Godin ACS

Nylon strings complete with synth pick up, midi interface and active electronics. The finish is a standard satin finish as per all of the ACS's on the Godin web page. Build quality is excellent. The big feature is that it's a solid body nylon stringed guitar and I don't think any other company produces one of these. The second big feature are the active electronics.

The sound is awesome but you have to set the guitar volume to close to zero and then set the amp to the volume you require. This being done the guitar will sound rich and clean. If you set the volume on teh guitar to maximum the guitar will always sound over-driven. If (like me) you come from a background of steel stringed solid bodies / acoustics then you will have to grow the nails on the fingers of your strumming hand to really take advantage of this. Once you have the finger nails you should be blown away by the range of stuff possible. Clearly this guitar is made for clean sounds and will suck if played heavy. If you would like the full bodied sound of a plugged in acoustic then my advice would be to buy a Nylon stringed Taylor. That said the advantage of the solid body is zero feedback. You should also be able to play lead to really appreciate the tonal range. I'm giving the sound a 9/10 only because it is not hollow bodied which would probably make it perfect. I had never played "active electronics" before and the verdict is this: they are better and some day all electrics will be made with similar electronics. Oh and one last thing - if your amp does not have reverb you will not like the Godins sound: it's a solid body and sounds like an acoustic but in order to get that "acoustic resonance" you will need reverb.

Mine was factory set up. I don't think you can adjust the action but it plays great and the factory action was low. Tuners, electronics etc are all quality stuff.

Great build quality

Never had to use it.

I've been playing 20 years. I also play an ibanez jem, a '54 re-issue LP Custom and a Taylor 714CE. The godin is a nice accomompaniment to these. If it were lost / stolen I would replace it with a new one.

Multiac ACS Slim = Sweet!
I just wrote this review to tell everybody that this guitar got a new life the day I moved to "Savarez Alliance HT CLASSIC 540 J" strings.
The Godin ACS + Savarez + Eventide H8000A (for rev) sounds awesome.

Beautiful

so far no problem

I never talked to them

I love this guitar, the Price/Quality ratio is far better than a average

I bought the slim neck model of the Godin Multiac ACS Nylon Solid Body. I had been looking for a solid body nylon guitar after seeing Sting and Lee Ritenour play similar guitars in videos. I fell in love with the sound even though I had never played a nylon string guitar before. I'm not sure what Sting plays but I finally found out Lee Ritenour plays a Sadowsky which are hand built in NYC and start at just over $3000 which is well out of my price range. I have always played electric solid body guitars. A Les Paul in the past and more recently a Strat. I've been playing for over 40 years but never really felt comfortable with acoustic guitars.

I read about the Godin Nylon string solid body guitars at Harmony Central. As others have said these are often hard to find at your local music store. I located several music stores that would ship the guitars and took a chance buying mine sight unseen but with a 30 day return policy. I bought mine mainly on the basis of the reviews I had read from other players. I paid $740 total with shipping and gig bag in November of 2004. That seemed like a pretty good price through my comparisons.

The features have all been pretty well described in the previous reviews. I love the satin finish and the feel of this guitar. I love the way it looks (except for maybe the flat end of the body where the jacks are located). At first I did not like the appearance of the headstock but after owning it for awhile I couldn't imagine any other type. Also important is that my wife thinks it is a beautiful guitar.

I thought I would buy a hardshell case soon after buying the guitar but I was pleasantly suprised by the quality of the gig bag and for my purposes it should do fine. I don't plan on putting it in the back of a truck or van.

One of the first things I did when I received my guitar was to take it down to a local music store that had a good guitar technician to have him look it over. Like I said I'm not very familiar with nylon string guitars. Unfortunately the technician was not very familiar with them either.
He did assure me however that the neck appeared to be straight, the intonation was good, and he did not see any flaws in the guitar. The nylon strings sounded very dead to me but what do I know about nylon strings?

We plugged the guitar into an amp made for acoustic guitars. To tell the truth it sounded terrible. The guitar technician just looked at me and said "now why did you buy this guitar?" I was beginning to wonder myself.

I took the guitar home and played it through my Roland GP100 guitar processor into my Mackie 16 channel board. No matter how I tweaked the Roland I couldn't get the sound I was looking for. Finally I just plugged the Godin directly into the board, set the EQ on the board to flat, backed off the mids on the guitar a little, added some reverb and there it was. That beautiful sound I had been looking for. Incredible. I love that sound.

I still thought the 3 nylon strings sounded a little dull. I called Godin and spoke to one of the techs. They recommended changing the strings first and if I still had a problem I could send it to them to check it out. I finally decided that the dull sound was the nature of nylon strings. I had been playing the guitar with my fingers to that point. The tech mentioned that this guitar is also designed to be played with a pick. When I played it with a pick however the strings felt too floppy and mushy. Finally my next great discovery. Hard tension strings. Not knowing anything about nylon string guitars I knew even less about the nylon strings themselves. In doing some reading I found out the strings come in different tensions so I decided to try some hard tension strings. What a difference in the playability and sound. Much brighter and crisper. Much more responsive to a pick. I'm sure this is all personal preference but my main purpose in writing all of this is to help other musicians like myself who are new to nylon string guitars not waste as much time in the learning process. I continue to play some songs with a finger pick style and others with a nylon pick. I like both sounds.

As mentioned I run my Godin straight into the board and add a little reverb. It sounds very quiet and clean and has plenty of volume due to the active electronics. I have never had any feedback.

I have never tried the synth access. I also play keyboards and have access to plenty of synth sounds so thats not what I was looking for in this guitar although it would no doubt be fun to try it out sometime. I'm into more natural and vintage sounds. As others have mentioned it is also nice to just sit and practice without an amp.

As I mentioned I bought the slim neck. I have a fairly small hand and I'm used to playing a strat so I believe it was the best choice although I have to admit I was not able to try out the full size neck. Ocassionally my fingers seem to get a little crowded.

For me the action could be a little lower. I like real low action. I have not had this adjusted and have not tried to adjust myself but I think I would get some buzz if the strings were lower. It is hard to bend nylon strings as they tend to roll out from under your fingers and have much less play than steel strings but I am getting better at this.

There is something very infectious about the neck however that makes me want to play it all the time. My strat feels neglected.

The fit and finish seem excellent although I have noticed tiny areas about the size of a pinhead on the body that almost appear to be flaws. They are visible only when the light reflects a certain way. I can't tell if they are in the wood or the satin finish but you cannot feel them if you rub your fingers over the area.

Overall I love the look and feel of this guitar.

I think I will own this guitar the rest of my life. And I think it will be around long after I'm gone. It feels very solid and well made. I don't think you need to baby it but I like to take good care of my instruements. I would use it without a backup.

I called them just after I bought the guitar. They were very friendly and seemed more than willing to answer my questions and give advice. I have not tried to get the guitar repaired but they seemed willing to have me send it in if it needed repair. I had a little trouble finding the number. Here it is 514-457-7977

As I mentioned I've been playing at least 40 years. I own a Gibson Les Paul from the 70's. A Fender Strat Plus. A fender Precision Bass from the 60's, and an old Yamaha acoustic that pretty much hangs on the wall.

If my Godin nylon solid body was stolen I would definately buy another.

By the way it stays in tune great but the nylon strings are a real pain to change.

For me the best thing about this guitar is that it opens up a whole new sound and style for my guitar plying. It's hard for me to justify buying more electric guitars(although I would if I had the money) This is like a whole other instruement to master and enjoy. I am so glad I spent the money.

Everyone else has got the other Specifications correctly so no need for overkill. I would however, highlight the deluxe EBONY fingerboard - designed for improved tracking performance for the Synth Access function. ALso that some mention that they ALSO have a Multiac. THIS IS A MULTIAC! And it is also 2-Voice as well.

Easy "mistake" to make because the Web site looks better than some of the model numbers are explained!

I have their standard 1 7/8" width nut (Normally a Classical Guitar
has a 2" width at the nut) but it has the identical thin Neck profile as the Slim.

EVERYTHING has been designed perfectly, even down to the Battery compartment, and the way it's accessed..very-neat and classy and easy to use. It isn't just a synth pick-up tagged on. It carries other useful and user-friendly features like a Volume and Patch/Event Edit/Program change etc

WOW. I like the fact that you can practice with this guitar without annoying anyone in the room, BUT you can enjoy it yourself.

I put mine through an AER amp. WOW-WEEEEE. I compared with a "normal" Electro-Classical, and though you can get a great sound, With the ACS, you can match that great sound, and have MORE ACCESS to other sounds on the Godin as well. I could say that ALL types of music are catered for, but that's going TOO far. As it is though, it's not JUST an Nylon Electro-Acoustic with a Synth pick-up. Although if it was, it's STILL great value. THERE ARE many different sound available to you with the Sliding EQ. I don't know if I would go up to the top-of-the-range one. The fingerboard is Rosewood. Isn't that a step backwards? Ok, there are some better woods for the rest of the guitar, but I did actually prefer the one I got over one TWICE the price!

The only Synth issue I have is the sustain from an un-wound Nylon string will just die/cut very quickly. But that's nothing to do with Godin or any product that is manufactured on their behalf and then installed by them. It's just the nature of the beast.

I tried the Slim as I am mainly an electric player, but got on better with the standard. Also, for Synth work, it's best to concentrate and somehow, over-play the notes sometimes. It is BETTER not using the slim. Somehow the string spacing doesn't work for me. OK, so I can't quite reach with my thumb, but that is only a small inconvenience compared toa better "balanced" design.

Action was great. I have now tweaked the Truss-rod and bingo, it's even better. I did have it lower and a couple of notes on just one fret buzzed slighly, though not noticeable through amplifiction. I decided that I could get a better sound back as it was, and though a cople of "solos" may be tougher, the action, which is still much lower tan you could "take" a Yamaha APX. I owned one once and the sound from that was good-ish and the feel was good, but not "Godin Delicious"

I too found it difficult to find one of these guitars. EVEN the whole of Denmark Street etc had none! When I eventually found a dealer with stock, the grain and therefore the overall finish and look of the 2 guitars I saw did differ dramatically. One looks a million dollars, the other was okay, but just not shiny or sexy enough for me! Very disappointing really, cos I had to wait and just drool over the Web-site and try and understand the different models and their prices.

Having worked in music shops, and shopped in many more I have seen many, many guitars. I can, without predujice that this guitar is probably the best made that I have seen in my 25 years of playing. The shop owner when demonstrating this guitar hit the roof with the headstock, and although the false ceiling came down, there wasn't a mark on the Godin.

Only thing that brings this down from 10 rating is that there COULD be a problem with the design of the dual output plate. If the complete unit doesn't fit nice and snug-as-a-bug-in-a-rug inside the cut-out the whole thing moves with or without plugs, (whether the screws are tight or not)! Could work loose. Mine was VERY loose in the shop. OOOPS, But it is being looked at though by my superb dealer one day.

I emailed them and within 2 days I had a reply, with EVERY query answered. That's GOOD 'OL customer service.

My dealer too is going to adjust the slightly sticking nut on the wound strings, and have a look the Output Socket plate.

He will even sort any Truss-rod issues later on if I change the strings, and has even offered a FRET polish at some stage.

Been playing 25 years. Have a Ibanez 540S Electric (Frank Gamble Custom), a Takamine EN10 Electro-Acoustic, and Old Washburn Force 2 Electric with a GK-3 Installed. (The ACS Synth pickups are FAR better).

Main thing is that you just WANT to play this guitar. I LOOKS FANTASTIC! I plays great, and sounds Fab! What else can you want?

I wouldn't mind a Godin Mandolin next! Do they do one???

Brand new 2004 ACS SA. Made in USA from Canadian parts. 22 frets, nylon string with a unique pickup under the bridge that functions both as a standard Acoustic Guitar pickup (complete with 3-band EQ) and as a Guitar Synth Controller, with Roland 13-pin output. Satin Finish. Maple top with a slight flame to it, Basswood back, Mahogany Neck. Includes Gig Bag.

Sounds great. Very good Nylon String tone, and with the 13-pin output for my GR33, means I can make all kinds of wonderful sounds. EQ is very usable, and it's quiet and clean. I run this through a Yamaha AG Stomp, and it sounds pretty much like a mic-ed nylon string guitar.

Guitar is set up perfectly, adjusted perfectly, and it is put together very solidly. It has a plastic plate holding the output jacks on it. In my opinion this should be part of the wood or a more rugged metal. It was missing two screws from that plate when I got it, too. But it plays VERY well. NO adjustments were necessary.

Can't tell yet, but it seems built to last. I've had other La Si Do instruments (they make Godin, Simon & Patrick, and Seagull) and they've been good. My old Seagull was ROCK SOLID and lasted forever. I finally gave it away to someone who is still using it all the time.

Support is ok. They answered my email about the missing screws and promised to send them. I think it has a one-year warranty. Don't expect to need to use it.

I've been playing for 25 years. I have one other Godin, a Flat Five X, which I like even more. This guitar plays and sounds great, there is NOTHING quite like it - a great playing nylon string solid-body guitar that drives synths and is set up so an Electric player can play it without too much trouble. I would get another one of these in a heartbeat.

basswood body, with a maple top. ebony fingerboard. 3 band EQ for acoustic out. also a roland 13 pin output. classical style tuners. only disappointment would be no switch that goes from guitar to synth to both like on the other roland ready systems.

I bought it new in 2001 at a somewhat blow out price.

i havent used the acoustic output since i got it so I have no idea. I owned and used the LGX-SA (les paul style) for doing synth in portland funk band Dr Theopolis. (www.drtheopolis.com) and got this one beacuse its lighter, less expensive, really really durable and the tracking is better. Like 40% better tracking. never ever makes the weird gleek sounds my other synth makes. thing stays in tune like you would not believe. I'll case it for a week or two, play a gig and its still in tune.

great for finger picking. nice nut width in the classical style. neck has a nice radius to is. only restrung it once since ive owned it as I only use the synth access.

totally bullet proof. I got this so that i could play lots and lots of late night drunken club gigs. the thing could easily handle a bottle being thrown at it. output jack did die on me. see below...

The output jack went bad on mine and i was able to get a new one from them for like $24 which is probably pretty cheap. and only took a week. whats cool is it just snapped right in to the ribbon connector.

I love this guitar and my LGX-SA. Im on the look out for a Multiac jazz with Synth Access. godin is making some of the finest guitars right now. PRS is out.

This is a brand new ACS-SA Slim - supposedly assembled in the US from Canadian made parts. Natural satin finish (which I prefer), solid maple top, basswood body (I believe), mahogany neck, ebony fingerboard. The neck is one of the strong points of this axe...the 1 3/4" width at the nut is perfect for a Strat player like me who has spent lots of time and money trying to find the right nylon string guitar. I just got rid of a Limited Edition Taylor nylon, because I just couldn't get used to it. This one felt comfortable from the get go. Everything about it felt right.

The synth tracking seems fine with the GR-33, but I haven't spent much time with this feature yet - I'll update later.

In a word - awesome! That said, I was not really that blown away in the store. Then, when I got home, I plugged in into my '64 Deluxe Reverb just for grins - and was somewhat disappointed. Then, I plugged into my Lexicon Signature 284 recording amp which has a Lexicon MPX-1 in the F/X loop - again, I was underwhelmed. Then, I plugged directly into the second input of the MPX1 - and wow!! I couldn't tell the difference between Lee Ritenour's nylon sound and the ACS - the playing is a whole nuther story, though! Lesson to be learned is that this is not the type of instrument that does well with a tube amp, but really shines with a quality unit like the MPX-1. The EQ works well, and lets you get a nice palette of tones for the contemporary jazz genre. For me, its perfect!

Everything seemd fine. The guitar played easily, the action was very comfortable for a nylon string; perhaps a tad higher than my Strat, but then, I like such incredibly low action on my Strat, that its an unfair comparison. I couldn't find any obvious flaws, and it seems extremely well made for an instrument in this price range.

This is one solid looking and feeling axe. I don't play out much, if at all, but I used to, and I'd take this guitar on the road without hesitation.

Too early to tell!

I've been playing nearly 35 years, and owned many, many guitars. I can remember very few of them that felt this right from the beginning - an old Yamaha SA-2000, my two custom Warmoth Strats, and this one.

Same features as everyone else has mentioned so far! Built 2003, Canadian, chambered body electric nylon string with synth access. Blue Burst finish (looks much better in person than it does on the Godin website) on lightly figured nylon top. Hex piezo pickups w/3 band active eq.

Sounds great for an electric nylon string, esp compared to similar guitars I have owned (Epiphone Chet Atkins, Yamaha APX). Obviously never going to be quite as full sounding as a 'proper' full bodied nylon string but with a little eq and reverb it sounds great. I use the guitar for a lot of latin and light jazz style music, and some modern dance stuff (where the songs call for nylon string).
Currently running the guitar straight into the desk, so I'm getting a full range sound which helps (you'll never get this out of a conventional guitar amp). Only downside is a slight amount of piezo 'quack', so may try to run this through my Fishman Platinum preamp and we'll see how that goes. Haven't used with the synth access (except in the shop) so can't comment on this side of things at this stage. Was kewl in the shop though.

Very nicely setup. Action is nice and the neck very comfortable to play on - possibly the best playing nylon string I've owned. Some minor flaws in the paintwork around the control cavities on the back, but nothing too noticable. All access neck joint is a very nice touch and really great for upper-register playing. Fretwork is immaculate. Tuners are a bit tough on the E/A/D strings (tough gear ratio???) with some minor binding in the nut but that will be fixed at first service. The headstock signature is a nice touch, as is the design of the tuners.

Have taken this guitar on live gigs since the very day I purchased it, and hasn't missed a beat. Definately built to last and built very well. Have to agree with other reviewers that the output jack is a bit of worry. Straplocks seem to be Schallers which I use on my other guitars :). Definately dependable and would use on gig without backup although I always have an electric with me anyway.

Probably the best nylon string I have owned and a great addition to my arsenal. I don't collect guitars - I have 3 (or 4 now!) guitars which I use regularly and keep because I like them and use them, and this guitar falls into that same category. Would probably buy the same guitar again if I needed to, although would possibly check out the slim version next time for something different in the neck. Would like to see a parametric eq on the mids and possibly a higher end model with a fancier timbers than the current maple top.

Solid body nylon string electric with cutaway 3 band eq
and synth driver. There are buttons for the synth and
a volume slider but no toggle (guitar, synth/guitar, synth)
so you have to work the sliders to cut synth or guitar in
and out(which I do in a song or two). A toggle, like on my
Roland ready Strat would have been cool.
That said, the tracking on the Godin is amazing. Quicker than
the Fender. Synth and guitar sounds are tighter together and
the round nylon acoustic guitar sound doesn'tover power the synth
stuff. A great synth guitar.

The guitar sound is different. It isn't exactly an acoustic sound
but it isn't an electric either. I'm running it through my SansAmp
acoustic direct box to take the brittle edge off the piezo. What
you get is a warm round sound that is punchy on the bottome end
and muted mids from the nylon strings. It adds a cool new layer
to an electric band because it's on it's own level. And finger
picked solo it really cool with vocals. Everybody in my band gave
the ACS a big thumbs up.

It looks beautiful. Mighty classy. The action is great,
it plays like butter. I could play this puppy for days.
The pickups and the synth tracking are wonderful.

Looks solid as a rock. There is some plastic(EQ sliders, and
input jacks) where metal would have been better but it remains
to be seen if that is a problem. I like the Schaller locking
strap knobs. I switched them to Dunlap(personal pref) but it
is a nice feature.

I dunno. I bought this on consignment. Nothing wrong.

I've been playing since the mid sixties, you do the math.
I got the ACS on consignment and so for a great price. It
looked as though it had been lightly used. No scratches, etc
I may be on a honeymoon with this axe but it really adds a
fourth level to my sound. I play mostly rhythm guitar (singer/
songwriter)and I have single coil, humbucker, regular acoustic
and now this. This is somewhere between acoustic and electric,
a sound a lot like Wille Nelson, yeah that's it. Put that sound
in a grungy to rick-a-billy rock band and that's what I heard
the other night. I like it.

www.godinguitars.com

Since I put a set of D'Addario Extra Hard Tension (composite),the sound and the balance is just great !!!
My ACS Slim has a sweet nylon sound but at the same time if I push on the bass strings (let's say hard rock style) it gives back a great dynamic response that could ealily burn the woofer of my amp, I really have to be careful when I play at high volume...

I had some buzzes at middle neck, strings 2 & 3, with a minimal truss adjustment and X-hard tension strings the buzzes went away.
I have setup the action a bit higher than it was when I bought the guitar.
I believe that to get a big sound from nylon strings you just can't pretend to keep the action low as you pretend from an electric guitar.

I think that if you take care of it this guitar will last for a loooong time !!!

A cool instrument for the ones who need a classical sound but at the same time a pushy sound.
I forgot to mention that my ACS Slim tracks my old GR50 like crazy and as no guitar has done so far.
This is just the best midi interface I have ever played

For my music style is the best, I play with a Rolland conected to a harmonyser conected to a Solton, and I play every weekend 3 hour a night and have no problems with sound or performances.

Yes this guitar is made for live playing!! My guitar is 3 years old and I play every weekend,You can depend on it, with out backup.

I have been playin 35 year, I own a Ovation, Takamini, yamaha,Fender est. Fender tele.I buy again , and again this guitar, I love the midi features and the acustic sound.
For my music there is no comparation with other guitar for now.
Needs a better look and better case

Canadian made nylon electric. Equalization, volume, program change co ntrols all mounted on the front of the guitar, easily accessable though. Maple top with some figure and basswood body. RMC pickup. See the website for specs. Tuners are a bit of an issue though. There seems to be some binding or resistance on the tuning keys for the low strings. The nylon strings tune smoothly. Doesn't really affect intonation that I can tell so far. Set up and finish are all nicely done with a very nice feel in the hands. I have an Epiphone CEC nylon electric and there is alot to compare between it and the Godin.

I like to play fingerstyle and this guitar falls well into that style of playing. I also like to play jazz on this guitar as well. I run it through an Ernie Ball volume pedal an Electro Harmonix USA Small Stone Phaser and two Fender Pro Junior Tube amps. The results are very pleasing indeed. You can adjust the equalization and volume on the guitar which is very convenient and it is clear and loud without the piezo effect. Again comparing the guitar with my Epiphone CEC which has a piezo pick up. The guitar is versatile but much different in sound than the Epiphone CEC. Overall I have more flexibility with the Godin. I really like the tones you can get with it.

The set up from the dealer is satisfactory, the action is good with no buzzing and plenty of room to dig in a bit. As mentioned earlier the pickup used in this guitar is a perfect match (no piezo noise), I haven't tried it yet but it supposedly tracks wonderfully with the Roland guitar synths which is one of the reasons I bought it.
The maple top on this guitar has some wood coloration down the middle but I attribute this to the nature of the maple that is used and it doesn't really detract from the appearance but rather gives the guitar identifiable character. Previous reviews make note of the plastics used for covers and on jacks which I have to agree with. The price of the guitar, IMHO, justifies a little better quality in some of the material used for covers and jacks. How that would affect the cost of the guitar I wouldn't know. I am satisfied with the layout and set up of the guitar.

This model of guitar is used by professional players(which I am not) and I have no reason to doubt that with common sense care it would not hold up to gigging. The hardware seems somewhat flimsy but again with reasonable care and playing should hold up. I would certainly depend on the guitar for gigs but I would not gig without some back up irregardless of the guitar I played.

The guitar is new and I haven't had to contact the company. I would though if something was drastically wrong.

I have been playing off and on for 20 years. I have several name brand electrics and acoustic guitars, the Godin ACS is my second nylon string electric and I am very inspired when I play it. I would by it again if lost or stolen, if I could afford it of course, it's not a cheaply priced guitar. I bought the guitar site unseen online and that is really risky business when it comes to guitars. I consider myself lucky to have such a nice guitar. I chose the Godin for it's versatility and reputation and sound of course, thank you Steve Stevens for "Flamenco A Go Go". It lives up to it's reputation in my opinion.

This has the standard synth access configuration: 3 band eq with switchable mids, tranducer volume, synth volume, program change buttons, etc. It's black with a gloss finish; a very elegant looking guitar.

As soon as I bought this guitar I put on a new set of the factory recommended strings (pro-arte(sp?)hard tension). It has a nice tone but a bit thin; not as punchy or colorful as I'd like. To be fair, it's a nylon string guitar and I tend to play with the flesh of my fingers. Classical players tend their nails carefully for a reason. It seems though like the newer semi-hollow Multiacs I've played have more punch. I have not used it yet as a synth controller, but I'm assuming the strengths of the guitar will come to the front when I do.

The guitar ranks highly here. Most of the parts quality, fit and finish elements for a guitar in this price point are great. There are no detectable flaws; a very tight, well made guitar.

I've owned the guitar for a few months now and have no reason to suspect that it will not last as long as I refrain from backing over it with my truck.

I've had no reason to send it in for service.

I love the look and feel of this guitar. As I said, its sound is thinner than I'd like but overall I like it very much. I saw at least one complaint elsewhere that the intonation on these guitars is fatally flawed. My guitar seems fine in this respect. Due to the subtle nature of nylon strings, any off axis pulling, pushing or twisting can create intonation problems, though this may not be responsible for other folks comments.

See www.godinguitars.com for details

Sound is very good though it's a bit flat. A spruce top would probably make it sound better. I'm not a big basswood fan and having a thick maple top with nylon strings driving it essentially means the piezo defines the tone...

Action is good (not great). Fit of parts is excellent. Finish is good though there is is a noticable ridge on the neck where the ebony meets the body.

Seems really well made except for the output section in which a plastic 1/4" and 13pin jack is mounted to a flimsy plastic cover. This is an accident waiting to happen in my opinion. I would have seperated the piezo output and mounted a jack directly into the wood.

Guitar is dead without batteries.

Phone # not listed on their web site. The only email address is sales@godinguitars.com. Replys are fairly slow. I finally called the dealer and he gave me his tech support number. Once you get that number, the support is good.

The weak link of this guitar by far is it's poor intonation. Godin made a fatal design flaw by having the RMC bridge inserts all exactly the same distance from the nut. Even a single piece bridge insert of a classical guitar is angled so that the high strings are closer to the nut than the bass strings. What this means is that the guitar plays very flat on the G, B, and E strings as you go up the neck. If you play above the 12th fret, you can forget about playing octaves or closed voice jazz chords. Even single notes have to be bent to be in tune. Since the design uses individual inserts for each strings, they could have cut the bridge in a way that would have compensated for intonation. If you play mostly triads (barre chords) or play mostly in lower positions, this probably won't hamper you but if you play up the neck at all, you will probably find the intonation to be unsuitable. I have not decided whether to return it or not. I have tried 4 ACS guitars and they all have the same problem so it's not just a single flakey guitar either.

By the way, I've been playing 27 years. I'm a jazz guitarist. You can hear clips of my stuff at www.jackzucker.com.

Others have gone into detail about the features.. 1/4" acoustic output and 13-pin Roland GK Compatible output. Guitar has a solid maple top and a basswood body. The guitar feels very solid, and won't feedback! The neck is wide and thin, allowing you to move all around the neck with ease. Guitar has a longer scale than Classical, allowing looser string tension for even greater playing ease. Super-quick tracking thanks to the RMC pickup system - much much faster and better than the Roland GK-2.

The nylon-string sound is amazing through this guitar, and you can plug it into a huge PA system without worrying about feedback. I own a Godin Multiac, and plugged in, I can't hear a difference between the Multiac and the ACS. Through the Roland VG-88, the ACS really accels. It almost seems like the ACS was designed specifically around synth guitar purposes. The solid top/body transmits a very minimal amount of acoustic sound. This is GOOD! When using the Roland VG-88, you can use all sorts of alternate tunings without hearing the original note. Sympathetic Transmissions are nearly eliminated altogether. I really like the smooth sound of this guitar, and how it sounds through the Roland VG-88. This is a MUST HAVE if you own the VG-88 or a GR-33.

The guitar is BEAUTIFUL!!! No complaints - only praise. They did an excellent job selecting the wood, and finishing the guitar. Mine is finished in a smooth transparent semi-gloss.

Guitar is very solid! It is made for live playing. Everything about the guitar seems durable - much more so than the Multiac. I would not gig with any guitar without a backup. Strap Buttons are strap-lock compatible.

Godin has always answered my e-mail in the past.

For the money, I think this is the best Synth-Guitar on the market... wait... let me clarify that. I own a Godin LGX-SA, and a Godin Multiac, and I bought the ACS kind of on a whim. I was pretty unhappy with the Multiac when used through the VG-88, because I like to use alternate tunings. The Multiac is VERY loud for it's size, and it was a pain to use alternate tunings because no matter how loud the monitors were, you'd still hear some of the original notes since the guitar is held about a foot away from your ear. If you turn up the monitors too loud, the Multiac would feedback. I bought the ACS to see if it would help and WOW! Now the Multiac is collecting dust and might go up for sale, soon. Plugged into a regular acoustic amp, the RMC pickup produces a wonderfully rich sound - much more than you'd expect from a solid-body guitar. I'm very pleased with my new purchase, and would recommend it to anyone looking for a good electric classical or synth guitar. I can't say that I dislike anything about it. I would definitely buy another if it were stolen. I guess my only gripe would be how hard it is to find these guitars. I have about 4 Godin dealers in my town, and two of them didn't have ANY Godin guitars in stock, the other two had very few, and no synth-access guitars. I had to find this guitar mail-order and buy it sight unseen. I was happy with it, I just wish I could have tried it first.

I would like to add to my already review of this guitar. I think that the overall fit, finish , and action should be a 9.5! I guess I didnt understand some of the ratings etc. As I stated before, this guitar is just awesomly beautiful. The bowed neck was fixed with a few turns of the truss rod. And I think the straplocka are Schallers, not Dunlops. I think the slider controls work smoothly and are designed very well for the way this guitar works.

Again, this guitar sounds really nice and fat even when not using the synth controller feature. The mid notch works great when you use different set ups, PA verses amp etc.I even use it with an old Traynor Bloc 50R through the effects return jack and it sounds better to me than using it through my Trace Elliot TA 50R. I think because the Traynor has a 10" speaker and can handle the lows etc. from the GR 30 better, or at least a bit louder too. Through the PA though, Watch Out!!!! It"s big and bad!!!!!!!!!

Just the sticking nut is all that is really bad about this guitar. Thats a problem thats easily remidied as far as it goes. I"ll just have my local Luthier give it the super set up tune up, and I think it will be as good as they come. The neck pocket also is very tight fitting and looks perfect.

again, I would use this beautiful guitar without a back up, only bring a spair 9V battery!!!!!

These guys are neat to deal with. They even sent me a cool t-shirt when I hinted around. It was the wrong size but sure looks great on my girlfriend!!! Thanks again Mario!!! I do wish they would of included instructions on re-stringing it as it is my first nylon string guitar, and also stated what gauge strings and type it came with so I can get spairs etc.

I LOVE IT!!! It"s a great pleasure to play and to just sit around and noodle on. It is very inspiring to play and gets your creative juices flowing.

1999, Canadian made, USA assembled 22 frets nicely finished maple top on a basswood body guitar volume,treble,mid/w/notch,bass, synth volume RMC electronics w/ battery I ordered a custom finish (black) has sound chambers,but body is almost solid all the way through came with a nice hardshell case

is a new style for me, I bought a Roland GR 30 guitar synth with this guitar in mind I plug it into the PA/ and or a Trace Elliot TA50R acoustic amp It is really quiet and sounds fat and rich even without the GR 30 It is a real gas to play the synth sounds and to layer with it I love this guitar and / GR 30 set up

when I recieved this guitar the neck was bowed like crazy making the action bad. you could not play the upper frets at all, and the lower frets was always outa tune also the electronics seemed to be bad, though they finally worked properly after about two weeks, The volume pot scratched horribly and caused it to short out and become distorted the frets seem flawless and really smooth. The nut is the bad part on this guitar, it wont stay in tune for anything. The strings are burried into the nut causing the strings to be pinched, preventing them from staying in tune for more than two minutes max.

this guitar seems very stable and I think it can take the road with no problems per say the parts and hardware seem high quality throughout the strap buttons are the locking type , but they dont include the mates for the strap!!! mine are black too! I think they are Dunlops I take really good care of my instruments and can say I could depend on this guitar I would use it without a backup, really cant afford another anyway!! It"s not my main guitar, just an embelishment one( wish I could play it like Steve Stevens on his Flamingo a Go Go CD!)Great CD... get it!!

Mario at the company has always returned my e-mails and has been really supportfull I am currently trying to get them to warrantee the sticking nut here in the town where I live by a professional Luthier. but they want me to send it to the factory direct for the repaires. ( I think it"s a bad call on there part as it would cost me more to send it to them and then have to wait for it, than to just take it twelve miles from home!) That is my only "real" complaint with this guitar company.I understand there policy, but again I have special circumstances with distance etc. it has a one year warranty

I have been playing for 25 years I own a PRS custom 22, A Jeff Beck signature Strat, G and L ASAT, Schecter bass I wish I would of asked if I could get it repaired in my home town if needed. Where I bought it from is a twelve hour round trip by auto this guitar is BEAUTIFUL! it looks just like the one Steve Stevens has in their adds didnt consider any others, I demoed the GR 30 with the ACS and loved it, I also dig the vibe of it and am pleased that someone finally came out with this type of guitar I only wished it would of came with the other half of the straplocks that fit the strap, and under my conditions that I live so far from the nearest dealer, they would of let me get the nut repaired at my local shop. The Luthier there is a Fender Gold leval repairman and does plenty world famous guitarist repairs and set ups. But all in all, this guitar turns heads! I play it mostly at Church on the Worship team and it works great for ministry times. Again I"m well pleased that this guitar was conceved!!

I'm submitting this to simply say that I jumped the gun on my earlier ACS review. Most of the difficulty and disastisfaction I had was the result of the guitar being left out of its case a lot by the first owner in a very wet area of the country. Godin is graciously doing the work to make the instrument right at a very reasonable charge. I apologize and encourage others to consider Godin synth access instruments.

1999 model with parts made in Canada and assembled in USA. 22 frets. Maple top on basswood - solid classical guitar with sound chambers! Controls are bass, mid, treble, mid-sweep switch, midi level control and volume for guitar. Straight 1/4 inch out plus midi out. Mahogany & Ebony classical style neck.

I bought with the soul reason of having better tracking/triggering to my GR-30 guitar synth. For that purpose it gets a superior A plus rating. I will primarily run it through the house system. So far it sounds better than than reviews I've read. With the right EQ plus reverb, you get a warm classical sound. You add the GR-30 and the sky is the limit for solo worked.

Okay Mr. Godin - for a one of a kind product and in the price range its listed for, the work is sloppy. Gaps between wood and electronic cover plates. Areas you can see where stain is missing. I'm actuall the second owner and I think I can see why. The action is horrid for a $1000 instrument. I'm looking at paying a local luthier $100 to get it set up correctly so I can use the upper frets. Sorry, but its being honest and simply because mine is this way doesn't mean all are. I bought mine sight unseen going by reviews, etc.. Now, the overall finish is smooth and flawless, its just in the cavity areas we see a "care less" approach. Neck joint (yes, it's a bolt on) appears to be tight and the bridge/saddle looks sweet too. All hardware appears to be quality worhty of the price, but as mentioned in another review the plastic covers are really sad for the cost of the instrument. Let's at least see some gold plated pieces.

I think the guitar will stand up, but the electronics have a mind of their own don't they? All I can say is, "we shall see." Antyhing midi related I trust for about a year tops and then look for glitches. Right now - we are doing just fine. I will depend on it, for few of us can afford backup's.

So far there's been no need to call them. I am temepted to ask them about the poor action.

I've played guitar for 35 years. I own an $1800 Yamaha Pacifica USA-2 and a $1250 Takamine Flat-top. Again, I wish I would have asked about the action, but perhaps the first owner didn't play that much in the higher frets. It's going to be a fun guitar and again, the way it controls my Roland gear makes it worth everything.

This is a Canadian made solid nylon string with a guitar synth pickup as well as a transducer. The neck is a bit narrower than a classical and has a slight camber. As a keen steel-string and electric player, but a reluctant classical player it's excellent. It looks the business with a solid maple top on basswood body. The transducer has volume, bass, mid and treble controls with a switch to alter the mid frequency. There are two buttons for the GK2A equivalent synth pickup plus a volume for that. The whole thing is in a silky, natural finish. Would be difficult to alter the set-up, but you wouldn't want to as it is wonderful. The gig-bag is a bit flimsy and this will need to be replaced with a hard case. My only misgivings are that the slider controls look like they come from a #10 walkman and the plate holding the jack socket and synth socket is cheap black plastic.

Well, Chet here we come for a start. This is miles nicer than Gibson's effort which feels very unwieldy to me. Using it with a GR30 which it triggers to perfection - also many of the sounds mix really well with classic guitar. You can do almost anything with this because of the GR30 sounds. I do play all guitars with fingers rather than a pick. As a straight ahead electro it sounds just fine in a Fender valve combo.

Excellent, no room for improvement. All around, it has an air of craftsmanship, only let down by the sliders and socket mounting plate, which do not appear to be of the same quality as the wood or the tuners which work really well.

Looks ideal for many years use. As the rest of it is so sound, I'm sure the sliders will be o.k. - they just don't quite look it. I don't think electro acoustic nylon guitars work with a band - I had a Takamine EN60C for a few days and bass or drums just made it resonate horribly. The Godin will be fine as it is virtually solid. I wouldn't worry about a back-up - you don't break strings on nylon guitars!

No need yet. The warranty is 1 year I think and the dealer seemed supportive, although I've not had anything from them BUT I think theyve been around for 30 years+

I've been playing 20 years. I think, at last I've found the rig for me, together with the GR30. I always liked nylon strings and have learned some classical, but I never really liked an all-out classical guitar as I began on electric and have continued with a Strat, Rick 360/12 and various acoustics. I just love the fluid feel of this one and the very expressive range of sounds available with and without the GR30. I think nylon is ideal for synth trigger as there's more room on the fingerboard, and fingerstyle suits many of the sounds you want to use (e.g. piano, organ etc) things like trumpet go well with a mix of single string runs and double stops. There isn't anything else quite like it and the price is reasonable. If feels nice to hold and play and whilst it could be more fancy and the controls could be more solid, it is the minimalist look which partly attracted me to it. I did look at the Multiac which is semi solid and that certainly has a more natural acoustic tone, but I didn't like the feel of it as much and I reckon it might feed back more easily. Also, its about 60% more expensive!