a little loose and buzzy. With Elixir acoustic light gauge (12-53) it has a very tight feel in standard tuning which is fine for Drop D and other alternate tunings. With Elixir custom lights (11-52), it's not as tight - but still doesn't feel right - same with Elixir extra lights. I've finally settled with Elixir electric mediums exclusively (11-49), giving enough heft and bend-ability. I use Elixirs 'cause they last longer, reduces string squeak and they just feel good (to me). Your mileage may vary.

I was initially impressed with the "minimal esthetic's" on this guitar. It's not too fancy or "loud looking", basic electronics and a nice fit and feel. With each string set type, I had to tweak the truss rod. With my final string choice (Elixir Electric Mediums), the action is perfect. Enough heft and playability for jazz chords and lead runs. Neck is fast, smooth and comfortable. Except for the "demo dings", finish is okay. Like I mentioned, it's starting to look glossy in spots.

This definitely holds up on gigs... many, many gigs! I use it mainly as a backup/addition to my Taylor 514ce, on acoustic songs that "require" more lead work. And with effects, this axe does convincing blues and rock sounds too. For my playing style - this hybrid of an axe is indispensable for performing! It's not a T5 - but it gets the job done! The strap buttons were Schaller Strap-Lock ready too - Way Cool!

As mentioned, I emailed Godin about a hard case - they could have said that they've discontinued it or it's not currently available. But it was a crock for them to say that they don't make one for this guitar, when I've seen the item before. Maybe the guy was new..

Gonna be 49.. been playing over 35 years.. lots and lots of gear over the years.. good stuff, crappy stuff and in-between stuff. The Godin A6 has proved to be some of the good stuff in my inventory. Currently, I wouldn't gig without it! Fit, feel, looks and sound - The overall quality is excellent - and for the price.. it's even better!

You know all the specifics by now.

I have the natural - satin finish version.

I replaced the electric strings with a set of Martin SP Extra Lights - they added a much better "acoustic" sound to the guitar.

I wish the preamp had a battery power indicator, and possibly a built in tuner, but this is no biggie. The A6 has everything I need.

If you are looking for a guitar to play unplugged, this is definately not the guitar you should be looking at. But, if you are looking for a great sounding guitar to plug-in and record or perform live with....WOW!

This A6 has a beautiful full tone. You do need to EQ out the midrange quite a bit, but so do most piezo pick-ups. I ususally play direct to the board via a DI box. I've been told that this guitar sounds better plugged-in than my Martin DC16RGTE. I have received nothing but accolades about the sound of the A6.

Absolutely no problems here. The A6 is a very sharp looking, quality made guitar.

It plays better than a lot of electrics I have played. The wood is pristine and very smooth. The hard mable kneck with rosewood fretboard is very comfortable and fast. The frets are dressed very nicely. The set-up from the factory is spot-on. No buzzing anywhere.

This is a well built guitar, I don't suspect any issues here. I take real good care of my guitars, but I am not afraid to take the A6 out live and have some fun with it.

I have never had to deal with Godin guitars, but the dealer I purchased the guitar from, was great and stands by this guitar 100%. I don't expect to have any problems with the A6.

I have been playing for about 25 years. I play mainly contemporary Christan music.

I love this guitar, I prefer to play this one over my other acoustics. It plays like an electric and sounds like a dreamy acoustic...can't get any better than that.

If this guitar was stolen, after I got done crying, I would immediately dry my eyes and go out to buy another one.

Satin finish, LR Baggs pickup, 22 frets,active pickup. It came with a padded Godin case nice but I would not throw anything heavy on it. Other features have been described in earlier posts. I love the neck on this thing ,plays great !

I find it has a very clear sound.The eq makes it possible to get a good acoustic tone. You can really crank the volume on this baby without the fear of feedback, one has to be careful with the bottom end so it doesn't become boomy. i have had other acoustic guitars and really enjoy playing this one the most.

The guitar was set up very well. I did not see any flaws and it's a good looking guitar

I would take care with any guitar I play but it seems durable . A friend has one and he plays quite hard and over the years this guitar seems to take the abuse and he is abusive with it-no case,leaves it in the bar at night, bangs on it etc..

Never had to deal with Godin. Dealer warranties his stuff. No worries here

I have had other acoustic guitars and am am loving this one the most. It came with electric strings which Godin recommends, and it did sound good, but I changed to acoustic strings and feel that it sounds much better. Sure it doesn't sound like a Taylor unplugged but that's not what this guitar is about. You won't get any other acoustic to sound this good and loud without a major amount of eq ing etc.. I LOVE the neck on this guitar I find it so comfortable and it's nice being able to reach all the frets above the 12 fret without having to have a large hand. The sound is excellent and I constanly get people telling me how good this guitar sounds, I know that's why I bought it since a fiend had one and I was impressed with the sound he was getting. The neck is kinda like an ovation but better and I always hated the round body thing-could never get used to that. If you play electric guitar you will really like this guitar-sound wise,playability etc...

I am basically redoing this review, since my last one wound up with so many spelling mistakes it was embarrassing.
Finish: Black high gloss, single cutaway reminiscent of a telecaster
Acoustic guitar style bridge
Godin sealed tuners (six-a-side)
Neck 25.5 inch scale, 16inch radius, 1 11/16 inch nut width, rosewood fingerboard, medium frets.
Woods: Two chambered silver leaf maple body, solid cedar top, mahogany neck, rosewood fingerboard
Volume, bass, middle and treble slider controls
Pickup: LR Baggs undersaddle transducer
Electronics: Active
Strings: Martin Bronze 12 to 53
Came with well padded gig bag, allen key

I play a wide range of music ranging from middle of the road ballads, Blues (Bonnie Raitt), folk (James Taylor), classic rock and blues and sentimental classics. I also play in a progressive rock band (Jethro Tull, Steely Dan, Toto, Eagles).

I have found the sound of my A6 extremely good, if slightly short of brilliant. Unplugged it sounds a little reedy. However, this instrument was not designed to be played unplugged, so that comment is inappropriate.

Plugged in, it has a better sound. The frequencies of the equaliser sliders have been carefully chosen so as to accentuate the sound quality. And it produces quite a nice tone, as long as you do not strum too hard, when the piezo quack kicks in.

However, plugged in through a Fishman Aura - now we are in a different world entirely. The Aura takes the piezo output and adds to it a sound image. Not all the images complement the A6, but image number 9 in program 13 is incredibly beautiful. I have tweaked the Aurain terms of the sound balance between aura and pick-up and I am frankly amazed with the sound I am getting.

The bronze acoustic strings (12 to 53) make the guitar feel like a proper acoustic, so you can that tactile feedback, whilst the effectively solid body renders feedback close to non-existent. Certainly in my hands feedback is eliminated. Sounds I just can not get from my Tayor 710ce or Taylor T5 (which is more of an electric guitar really).

The guitar was set up a little high at the factory, especially on the higher frets. My guitar tech sorted it out and now it feels great to play. No buzzing or string choke, just beautiful.

There is only one undersaddle pick up ??? which works fine with acoustic guitar strings and it sounds great. The bridge is properly routed and the fret wire looks very good. Indeed the guitar is finished so beautifully that many high end manufacturers would be proud of it. Bracing was aligned, frets were very nicely dressed, the finish was nice and the woods were good quality. Hardware seems fine with rust or oxidation. Tuning pegs are fine, as are the well cut nut and nicely fitting saddle.

I am sure it will withstand live gigging. I do it all the time. I am happy with the hardware, finish and strap buttons which all appear robust to me, but then I do not use it to attack people in pub-brawls.

It has been very dependable. It is easy as pie to get that beautiful sound out of her, and I would definitely depend on her for a gig. In fact I do not carry another acoustic guitar to my gigs.

Support: Never contacted them ??? I would not know. My dealer has been very helpful though.

I have been playing for 34 years. I asked mountains of questions before I bought this guitar. My main consideration was feedback resistance and I therefore short-listed a few guitars including
1. The Anderson Crowdster
2. The Yamaha Silent Guitar
3. The Kramer Condor
4. Gibson / Epiphone Chet Atkins SST

But I must say I am absolutely thrilled with the natural acoustic guitar sound I get with my Godin A6 (with my Fishman Aura of course, without which it would sound nice rather than spectacular).

If it were stolen I would buy another in a heartbeat.

I love the fact, that it feels natural, like a real acoustic guitar to play (heavy (12 to 54) strings. Also the neck is supposedly like an electric guitar (I am used to Taylor acoustic and Ibanez wizard necks) and this Godin A6 neck suits me just fine.

My favourite feature is the feedback resistance. I can get an equally good sound with my Taylor 710ce (proper dreadnought), but nowhere near the volume before feedback. And my T5 does not even come close.

A body selection switch like on the Variax would be lovely ??? and would expand the tonal palette of this guitar. But then, the Variax is more of a computer than a guitar???

Try on through a Fishman Aura, Program 13. You will be amazed.

Black high gloss finish, single cutaway reminiscent of a telecaster
Acoustic guitar style bridge
Godin sealed tuners (six-a-side)
Neck 25.5inch scale, 16inch radius, 1 11/16 inch nut width, rosewood fingerboard, medium frets.
Woods: Two chambered silver leaf maple body, Solid cedar top, Mahogany neck, Rosewood fingerboard
Volume, bass, middle and treble slider controls
Pickup: LR Baggs undersaddle transducer
Electronics: Active
Strings: Martin Bronze 12 to 54
Came with well padded gig bag, allen key

I play a wide range of music ranging from middle of the road ballads, Blues (Bonnie Raitt), folk (James Taylor), classic rock and blues and sentimental classics. I also play in a progressive rock band (Jethro Tull, Steely Dan, Toto, Eagles).

I have found the sound of my A6 extremely good, if not brilliant. Unplugged it sounds a little reedy (but this instrument was never designed to be played they was, so the comment is inappropriate)

Plugged in, it is a better sound. The frequencies of the equaliser sliders have been carefully chosen so as to accentuate the sound quality. And it procduces a passable tone, as long as you don???t slam hard, when the piezo quack kicks in???

Plugged in through a Fishman Aura - now we are in a different world. The sound is spectacular! The Aura takes the piezo output and matches it to a sound image. Not all the images all guitars but image number 9 (program 13 factory set up) is incredibly beautiful. I have tweaked the aura improving the sound balance between aura and pick-up and I am amazed with the soundd I am getting. The bronze acoustic strings (12 ??? 54) make it feel like a proper acoustic, so you can that tactile feedback, whilst the effectively solid body renders feedback close to non-existent, I say that because I???m sure one of you guys will be able to produce one that feeds back???! In my hands feedback is eliminated. Sounds I just don???t get from my Tayor710ce or Taylor T5 (which is more an electric guitar).

With the Aura, the sound is a 10. On its own the A6 is an 8.

The guitar was set up a little high at the factory, especially on the higher frets. My guitar tech sorted it out and now it feel great to play ??? no buzzing, string choke ??? just beautiful.

There???s only one undersaddle pick up ??? with work fine with acoustic guitar strings and it sounds great. The bridge was properly routed and the fret wire looked great ??? indeed the guitar was finished so beautifully that many manufacturers would be proud of it. Bracing was aligned, frets were very nicely dressed, the finish was nice and the woods were good quality. Hardware seem fine with no rust or oxidation (but its realy days yet...!). Tuning pegs are fine, as are the well cut nut, nicely fitting saddle.

I???m sure it will withstand live gigging; I use it all the time. I???m happy with the hardware, finish and strap buttons which all appear appear robust to me, but I don???t use it to attack people in pub-brawls.

It has been very dependable. Its easy as pie to get that same sound out of her???and I would definitely depend on her for a gig. If fact I don???t carry another acoustic guitar to my gigs.

Never contacted them ??? I wouldn???t know. My dealer has been very helpful though.

I???ve been playing 34 years. I asked mountains of questions before I bought this guitar. My main consideration was feedback resistance and I therefore short-listed a few guitars including
1. The Anderson Crowdster
2. The Yamaha Silent Guitar
3. The Kramer Condor
4. The Godin Multian Steel
5. Gibson / Epiphone Chet Atkins SST and a few others.

But I must say I am absolutely thrilled with the natural acoustic guitar sound I get with my Godin A6 (plus of course my Fishman Aura, without which it would sound reasonable, but not spectacular).

If it were stolen I???d buy another in a heartbeat.
I love the fact, that it feels natural, like a real acoustic guitar to play (heavy (12 ??? 54) strings. Also the neck is supposedly like an electric guitar (I???m used to Taylor acoustic and Ibanez wizard necks) and this Godin A6 neck suits me just fine.

My favourite feature is its feedback resistance. I can get an equally good sound with my Taylor 710ce (proper dreadnought), but nowhere near the volume before feedback. My T5 doesn???t even come close...!

A body selection switch like on the Variax would be lovely ??? and would expand the tonal palette of this guitar. But then, the variax is more of a computer than a guitar???

Try on through a Fishman Aura
Program 13
Go for it???!

Approximately mid-to-late '90s production, chambered maple body, cedar top, L.R. Baggs transducer, etc...all the typical A6 fare.

Some of you guys are funny in saying that the A6 sounds bad when not plugged in. No kidding, you bunch of rocket scientists, it's not an acoustic guitar but a chambered solidbody with transducers and on-board pre-amp. Didn't the absence of a SOUNDHOLE give you a clue?
Maybe a search of the Godin website that clearly states that the string of choice for this non-acoustic instrument are ELECTRIC GUITAR STRINGS would have been another big flashing neon sign...yet I digress.
Yes, unplugged it sounds like a banjo with a towel thrown over it.
But plugged in it sounds beautful...or at least as beautiful as a satin-finished chambered maple/cedar guitar can sound through a more-than adequate L.R. Baggs transducer system.
The 3 band eq makes dialing in for most any amp/p.a. system a breeze.
I have never not gotten a very good acoustic sound and usually get an excellent acoustic sound.
It's not a campfire guitar...it's not a Hank Williams wanna-be guitar...it IS a plugged-in acoustic player's dream.

Distortion? You're serious? BWHAHAHAHAHAHA! Buy a Kramer if you want to play with distortion. Or buy that cheap-but-overpriced Line6 Variax...support the Korean and Chinese manufacturers some more...maybe Wal-Mart will start selling them soon, hoss.
Always low prices...always.

I bought the guitar used but it was in very good condition.
The only flaw was a cold solder on the bass control pot.
I fixed it myself and it's been perfect for years.
Action was good when purchased. A recent fret dress and set-up made it even a greater joy to play.

It's a well-built guitar as most of the Godin brand and associated brand instruments have a reputation as such.
I've added Schaller strap locks (it was already equipped with the buttons) and ebony bridge pins.
The guitar is a workhorse. It's put up with at least a couple hundred live shows to date and aside from the fret dress it's required no maintenance except strings...duh.
FYI: ELECTRIC strings (for those who didn't already know)

Godin/lasido has improved their customer support over the years as people slowly discover what an amazing deal their instruments really are.
I've never had to contact them regarding this guitar but I'm sure they'd be cool if I did.
Rober Godin is one of the nicest people in the musical instrument manufacturing business I've ever had the pleasure of meeting.
He stands behind the products that bear his name and I'm very proud to play several of them.

I've been playing for 27 years, 26 of them professionally. I've played literally thousands upon thousands of gigs, have several album credits and still play out at least 3 times each week as well as teach guitar 2 nights/week.
I'm a guitar player through and through, owning a bunch of different stringed instruments including mandolins, a banjo, a bass, a lap steel and a bunch of 6 stringed guitars from Gibson, Fender, ESP and Godin/Seagull.
This A6 is in the A-list rotation with no excuses. It is a confidence-lending instrument. I've taken it to gigs as my ONLY guitar with no worries. It plays like my Les Paul yet sounds like my Seagull acoustic.
I think I paid a bit too much for it used but I really don't care. This axe has made me money time and time again and it's not ever leaving my stable of axes so it was a worthy investment.
If it was lost or stolen, I'd get another in an instant.

(from Godin website)
Mahogany neck - Rosewood Fingerboard
16" fingerboard radius
25 1/2" Scale
1 11/16" nut width
Two-Chamber Silver Leaf Maple body
Solid Cedar Top
LR Baggs Ribbon Transducer and custom preamp
Volume, Mid, Treble and Bass controls
Natural Semi-Gloss Finish

Does not sound like a good acoustic guitar. My takamine eg-240 sounds whole lot better than the A6, and the takamine only cost me 200 instead of 610 dollars

the action was just like my epiphone les paul
nice and low

seems very fragile.

i dont like it much

all they offer is a e-mail adress which they say they might not even answer you back

I have been playing for about 5 years. I would never even think about buying another one. I am going to sell it and buy me a breedlove.

Built in Canada in I'm guessing 2002. It's your typical Multiac style acoustic from Godin. Flat top (I think Ceader), sealed back godin tuners, peizo pickup system, 3 band EQ + voulme located in upper bout. Single jack pin thats not bulit into the strap button!

Battery is changed by a flip top in the back instead of inside a sound hole '(which this guitar is missing anyways!)

The neck feels great, its a solid peice of Canadian Mahogany with a rosewood board with mini frett markers. The Fretts are a little small for an acoustic guitar, but it plays like an electric so I don't mind that they seem like they came off a Fender.

Came with a gig bag, but it wasn't the fancy Godin gig bags their doing now but a slightly more basic one. Still gives a lot of padding.

Good acoustic for the money and the design. Would have liked a built in tuner.

Unplugged it sounds like shit. Very little volume. It audibly reminds me of one of those Walmart bought guitars that have no real feel to them when you strum it. But thats not what this guitar is about!

Plugged in the A6 gives off this great deep woody tone that feels full and relaxed. Notes just seem to jump out at you as you play and the well roundedness of the sounds it makes are just great for me.

I mostly play Alt rock and have had lots of problems with my Tak's on stage for feed back and the end pin jack breaking on me, but this guitar is solid and can be turned up quite a lot without that evil squell.

The finish has been worn since it was played pretty heavily before I got my hands on it. The neck still feels great, and the frets are nicely broken in. No need to set it up for it was great off the shelf, and Im guessing it was probably never setup with the previous owner for the truss asembly plate screw looks untouched. That and Godin do such a great job before it leaves the factory!

This guitar is built for the stage, that much is obvious; so I hope that it will stand up to night after night of playing better than my Takamine's.

The end pin is in a Telecaster position, which is nice because I don't have to fear that the plug will be damaged by the strap anytime soon.

Would take it around in a molded case for tour though... but it would be the only acoustic I would bring with me!

Godin is a great company to deal with, albiet very slow. With what information I needed from them they were really quick to get to me, and with previous guitars that I owned and needed service tips for, their information was very helpful and informative. The people that work for Robert are just so friendly too!

I've been long searching for an Acoustic guitar that would work well for me on stage, and I think I finally found it! After years of playing with a couple of Takamine's I have had tons of problems with relibablity. I always wanted a Larrivee, but could never afford one. This little beauty is all I need now! It's so well balanced when you got it plugged into something, and thats all I really need.

For my altrock style, there is no better stage acoustic under $1k that I've seen latley. So this one takes the cake!

I bought it brand-new last week 29th of January 2005. Made in Canada I think, although I believe Godin have an assembly factory in the USA. Price included very nice gig bag, screwdriver, allen key, set of 12's strings [guitar designed for 10's, so I gave them to the Salesman].

Natural finish, rosewood fingerboard, solid top.
I don't know the make and model of pickups/pre-amp but would like to for future reference.

I play Country, Frontman, so mainly rhythm, light touch, on a Simon and Patrick Jumbo fitted with a Mimosis pickup, which is a great guitar, especially for the price, and beautiful sound, sometimes through a zoom 504[2] acoustic pedal, using a Marshall AS50R amp with line out to the PA. The band are old players from way back, and just want to enjoy music, so a most of our gigs are for various charities.
As we lost our lead player, [not dead, just lost], I have to put in a few runs/riffs to add to the Steel players input, so went for the Godin A6 as easier to play and control than the Jumbo.

The distortion is such that the instrument is not usable. Can get away with single strings although the fuzz is still there, but chords are just a jangle no matter how lightly played or at what volume/tone selected. The seems to intensify after time. [I did change the battery by the way!].

The action was high, but lowered satisfactorily by the dealer.
The manufacture and finish is excellent. One very slight 'dip' in the top, in the same place as another in the shop, but less.

Everything about this guitar suggests high class manufacture and it is particularly good looking and handles beautifully, so it would seem to be extremely long lasting, unfortunately the output is so awful that it can never be tested [by me]on stage, and of course it was not intended to be played acoustically so it is basically useless.

The dealer has been very helpful, but another A6 in the shop is the same, except slightly less trebly, due perhaps to not having the lower setup.

Godin don't give the opportunity to discuss problems on their website, just a contact mainly so they can put their dealers in touch, probably as a sales aid, and no Address or Telephone Number either in the UK or Canada.

I have been playing since 1960, started in cabaret playing semi-pro duo work in top northern clubs, and gradually worked my way down. I have an old Tokai strat, an old Fender strat, new Behringer PA, [which arrived with faults and had to be repaired], a Peavey 150 Special guitar amp and various other bits and pieces.

It could easily get lost, and I wouldn't replace it!

Unfortunately I bought it, and the only future I can see for it is to change the electrics or put it well out of sight and try to forget the #580.00!

Rated 2 because it looks and feels nice, but because it isn't acoustic, it is as useful as an ashtray on a motor cycle.

Wonder which guitar the very nice gig bag will fit?

I compared it to several including the Line 6 modelling guitar which had great sounds, but the Godin had a better feel to me, very similar to my beautiful Simon and Patrick, so knowing the quality of Godin personally I chose it....Line 6, all is forgiven.

Joking aside, I had great hopes for this guitar, really looked forward to playing a little more in the band, and am very, very, disappointed.

The features are listed by the other reviewers. I was looking into a Chet Atkins SST, but a friend turned me onto these guitars. I have had a Godin before so I knew it was a quality instrument. I was looking a new A6 with a clear finish. It had a cheesy plastic truss cover but a cool battery access. I ended up with a used but pretty much new model with a cognac burst top. It had the roswood truss cover but I have to unscrew a plastic cover in the back to replace the battery. For a couple of hundred less, I'll take out 4 screws once or twice a year.

I play everything from country to rock. You name it. i can get almost any sound I want from this guitar. I go from the A6 into an ART personal tube Pre-amp. From that straight to the board. I also go from that into a Yorkville AM50 for personal monitoring.

The sound is great, it doesn't feed back on me and our volume is loud. I had a Seagull S6cedar, but it just couldn't handle the volume. I do have to keep the mid on the guitar basically off. But it cuts through easily and the Tube Preamp smooths out the sound nicely too.

The guitar was set up great when I got it. The finish was perfect.
I didn't like the way it felt though with the electric guitar strings, I found it hard to play acoustic when my acoustic reacted like an electric if that makes any sense. I put a set of Elixer polyweb customgauge strings on it and it feels and sounds great.

I had to replace a washer on one of the tuners. The bridge also needed to be replace after 6 months. But I play it all the time. I acually play it more than any other guitar I have.

N/A

I would definately replace it if I lost it. I Thought about getting a Multiac Steel, but they didn't have the same sound or volume that the A6 had. The cedar top definately is a plus. I am contemplating getting the A12 next.

See below, this stuff has been covered in spades. I think mine is a 2001 model, the natural finish variety. It's not a flashy axe, just a well-crafted working man's guitar.

Why anyone bothers to evaluate the unplugged sound of this guitar is beyond me since the thing is clearly meant to be played amplified. Unplugged it sounds very much like a cheap banjo crossed with a muffled resonophonic guitar. Running straight to the board with everything EQed flat, it tends to be mid-rangey. I've messed around a lot with EQ and various pedals trying to get something suitable. The best I've come up with so far is running it through a Zoom 504II pedal with a bit of reverb and chorus. In honesty, I think my old Chet Atkins SST has this thing beat in the sound department, but it's not bad. I'd say there's less sustain and depth probably due to the extremely light and thin design compared to the insanely dense and heavy Chet. It's a tradeoff. Anyway, for finger-picking I like the lack of hardware in the way and I get no bottom-end howl standing straight in front of my monitor. If fact, clean bottom frequencies is a strong suit, IMO. It does what I expected it too, a nice full rich tone without feedback. Can't compare with my Guild F47MCE w/ Fishman Pro Blender in tone but the Guild is a feedback machine, can't play it out at any real volume. The A6 will not feedback but if EQed with too much bottom it can boom some. Once in a while when fingerpicking I get an annoying shot of pure midrange out of the G string. Maybe I should try switching to an unwound one. I agree with a previous reviewer that you will tend to keep the midrange slider almost all the way down on the guitar itself.

Godin does great work. I can't find a single flaw. Action is slightly high but then again, can it ever be low enough? I may have my tech try to shave the saddle down a hair. The 1 11/16" neck at the nut is perfect for me. Great grain on the cedar top. Beautiful natural finish. Clean frets, no weirdness anywhere. Swapped out the stock strap buttons with locking ones. Stays in tune and holds intonation when using a capo.

The A6 is a little lighter and more fragile than I had hoped it would be. In fact, it's so light as to be disconcerting at first. I think it's literally half the weight of my old Chet Atkins SST which I believe weighed in about like a Les Paul, a real shoulder buster. I think it's a dependable guitar but I take a backup no matter what. No pick guard so thrashers will probably want to install a clear one. The finish on the back is tough enough to withstand moderate belt buckle friction.

I emailed them one time with a question about my Solidac model and never got a reply. I don't hold it against them tho. No real opinion on this.

Playing about 30 years now. Own a Godin Solidac, Guild F47MCE and various other low-end beaters. I'm a little disappointed in the sound but like the light-weight and compactness as a tradeoff. If lost I'd probably test an Ovation Viper and a Martin 00CXAE before replacing this one. Might be nice to be able to just pick one up and play unplugged without it sounding like a banjo. But maybe those models sound pretty thin unplugged too...I don't know. They would certainly be more prone to feedback than the A6 which is really a major stength.

Clear cedar top, rose wood fret board. Paid $200 US with the "Godin Canada/USA" hard case. Bought from individual in need of money REALLY bad.

Without a amp behind it, it sounds really thin and flat. I run it through a Crate stack with 2 4-12 Distex cabs. loaded with 500 watt Pyle Drivers. Between the settings on the A6 and the amp, I get a fairly decent sound. Cutting the midrange controls WAY back help a whole bunch!!

What can I say. I was not looking to buy an another acoustic, and neither was my wife, but when I saw the guitar and heard the price this guy was asking. I could not pass it up. I had heard of godin before but had never played one. And I knew they command higher than average prices. This is a truly beautiful guitar. Could not find a single flaw in it craftsmanship. I swore this guitar was brand new.

Only had it for about 4 months. Was offered a even trade for a Ovation Baladeer at the music shop the other day. And also another guy offered $700 US on the spot with the case. Thought I might just hold onto a little longer though. So far Have not had any problems out of it. Seems to be a really quality made guitar.

Have not had to deal with them.

I've been playing off and on for about 13 years. I own: Gibson Humingbird, Ibanez AE10 (thin body a/e), Hurricane EX60 electric, Fender Strat, Westone electric, Washburn electric.

What I like most about the Godin A6 is the ease of play. I think it has better action than my Fender Strat! And just the overall appearance of this guitar in general is truely amazing.

What I hate most about it is that unless you run it trough an amp, it really sounds bad. Its nice to just sit around with some friends and play an acoustic without a amp. That won't happen with this guitar.

Overall I got a good deal and can't really complain. I would recommend this guitar to anyone, just play it before you buy it! Make sure you can live with the "unplugged" sound!

(from Godin website)
Mahogany neck - Rosewood Fingerboard
16" fingerboard radius
25 1/2" Scale
1 11/16" nut width
Two-Chamber Silver Leaf Maple body
Solid Cedar Top
LR Baggs Ribbon Transducer and custom preamp
Volume, Mid, Treble and Bass controls
Natural Semi-Gloss Finish

This is a beautiful looking guitar. Brand new from Centerville Music, this Canadian beaut is now mine. Came with a very plus, padded gig bag. It's got all you'd need in an acoustic/electric.

This guitar is the sound I was looking for. I went shopping for an acoustic with the intention of getting one that was nice, affordable, and could easily be routed for a pickup if need be. This Godin A6 is perfect. It sounds awesome through just about any amp you play it through, as well as pretty good unplugged. Since there's a very small sound hole on the top left of the guitar, the unplugged sound is a little bit more muffled than on a larger guitar. This guitar sings.

The action on this is set up for someone who's used to playing an electric guitar. There is great access to the higher strings, unlike many acoustics in the industry. The neck plays very well, the guitar looks gorgeous. This is exactly what I was looking for.

This is a very light guitar from an electric stand-point, and a little heavier than most acoustics. It feels like a fine instrument, and would probably play very well at a gig. I wouldn't bash it around or just toss it on the floor, but then again, no self-respecting musician would.

N/A... Just bought the baby.

I've been playing for a long time, and used tons of different equipment. The acoustic that my roomate had in college was an Ovation, and it was a piece of crap. My father's 1960's Yamaha sounds incredible, but lacks any sort of electronics. This guitar is just about perfect. The only thing I would want a little bit more of is a brighter sound when it's not plugged in. For what the guitar is, this is an amazing instrument. It plays very well, and resonates with an almost angelic tone.

As with my Tom Anderson Drop top and BC Rich Bich Supreme, if someone were to steal this instrument I would not replace it. I would hunt down whoever stole it and torture them in the most heinous way I know how. Yes folks, I'd make them listen to the Backstreet Boys for days and days at a time while watching MTV. <shudder>

This is a no frills thin acoustic electric. Volume, bass, mid, treble controls. Great neck, good tuners, very nice quality. Stays in tune and good intonation up the neck.

You can get a wide range of acoustic tone from full to jazzy. It won't replace a big resonant taylor or martin, but it will play loud and easy at a bar gig where the others feedback and fall apart.

You can dial in a tone you will like.

I've always liked the Godin quality. Necks are really playable. Controls easy to reach, yet subtle. Tops are really nice cedar...Oh Canada.

The neck is a little narrow for my taste. I'm hoping to find a Multiac with the 1 7/8" neck at a decent price. For now the A6 is fine. I have some trouble fingerpicking when I move back and forth with my taylor. Fingers are too fat.

Seems to be very well built.

Local rep is great.

Excellent....you will like it.

I got a deal - I know the owner....I have other Godin guitars and have had several - they are GREAT! This is a straight ahead acoustic/electric - no frills - good Baggs pickup system - I got the High Gloss Black and it has a great feel - the action was as high as Mt Fuji - so, I did a set-up on it and now it is almost perfect.
My main acoustic is my Martin - but this A6 is a very - very close 2nd! I give it a 9 for features 'cause it is a Godin - even though it is just a straight ahead acoustic/electric

The sound is really great - it comes close - to my Martin
(I said close - not exact) - I am very pleased - I have had a Godin Multiac steel string and the A6 has a much better bottom end tone by far....it is a rich full sound and with just a little tweaking of the EQ - anyone should be able to arrive at "their" tone!

Like I said - the action was way too high - but I heard that Godin ships their guitar that way - so they can then be adjusted to the individual player....I do my own set-ups so that is OK - but if you have to pay for it - it is not such a great idea...finish is beautiful High Gloss Black with a sweet cream binding - - very nice
I give a 9 here only because of the high action from the factory

This guitar will take it!!!! I take great care of my guitars and treat them well - but, I don't baby play them - RESPECT - yea that's the word - I respect them.....I would use this on a gig without a back-up - I believe in Godin that much - 'cause like I said above somewhere I have other Godin's and have had several - they are quality!

I have never had to use them for any kind of problem with a guitar - but I did email Mario once and said I thought he should send me a T-Shirt 'cause I had like 3 or 4 Godin's at that time - -

AND HE DID!!

I have been playing for many many years - I think 32 or so - -
Stolen or lost - I WOULD REPLACE IT
As mentioned above I have several Godin's and my Martin - - -
I play mostly acoustic - sometimes I play electric and you guessed it for that I have a Godin LG - SP90 a beauty - -

2002 model Godin A-6 acoustic/electric (Canada) with a hollow maple body , solid cedar top, mahogany neck, rosewood fingerboard. Finished in a natural satin transparent. Pickup is an L.R.Baggs ribbon transducer with onboard active preamp/EQ (volume, treble, mid, bass).Has sealed high-quality tuners from Godin.

The sound is almost perfect, with a lot of feeling.

The action is perfect (better than a Godin Multiac).
The action is lower than some well know electic guitars.
The neck is very fast,

??

Very good !

My best guitar.

Made in Eastern Canada, in the same factory that pumps out Seagull acoustics (the LaSiDo group). This is a 2" deep, cedar top acoustic/electric. Onboard active electronics is a LR Baggs Ribbon Transducer under the saddle. Also, onboard 3 band eq and volume controls. Satin finish. Mohogany neck, with a rosewood fingerboard. Sort of a tele-body shape, but the neck is not as fast. Feels more like an acoustic scale, but that could just be me. Tuners were more than adequate.

I ended up selling this used b/c I couldn't come to terms with the sound. I originally bought this b/c one of my favourite players, Dave Matthews, uses a guitar of similar concept. I don't have the same rig (amp, etc.), however, so perhaps I was a bit unfair to the Godin.

I found the sound very tinny, and brittle, and no amount of eq'ing really gave it the depth and warmth that a good acoustic needs. My source of comparison is a Larrivee C-09 with a Fishman Matrix pickup. I usually go direct to the soundboard via a DI box. I also despised the "Piezo quack" effect that I'd get from really digging in to the strings. Ewww... gross. Perhaps with a Sansamp DI box, this guitar would shine.

My music styles are rock/pop/folk. There probably are some applications for this guitar driven through a tube amp. I didn't have the patience.

Action was high out of factory. Gave it a good setup. Used Acoustic medium guage strings...

Wood looked good, no finish problems. Actually, the look of this guitar is one it's strong points. Beautiful body and back.

Some of the fret work was a bit rough at the edges.

I used it for a lot of gigs. I did notice from my time playing it that a satin finish is bad for protecting the top. There was already a lot of marking from pick scuffs.

N/A

I've been playing around 5+ years now. At the time I owned the Godin, the only other guitar I owned was a cheap Applause (Ovation style) acoustic. I now own a Gibson 335, Fender Mexi Tele, a Larrivee acoustic. I use a Mesa Boogie Subway Rocket for amplification, but have been tending towards emulation, using a Johnson J-station.

This guitar was bought mainly b/c of my lack of understanding of how I wanted my guitar to sound.

Might be suitable for some players.

This A6 was probably an 97. It was made in Canada. It had a solid spruce top with a mahoghany body. This guitar was equipped with a LR Baggs pickup with a 3-band eq. The finish was a high gloss spruce look. The body type was similiar to a telecaster.

The sound is perfect(in my opinion)when plugged in. As good as a Chet Atkins or better. Unplugged it still has enough volume to play in the right environment. The guitar has a built in harmonizer in the body that makes the sound very unique, almost custom. I use trace elliot acoustic amps. I love this guitar and feel that this one in particular cannot be topped. I dislike the fakey gold tuners, I'm a chrome man.

The action was a little tough, but I'm used to the best actions. I had it set up properly and use elixir strings for a very professional sound. The guitar is absolutely beautiful. I can't find any flaws(though I do love ebony fretboards, which this doesn't have).

I do not see a problem, but I take good care of my stuff. This guitar could be used by the top musician's in the world. This guitar is not a bang me up guitar. It is meant to be kept pristine. Any damage would be an eyesore on this beautiful instrument. I would say durability is poor, like a rose beautiful yet delicate.

n/a

I've been playing for 18 yrs. and I also have a Alvarez-Yairi and a Godin LGX-SA. This guitar is a must have.

I purchased the Godin A6 guitar because it is a leading edge acoustic/electric designed for the electric guitar players that are accustom to playing with light guitar strings (i.e., .010-.046). And want to add an acoustic sound to their repertoire without the pain of wide bodies, high action and heavy gage strings associated with conventional acoustic guitars. I truly admire those acoustic guitar players with hands of steel that can get that great acoustic sound, but unfortunately I'm not one of those people.

The A6 has a single cutaway, two-chamber, silver leaf maple body
(2 inches thick), solid cedar top, Honduras mahogany neck, rosewood finger board, rosewood bridge and a 1.687 inch width neck at the nut. Cognac Burst semigloss finish is the color that I selected which really looks nice with the flawless cedar top. And the cream color binding on the front edge of the guitar body gives it a nice accent. The guitar scale of the A6 is 25.5 inches which means the distance from the nut to the bridge is 25.5 inches. Godin used an LR Baggs, under the bridge, piezo ribbon transducer and peramp with slider volume and EQ controls (bass, midrange, and treble) to power the A6. There are access plates on the back of the guitar for the peramp/battery and ribbon transducer. The clear finished Honduras mahogany bolt-on neck is very comfortable with great playability. Don't let the bolt-on neck design scare you off because you will not notice any difference in sound quality, substance or playablility. And for lack of a better description the A6 has a Strat/Tel style neck, so it is very easy to switch between electric and electric/acoustic without a hand recalibration. Non-locking Grover style chrome tuners with plastic buttons are used on the nicely finished head stock. Godin also provides a really nice upscale guitar case that you would be proud to walk through any airport with.

Since sound quality is a very subjective thing to evaluate and will depend on many factors such as your hearing abilities, years of experience, playing ability, thickness of the pick you use and type of guitars and amps that you have been exposed to in the past. Everyone has these sound templates in their head that are used to judge sound quality and we all know what that perfect guitar sound should be. So I was a little reluctant to evaluate this area based on some of the other reviews that I have read, but hear goes.

To me, the sound quality of the A6 is excellent when played through an SWR Strawberry Blond acoustic amp with Elixir (easy on the fingers) extra light acoustic guitar strings. After evaluating several amps with the A6, I purchased the SWR Strawberry Blond because I really liked the full rich sound this combination had. I never use the EQ on the guitar but defer that to the SWR because it has some really nice EQ features that gives you much better control. For me good acoustic amplified sound is a very difficult thing to acheive but I believe Godin has set a new standard for this category of acoustic/electric guitars.

The action on the A6 is going to be slightly higher than your electric solid body but with the light strings it is not going to be a problem. All of the frets are beautifully finished and polished with no rough edges on this fret board. There is no glue oozing anywhere inside or outside of the guitar and everything fits perfectly. This guitar has impeccable workmanship that you would expect to see on guitars costing two to three times more than this one. So I would rate the action, fit and finish as excellent, excellent and excellent.

I have been playing the A6 for seven months and I can report that I have not had any problems. However, the 9-volt battery will need to be replaced every few months or it will affect your sound quality and EQ performance.

Never needed any repairs or warranty work done on the A6.

I think most of the adjectives to describe the A6 have already been used, so I won't reuse them again. But, I can tell you that I have waited for 5 years for an acoustic/electric guitar that I liked and could play to come on the market and thanks to Mr. Godin, I'm back playing the acoustic guitar again.

I have been playing guitar as a hobby for about 10 years and took guitar lessons for the first 4 years that I played. These lessons really helped me to build my skill level, but I'm still a work in progress.

If this guitar was lost or stolen I would definitely replace it.

The thing that I love about this guitar is it plays like an electric but has a really nice acoustic sound.

This information is being provided because it was requested as part of the evaluation submission. The other gear that I own is as follows:

Guild Blues Bird AAA Top
USA-Fender Strat Plus
USA-Fender Strat Lone Star
Peavey Cropper Classic
Heritage 157 Custom - Les Paul Style Guitar
2 Fender Blues Deluxe Amps, 40 Watts each
SWR Strawberry Blond Acoustic Amps 80 Watts
Rocktron Intelflex - LTD Signal Processor
Roland Sound Canvas - MIDI Sound Module
Fender Keyboard Amp, 80 Watts

In my opinion this is the Cadillac of A/E guitars. Great L.R. Baggs pickup system with a preamp/eq in an extremely convient place, right above the strings! I got real tired of playing a/e guitars that put the EQ's on the side of the body, way too awkard to adjust while playing. Not a problem on this one. The guitar has a great selection of woods, Cedar, Mahogany, and ebony. I'm not sure if this is a standard feature since mine came secondhand, but mine came with straplock-ready strap pegs as well. I really liked the fact that the neck included a truss rod, one of the problems I have with most a/e's (and regular accoustics for that matter) is that if the neck ever warps you have to toss them. Overall this guitar is great.

I've heard alot of people complain about the midrange EQ, but that's really not so bad if you have a decent amp. I tested it out on the amp I will soon be buying (an SWR strawberry blonde accoustic amp) Which by the way is the best accoustic amp I have ever heard (even better than it's big brother the California blonde). I really like the way the pickup is sounding and you can't make this thing feedback to save your life! Another thing I really like about it is the deep cutaway . I never understood the point of putting frets on a guitar that you can't reach! not a prob with this one though. Sounds GREAT!

Not sure what it looked like when it came from the factory since I didn't buy it new, but I know it looks great now! The finish is excellent. The guitar doesn't have a pick guard so I did something that I would recommend anyone else that buys this guitar do. I bought a clear stick on pick guard for it and now I can play without worrying about scratching the finish. The great thing about that is the clear guards only cost about 5 bucks and if you get it scratched up you can just peel it off and get a new one! I like the fact that it looks like the Chet Atkins (I originally planned on getting one until I played this one. Saved 1100 bucks and got in my opinion a much better guitar)

Not sure about this one, I've only had it about a week now so only time will tell. If it stays anywhere near as good as it is now over time I will definately be pleased. I don't think I'll need a backup with this guitar, but I will be carrying some spare batteries (no battery indicator means no telling when it'll go out!)

Haven't dealt with them yet. Heard they're great though

Overall is definately a 10. I wish I had bought this before I bought my first guitar (an ovation) I know it probably seems that I'm being waaaay too leaniant on the scores but this guitar really does blow my mind! it's amazing

The Godin A6 has a ceder top, mahogany neck (I think) and an ebony fret board. The back is the part that really impresses me. It consists of two pieces of maple sandwiched together and then carved out, so it is very sturdy. The best part is that you almost have to get a magnifying glass out to see the seam. They did a very good job with this one. It also has a good L.R. Baggs preamp/eq pickup system which I have only one complaint about. (I'll explain that one below)

The set up I use it with now is kind of uncommon but it gets the job done. I actually run it through the analog input of a Yamaha MU-80, which is actually a MIDI tone generator for keyboards. However one of the secrets is that they put a good bit of EXCELLENT guitar effects on it. It also has a nice broad band of EQ which really really comes in handy when you have to turn down the midrange. See, as I mentioned before I only have one problem with the L.R. Baggs EQ which is that they did't make the midrange slide long enough so you could turn it down even FURTHER! This guitar has a terrible tendency to be overly midrange sounding. A few times I could have sworn it was a banjo. After putting the A6 through my Yamaha I then go through a Peavey KB-100A keyboard amp. (Acoustic amps are overated, you can get the same sound for a lot less with a keyboard amp figuring a piano has a bigger range than guitar so it is more than qualified to handle it, plus you can usually get more watts per dollar.) Anyways, I even have to turn down the midrange some on the amp. So lets review, turn down the midrange all the way on the guitar, all the way on the processor and almost all the way on the amp. This is of course due to its thin body (which is great to play on). Keep in mind that I play this thing in very loud situations. So I tend to pump the treble and bass up some to cut through because it will very easily get lost if you don't. Though after all of that tweaking, it sounds AMAZING, and never feeds back. I've had only a slight string buzz once. Beats the living daylights out of my old feedback prone acoustic. I've also played the A6 through various PA's and acoustic amps for comparison. It sound great, when properly EQ'd of course. This is a great guitar don't get me wrong, just be prepared to EQ. For the money, its still unbeatable.

The one undisputable fact is that it looks GREAT. Godin really knows how to make a looker. I got the natural version with a semi-gloss finish. I love it. The only complaint is that they should have made the top solid. The two piece top on my guitar could have been matched a little better. Just that simple thing makes the guitar look cheaper than it really is. The other complaint is how it looks a little too much like the Gibson Chet Atkins SST (the guitar Dave Matthews plays). Though the overall body shape is different, for some reason they decided to write Godin in exactly the same spot Chet Atkins put his name on his guitar. This confuses me since Godin has always made it known that they like tomake their guitars stick out from the crowd.

I use this guitar mainly in a live setting since that is what it was designed for. In know way do I baby my guitars. I am a hard, percussive strummer. So far the A6 has held up to my brutality with no problem. I don't even consider a back up when I'm playing. In fact I even use distortion with it so I don't have to switch back and forth (keep in mind that you have to do some MAJOR tweaking to make an acoustic sound good with distortion.) The only thing I suggest is to keep a spare battery around since there is no warning light so who knows when it will die.

Sorry, never tried customer suppport, don't think I'll ever need to either. The warranty seems a little limited in options and length for the quality of this guitar.

Even though I beat it up prettly badly about the EQ, it is still an amazing guitar. I recommend it for anyone who has to play acoustic in a high-volume, live situation. Just remember to get yourself some kind of effects processor with some good EQ. I'm going to start looking at some acoustic stomp boxes and see what they can do. Other than that its a great great great guitar for the money.

This is super-thin "acoustic/electric" guitar - basically a really thin acoustic with a piezo and bolt on neck. Beautifully made for what it is, with quality hardware all around. It's hard to criticize Godin's guitars in the features or finish department - they're unique, well-thought-out instruments...

... but the sound of this thing! This is where I really have a problem with these ultra-thin electric-like "acoustic" guitars. I owned my A-6 for a couple of weeks, but three band practices later I dumped it as fast as I could. The guitar doesn't sound bad through a good acoustic amp in the music store, but in a band setting I found it to be very thin, percussive, tinny - just awful, no more like an acoustic than one of the LGXs with a piezo bridge, or a strat fitted with one of those Fishman Powerbridge thingies... Basically, the thing sounded like a detuned banjo and was totally lost in the mix. I was pushing it through a Trace Elliot TA35CR btw - a very good acoustic amp. Granted, I didn't go out an invest in a rack's-worth of processors to try and turn the sound into something richer, deeper, fuller - and if I had, I've no doubt that I could have come up with something pleasing - but why bother. As long as I stick to a full body acoustic I get the sound I want without lugging any more gear. I'm partial to Godin instruments, but I really did not like this sound. My advice to anyone thinking of purchasing one of these guitars is to try it out in a real band environment first.

Impecable on all counts. Godin could teach Gibson a thing or two about quality control.

Didn't keep it long enough to really know. Seemed well built, tho a sharp blow to the sound board would probably do more than "ding" the finish...

I've emailed them a couple of times and their response was always fast and friendly.

Needless to say, this wasn't the guitar for me - which is largely the reason I sat down to submit this review. I was quite impressed with the A-6's tone in the music store, and I was terribly disappointed with it's performance in a band setting. I hope I can help someone else avoid that kind of disappointment.

The guitar has volume, bass, mid and treble controls which control active electronics made by LR Baggs. It has a solid cedar top with a satin finish. I purchased it from Mandolin Bros in NY for $570.

I play guitar in a modern/alternative cover band and I run the A6 through a Line6 POD set on it's tube preamp simulator with a touch of compression and reverb. It sounds fantastic and avoids feedback admirably in fairly loud settings. My previous gig acoustic was a Taylor 712c with an EMG active pickup installed. It sounded really good but was prone to feedback which forced me to use one of those 'butt-ugly' rubber soundhole plugs to prevent feedback. When using one of these you loose much of the tonal advantage of using a 'real acoustic' for gigs. The sound becomes muted and dank. This made me begin to investigate more modern solutions to the problem. With the Godin I get a really great acoustic sound without any feedback problems. An added plus is that the guitar is designed to use 10-46 regular electric strings rather than more expensive and finger busting bronze wound 12-? acoustic strings. Since I'm essentially an electric player, (ie, acoustic wuss) it's easier for me to play with the lighter strings and it still has a full bodied tone, whereas my Taylor had to have 12's to get that big full tone.

I bought mine second hand and immediately sent it to my local guitar tech for a setup to lower the action, recut the nut and adjust the truss rod. It plays great. I find myself noodling on it at night where I once picked up my electrics for this purpose.

I have played it a few times live and it does a great job. I don't carry a backup for my acoustic but still carry two electrics to the gig. (I guess my electrics are the backups, since I only play about 15% of a gig on acoustic). The hardware seems sturdy enough to last although the lack of a pickguard will probably mean that I'll eventually dig a hole in the top like Willy Nelson.

Never dealt with them as I bought it second hand.

I've been playing for 20 years, much of it professionally. I have owned pretty much all of the top gear both vintage and modern over this period. If it were stolen or lost I would immediately find and purchase another. The fact that I can throw this in a gig bag and go to the gig is great (I hate cases!). I think this is a great instrument if you are primarily an electric player and need an acoustic sound at gigs for some songs. I have had takamines, taylors and martins and while these sound better than the Godin acoustically, none of them sound more convincing through a PA system, and none of them fight feedback like the Godin. A great working axe for a great price!

1998 model Godin A-6 acoustic/electric (Canada/US) with a hollowed-out venetian cutaway maple body (2" thick), solid cedar top, mahogany neck, rosewood fingerboard, rosewood pin-type bridge, compensated saddle. Finished in a satin transparent blue with creme top binding. Pickup is an L.R.Baggs ribbon transducer with onboard active preamp/EQ (volume, treble, mid, bass). The adjustable neck is somewhat flat (16" fingerboard radius) and has sealed high-quality tuners (unknown make). Instrument came with Godin hardshell case.

In buying this guitar, I was trying to fill a need for amplified acoustic for use in a rock/blues band, as well as accompanying vocals in church, without modifying my beloved OOOC-16 Martin. Since the body is only 2" thick, and has no soundhole, the straight acoustic sound is almost like a low-volume resophonic guitar; rather tight and mid-rangey. It kinda grows on you though, and I find myself playing it more and more just to noodle around without plugging in. Running it through an amp or PA really makes it sing. If I were to classify the sound, I'd have to describe it as having characteristics of a standard acoustic, solid body electric, and (for lack of a better term) an "Ovation-like" sound. It has wonderful balance across the entire range of the fingerboard, with no wolf notes or tonal surprises. Finger-picked, it seems to have these beautiful ringing harmonics & overtones which lend a reverb-like quality. I played it straight through a '71 Fender Champ last Sunday, and had people from the congregation commenting on how nice my guitar sounded. The control sliders are not as convenient as knobs, but I'm getting used to the location & "feel" of using them on-the-fly. With the controls at flat response, the guitar sounds rather bland, but with the treble at about 75%, mid at 25%, and bass at 100%, it brings out a very reasonable acoustic sound.

I've had my eye on this guitar for a couple of months, and had played it at the dealer's several weeks ago. There are a couple of very minor finish dings, but the factory finish & setup were pretty much flawless. It's one of the few instruments I've simply picked up and played without any need for adjustment.

This guitar was made to play live and in the studio. In looking it over carefully, I'd say it ought to last as long as any other acoustic/electric guitar I've seen or owned. All of the parts are high quality, and it was obviously made to exacting standards. Although I can't envision needing a backup, I'd like to have another in an altered tuning!

Haven't had the need for customer support, but the manufacturer's reputation appears quite good. I was a little surprised that the warranty is only 1 year. I would have expected at least 5 years or more, based simply on the quality. I'm giving a mediocre rating based on the short warranty.

I've been "playing at" guitar since 1963. I've owned over 150 guitars, as well as sundry other instruments. I've played solo and in groups of various sizes. Rock, Pop, Blues, Country, Cowboy, Folk, Celtic, French, Baroque, etc. Prior to buying the Godin, I used Ovations for amplified acoustic gigs. I've yet to find an amplified acoustic which truly sounds like a good ol' wooden guitar, but the Godin comes as close as any acoustic/electric I've heard, and certainly does the job well. One of the really neat things about the Godin is that it "wears" and plays very much like an electric, but sounds like an acoustic. Considering the fact that it was made to be run through an amplifier, I don't think I could really classify the unplugged sound of the guitar as a negative, but it's the only aspect which doesn't excite me. I'd like to see/hear one of these with an oval or lute-style rosette sound hole. After using the A-6, I'd NEED a replacement if it was lost/damaged/stolen. I REALLY like this guitar!