Godin 5th. Avenue

There are two versions of this model that are quite different really. One is called the Kingpin and has a P90 pickup cut into the top of the guitar. The other is a purely acoustic one. I have (had) both and this review is for the electric version, the Kingpin. I will post another review in the acoustic guitar section for the acoustic version of this instrument.

The 5th Avenue Kinpin has a laminated cherry body, a matte finish reminescent of the old French polish, a P90 pickup, for which a hole has been cut into the top of the guitar, a maple neck and a rosewood fingerboard with vintage size frets. The bridge and nut are made of plastic (as opposed the the acoustic version of this model that has a rosewood bridge).

Mine is the black model and the finish looks as beautiful as that of an old Grotrian piano. Some people might prefer a high-gloss finish. I like this thinner, matte lacquer much better.

There are three points that I missed, when I ordered this guitar. First of all it is not just an acoustic guitar with a pickup as an added feature. The top has been cut to set in the pickup, so this guitar does not sound as good as the purely acoustic model if played without an amplifier. Second the Kingpin needs to be strung with electric guitar strings instead of Phosphor Bronze Acoustic Guitar strings to make the pickup work properly. And third a P90 pickup will give you a rather thin and dull tone, that some people, who play Blues, might love, but it is certainly not the warm jazzy tone that I had expected.

So concerning the sound I quite simply had to find out, that this guitar was great, but it was the wrong guitar for me. I had wanted an acoustic guitar with the added bonus of being able to play amplified jazz from time to time. But this does not work very well with the Kingpin - at least not as well as it might work with the acoustic 5th Avenue.

This guitar reminded me of something I should have known but that I had forgotten: I simply don??t like the tone of P90-pickups.

This is were this guitar really shine. I have NEVER played another stellstring acoustic with a better playability. The neck is just marvellous. Incredibly fast! And the chords and single notes jump out at you with a very fast response. I love it. And as I said before I also love the finsih.

The guitar was properly set up - I do not know whether this was done by the shop where I got it from or the company. But you cannot really judge the factory setup anyway, if a guitar has been shipped from Canada to Southern Germany first and then from Southern Germany to Northern Germany.

The guitar appears to be sturdy. Time will tell.

I have sent them an e-mail with some questions and received no answer. This is certainly not a reason to blame them, but I do not feel very comfortable with it either.

I have been playing guitar for 26 years now. I work as a professional music teacher and own or have owned quite a few instruments - my favorites being some Rickenbackers, a Burns Hank Marvin and a handmade classical guitar by a German luthier called Karl-Heinz R??mmich. My experience with steelstring acoustic guitars is small though, having had training on the (nylon string) classical guitar first and playing electric guitar most of the time nowadays.

This has been the first steelstring acoustic guitar that I really liked as much as my electric guitars, but I found out that I had ordered the wrong model. So I sent it back and got the acoustic version instead. If this acoustic version of the Godin 5th Avenue got lost or stolen I would replace it immediately. The Kingpin was just not the right guitar for me. But do not get me wrong: it is a great guitar. It might be the best guitar on earth for people who love to play the blues. For me the acoustic model was and is the better choice.

I actually have the 5th Ave Kingpin which has a Godin P90 pickup. My guitar is the cognac burst and is made from laminated cherry wood. It has single cream binding on the body. The neck is unbound maple, with rosewood fingerbrd. The narrow headstock's face is gloss finish, other than that the entire guitar is a matte finish. It has a short 24-3/4" scale, tusc nut, floating adjustable rosewood bridge, and trapeze taipiece. this is a noncutaway guitar w/14 frets to the body. The tuners are very good and keeps the guitar in tune. The neck shape is nicely rounded without being too slim. This is better for holding chords. It also has very nicely shaped f-holes and the body is a little narrower inder 3". My guitar included a light, foam hardcase. I use Elixer 11-49 electric strings.

I play lots of chords and chord solos intermixed with short jazz fills. This guitar has a very good acoustic tone without plugging in. When i do plug into my Fishman Loudbox the sound is mello jazz but with lots of note definition. I can still hear the acoustic tone of the guitar which is very resonate. What I have noticed after playing the guitar for 3 weeks is that it is very acoustically responsive. I can tap my pick lighly on the body or the pickup and you can really hear it. I can get a very nice smooth jazz tone and if I open the tone control up, I can get a Gretsch like sound but without the treble harshness. I play this guitar around the house without plugging in and it is still loud to me. I tightened the trustrod a little and the action is good without buzzing anywhere. Also noticed that the edges or the fingerbrd are chamfered and not sharp edged. Frets are dressed with out sharp ends. This guitar is built very well and sounds very good yet is lightweight. it is an excellent guitar for the very reasonable price.

The flat matte finish might scare many potential buyers away but I think that the finish attributes to the good acoustic tone. If it were covered with thick shiney finish it would not sound as good but would be nice to look at. I am more interested in having a good sounding guitar which I can play now without having to wait 10 years for the paint to dry entirely. The cherry top has some figure in the wood and I like the nice sunburst shading. I have not adjusted the Godin P80 pickup at all. It sounds perfect to me and needs no adjusting or replacement. It is fine as it is. The workmanship on this guitar is first class and I like the acoustic or electric sound.

This is a reliable guitar and I do not play or need a backup. All straps are solid and hardware is good. I'll treat it carefully and won't be throwing it around or stepping into it.

I have no contact with the factory, nothing is wrong with this guitar.

I have been playing for 40 yrs and have owned too many guitars. This is the best deal and well worth itbecause tit sounds so good. The guitar is very good for this price rabge and I can play it as well as I can my ES175. I have about 4 other archtops but i just like this light guitar with an oldtime vibe. Archtops will tend to feedback but what I do when I have to play loudly onstage is to put duct tape on the upper F=hole. I then remove it when I get home. It doesn't matter to me because it will not damage the finish. What I have learned from having many archtops is how to control feedback. What I do is turn the guitar volume full on. Then with the channel volume fully off, I then turn the amp volume to where it sounds loud enough for me. I then adjust the volume lower on the guitar. So on a Fender amp the volume is not even at 3. Do not turn the volume up to 10 like others would. I am noy a rock player. It's an archtop not a solid Les Paul. it works fine for me and in my opinion. I play loud. I mike or line out my amp to the PA. This guitar has an oldtime tone which i haven't heard for a long time. I like the noncutaway look and that faux tortoise long pickguard.

The reviews below list the specifications. Mine is a 2008 model and is the cognac burst finish. It has no electronics...and with this amazing sound it doesn't need them. The neck is a good cross between an acoustic and an electric/solid body. Most Godin guitars (i.e. Montreal) have this wonderful neck. This is truly a stunning guitar with all the class and beauty of archtops of old. Regal is the word that comes to mind when I open the case.

The sound is "pure" and unhindered by fancy tricks or electronics. The resonance when strummed is warm, full, and textured. A previous reviewer used the term "wood" and that is pretty descriptive of what you hear. I play with blue steel 11's on it and the chime is just amazing. Having played solid body guitars for some time I was not sure what I thought of the sound initially. It is not acoustic in the traditional sense and it is far from solid body electric. It took me a couple of months to really warm up to the sound. Now, I can't get enough of the pureness of the tone. Every note is defined individually and cords ring with a wood warmth (unless you really power down on it then it tends to vibrate out the sound v. singing). This guitar is responsible for me becoming a devoted "hollowbody" player.

It arrived in the store with action set a little high. The neck relief was fine and the intonation was spot on. I have found no visible flaws with the construction or set up other than the action (it is a given one will have to do a set up on all instruments it seems). The 11's I put on immediately after purchase dropped right into the nut and no binding of the strings occurred. The strap lock pegs was an added bonus and allowed the use of any of my straps so equipped.

The instrument seems extremely well built and capable of withstanding live use for a lifetime. It is extremely light but don't let the weight sway you about build. It handles me hammering away on it daily. It has not been to an "official" gig but has gotten some acoustic jam time at my church with stellar results! The tuners are well made and hold tune even when I get a little over-zealous on the strumming. The bridge has not shifted on me at all and thus intonation remains true.

Not only can I depend on it. I have. If I reach the point of taking on stage (other than church) I am confident it will run...but, as murphy often accompanies me on these type of things...I would bring a back up

Never dealt with them.

I have been playing guitar for about 5 years now, the last three seriously with professional lessons weekly to strengthen my skills. I am currently in transition from a die-hard Les Paul (have a Gibson Standard 2007) and strat rhythm player to a serious hollowbody player diving headlong into blues and some big cord stuff all due to the amazing sounds coming from this dream machine. I currently own the forementioned Les Paul, a Peavey LTD from their custom shop, an Ibanez Archtop, this Godin, and a Larrivee L-09 acoustic. I am looking to complete my collection with a Benson GB-15 (next axe on the horizon).
I purchased this instrument sight/play unseen (I told the store owner if he gets one I want it...it arrived and I walked out with it without tapping a note before the sale. Best risk I ever took!). I love the sound, the honesty of playing an archtop without all the toys and tricks onboard. I am hooked on this guitar!

If it were stolen I would replace it immediately with the exact same guitar. It will grow old with me and like a fine wine I am confident it will only get better with time (not sure if I can say the same about my playing...)

As to what else I "wish" it had...when I first purchased it I thought I might have wanted the "kingpin" edition with the pickup on it...but one strum and I realized it is perfection as it is. I find myself playing it more and more and each time finding new tones and warmth rolling out of it.

I have had alot of guitars (I do work part-time at a local guitar store) and have owned several high $$$ solid bodies...this guitar has just about convinced me to move entirely to hollowbodies (ie the benson, my Ibanez, and this charmer) and my faithful acoustic.

Brand new in July 2008.

Laminated archtop, made of Wild Canadian Cherry. Maple neck, rosewood board. Satin finish. Height adjustable bridge. TRIC semi-hardshell case included.

Sounds wonderful. Slightly dry "bark" when strummed hard, very nice. Not nearly the bass of a dread, or even my solid rosewood 000.

Very well made, especially given the price. Much better fret work than some Gibson Electrics that I've played in the $2500 price range! Action was a little high out of the box, but given the quality of fret and nut work, easy to lower with no buzz. Only misstep is an improperly installed tuner mounting screw, but a few turns should fix that.

Looks solid to me.

I emailed the company with a few questions, and they responded with great courtesy within one business day. High marks.

For the money, definitely a 10. No question.

I am very pleased to be the first to review the new Godin 5th Avenue arch top guitar. Mine is one of the first shipped.
This model pays hommage to the many arch topped models, made popular between the 1930's and the late 60's. Not styling itself after one particular model, rather it uses characteristics of many different guitars of this era. Somehwere between a lower line Epiphone of the 40's, and a Harmony from the 50's and 60's. Very plainly decorated, working on a minimalistic approach to sytle.
Made in Canada this arch top guitar is made from local Canadian Wild Cherry wood. The entire body appears to be 3 ply laminate, a process which Godin has mastered by reversing the orientation of the centre core which greatly increases the strength.
The neck is local Canadian silver leaf maple, with a rosewood fingerboard. Vintage Klusion sytle tuners are very responsive when tuning. The headstock has a flamed maple border, surrounding gloss black.
The trapeze on mine is slightly different than the one showing on the Godin web site, without any extra ornimentation. Mine looks much more like the one on the electric version.
The finish on this guitar is absolutely outstanding. It has a satin sheen, showing off the wonderful grain. I purchased the cognac burst, it looks stunning, and will be sure to turn heads.
The guitar is fitted with creme bindings and tortoise finger rest. The colors of both are beautiful. The tortoise theme is also placed on the trus rod cover.
I really think this is one of the most beautifully understated guitars I have ever seen.
The rating here is made by features that are not usually seen, this is not a swiss army knife and adorned with albalone etc. therfore I will not rate it a 10 with "tons of features" but am giving it a solid 9 for the features that are understated from my above description.

How do you describe sound? I'll do my best here. The guitar sounds "woody". As I play it each day I discover another adjective to describe the tone. I have had it sound bright, flat, deep, shallow, balanced, clear & muddy. I guess having said this I think that it sounds great. It sounds like it should and more.
I have played the old harmony guitars and this definately is warmer and more versatile. Compaerd to a rosewood dreadnaught, it sounds sharp and midranged. To a parlor mahogany bodied guitar, it sounds more complex and focused with deeper response.
I think you get my drift when I say pick it up and play it. I love the faxct this one is not a "Jazz only" guitar. To me it is taking place of many guitars "parlor, OM mahogany, and Jazz archtop". If you are looking for a Maple jumbo or a rosewood dread...then this is not the guitar for you. I give this a 10 it does the job it was built for perfectly.

It is a Godin! I have owned many of their guitars and I can honestly say there isn't another builder that makes guitars for the pricepoint that are as well built.
These are made by the best guitar builders in the world "Canadians" with a long history of woodworking. Lets face it we have a lot of trees here and a huge industry in forestry for a reason. Almost all builders who use spruce tops and rock maple necks get their wood from Canada.
The set up was perfect out of the box. The guitar stays in tune and is in tune all the way up the neck.
The finish is outstanding and takes days to accomplish in production.
The top is perfectly bookmatched.The only things I have found that are not 100% perfect is; there is a small rough edge in one of the F-holes on the lower laminated surface, and the nut does not perfectly rest on the headstock with a slight gap on the ends. Both of these items are really being scrutinized by me and do not impact the guitar what so ever.

I can honestly say this guitar should last for many years and I would not hesitate to play live with it. The guitar is built like a tank. the finish is of the best available. One really neat thing is the strap buttons are Schaller strap locks. The locking device for the strap does not come with the guitar, but they are easily found.
Never gig without a back-up. Stuff happens!

I have contacted Godin in the past and they are slow to reply to email. Having said that, considering they are one of the largest suppliers of guitars in North America, and the fact they are honest that they would rather spend money on the guitars and less on the websites and support....I think it is OK to take a couple of weeks to reply. Lets face it, if you have a problem with a guitar, go to the dealer.
This is a much better philosophy than build cheap and offer a never ending warranty that is way too hard to claim on. Build it properly and there shouldn't be issues.

I have been playing for approximately 30 years. I have owned no less than 150 guitars in my lifetime, way too many to list here (brands Larrivee, Gibson, Fender, Eastman, Yamaha, Epiphone etc. It is simply amazing what can be bought today for $500.00. Years ago the guitars were either overpriced American, or imported junk. Today American products are being built better than they ever were and imports are hard to beat for the price.
Godin guitars offer the best of both worlds. A north American built guitar, for the price of an import and the quality of a hand finished guitar. T
his model is a special one. I normally buy and turn over guitars regularly, but see absolutely no need to go further than this guitar for the purpose I am intending to use it. This is my "parlor & OM" rolled into one. Email me in a year, I bet I still have this one!
I usually don't write reviews of my purchases, this one complelled me to do so, it is really a very special instrument and a best buy.
Lastly I don't work for Godin LOL, I know it sounds like I am a spokesman for their products, but I really like this guitar.