Godin LGX

Trans flame maple
Sigle cutaway
Godin tuners
22 fret 25" scale
1996
two godin blade humbucking pickups w/piezio in bridge and on board EQ
Mohogany neck and body w/ maple top, ebony fretboard

I originaly bought this guitar for its looks, but soon found myself enjoying it more than any other guitar I owned (LP, Invader and Strat). It's factory pups are as clean as you want them and as dirty as you need them. The acoustic sound from the bridge pezio is incredible. I no longer needed to drag the acoustic guitar along on gigs for that one song that need it. With its three jacks, I can actually plug into 2-3 different amps and blend my sounds, thats right, I can crank one amp to full distortion and jam through my roland at the same time (who needs two guitarists?).

I bought this guitar as a dealer demo in 2000. It was already four years old so I don't know if it ever was set up prior to that. I can tell you that it is now 2009 and I just took it to the shop for it's first truss rod adjustment. The finish is still awesome. Minus some of the battlescars and buckle rash I have put on it, it stll shines like it was brand new.

These guitars came from the factory with schaller strap locks and still do. I have changed nothing nor repaired nothing for the last nine years. This is my front axe, the Gibson usually sits on the stand behind me along with a Godin LG EMG. I would feel comfortable to gig it without a backup, but I ain't that crazy!

I only used support once for a hardshell question via email. They answered the next day.

I have been playing for 26 years. I own The Godin LGX, Godin LG EMG, and a Gibson Invader. If it were lost or stolen, I would definately TRY to find another. Unfortunately they aren't made any more and I have no use for a synth ready guitar (that is what replaced it). I love everything about it. I hate the fact I can't buy a new one. I chose this one originaly for it's finish, but soon felll in love with everything. I wish I had two more of them!!!!

Ok! Bult in 1998 solid flame maple top. Tow Seymour Duncans??, one Jazz and the other one is a Custom 5.

Great original sound! It does the Fender thing it does the Gibson thing, but it has it's own original sound! Accoustic pickup is great through an acoustic simulator. Sounds exactly (well...) like an acoustic guitar.

Excellent! A+++++

Hey bought it in 2008, built in 1998, excellent guitar! Of course you can depend on it.

HAve delt with odin before (Seagull) and was happy with service.

If you can get your hands on one of these babies, do it!!

Year 2000,amber AAA flame maple top and all beautiful mahogany elsewhere.The finish is deep and glossy and flawless,every bit as good as the PRS's I compared it with.Rosewood fretboard with beautiful grain.The body is contoured on the back and is comfortable to play for hours and also well balanced.Seymour Duncan PUs and associated electronics are quiet and free from hum and sound excellent.Came w/an excellent hard rectangular case,worthy of a professional instrument.Other features are described in detail in other reviews and are likewise on this LGX.

I use various amps with 2 X 12 combo most often in jazz/blues/and fingerpicking styles.The LGX covers it all with ease,truly inspiring at times.The SDs don't do distortion as well as an Ibanez or Gibson HB,but the cleaner tones are wonderful.The electronics are very quiet(I am very picky about this)and the spectrum of tones,from tele chickin'pickin to glassy strat to jazz archtop octaves to fingerstyle acoustic is amazing.As others have said,the LGX won't permanantly replace 3 or 4 guitars,but it probably comes closer than anything else out there if you need to lug around just one guitar.It's greatest strength is the versatility/variety of tones.

The action is a bit higher than I prefer,but seems to be a good compromise between all electric stylings and acoustic fingerpicking,which i find remarkably good on this guitar.Workmanship is very good,I would put this guitar head to head with anything out there in the solid body world under 2Gs.The weak link on my LGX were the tuning machine heads.The black plastic buttons were prone to cracking,so I replaced them w/sperzel locking tuners--perfect fit.As w/ any guitar,carefully evaluate the neck and the fretboard and fretwork,mine needed some adjustments and I settled w/.011-.048 strings to give me the piezo/acoustic tones I like.The neck is not perfect,but I tend to be hyper critical about this aspect of an instrument and I think Godin can refine the precision of their necks and fretboards.The fit and finish is is top notch,however i would prefer a super smooth satin finish (like Taylor acoustics)on the neck because it does feel a bit sticky at times(minor,not serious).The black plastic control cavity cover did not perfectly contour the routing of the cavity,leaving a gap on one edge(very minor,but one of the few flaws I could find).Be aware that some guitar stands(THINK OLDER SURGICAL RUBBER HERE)may react with the finish on this guitar,but should be no problem otherwise.

This guitar seems only slightly less robust than the Fender Tele I traded,I see no need for concern if properly cared for.The plastic sliders for the piezo eq could fail if abused,but hey,the neck could crack if thrown thru a brick wall too!The tele had more metal parts,and could probably survive a fall from a 5 story building,but,please treat the lovely LGX w/a bit more TLC and you will have no worries.

Never used the support channel.Any well made electric guitar should last for years without trouble unless abused or neglected and the LGX seems to be constructed with top shelf parts,the aforementioned tuning machines nonwithstanding.

I have owned numerous Fender,Ibanez,Martin, Taylor,Kramer and others and each have their own strengths,so the versatile guitarist must have choices to get the job done.That being said,I have found the LGX to be the best "bang for the buck" I have ever owned in over 30 years of playing guitar.It could easily be priced at $2000 and be worth it,but for less than $700,it was a steal.If it came up missing somehow,I would search out another LGX w/o hesitation, possibly a newer one with MIDI.It's just amazing you can find this much guitar for so little money.

All specs covered below. I bought it used. I believe it was made in 1999. Has an incredible AAA Green Flame top on top of the Mahagany body. Tuners are Schaller. Neck is a bit smaller than a Gibson 50's. Came with hard shell case. Made in Canada. 5 way selecter with a Piezo. Pickups are Duncan Jazz in Neck and Custom/Custom in Bridge.

Love the string through bride going through the solid brass block. I have never seen this design. More companies should use it as it really add sustain and depth.

The black pickup covers and knobs are great. They don't take away from the incredible finish of the guitar.

Only thing I don't like is the LGX logo.

I play rock with this guitar but could break into some jazz. I run it through many different distortion boxes from a Rocktron to a TS-8. It gives a great mellow sound in the neck and the bridge cuts through better than any pickup that I have heard. The wood really rings and the sustain goes for days. Has a very rich and full sound.

I don't use the Peizo but it is typical in that you can't get an accoustic sound out of a solid body guitar. It is better than any other I have heard because it has a seperate volume and eq built into the guitar.

Purchased used. Now it is at least 7 years old and the frets are holding up well, no rust and the body is great. The only thing that seems to be wearing is the finish on the neck. Not sure if Godin finishes with a laquer or not but the neck is a bit rough like a classic Charvel.

Hardware is first rate. Build is like a rock. Finish is great. I would take it out live and not have a second thought about it. Only the best was used when they built this guitar.

N/A

Been playing 20 years. Own Les Pauls, Strats, Teles, Warmoth Customs, Ibanez MIJ, Martins. This ranks up there with the best that Gibson has to offer.

If lost or stolen I would get another.

Mine is a 1996 model, not one of the newer ones! Flame maple top over mahogany body, TOM bridge w/individual under saddle transducers and is counter sunk in the body, mahogany bolt-on neck, med-wide/thin neck profile w/ebony fretboard, med-jumbo frets. Does not have "synth access", which I don't want anyway. 24 1/2" scale length, 22 frets. Original tappable tetrad p'ups, 5-way blade selector switch, push-pull pot for mid-range control, 3 output jacks: magnetic, transducer and blended, pick-up selector switch for blended mode. It came with Godin custom ohsc. Features? Perhaps, too many features.

Start with the negative: transducers' sound is synthetic acoustic at best (-1 point).

Now on to the positive. I LOVE the sound of this guitar, live and for recording. It cuts through the mix nicely and has the widest range of sounds of any guitar I have ever played. The split tetrads sound very nice, but I never use them because if I'm looking for that Strat sound, I'll pick up a Strat. The sound is very warm, but brightens nicely, and it's clear, not muddy.

This guitar is versatile for rock, heavy metal, blues, jazz, pop, funk (yes, I recorded a funk tune with this and it sounded fantastic). The ebony fretboard helps the artiulation of each note with nice attack, clarity and EXCELLENT sustain. This is a great sounding guitar for LP lovers, but not for Strat players.

The guitar stays in tune nicely partly because of the bridge being counter sunk i the body. It doesn't sit high on the posts causing the tuning and intonation to go out as I play.

I can't comment on how the guitar came from the factory because I bought it used. When I got it the set-up was nearly perfect, but I, like most other players, have to do my own "tweaking".

The action of this guitar is great. I can go low (too low for my liking), even lower than my mid-80's Yamaha SBG. The neck is fast aand smooth with a nice butery feel. The frets are level and the edges smooth - no jagged edges. It also has the tightest neck joint I've ever seen.

The finish is flawless, beautiful with the book-matched flame maple top and black hardware. Body rounting is perfect (looks like CNC, but don't quote me on that).

All controls are in near perfect condition, but due to the age and dust, I'll have to simply clean all the pots and switches soon (minor cloudiness). That's not a flaw in the quality of this guitar, just overdue maintenance.

This is a true working musician's guitar. Great live and in the studio. Not a lot of guitars can hold that claim. Everything about this guitar is solid and will last for years to come, with proper maintenance and storage, of course. The finish looks new as do all the other parts after 10 years. I don't know the history of it, but I play it alot - gigs, studio and rehersal and it has stood up to my heavy use.

I would never play any gig without a back-up, no matter what guitar I was to play. You simply can't predict what could go wrong. However, if I were to go without one, this would be the instrument I would choose for reliability - ROCK SOLID!

??? I've never contacted the company, but I've hear secod-hand stories of excellent service. No comment due to lack of experience. ???

I started playing at the age of 12, put it down for a few years in my early 20's (femme fatale), played for 2 more years, then put it down again for about 8 years. I have been playing more seriously for about two years again. A Grand total of about 12 years, give or take.

When I bought this guitar, I went to a local used guitar shop, Songbird (the best used shop in Ottawa) to compare a mid-70's LP Custom (ebony fretbord) to a PRS Custom 24, both priced pretty close. I saw the Godin on consignment and tried it, too. Instant love affair! This guitar felt, played and sounded better than the other two by a mile. And, it was in way better condition for 1/2 the price. I contacted the seller directly and threw my cash at him.

Other PRS, LP, 335 and Strat lovers have tried this guitar and asked me where I got it. I tell them. But, good luck finding one, this is one rare guitar. The newer ones are nice, but not the same as the earlier models.

Bought in about 1999 in Illinois. $1200-ish
Canadian.
H/H/piezo
Hard case
Nice natural colour.
Bought really in search of the Holy Grail - a guitar that functions as an electric AND an acoustic. This isn't it, but still a really good guitar.

I fingerpick and strum acoustic.
I play Dire Straits, 60's, SRV, blues on electric (Laney vlave amp)
As an electric guitar it is exceptionally good.
With the piezo, interesting sound, but it's not acoustic and can't be a substitute.

Straight out of the box it was superb.

Awsome finish. Best looking guitar I've owned.
Superb to play - action not the lowest, but generally I could play a lot cleaner than on my 78 US Strat which has a much lower action.

Never had a problem

Never used

Being playing about 30 years (gasp!)
I've owned a lot of guitars - a George Lowden acoustic, 3 strats, an Aria ProII LP.
Horses for courses - my Strat is better for blues rock (SRV etc), and maybe for metal you'd look at others, but as a versatile all-rounder, definitely the best guitar I've owned.
Bottom line is I played this guitar better than any other I've owned.
Like a fool, I sold it. I may well buy another Godin, as the finish and playability are so good, but don't bother with the piezo. It's not an acoustic!.

I traded my home brewed strat for this Godin.

It had a dead piezo saddle and the electronics were really noisy due to some scratchy mini-trim pots on the printed circuit board. The battery had leaked and corroded the battery connectors which contributed to the raised noise floor on the MIX and ACOUSTIC ONLY output.

When I first saw it, my love for Godin guitars was rekindled. I had previously owned a 2000/2001 Godin LGXT. But because it had a terrible neck, I sold it off.

So I took a risk and went ahead with the one-to-one swop, intending to refurbish the Godin to its former glory.

So me being the electronics fella, got my soldering iron fired up repaired the circuitry (replaced battery connectors and mini-trim pots), the dead piezo and the guitar works wonderfully now. It is my main guitar now.


The specs are entirely the same as the rest of the reviews here except:

There is no serial number anywhere on the guitar, except that silkscreening on the circuit board says 1995. So it should be a 1995 as I have seen 1996 circuit board revisions on my other Godin LGX.

Mine says "LG" and "GODIN USA" and has a sticker on the back of the headstock saying "LGX" which is very rare I believe. All the other ones I have seen so far says "LGX" and "Godin".

Tuning machines are Schaller and Gold colored. The rest I have seen are Schallers with ebony knobs on chrome hardware.

The neck is also very different from what I have seen - this is the slimmest and straightest neck I have seen on a Godin. Somehow I am able to get a very low action without fretting out or buzzing. This is important especially for electrics with piezo pickups. Piezo tend to be more sensitive to fret buzzes.

This one also has the ebony fingerboard which is of the earlier Godin design. This is good if I want to upgrade to MIDI in the future.

The body is AA maple top finished in translucent red and without any binding. I'm not fuss about the looks, it is a working man's guitar.

The Tetrads were bland like what another reviewer said. I could never get any usable tone out of it.

Once, I changed it to PRS vintage Bass and HFS, I realised that the Tetrad pickups were the weakest link.

I have since installed a set of Seymour Duncans Jazz II and Custom Custom Custom (same as Custom 5 actually) from my other Godin LGXT and it really sings.

Now the neck has that jazzy tone (for my Wes Montgomery octaves); the middle position has that stratty thin coil sound; the bridge gives me good overdriven tones.

I have not found any use for position 2 and 4 though.

The 3-band EQ matches the LR Baggs piezo very well. I realise that the newer RMC system on my Godin LGXT tends to be brighter. Anyway, the 3-band EQ is mandatory for any piezo system. I can get close to nylon tones if I boost the mids and cut the highs. For a strumming style, I just do the opposite. The bass is only slightly boosted for both settings to give it more body.

I'm may upgrade the pickups to the same Seymour Duncans pickups with chrome covers.

I may also try a Duncan Custom instead of a Custom Custom Custom (Custom 5) or a PRS HFS to give the bridge a bit more drive.

By the way, I have my pickups connected such that the push-pull tone pot is bypassed. I never had any use for the tone pots and the extra push-pull split. It was an idea by Godin to split the Tetrads but it just didn't work. There were complaints about the drop in pickup output when you use the split.

I might just come up with some extra pickup combinations with the push-pull pot, and rewire it later but it is bypassed for now.

I realised that the newer electronics on my 2005 Godin LGXT has a lot more usable sweep when you use the tone pot - it reallys warms up the tone on the pickups. I might just do that on the LGX.

I set it up and string it with 0.010" set. If you want an overall better tone, go with thicker gauges. I find 0.009" too weak and can't push the piezo pickups nicely and are also weak on electric pickups.

I usually use 0.012" string sets for my acoustic and 0.010" for my electrics. Since it is primarily an electric with acoustic pickup option, I stuck at 0.010".

The action is the best part of it. The slimmer neck really allows you to play fast - it feels like a shredder's guitar neck.

There was quite a lot of pick scratches on the finish around the picking area. So I buffed it off with StewMac finishing compound.

This guitar has gone thru many rounds of maintenance, and it is still working for me. I've learnt quite abit about the guitar design thru servicing it.

That leads me to conclude that Godin has done a really good job at that. They are constantly evolving and I find that their latest designs on my Godin LGXT has incorporated alot of improvements.

The late 90s and early designs didn't seem to be successful. My latest 2005 Godin LGXT looks better and works better.

Not much experience with them, but I only know Godin are never immediate on their customer support.

So if the electronics die, which does seem to be common problem, you may have a hard time looking for a replacement. You may even be stuck with the problem permanently.

I have been playing guitar for about 25 years now. Gone thru a couple of guitars and amps myself, so I know more or less what I want.

I play for church. The bands are self supporting. There's no option to carry a truckload of gears and set up with multiple amps, etc. So we need to be very efficient.

I use my Godin LGX with the Line 6 PodXT Live, going direct to house and I'm assured of consistent tone from day to day. We use Furman in-ear monitoring systems.

I have owned about 2 Godin LGXT (a '00/'01 and a '05), 2 LGX (a 'late 90s and this one) and 1 '04 Freeway Classic. I think they make aestetically beautiful and tonally versatile gear.

I have since sold off the '00/'01 LGXT and the late 90s LGX. I think there were some years which their production quality was not up to par, possibly late 90s to early 2000. The '00/'01 LGXT had one or two fret buzz and the neck on the late 90s LGX could not match the one that I am reviewing now.

This guitar makes you re-evaluate if an expensive guitar (PRS, Fender, Gibson, etc) purchase is wise. The Godin looks good and plays good.

I'll never regret trading my strat for this Godin. It has served me well. Everytime I use it, I don't feel restricted tonally, I can express my self acoustically, or play some electric funk rhythm or do some heavy handed rock solos and the like and I'm getting there everytime I play it.

It really raises quite a view eyebrows especially the soundmen and the guitarist in the audience - they often ask me "what guitar is that?" - I just smile away :)

Lots of options for sounds from the 5 way switch and twn Humbuckers and LR Baggs. Also there's the coil tap and blend available. Can run the Buckers to amp and the LR Baggs directly to the PA for a more pure sound.

I play in a covers band, so I need a guitar and amp that can adjust to different genres and sounds. So this is used with a Roland code 60, directly into the PA. I use a 80's Rat/Marshall BB2/Roger Mayer Vision Octavia/Morley wah pedals. The Rolands Acoustic with the LR Baggs is brilliant, although the Clean Jazz Chorus channel is quite a good option.

Great neck, barre chords made simple. Lovely the maple cap and birds eye head capping. Lovely contoured back, very comfortable.

By vertue of no problems

No cause to call

Boy the last reviewer must have bought a Pup. I bought mine secondhand off Ebay from a music Lecturer. So it's been looked after.
I love this guitar for it's versitilaty, not the best at any one thing, but the LR Baggs through an Accoustic simulator/Amp or PA will bring the best out of it. Never had problems with it breaking strings.

See other reviews

Interesting.....to me, the duncans sound way too harsh. They really sucks on split coil mode too....they just sound thin. The acoustic piezo is pretty good when used with the right amp but won't sound amazing through your average marshall. Really, an a/b box would be ideal if you plan on getting the best of both worlds live.

no problems with action or fit or finish. However....this thing just won't stop snapping strings!!!! maybe i need to file all the piezo saddles but i don't no if that will mess with the sound.

Construction is really solid.....just the electronics totally blow! the selector switch is a steaming pile of shit and the pots are hopeless unless you love scratchy sounds and your signal cutting out halfway through playing. They really need to do something about their electronics. Some days i just feel like tearing it apart....and putting in new pots and switches and pickups.

Can't even find an email adress for them.

Pretty good....could be great if you gut it and put in new electronics which i plan to do

This is a review of a 1997 godin LGX. Made in USA/Canada. The older models had an ebony fretboard, and a set of godin tetrad humbuckers. Solid maple top with C+C carved contours. 5 way selector, and an LR Baggs piezo bridge. Shaller tuners (nonlocking).

The body style is like a fat les paul. The neck is a medium bowl. The construction is bolt-on with 4 bolts, adn teh heel joint is kind of chunky.

I have to give it a 9 for features. A better heel contour would be great. And indeed they updated the heel contour on later versions.

Unfortunately, godin also knocked the wood quality on subsequent lgx's. Rosewood is now used instead of ebony, and the guitars are a bit lighter.

Electronics are well done. The tetrad pickups are versatile, but kind of bland. When split they sound quite decent... better than split duncans.

I would say the tetrads are kind of transparent. They allow the sound of the guitar to come through. I would have preferred more of a gibson/duncan vibe myself.

THe guitar is definitely set up for variety. The baggs system can be blended with the magnetic pickups very nicely. Of course, it doesn't sound like an acoustic... but you can get some very cool sounds by mixing a bit of the piezo sharpness with the magnetic outputs. Best to do so subtly.

Adjustment was excellent from the factory. Worksmanship was very solid, (up to jackson standards), and there were no evident flaws besides shop wear. The electronics and wiring work are great.

I suppose the only thing I could request is more shielding in the control cavity, as well as a better nut. There was a bit of stickign at the nut. I solved this by switching to graphtec and getting a good repair guy to doctor it.

Otherwise, everything is great.

Now, this is where I have a few insights. I've used this guitar for over 7 years now, playing live shows in a variety of genres. I'm mostly a jazz guy, but i've played rock, funk and r+b. The godin does an acceptable job for all those styles, and it is absolutely rock solid. No neck warping, no issues with the electronics. It is a workign pro's instrument that you can depend on. I always gigged without a backup. The finish is also ultra sturdy.

Never had to deal with em.

I've been playing on and off for 10 years. I currently own 2 high end jackson USA solidbodies, a godin LGX (under review!), a rainsong jumbo, a yamaha aes-1500 and a couple of high end nylon strings. In the past I have owned takamine steel and nylon strings, a godin multiac duet nylon, and a yamaha pacifica 812V strat.

Now, this is a great workign professional's solidbody. It is rock solid, and versatile at a few styles.

However, I don't play it much anymore. I discovered jackson gear after I bought my lgx. The workmanship and neck-thru construction of jackson guitars has eclipsed my godin. I prefer the resonance and light weight of these instruments. For jazz, my main style, I prefer my semi-hollow. The godin is bulky... far too heavy for my slim frame night after night. My Swee-tone, aes-1500 or SLS are all around 6 pounds, which makes a huge difference to my ability to play for extended periods of time.

I do recommend the godin for people who are a bit less concerned about weight. But I personally would not buy any godin gear for this very reason. All of their guitars are bulky, even the flat five and the multiac jazz.

If I wanted a cheap guitar to haul around, I'd get a yamaha pacifica again. If I wanted a $1k+ guitar for rock, I'd shop for a jackson or a schecter c1 classic. Just my taste.

I've got a Godin LGX Canadian/American made in the cognacburst finish with quilted maple top. It vaguely resembles a Les Paul but contoured differently, especially the ergonomically-conscious back. The neck and body are mahogany, fret board is rosewood, strings through body. This guitar has three inputs one dedicated to the humbuckers, one for the transducer and one that combines both.

By the number on the headstock, I've assuming it's a '99. Its two Seymour-Duncan humbuckers (Jazz II at the neck, special Custom Custom at the bridge) are controlled by a 5-way switch along with a volume, tone and third knob to balance the acoustic and electric sounds.. A three-way switch selects either humbucker/Humbucker-Piezeo/Piezeo mode. The tone from the L.R. Baggs transducers can be shaped by a three-channel EQ set in the upper section of the body

The on-locking 16:1 tuning heads are diamond shaped, flat black and made by Schaller as the locking-strap attachments. The 22 fret neck is thin and surprisingly fast; it's inlays are smaller than usual (and offset.) The neck itself has a semi-satin finish that feels almost frictionless. It came with a good quality hard-case when purchased .

Tons of options here; moving from a short-scale Strat-styled guitar I noticed a huge difference in tone; the LGX being a more full, focused sound; warm, thick yet still lively enough for ghost-harmonics at will and plenty of sustain. Most of the stuff I play is 70's hard rock influenced (Sabs, Lizzy, Heep, Budgie, Queen, ect.) and this guitar handles the variations in sound easily. I usually play the humbuckers using the bridge p/u for rhythm, the neck for leads but often mix in the transducer bridge at a thirty per cent blend when I want extra depth..

Playing through a Line 6 Spider 212 off the Mesa-Boogie/Insane modes the neck pick-ups produce a searingly hot, fluid tone (I?m reminded of something between Dave Murrey and Leslie West leads) while those on the bridge give me a terrifying crunch with low-end chords especially ringing and resonant. In short, this guitar looks too beautiful for the unexpectedly heavy sound it's capable of.

The tone control actually gives enough noticeable variance in tone for me to switch from Rhythm to Lead without changing pickups if I like. With my set up, the LGX is perfectly noiseless on setting 1, 3 and 5. There is some hum on settings 2 and 4 but nothing severe. Oddly enough, when blending in the transducer on these settings I lose the hum.

This guitar also produces expressive and wide-ranging sounds when playing off the Spider's clean or less distorted channels. With all this character, it's definitely a guitar for all seasons

When played exclusively, the acoustic sound is full and comparable to an electric-acoustic (considering it's coming from a solid-body.) The transducer's influence when melded with the humbuckers is more subtle, adding an extra-dimension to the sound. With my settings the only way I can describe it is as a piano-esque kind of undertone...still more experimenting to be done in this area.

When I purchased this guitar used; it came with a small ding under the 5-way (that I subsequently retouched to near-invisibility) and several surface dents in the finish (again, visible only when sought for.) The chrome covers for the humbuckers were worn from the previous owner's heavy hand and the back of the neck was fairly gummy. The latter was taken care of via the cautious use of damp 0001 steel wool (always with the grain!) and its natural satin-finish was reclaimed. Still, this neck requires more attention than normal to keep it clean and fast. If I could let the guitar out of my hand for three weeks I'd send it in to be restored to perfection but at this point, I'll stick with the imperfections and keep it close by.

I've no complaints about the set-up and there are no flaws to worry about; there's a little fret-wear but no need for a re-crowning yet. The finish on this guitar feels soft, almost pliable, and seems vulnerable to mars and scratches than other guitars out there. That said, this axe's bookmarking is exceptionally well matched and if the cognacburst finish continues to hypnotize me with its depth and warmth, the quilted maple-top blows my mind.

PS: when you consider the grain and colour of the mahogany, even the back of this guitar is amazing.

This is a solid piece of wood well equipped to stand the rigours of gigging. The Schaller hardware and hand construction encourages me to think it will age well. The softness of the finish aside, as long as you don't grind it into things, it seems nicely durable. At five years old, my LGX looks great even with its small scratches. It tunes up beautifully, stays in tune through all sorts of mayhem and I've yet to break a string. Unlike other reviewers, my five-way switch is working fine and I'd have no hesitation bringing it to a gig without backup. I would take the precaution of putting a fresh 9 volt in before a live performance as a weak battery noticeably detracts from the guitar's clarity and sustain.

Haven't had need to contact Godin CS. Would like to seem more information (perhaps a model archive) on the Godin website...

I've played guitar/bass for about 15 years. My six-strings have included a Yamaha 350 SE, `94 Gibson Explorer and an '83 Ibanez Roadstar. When searching for a new axe I was looking for certain qualities including humbucking pick-ups (preferably SD's), a rosewood fretboard, mahogany body and a piezeo unit if possible. In my lengthy quest I researched and play-tested a MusicMan Axis Pro (nice, but not nice enough to justify the price) some PRS's (ibid; check out Ed Roman's critique at Ed Roman's Guitars,) some Parker Fly's (was warned off by reputed bridge problems), an Ibanez Jet King (drawn by the look) a handful of Les Paul's and SG's as well as other Godin models including the Solidac SD and LGXT. When I spotted my LGX and saw that it had all the components I wanted, I hoped it played as well as it looked. It did and the contest was over. That I saved $600 Cdn. on the listed price because of the ding was icing on the cake. Eight months later and I'm even more infatuated with it than ever. By chance or design, I feel like I've come across the perfect guitar for me: great sounding, great looking, top-notch components. If lost or stolen I'd definitely want to replace it with the same model; but as the two-voice LGX has been discontinued, I?ll be taking care the situation never arises.

Made in Canada from US components apparently. All the components are of a very high quality Mahagony body with a fantastic quilted maple top, I think the finish was called "sunrise" and is like a muted version of the more common sunburst theme. The body style is like a cross between a telecaster and a Les Paul, access to the higher frets is not that good. The neck is also mahogany with a tung oil finish and a rosewood fingerboard. Two Seymour Duncan humbuckers with a five position switch that gives single coil and double coil sounds, plus an in bridge piezo pickup with a three band EQ. Three output jacks, one for just magnetic pickups, one for just piezo, and one for both combined. When this jack is used you can select the pickupps with a toggle switch and then blend the amount of input with a knob. Grover machine heads. It came with a very good rectangular case.

The best thing about this guitar is the variety of sounds you can get. Strong, clear single coil or humbucker sounds with the magnetic pickups, plus a reasonable acoustic sound from the piezo, plus the ability to blend the two together makes it very versatile. I've played this guitar a lot in church bands for everything from soft contemporary songs to driving R&B and for this it is very good, especially as in my opinion the neck and body shape make it more suitable for rhythym playing than lead. For lead playing though I don't like it very much. I usually run it in to two amps, a Laney acoustic amp for the piezo, and a Marshall valvestate 40 for the Seymour Duncans and with this combination the sound quality and rnage of options is very good. The pickups are very quiet, but when I first got it there was an annoying noise that turned out to be the piezo picking up some movement in the strap button, and this needs to be tightened periodically.

The quality of the finish of the body was excellent. The neck finish was good except for a bit of excess glue on some of the frets that was very suprising on an instrument of this quality. The action was a bit high but was modified by the shop and is now quite low, but it still feels heavy to play even with 10 guage strings. The frets are a bit thin for my liking too and the fingerboard texture a bit open and grainy for smooth bends. As mentioned above the strap button on the top horn was a bit loose, otherwise the set up was good.

The finish is very durable and despite having had a few knocks there are no marks at all after 3 years of live playing. The five way selector switch has become a bit dodgy when selecting the neck humbucker and it needs to be jiggled a bit sometimes to make the contact. Stays in tune very well. I've never needed to use a backup, though I always take one as insurance.

The shop I bought it from was great. But I wanted to find out about the pickup wiring as it is still a mystery to me as to what the middle position of the 5 way switch selects, so I contacted the local distributor. They were friendly but didn't know and said the product information from Godin didn't include this information. I then checked the Godin website which didn't have the information either, so I emailed them. I also emailed them about the issue with the strap button and also to tell them how happy I was with the guitar when I first got it. Nearly three years later I'm still waiting for a reply.

I have been playing for nearly 25 years and have owned about 15 guitars. This was the most expensive but certainly not the best. The sound options and quality are so good, it's a shame it is let down by the stodgy feel of the neck and stiff action. A terrific guitar for rhythym playing.

Bought in 1999 in USA (Aurora IL.
Best combination of electic with piezo I could find.
was delighted with i at the time and have never regretted it.
it's an awsome electric (especially in humbucker mode) and as a reasonable shot at acoustic with the piezo. (Ok it's NOT a semi and never could be).

My Style - all over the shop. I do R&R lead, finger picking, strum etc.
This guitar is superb for any electric type application and pretty damned good in acoustic mode. It won't replace 3 other guitars, but is a very good compromise.

In my opinion, a totally different class than new Fenders etc - mine was superb - absolutely no faults I could find (and I'm picky).

I don't gig and I am careful, but the build looks good enough to last.

Not tried.

25 yrs+ experience.
I've owned a number of Strats, various oter electrics, a Lowden acoustic and a Yamaha classic.
If I had to keep just one guitar, I'd scream and scream for a month and then keep this guitar. Godin are hugely under-rated.

This LGX was made in 2002. the parts for Godin guitars are made in Canada (i forget what city exactly) and then are assembled here in the US (in New Hampsire, i think)

my guitar came with a trans. blue finish over a REALLY nice solid AAA quilted maple top. the body of the guitar is made of 2 pieces of mahogany (which also looks very nice). the neck is 22 frets and is made of mahogany as well (i believe it's a 1-piece neck as well).

this guitar has 2 seymour duncan humbuckers (a specially modified custom custom in the bridge position--they call it the "custom custom custom" on the website LOL and a jazz II in the neck). these pickups are routed to a 5-position switch--position 1 is the bridge pickup-humbucking mode, position 2 is bridge pickup-single coil mode, position 3 is the inside coils of the neck and bridge pickups running out-of-phase, position 4 is the neck pickup-single coil mode, and position 5 is the neck humbucker. the tone for these pickups is handled by your standard single guitar tone knob. also, there's only one volume knob

in addition, this guitar has an L.R. Baggs piezo transducer system mounted under the saddles in the bridge. there is a battery-powered 3-band EQ (low, mid, and high cut/boost) that controls the tone of this pickup. also, there's a separate volume control for the acoustic pickup and a separate knob (next to the main tone control for the magnetic pickups) that controls the mix of acoustic/electric sound when you're running the guitar through the mixed output jack (or when you're running the electric jack to your electric amp and the acoustic jack to an acoustic amp or the PA system)

my LGX also came with a really nice wooden godin case (covered in black tolex)

in short, this guitar is completely loaded with features--in fact i've never encountered a guitar with so many before

man oh man, this is where this guitar really shines!

i bought this axe because i'm into a lot of different styles of music and i'm a big fan of versatility--i play everything from heavy metal to classic rock to jazz to funk to classical. i figured this guitar would be the perfect complement to my line 6 amp (which i also bought for its versatility and sounds awesome, but that's another review altogether :oP)

the first time i ever played this guitar i was amazed by how resonant and solid it felt--when i played a chord i could feel the vibrations from it ringing all throughout the intstrument. even acoustically i could tell it was going to sound amazing! when i plugged in i was thoroughly amazed--the guitar has a very even, full sound that's not too bright and not too dark (even though the entire thing's made out of mahogany). the bridge pickup really shows its true colors here--its sound is defined and expressive, even when you back off on the volume knob. in fact, this is how i get some of my favorite tones--i like to use the Marshall JCM-800 amp model on my line 6 and when i roll back my volume it cleans up the sound beautifully but still bites when i dig into the strings.

currently, i'm playing in a heavy metal band that plays music in the style of iron maiden/guns n' roses/black label society/meshuggah/all kinds of crazy shit and i must say this guitar totally rocks--i'm totally amazed how heavy and ballsy the pickups sound without losing clarity, even at high distortion. when i play big chords, they sound absolutely huge. when i do really tight palm-muting (speed-metal style) the guitar sounds exceptionally tight.

i also jam out in a jazz/fusion band every now and then and this guitar continues to shine like the sun--the jazz II pickup in the neck really lives up to its name: it has a great jazzy "thunk" to it but doesn't sound overly muffled or bottom-heavy. if fact, it has quite a unique sound--biting and quacky when you boost the treble on your amp, but also very mellow and smooth as silk when you back off on the volume knob or roll off the treble with the volume knob. also, the acoustic pickup really functions well in this setting--especially when it's mixed with the neck pickup. for lack of a better term, it really "shimmers"--i know this is cliche in describing an acoustic pickup but it's the truth; it's just as clean and heavenly-sounding as you can imagine. the EQ controls for this pickup also work wonders...it's astounding the variety these controls can give.

the single-coil modes for the humbucking pickups aren't really anything to write home about (especially the single coil on the bridge), however the neck single coil does a pretty impressive job mimicing a strat sound, especially when you're playing loud. by no means would these sounds make me get rid of my stratocaster, but they're handy when it's not feasible to switch guitars in the middle of a song (or solo) and you need a stratty sound

i bought this guitar used (on ebay) so i really can't comment on how it was set up from the factory...

however, when i got it, it played like a dream--the only thing i altered was lowered the action a little bit.

one of the more astounding things i've noticed about the guitar is how dead-on the intonation is...i can play octaves or chords just about anywhere on the neck and they're dead in tune! also, the tuning machines included with the guitar are great--it rarely slips out of tune on me and the machine heads themselves have a nice solid feel to them.

however, i do have some complaints about the pickup selector and volume knob...

like many other LGX owners, i'm not terribly happy with the pickup selector--it's noisy and tends to cut out when switing pickups (especially when switing from the bridge all the way to the neck)--that is, when i switch pickups, sometimes the sound cuts out altogether and i have to jiggle the knob a little bit to get it to make a good connection. i plan to have the switch replaced eventually, however i'm a college student and thus have no money for such things LoL

as for the volume knob, it funtions just fine as i turn it up from 0 all the way to about 9, but then it makes the guitar signal cut out when i turn it all the way up--it doesn't always to this, but it does it just enough to where i'm always weary of diming the guitar. once again, i plan to have the pot replaced eventually

on the whole the guitar has a very tight, well-finished feel but the electronics leave something to be desired.

i've had this guitar for about 9 months now and have played it live more than 10 times and it's always worked flawlessly! with the exception of the aforementioned difficulty with the electronics, the hardware seems good and sturdy and like it will last a long time. the finish on the guitar seems very strong as well--i tend to jump around a lot and be pretty rough when i'm playing in my heavy metal band but the guitar looks no worse for the wear--no scratches, dings, nada. the only cosmetic complaint i have is that the smoked chrome finish they put on the humbucker covers is wearing off where i rest my hand on the bridge pickup, but that's to be expected from all the nasty oils, etc. skin puts out

i usually bring a backup guitar to gigs just in case i break a string, however i've played gigs without a backup and this guitar has worked like a charm--no problems whatsoever. like i said, it feels solid and will most likely be a good friend for the next many years

i've never dealt with the company

i've been playing the guitar for 7 years now and have owned a few other axes over the years--i started out on a peavey predator (woo!) and moved up to a japanese jackson dinky reverse (actually quite a good guitar) which i've both since sold, i now have a fender american standard stratocaster and a taylor 310 acoustic that i love and cherish, along with my godin.

overall, i'd say i'm completely overjoyed with this guitar--i searched long and hard (i'm talkin' every weekend for about a year) for a nice guitar that was this versatile, comfortable, and great-sounding. i considered buying gibson, parker, PRS, american-made jackson, and a shitload of other brands before finally choosing the LGX. i finally chose this guitar because it had all the features i wanted, it sounded great, it felt great, and was REALLY reasonably priced.

if it were lost or stolen i'd definitely buy a new one as quickly as possible--i plan to have this guitar for years to come...i have a feeling this is one i'll never sell or get rid of!

So its always the question what do you want. What you've gut by buying a LGX is a combination of wonderful warm and strong les paul like sounds and a not to be sneezed at acustic sound. So it completes my sound at the stage. I used an Framus acoustic amp and an fender deville 410 with an Hughes&Kettener tubefactor. So its ounds perfect.

very good product. The one and only drawback is, that the switcher isn't as good as the rest of the guitar.

This one was build in 2000, AA Quilted Trans Amber top, very beautiful. Magahony body, also beautiful! I got it last week (Aug 2003).

It has two passive Seymour Duncan pickups and also a active piezo bridge for acoustic sound. Three outputs: electr, mixed electr/ac, ac

I traded this new guitar for a used Telecaster Custom ('75)

I use it for rock, blues...over a vintage Fender Bassman tube-amp.

It has a very clear Fender-like sound, but also a more thick Les Paul-sound. The piezo is very good, a very good acoustic sound, which can be nicely mixed with the Seymour Duncan pickups. It is useful to first read the instruction about the way the pickups are switched. A good amp is preferred to check out what this guitar can do / sound. I never played it 'stereo' (over two amps (electrc and acoustic) or electr. amp and acoustic over PA) but this seems to give a very powerful overwhelming sound...So i have to check that out soon!

The action is very good, very good sustain (even un-amplified). This is a vry smooth player (best i ever played), everything is very well adjusted.

All the used materials seem to be the finest selection (wood, pickups, knobs, frets, everything is perfect now), but time will learn

Asked them some questions about the guitar, they were very kind and helpful. But never seriously had to deal with them so what can i say...

I play guitar for about 6 years now. Also own a Musicman Silhouette (SSS) and e Gibson SG Special Faded. Every one is great (for each purpose), but the LGX is the most complete guitar. Perfect studio guitar but also very handy on stage (switching alectric and acoustic)

AAA figured maple top. mohogany body and neck. rosewood fretboard. 25.5" scale, 22 frets. Look at the other reviews for controls and features, absolutely awesome versatility, just any sound you want. the custom seymour duncan pickups are awesome, and the L.R. Baggs Transducer Saddles are sooo nice. i like the contols, expecially the mix knob to control acoustic/electric sounds to make some really complex arrangements. if you just want some crisper bottom end in your electric sound just turn off the treble and mid on the acoustic and mix it in!

i've never owned a guitar that played and sounded as nice as this one. i go to guitar stores all the time, and play other guitars. i'm always just waitin to get home so i can play my guitar.

great action and intonation. i love the low-fit design of the guitar, everything is sunken into the face. much more comfortable to play than a gibson.

i have regretably beaten the crap out of this guitar, and yet she still loves me. the only bugger i have is with the 9v battery for the acoustic pickups. when that thing starts to go, you know it. other than that i would take this guitar to any gig without a backup. in fact, i always do. all i need is a fresh battery and a set of strings put on 2 days prior and i'm in heaven. it just doesn't get any better than that.

joey greco, a godin product specialist spoke to me about the guitar, and really knew what he was talkin about. good guitarist too. i don't see why they discontinued it for the solidac. that guitar is far less versatile than this one. the seymour duncans are half the beauty of it.

if this guitar were stolen, i would replace it with a godin lgx in a natural burst. that's the only regret i have, is i'd rather have a natural burst than the deep red i have. however, it was listed at $2,239 and was marked down to $1199........so i really couldn't argue with the colour at that point. awesome sustain, playability, look, feel.....i can't get enough. no other guitar compares to this one.

25 1/5" scale rosewood bolt on neck. Two piece rock maple body with a cognac burst finish. Seymour Duncan JB pickup on the bridge and SD Jazz on the neck. 5 way switch: Bridge Humbucker, Bridge Single Tap, Both Humbuckers, Neck Single Tap, Neck Humbucker. Volume and Tone. Piezo pickups on the bridge (for a quasi acoustic sound) with Volume, Treble, Middle, Bass controls and an extra fader knob to mix the two types of sounds (regular electric pickups and the piezos). Three cable connections, one all electric, one piezo, and a stereo that kicks in the fader knob.

I wanted a guitar that would allow me to quickly change from an acoustic sound to an electric sound. I had played LGXs, Godin Solidacs, Mexican Teles with piezos, and Ernie Balls. Although I liked the Ernie Balls better in the store, I found a great deal on this LGX used (ebay), so I pulled the trigger. Once I got it on my rig at home, it was so much better than the ones in the store. The range of tones on this instrument is nothing less than incredible. Better yet, on a good amp, these Seymour Duncans just sing. I couldn't be happier.

Since I bought this used, there were a couple of problems (the neck had some warpage which a truss rod adjustment took care of -- thankfully -- a bad pickup selector which I will soon replace, and there is a small blemish on the back). This is a truly beautiful guitar though, and would be incredible new. The neck is very nice and plays well, but not as well as my Les Paul -- but I like shorter necks, and this one isn't.

For me, so far so good. As a matter of fact, I really feel that this guitar wasn't cared for by the previous owner as well as I would have done myself. The warpage of the neck and the bad switch when I got it indicates that it was left lying around for a long time. New ones I have played don't have any problems.

The guitar is clearly well built, and problems I initially had with it shouldn't be attributed to Godin. On the contrary, I was able to put it in good condition with relative ease -- that's a sign of good worksmanship.

Godin replied to my e-mail about parts pretty promptly. That's a good sign.

I've been playing for around 35 years and have owned many guitars and amps. I bought this guitar thinking that I might turn right back around and sell it again. NO WAY NOW. I'm absolutely blown away by the sound. This will soon be one of my two favorite guitars (I have a Les Paul that plays like butter, but it doesn't have anywhere near the sound quality or versatility of this Godin). If it was stolen, I'd have to sell the car to get another one. It's that good.

With a cherryburst finish on a AAA flamed-maple top, my 2001 model LGX (parts made in Canada, assembled in USA) is simply one of the most beautiful guitars I've ever seen. It has endless configurations with the 5 way pickup selecter for the 2 Seymour Duncan humbuckers, volume and tone controls, and a 3 way switch to choose between the Seymour Duncans, the acoustic bridge, or a blend of them both. The body is a mix of a strat and a les paul. Some other features are the Sperzel locking tuners, 22 medium frets, a string-thru body, 3 outputs (electric, blend, and acoustic), and a free Godin hardshell case.

I play anything from Dave Matthews Band to Metallica, and it suits my every need. I usually play through a 15 watt Marshall, and even through that it gets an almost perfect acoustic sound. The Seymour Duncans give the best sound I have ever heard. It doesnt get any better than this.

One of my favorite features of the guitar is the incredibly low action. You breathe on it and it could make the sound. Everything is perfect on this guitar except for a very minor flaw. There is some fret buzzing, but it in no way has any effect of the sound coming out of the amp.

I've had it for about a month and a half, and I've never had to retune it once. I expect everything will stay exactly the way it is, no problems.

N/A

I've been playing for about a year, and since this I've only had a Hofner 12 string. There is no guitar that can match up to this one except for the more expensive Godin models. I would get one of these as soon as I could if i lost it. In my search for the perfect electric guitar, I looked at ESP, Carvin, Gibson, Fender, Jackson, and many others. I got lucky when a friend recommended Godin, i wouldn't trade it in for any other electric, and I couldn't recommend any other guitar to anyone, no matter what style of music you play.

Already covered in other submissions for LGX. 2000 model (Canada) Two Seymore Duncan Humbuckers with Smoke finish,Piezo, 3 inputs, 3 band acoustic equalizer in body. 22 fret,Black peghead tuners (nice touch AAA quilted top with transparent blue finish. The neck is a nice size, very comparable to a strat but slightly meatier. Hard Godin square case.

I play in a church environment and use the Godin from heavy crunch rhythm to very light acoustic. Even some finger picking. I use a Yamaha DG stomp and run two cables from the Piezo out and the humbucker out to a Behringer mixer. Separate inputs and mix them down, onstage, to an aux send out to a trace acoustic cube monitor and a single out direct to the PA. The Godin has a very nice bottom and rings like a bell when capoed. This guitar's sound is great all around. It emulates a Strat very well but only approaches the heavy drive of a Les Paul. No compromise on the Strat but some on the Les Paul. You can also get a very nice mellow jazz sound from this guitar. Outstanding

The action is very low and comfortable with a fast neck. Again, a lot like a strat. I bought the guitar used so I am not sure how the setup from the factory was. The quality of the materials is pretty unbelievable for a guitar in this price range. The faux maple binding is a visual staining trick and not actual binding. There was some slight bleeding in a few spots into the natural maple color. But an absolutely beautiful guitar.

Outstanding in the six months I have been using it. I use it at a gig with my 12 string as a backup, but I wouldn't play any guitar without a backup. Locking strap buttons very solid. The finish is very nice and has resisted wear to date.

No contact

I have been playing off an on for 20 years but very seriously now for a year and a half. I have a number of very high end guitars including a Gretsh 1961 Nashville Chet Atkins. I compared this with the Brian Moore and found this to be a better guitar for less money. I love the ability to switch instantly from heavy electric to acoustic. Just drop the Humbucker volume and raise the acoustic volume on the guitar top. You can also blend the humbucker and Piezo. I don't dislike anything about this guitar much less hate anything.

The most beautiful guitar I've seen...Mahogany body and neck, AAA quilted maple top with dark trans red finish, 22 frets, 2 Seymour Duncan Humbuckers with smoked chrome covers, active acoustic pickup in the bridge piece with 3 band eq and volume control for acoustic sounds. 3 inputs (electric, mix, acoustic). There's a volume and tone knob, a blend knob for when the electric and acoustic sounds are combined, and a 3 way switch to choose between the electric and acoustic sounds when using the mix input. Mine came with the hard case.

I set mine up with 9s and raised the bridge pickup a little bit and this guitar sounds great now. There's a five way switch to control the two humbuckers and every position has a different sound. 1 is the bridge humbucker, 2 is the bridge humbucker coil tapped, 3 is all coils, 4 is the neck humbucker tapped, 5 is the neck humbucker. I'm running this through a Peavey Ultra 212 and it's nice and quiet with the gain cranked.

The guitar was setup great but I needed to do a couple changes for my personal preference. The AAA top looks amazing. The only problem I can find on this guitar is the design of the strings coming up through the body and digging into the wood a little bit when they slant towards the bridge. I haven't asked the store about this yet though.

This guitar seems really solid. Schaller straplocks were on it when I bought (I believe they're stock). It's very dependable but I'd still bring another guitar along to a gig, just in case.

I've been playing for about 3 years and have owned at least 10 guitars. I just always like trying something new. I played a discontinued Godin Artisan (strat style with 3 SD lil 59 pu's). It played nice and was cheaper than the lgx, but it didn't have the acoustic pickups. This guitar feels great and is very comparable to a Gibson. However, have fun trying to get an AAA quilt top on a Gibson for under $1000. Gibson's are way overpriced for what they offer. I guess the only other thing I could wish this guitar had was another volume knob so I could do the cutout trick by turning one volume off. That's no big deal though.

This Canadian made Godin LGX with transparent blue finish was made about '96. The features are extensive: A mahogany body and bolt-on neck with rosewood fingerboard (22 fret) and flame maple top. There are two sets of pickups, H/H Seymour Duncans and L.R. Baggs tune-o-matic style active 'acoustic' transducer. Top controls are 5-way selector, 3-way switch, volume, mix and tone for the electric pickups and volume, bass, mid and treble for the acoustic pickup. Three output jacks; electric, acoustic and electric/acoustic mix. On back is the 9V battery compartment under the onboard acoustic EQ controls. The body style is best described as a Paul/Strat mix. The body is beveled like a Strat so it doesn't dig into your rib cage. The strings are anchored at the top but fed in at the back. Neck scale is 25 1/2" and 1 11/16" at the nut. A case came with the instrument.

I play in an ethnic wedding band and this guitar came at a perfect time when we started playing more songs that contained acoustic guitar. We play a mixture of folk and top 40 type material (Beatles to Celine Dion) that may require switching from electic to acoustic to electric in one tune. I use a Boss ME-10 so I am able to use the two separate output of the instrument; electric output to the ME-10 and the acoustic output to the FX return of the ME-10. This allowed me to switch from electric to acoustic without having to use my hands. In a normal playing situation, you would use the mix output and use the onboard 3-way switch to select between electric, acoustic/electric mix and just acoustic sound. The sound quality of the mix output is not as good as the separate outputs. For the electric output, the 5-way selector allows you to switch from BH, BS, BS/NS, NS and NH. The Seymour Duncans here are rather plain jane and Perhaps a bit too much bass. As with most Hum/Single style pickups there is a noticeable output difference. I considered replacing the Duncans. I fear the thick poly finish on the guitar is killing the natural resonance of the wood. The active acoustic output is dead quiet and the EQ is very nice. The treble is tuned very high, the mid is musical and the bass not too boomy. The acoustic output does not sound like an acoustic guitar, it sounds like and acoustic guitar with a pickup. If you were to compare the two by sound alone, the LGX does a very good facsimile of the 'acoustic' sound. I usually leave the EQ at flat which goes straight out the PA and sounds fantastic. You will have to engage the HPF on the console since the acoustic pickup is very sensitive down to rumble frequencies. Just hitting the top of the guitar will make subwoofers thump. I don't know why they don't put an HPF in the onboard preamp.

I never rely on factory setups so after a fresh set of strings and a few adjustments the guitar is ready to go. There are no dead spots on the neck and intonation is very good but not perfect (10-46 strings). The mat finish on the neck is good for me and feels more like a Paul up to the 12th fret even though it's bolt-on. Frets are medium in size and the position markers are very small. The body has a very thick poly finish that can take just about anything. One thing I didn't like, the Seymour Duncans are mounted to the body of the guitar by two screws at the center of the pickup. This allows the pickups to flop about in the pickup cavity and doesn't allow for angle adjustment.

I've been using this guitar exclusively since '97 and have had no problems with it. I don't carry a backup since you can break a string and keep playing 'til the end of the song. The battery will last about a year and as I mentioned before, the finish is durable. Some of the hardware has begun to rust but that's just my corrosive sweat.

Haven't contacted them.

I have been playing for about 15 years and have used various solid state and tube amplifiers, numerous other guitars and outboard effects. It's an all-in-one instrument for me but could never replace a real Les Paul or Stratocaster or even an acoustic guitar. But instead of taking three guitars you just have to take one. I am not a recording musician but live, it's great. As I mentioned before, the thick poly finish may have something to do with the plain nature of the sound since the guitar doesn't light up like other instruments I have used. I just recently had a guitar custom made by a local guitar shop and the features are pretty close to the LGX so I would say if it were lost or stolen, I would get another one. For versatility, it's very good.

As a side note, I recently saw a band playing where the singer changed from an 80's Ovation acoustic to the LGX. The LGX sounded better!

Not even a question of anyone coming close. Seymours in the neck and bridge (SH-2 and CCC); LR Baggs piezo saddle w/active EQ; mahogany neck and body with AAA flames maple top (mine is Lightburst finish). MIne was a 2001 factory 2nd and I'm still looking for the imperfections. I got this new from Canada for an ungodly price w/case.

Note that the neck is extremely thin and radius is almost flat. I love it this way...some won't.

I'll give it an 8 based on the fact that I'm comparing the acoustic sound to the active fishman in my Martin and the electric sound to a MM Axis Super Sport with DeMarzio's. The Duncans hold their own and splitting the coils give it a passable Tele twang.

Action was high...I lowered it. The problem you run into with these guitars (and any dual-voice with a piezo) is that the normal slight buzzing that you get on an electric when you shoot for super low action becomes unaccaptable when running through the peizo bridge. This is the only real problem I have with the guitar..but you sacrifice to get the duality this axe offers.Offsetting this is the unreal AAA top for something in this price range thats MADE IN THE USA....DID YOU HEAR THAT?!?! The parts do come from Canada though...

I usually have need of another guitar anyway (alt tuning) so I always have a backup if need be. In my mind, bringing along a backup isn't a case against any particular guitar-it's insurance against a disaster. Any guitar that couldn't last a gig thru normal circumstances shouldn't be used anyway.

Never tried but I hear great things from th Canadian music stores and hell from US. Hope I never need em....

18 years of playing and I can finally stop looking at guitars to buy. I now have a Strat (US made Kramer), Japanese Fernandes for metal and crazy whammy stuff, Martin acoustic and an Old Westbury that plays like a dream (I've also an OLP and Applause for open mic nights and travel). I'm done...

For the money, you're nuts to get anything else given you like it's feel.

This guitar is just jam-packed with features, which have already been thoroughly covered in other reviews, so I won't get into it except for a few particulars:
-flame maple top
-Duncan Humbuckers
-2001 model

This guitar has almost a plethora of sounds-- with the use of the humbuckers as they are, the ability to get a single coil sound, the ability to get a very convincing acoustic sound and be able to blend it with your electric sound, there is a never-ending supply of tonal variety. This is a guitar that does virtually everything, and does it well (but not perfectly). It would take some kind of disease to get bored of this guitar.
The strong points of this instrument's sound are the distortion and the acoustic emulation. The distorted sound can range from a nice, thick jazz type of sound to an almost (not exactly) strat-like sound, to a crunching, Metallica, heavy-metal thrasher type deal. This guitar does a lot, but it has its own sound-- if you want a Les Paul sound or a Strat sound and nothing else will do, buy a Les Paul or a Strat. But if you are not too concerned with brand identity in your sound, and you simply want a guitar that you will love, it's worth a try.
The acoustic sound also is surprisingly good. It has to be heard to be believed, especially considering that this is a solibody guitar. Once again, you have to pick this guitar up and let the sound speak for itself.
My only little quibble is the clean sound. Although it is good and punchy, the sound seems to be a little muddy for my taste. The humbuckers sound good and as they should, but I was hoping for a brighter sound in the single coil mode. Maybe I'm just being picky.

In quality of manufacturing everything has been done right. The neck is straight and true, bolted snugly into the body, and the pickups were at acceptable distances from the strings, etc. The action was a bit too high for my taste(which I haven't yet had adjusted), but not unbearably so, and some people like it that way, so I can't fault Godin with that. There is a tiny patch (TINY) on the back of the guitar which has no colour, it is just the lacquer. But it is on the very top, right near the cutaway, so that it looks like there is always light reflecting from it. I doubt that anyone will ever notice

I'm sure the LGX can take a beating, but, let's put it this way, if you used it as a weapon against somebody who had a Les paul, for example, you guitar would break first, and you would lose. Something else to be wary about is the active EQ. If you look inside, you will see that there is a lot of technology in there that looks like it would not like liquid, and the slider slots could easily let liquid in.

Never dealt with them.

I've been playing guitar for 4 or 5 years, and I either own or have owned a Squire Strat, Epiphone Les Paul 100(cheapest version), Norman acoustic and Godin A6. Obviously this guitar kills both the Squire and the Epi, and surprisingly it gives a superior acoustic sound to the A6. If this guitar were stolen I would hesitate only long enough to cry like a little school girl, and after I was finished I would hurry out of the closet (no pun intended), wipe my eyes, and rush to my nearest Music store and buy a new one.
And folks, if you are serious about buying a new guitar, I promise, you will be doing yourself a favour by picking one of these up.

I like this guitar so much, I don't even use the piezo acoustic sound on it right now, I just use it electrically, that's how much I like it. You can get a variety of sounds via the 5-way switch and tone knob coil splitter. Needless to say having a solidbody electric guitar with an acoustic side with a preamp to it is really cool. This is the second one i've owned, (I got rid of the first one to get a Parker Fly, great guitar but I missed the Godin, so I got another one). It's all mahogany, and has a thick rich sound. I love the neck, usually, on a guitar such as this, the neck would be fatter (like a tree-trunk Les Paul) but the profile on this neck is perfect.

The sound is great, but I'll elaborate! Starting with the electric sounds, the pickups are clear and don't have any annyoing overtones like biting mids or shrilly highs, just right. I actually use the neck pickup for my funk clean sound, and it's very bright and clear. It has a coil tap push/pull tone knob that doesn't quite do what it boasts, while activated, the sound doesn't actually get much thinner like a single coil, and actually acts like a boost, so that's how I use it, as a boost! The acoustic pickup/preamp is great, very full, loud and clear and you have a separate bass/mid/treble/volume control, as well has a mix volume between electric/acoustic sounds.

I bought both guitars used so I cannot judge the factory set up, but I do my own set ups on my guitars, and the Godin plays awesome. Really low action without buzzing, the fit and finish is pretty flawless, I can't pick anything out that needs any work. The body is a nicely grained piece of wood and the top is great. The ONLY little complaint I have about this guitar is the back of the neck has a finish on it that leads to stickiness after playing for a while. I could be the certain oils in my skin, or the neck, but I just polish it and it goes away immediately.

After some time with both guitars, they are reliable, trustworthy, and I would definitely gig without a backup.

I've not had to deal with the company as of yet.

I should have never gotten rid of my first Godin, and I currently plan to get an LGX-T so that tells you that I love it. I run mine thru a LINE 6 Flextone II Head and a Marshall 4x12. I'm basically a strat-shape guy, so I love that it has a stomach contour like a strat, and the longer scale like a strat. I don't like Les Pauls, and if I had the money I'd probably own a PRS, but not at the expense of the Godin, it's a keeper.

2001 Canadian Parts US assembly. Figuered maple top with mahogany back and neck. Rosewood fingerboard. Two Duncans (Jazz hum at neck, hotter hum and bridge) and Baggs active piezo at bridge. Very nice hard shell case. Two voices available, three if you count the blend of passive and active. Perhaps too many features.

I play blues, swing, a little jazz and some rock. I play through a fender hot rod deluxe, some chorus (pedal) occasionally. This guitar sounds too good to be true. When I first picked it up I loved the feel and finish. When I plugged it in, I had to have it. I have played many guitars over many years. This Godin flies above everthing new or old that I have played. It can sound like a jazz box, a strat, a Les Paul (not as muddy as the Les Paul) and like a moderately good amplified acoustic. Ity is the sound of the Duncans that is truely inspiring. The neck pick up is unbelievably clean, rich and versatile. It makes the hot rod deluxe, already a good amp, sound great. I don't play or listen to metal or other shredder crap so I cannot judge how noise would sound on this guitar. But if you can play and taste and sound appeal to you, there may not be any better guitar at any price.

When I picked up this guitar and fondled it, I was impressed with the finish and the craftmanship. The action was too high but easily adjusted. This guitar is beautifully built. It feels right in your hands.

Who knows? I expect that it will hold up as it is well made and well put together. I put strap locks on all my guitars. It is solid but not a log (e.g Les Pauls)

Godin is a company that seems to be trying to make a quality guitar at a reasonable price. They have a very artfully dome web site. I hope to not have any problems, again, we shall see.

I have been playing for many years. I have played strats, les Pauls, teles archtops etc. This guitar is very impressive. I pick it up, plugged it in and after a few minutes had to buy it. I have said to others "this guitar plays itself you just have to hang on to it". I am lookiong at other Godin models. For the price, this is unmatched quality

Mine is a 98 model is a beutiful deep quilted top blue model. The previous owner placed sperzel locking tuners on the guitar, and that seems to be the only modification that he made. The pickups are Godin tetrads with coil tapping and an LR Baggs acoustic pickup activated by pulling one of the knobs. It has three Jacks on the guitar, one for magnetic, one for piezo, and one for mix. The onlyreason that I give this a nine is that some of the controls are complicated at first.

I mostly play blues, Alternative, metal, and classic rock. The tetrads, to my suprise sound really good. Usually stock pickups on a guitar sound weak and muddy but these sound clear and warm. The acoustic sounds are great, but not quite like an acoustic. The clean tones are very bright and have a bunch of sustain. Where this guitar really shines is when you kick it into distortion. The notes are clear and emphasize the highs and lows. Once I got my action adjusted there was no buzz from the pickups. It can play all styles very well.The only reason for the nine is the buzz when I first bought it see (action).

The action was a little low, and was giving off a fret buzz, but when I had it professionally set up then the buzz was gone. Everything else was in good condition.

The only thing that isn't solid on this guitar are the strap holders. Strap locks would take care of that. It would be fine without a backup but I believe in Murphy's law.

It is a great value, and sounds like a guitar twice the price. If it was stolen I would buy another one in a heart beat.

Godin LGX with Seymore Duncans and LR Baggs piezos. Quilted maple top over mahogany body. 22 frets on bolt-on mahogany neck. Strings through body. Hard case included. The electronics have most of the features here. There are so many tones in this guitar! The absolute best value around. The only thing I would like is for the blend knob to work on the 1rst & 3rd outputs.

This guitar sounds excellent! The Duncan pickups are very versatile and sound great. I have not had any problems with the 5-way switch. The coil tapping is great and very useful, especially comming from a Gibson Explorer. The LR Baggs piezos sound incredible. I plug it into a Digitech RP20 then usually streight into the board. Sometimes into an old ADA 50watt el34 stereo power amp into two 1x12 cabs. Even streight to the board it sounds wonderful. I play covers of classic rock with some hard stuff and some acoustic type stuff. This guitar is much better suited to the variety of sounds I need than any Gibson, and much lighter too. It can go from Hootie to Creed with no problem.

I was nervous about this as the eBay seller said it was new, but had been hanging in a store for a while and had some light pick scratches. The scratches are barely noticeable, and the guitar was $700 new, so I'm not complaining. The top is AA quilted maple, not AAA but still looks good. The neck is finished, but not glossy and feels good. The guitar plays wonderfully, better than my Explorer. I just had to change the strings and tweak the action a tad, five minutes later it was playing great.

I don't generally like bolt-on necks, but this one seems solid. The guitar seems well built, everything's tight and feels quality-built.

I've been playing for 27 years, but only get to play about 5 hours a week and don't own a lot of gear. I would buy another one of these in a heartbeat. It sounds/looks/plays great, very comfortable, feels good in your hands. Nothing for under $1000 can touch this guitar, and $700 is even better! I'll probably never be able to buy another guitar, and with this one, I won't need to. It can do it all. I looked at Parkers and Carvins and would've easily spent twice the money for either. This guitar rocks.

The model (bought new about three or four years ago) I had was the solid body with two Godin humbuckers and the Fishman acoustic bridge piezo with active EQ. Finish was dark stain, ebony fingerboard, came with a Godin case.

The acoustic/electric setup was what I needed at the time, especially the ability to switch instantly between both sounds, for the style of stuff I was then playing live and recording. It was quiet with no hum problems. There was a good tone range, especially the acoustic sounds which were powerful and clean, and quite authentic for a solid body. The electric sounds were OK, although I would have preferred a Strat style three pickup setup (nowadays they do this type as well), rather than two average sounding humbuckers

The guitar worked well- which was just as well, as it had to, as I took it to a gig the evening of the day I bought it. The general fit and finish was excellent BUT WHY did the maker spoil it with some fragile plastic parts?? One of the plastic tuning key buttons crumbled after just three days- replaced by the dealer after about a week or two wait for the part to come from Canada/USA to Australia- good thing I did not have another gig the next week becaause this was my main instrument at the time.The output jacks were also mounted on a plastic plate on the body side-NOT durable enough..

See above- I was NOT impressed with the early faults especially after paying about $1,600 (approx $US 900)

Used live , I had the magnetic pickups going into a guitar amp, with a separate lead from the acoustic pickup going direct to the PA desk. Worked quite well, but when singing and playing in front of the stage monitor wedge, the acoustic pickup kept feeding back. The electric sounds had a reasonable variety, but the output was weak. I had also tried a Carvin AE 185 (I think) which had a similar setup except that the magnetic pickups were also active, as well as the acoustic bridge pickup- a better guitar I felt but even more expensive- about $2,400 compared to the cash discount price of $1,608 which I paid for the Godin.

The local dealer was helpful but did not carry any suitable spares, and the only other Godin model in the shop was a dearer LGX with the MIDI unit, which had different sized and type tuners, thus the dealer could not replace the tuner by borrowing a part from the other guitar..

I don't think I would buy one again-the resale value was lousy when I traded it in on an archtop electric jazz model a couple of years ago-once again if it ain't got Fender or Gibson on the headstock, it doesn't have decent resale value-sad but true...

2000 LGX with Sunrise finish, Seymour Duncan pickups, L.R. Baggs accoustic pickups, Shaller tuners and strap locks, string thru body with L.R. Baggs saddle/bridge. I did a bit of homework before I bought, hope its not too wordy.

The Duncans are nice. Very warm, jazzy tones at the neck and biting bridge pickup. I found the bridge p/u especially useful, breaking up nicely when pushed hard/clean, vintage crunchy at quarter to third gain, and very capable at creating several heavy metal tones. The 2 and 4 position of the p/u selector use half the humbucker, for true single coil tones. Usually, this results in tinny or thin sound, but these sound pretty good, very usable, almost like the out of phase sounds at 2 and 4 on a Strat.

The L.R. Baggs systems sound ok thru a electric amp, useable. However, when plugged into my Laney acc. amp, it really shined. Any good kb or similar amp should get similar results. After a bit of "V"ing the eq, the tone was 90% acc. guitar. I imagine stepping up the strings from the 9's would raise this a percent or two. It wins any comparison w/ the Washburn or Fender guitars with similar setups, hands down.

I will still use my Tele for some Tom Petty and Stones tunes, but the single coil settings will get used for most of my Country tunes.

Worth noting: The guitar sounds GREAT when not plugged in. Smooth accoustic tone.

The wood looks great, mahagony neck, 2 piece mahagony body, 2 piece figured maple top, carved, with the headstock getting the same treatment. What looks like binding is actually the maple top masked from the front finish, with just a clear finish. Simple, and it does look nice. The overall quality of the finish is better than average, and much better than average in its price range. The neck joint is well designed, with 4 screws offset. Access to the upper frets is pretty good, with a slim joint, but not as easy a good neck-thru. It is sturdy though, and I see very little "flex" in the neck, which really helps it stay in tune. The shape is confortable, fitting the body easily. The neck is moderately slim, and has nice C curve, similar to older Gibson necks, but smoother. The only real gripe I have is that my pinky seems to always migrate to the bridge p/u screw hole, which looks just fine, but could be smaller, or designed a bit different.

The black nickel plated nickel silver pickup covers look GREAT. (thats a mouthful!) I hope they continue to.

Very sturdy, well built. My only concern is with the L.R. Baggs saddle system, which seems well made, but "looks" less sturdy than the typical tune-o-matic or Fender bridge, due to having more pieces, etc. The pots have a nice firm feel to them, and the p/u selector switches are good quality. I would normally prefer a metal jack plate, but this black plastic plate is very thick and sturdy, and since there are three isolated jacks (elec only, both, acc. only) it makes sense to have it plastic.

Although I play only locally now, I would have no concerns about dragging it on the road. I also bought a factory case. (sug. retail $109). Its an ok case for local use, but would get better for serious road usage.

In a nutshell, it is the perfect working musicians guitar for the money. (retail about $1600US w/ case, $1300 street price, $750-900 eBay used typical June 2001) It won't replace your other guitars (well, maybe one or two), but it will allow you to change guitars much less often.

For reference, I have played since I was a very young child (I'm 36 now) I play a Laney G-80 acc. guitar amp, Laney LC50 tube head w/ eight 10" speakers (Celestions and Peavy Blue Marvels), a Fender Hotrod Deluxe and a Fender Sidekick 65. I also play a 92 USA Strat Plus (LSR nut, Gold Lace Sensors) and a 95 Mex Tele w/ Fender Custom Shop p/u,(etc), Ibanez 335 knockoff (not bad), a Danelectro Hodad w/trem, 83 LP Jr, Fender D22 acc. and Ovation 1865 acc., and a big box of parts from every manufacturer known to man :-)

I bought this guitar about one year ago, so I'll call it a 2000. It is made in the USA from parts Made in Canada...if you've read the reviews already posted, then you know what it is about...LaSido makes good stuff. It has individual piezo on each of the string saddles (L.R. Baggs) and mine, unlike previous reviews has 2 Seymour Duncan Humbuckers (the bridge is a jazz and the neck is a Custom-Custom (blues)). Absolutely amazing. 5 way switch, 1 master tone, 1 master volume and an acoustic electric blend. It also has a 3 way selector for acoustic only, acoustic electric blend (the blend knob comes into play here) and electric only. In addition, there are three dedicated output jacks (acoustic only, blend and electric only). Finally, the acoustic side is controlled by 4 sliders (volume, bass, mid and treble). The body is as described in previous reviews so there is no point in going into it here...the custom case is fantastic.

I play blues, jazz and classic rock style music...I typically play this axe along with a Yamaha 12 string Acoustic and a Gibson Lucille (ES-355). My set-up is to through this particular axe through an A/B box with one line going to a Marshall AS50R (acoustic amp patched to the PA) and the other going to a Crate GXT100S (Lucille goes to a 1973 Fender Twin Reverb and the Yamaha goes to a multi-effects pedal and then straight to the PA). With the 3 way switch in the acoustic position and the jack plugged into the middle (blend) output, I can click on the A side of the A/B box and get a nice acoustic sound (with just a touch of Chorus)...excellent sound. Another flick of the switch and the B side of the A/B (both are lit, I get a great blend which is entirely customizeable. Finally, a flick up of the 3 way switch and turning off the A channel gives me an electric that is a cross between a Les Paul and a Strat. As far as sound goes, this is THE most versatile guitar I have ever had the pleasure of playing.

No flaws, no set-up required...it was perfect when I bought it and it is perfect today.

I have had no problems with the axe...It looks and feels very solid. In fact, the only thing that worries me is that, with so many damn features, there are more things that could go wrong with this guitar, and the electronics are no joke inside. If I were picky I'd say that another thing that pisses me off is actually a feature I wouldn't want to lose...The strings are threaded through the body and when you are changing a string in the middle of a gig, the E and B sometimes get hung up and are difficult to thread through the hole...they really need to get the channel nice and smooth and line it with something to keep it easy. If I were doing a solo act, I would easily be able to gig with just this guitar...it is that versatile. This axe plus the two amps (the Marshall can handle a vocal input as well) and I'm all set.

Never had to deal with them...I do own other LaSido products (2 Art and Lutherie 6 strings) so one day, I have no doubt they'll be hearing from me...hope they're nice.

Been playing for many years, have many guitars, but this one is special...I would replace it if it got stolen, I might even go for the LGXSA model for the midi voice. A great and versatile guitar...go out and try one!

This is a transparent blue guitar with a striped maple top. The body and neck are mahogany (bolt on), and the pickup configuration is cool, but somewhat bewildering, because there have apparently been numerous pickup configurations with this model. I have two Godin "blade" humbuckers, and the tone control is a push/pull switch that when pulled creates a coil tap. It also comes with LR Baggs piezo tranducers at the bridge, along with a three band, active equalizer on board. It has a pickup only output, a piezo only output, and a mix output. Although this might seem like overkill, there is nothing cooler than sending the pickup and piezo outs to separate preamps and then blending the tones.

The pickups are not as hot as I would like, but they sound great nonetheless. The coil tap sound is what I use most of the time, but for heavy overdrive sounds, the humbuckers are more than adequate. For bassy but clear and punchy blues solos and rhythm, its the best sounding guitar I have ever owned. I normally use a POD and/or an ADA MP-1, and I am quite satisfied with the results. My only serious complaint is that on the five-way switch, postions 2 and 4 create dead, useless sounds on both the humbucker and single coil settings. Might as well have a three way switch. (On my other Godin, and Artisan Signature, the 2 and 4 positions sound fantastic, especially clean).

Action was a bit high, so I had a fret level done, which resulted in action that is still a little high, but no buzzes or problems. The push/pull switch screw came stripped, so I had to rig my own fix.

I am a studio musician, so I can't comment on live playing. However, this instrument has remained stable since I bought it, and it stays in tune for days at a time. I replace the battery every six months or so, and the battery has never died. The finish is a kind of acrylic, I think, so when I scratched the hell out of it accidentally, I was able to buy some plexiglass polisher and polish out most of the scratch, which I cannot do with all my guitars.

The neck twisted on a previous Godin I owned (Artisan VI), and I could not return it to the store because I had moved to another state and the warranty was up. At first, customer service was a pain, but they finally agreed to take back the guitar even though the warranty was expired, and they credited me toward an upgrade to an LGX, which I like better anyway.

I've played for 24 years, and I own a Godin Artisan Signature, a Fender American Tele, and a buddy stores his '71 Les Paul Custom at my place. I play the Godin LGX more than any other, and it is used more often in my sessions than any other. I love its unique, quality sound and its versatility.

Godin LGX-TWO Tetrad Combo Pickups, Ebony Neck, 22 frets, Electric Acoustic(all electric input, acoustic/electric blend, all acoustic) inputs, one volume-one-one blend tone (push pot for coil taps, mini switch for acoustic needs, blend for electric acoustic mix), active eq, on-board preamp, sadlle transdcuer pickups mounted in bridge, tune-o-matic style brige w/ string through body design, mahogany body and neck, quilted or flamed maple top, blue transparent finish, good decent tuners, case hardshell, pickup h/h, 5 way selector

Currently my rig is: Crate 2-12 w/ Celestions-Boss GT-3 efeects pedal-Epiphone EA-50 1-12-Godin LGX-Variety of Boss Pedals and Wahs-
Sound: Many tonal capabilities. I play funk, fusion, jazz, metal, rap songs, blues, and all the stuff in the mix. The clean sounds are crystal clear, and the tone allows a lot of freedom with sound selection. The sound is full and rich, it is kinda bright. The guitar is great for slide, and works well with capo's and acoustic amps. I like the playability factor too.

The guitar, which I purchased used, was perfect. It fit into my hands as if it belonged there. The pickups needed a little tweak to adjust the volume to my preference, but it was godd from the factory. The top is seamless, and had no flaws. It looks deep, lush, and well crafted.

The guitar sounds great live, or on the mix. The hardware is very durable and reliable. The finish seems to be as solid as any guitar I've ever seen. The strap buttons are a little different, and a little cranky for some guitars, nothing strap locks can't fix. I have never had any of the connections fade out, and I slam them around a lot. But, never will they come loose. I use it as my main guitar, and never have to worry about a back-up.

I haven't hade to deal with the company. But the dealer I went through provided me with a good deal, and a case to match. There was no warranty, but unless I drop it I don't need one.

I've been playing for six years now. I have owned a lot of random gear. Traditional guitars to the bizzare. I would definitely buy another Godin. I would say that the LGX is a combo btwn the Les&Strat, but with a new style and some great innovations. The instrument plays great, sounds good, it's reliable, has tones of extraordinary features, and didn't break the bank. Bottom line.

Mine is a 1998 Model I believe. I bought it second-hand about three months ago through a local trading post. Features are pretty much the same as every other review here, so I'll not go into that. The (pretty stunning) quilted maple top is finished in the lovely deep blue, a very safe colour if nothing else. the hardware is all black, with great looking black chrome pickup covers. All the controls feel very sturdy, though the original 5-way had been replaced with a Fender, and the wiring changed so that in position 2 you get the Bridge and neck pups split together.

The non-locking schaellers work very well combined with the graphite nut and tune-o-matic bridge. The string thru body is a nice aesthetic touch, regardless of sonic improvements it may bring.

I for one was glad to get a rosewood fingerboard, and prefer the darker tone it brings. I had a Les Paul with an ebony fingerboard once, and it just didn't seem right.

The supplied case is very similar to a Fender, and had a tag inside saying 'made in Canada' (nice touch, considering nearly all of fender's cases are made in Mexico)

I'll give this category a 9, because I don't know what an unmodified one sounds like.

Where to begin!

The sounds this thing puts out are great. I've had a chance to play the electric side thru a variety of great amps, and it's not found lacking anywhere, even though the in-between sounds aren't quite as glassy or toneful as a vintage strat, they are still quite usable.

The accoustic side of things seems very reasonable thru headphones, but I haven't had a chance to try it out thru a full-range PA or an accoustic amp.

One thing I can attest to is this - if you are going to run both magnetic and piezo together, use the dedicated outputs, not the mixed one. While this output makes it much easier to mix the two via the onboard controls, it saps the tone somewhat. Check it out yourself. Plug the electric only output in, set the mix controls to electric only) set up your favourite sound on you amp and play for a little. Then plug straight into the mix output (which is now set only for magnetic stuff) and play - you'll notice a drop in tone and volume. It may only be a little, but hey, us guitarists pay thousands for pickups, amps etc that are a little better - why should we be any different here?

I'm going to give this category a nine, which could be a 10 if only the mix output sounded as good as the others.

Finish was very consistant over the whole of the guitar, though strangely the rear of the neck is fairly glossy - I'm used to Godin's having a nice waxed finish - maybe just the ones that I have seen. In any case, it's still got the nice mahogany texture on the back, so it's not all sweaty-gloss hell!

Another 9 here, though my only gripe is the finish on the back of the neck. And even that isn't as bad as it could be (ie - completely glossy - one of my pet dislikes)

Seems fine, though I haven't been out of the bedroom with it yet. If I have any problems, I'll be sure to post it, though I can't see anything on the guitar (save maybe for the graphic sliders) that even remotely looks flimsey.

No contact about this guitar, but I've e-mailed the before and gotten fairly timely and friendly responses.

I was considering buying one of these guitars brand new for aus$3600 (approx US$1800) when I saw this going for AUS$1200 (approx US$600) So I snapped it up, and haven't yet had any regrets. I'f I ever have to get a guitar to replace this, it will probably be the same make and model, if I didn't succumb to the urge to build a parts guitar in it's stead. I really hadn't expected this guitar to be so good though, and really have no qualms about reccomending it to anyone who needs a versatile yet toneful (how little those words usually have to do with each other!) guitar that plays great and covers every single tonal base, and even manages to cover a couple of the them very well! So the single coil sounds wont fool everyone - they are still very usable. Try it out, I wish I had done so sooner. If there is anyone out there interested in buying one of these guitars, feel free to e-mail me at the below address and I will endeavour to answer an y questions as best I can.

Canadian made year 2000. Neck is made from Honduras Mahogany and Brazilian Mahogany used for the body. It's finished with a really striking figured maple top. I have to admit that this is a really nice looking axe. I'm quite picky having owned some really high quality instruments such as a Les Paul black beauty and a US Ultra Strat and a top of the line Guild Acoustic. So it was really important to me that any purchase I make sounds AND looks good. I purchased the Translucent Blue which looks really good! I do agree with other's comments that it does rival the finish of PRS guitars costing 2 times the money. The 25 1/2" fingerboard is made of rosewood (I would have probably preferred ebony) and seems to be of good quality. The electric pickups are Seymour Duncan and the acoustic pickups are L.R. Baggs designed specifically for this guitar. Each string has it's own transducer under the saddle, giving it it's own electronics. There are 3 outputs on the guitar. One for the Seymour Duncans, one for the transducers and one which allows a blend of both. The electric pickups have a volume and tone knob and also the typical 5 way toggle switch. The transducers are controlled by 4 sliders. One volume and 3 EQ sliders (bass, mid, treble). There's also a 3-way toggle which if used with the middle output jack (the blend one) controls which pickups are active. Toward the neck is the electric, middle is blend and far right is the transducers only.

I bought this guitar to solve a major problem I had. I am the worship leader at my church and also play out quite often at other special events. I do quite a diverse set of material ranging from head-on aggressive suited more to electric guitar to more acoustic-based alternative stuff. I really hated switching guitars during the set since it breaks the continuity. So I started just using one guitar or the other and just "putting up" with not being able to the play the guitar on every song that might suit it best. I have used my Guild acoustic mostly but really wanted to rock at certain times with my electric. I heard about the Godin, Parker Fly and Carvin AE185, so I started doing some research to see if one of these could possibly solve my problem. After tons of research I settled on the Godin. The Parker was too "fragile" and I didn't like getting stabbed by the horn (not a great design). It also was more money. The Fly did sound great and was really nicely finished but it just wasn't enough to overcome the negatives mentioned. I never had a chance to use the Carvin, but it doesn't have individual transducers under each string like the others, so I decided not to pursue it. (I also have this thing about buying a guitar I can't hold and play first.)

This guitar did end up solving my problem mentioned above. Being a purist, I will say that the transducers don't sound exactly like my Guild or other pure acoustic guitars. But, saying that, I found the tone to be quite sweet and pleasing. It does have a sound that is close to an acoustic and actually creates some possiblities that are quite unique. I actually found it stirring my creativity with it's uniqueness. It certainly filled the need I had to use one guitar for my whole set. My setup is as follows: I use the middle jack in the LGX which allows me to use the 3-way toggle switch on the LGX to choose the actice pickups. I run the LGX into my wireless system which is routed to an a/b switch. Switch "a" sends the signal through my Digitech RP 12 processor and then on to my Fender Hot Rod Deluxe for the electric pickups. To switch to the acoustic pickups I simply flip the 3-way toggle switch on the LGX to the far-right position and hit my "b" switch on the a/b box. That turns off the electric signal and activates the transducers and sends the signal to my Fender Acoustisonic Jr. This is done in a couple of seconds! Way cool! You really do need an acoustic amp or run through the PA system with the transducers. They sound pretty lame through an electric amp (IMO), which makes sense since they were not designed for an electric guitar amp. The electric settings on the 5-way toggle tone switch are quite good. I did notice that it's not really possible to get that signature pure Strat tone, but again, that's not what it's designed for. The closest to the Strat was in the middle position. Neck position has lot's of sustain and the bridge position is very bright with a lot of bite as is typical of this setup. Good bluesy tone one the 2 and 4 positions, with 4 being brighter. The tone is quite good and if you're used to using humbuckers you'll probably be quite pleased. I have no complaints with the tone.

I have a great relationship with my "main" music store (Weather's Music in Salem, OR). They let me take one home to try on my gear for a couple of days. The first LGX I took home, was not the one I ended up buying. It had a couple of problems. First the 5-way toggle switch was so hard to move you almost had to force it. This was really irritating. Also the neck was not adjusted properly so that you could actually pull it back a bit and the strings would buzz. The EQ sliders also were a bit off-center, so when they were click in on what was supposed to be the middle setting, they were actually off-center by a noticeable margin. Other than that I did like it, but not probably enough to buy it. I took it back and told them and they said they had another one in the back that had never been out in the store. They let me take it home to try. What a difference! The setup was perfect. The 5-way toggle switch worked smoothly like it should, the EQ sliders were perfectly centered and the neck was set perfectly. I instantly knew I was gonna own it! The finish was gorgeous without a blemish. I did adjust one of the Seymour Duncans down a bit, but just personal preference. The 9 rating is only because of my experience with the first one I took home. (Good example of why I won't buy a guitar without spending some time with it first. ie. Carvin)

So far I have no reason to believe that guitar will hold up really well. That's one of the reasons I chose the LGX over the Parker Fly. I'm sure it will hold up better. I treat my guitars with great care so I expect to have it last for years. Also it came equipped with Schaller strap locks which was nice since I already had them on my straps. Another plus. Also included was a hardshell case which I guess isn't always the situation. The case seemed somewhat flimsier than my other cases from Gibson and Fender, but should hold up ok as long as I treat it right. I have no problem using this guitar without a backup. It's not failed me yet.

Don't know about Godin support. I've not had to contact them. I did notice that if I needed to there didn't seem to be phone support. Only e-mail which is ok I guess, but sometimes talking to a live person can make a big difference.

I've played for over 25 years, including many professional venues. I'd definitely buy another if it was lost or stolen. It's one of the few instruments out there that can fill the specific need I had as mentioned above to be able to use one guitar for a variety of music. There's nothing that I don't like on this guitar.

Year 2000 model made in Canada, 22 frets, came with a Godin custom case. Gorgous finish in Translucent Amber, one of the best looking guitars I have ever seen!! I got mine with the Seymour Duncan humbuckers which sound awesome! It also has the acoustic P/U section as well.

Soon as I heard this guitar in the music store, I had to have it! The electric portion of the guitar absolutely rocks! I can get full out wall of distortion sound, and go to a nice mellow jazzy sound with the flick of a switch. The sustain is INCREDIBLE on this guitar, it rivals a Les Paul in that department, and I was originaly looking at getting a Les Paul, untill I stumbled upon this axe.

The guitar has three jacks on it, one for the electric section, one for the acoustic section, and another that mixes both electric and acoustic into the same output. On the mix setting, the acoustic dosn't sound much like an acoustic, it sounds like some sort of hybrid, not that it sounds bad, it just sounds like nothing I have ever heard before.

The acoustic section straight up is quite amazing. It sounds like a very expensive acoustic guitar that has a pickup system on it. Of course you have to plug it in, though it just sounds amazing. If anyone wants to here the acoustic section, drop me a line and I can send you off an mp3 of it.

The action is perfect on this guitar. It plays like a hot knife through butter! The guitar is absolutely flawless. Not a mark on it anywhere. The neck joint is amazing, with no gaps, or glue anywhere. Every time I open the case to take it out, I just smile and can't beleive this guitar cost so little for what you get. I did have the music shop put on a brand new set of D'addario .10's on it.

It's pretty hard to tell how tough this guitar really is. It feels nice and solid, and just feels like a real quality instrument that will last for years with the proper care. I just have a feeling that this guitar is one of the last few guitars made out there with this much attention to quality. I think gigging is a bit aways for me, though I couldn't imagine anyone playing a gig without some sort of backup.

I'll rate it at a 7 because I really don't know how this guitar will age after only having it for 1 week.

Haven't had the pleasure.

7 funfilled months after picking up my first guitar, I have no regrets in buying this one. I also own a Yamaha Pacifia 912 electric, and a Yamaha 432 acoustic guitar. I play it through a Yamaha DG60 amp, and it sounds great through it. I would FOR SURE buy this guitar in a SECOND, no question. It's a very 'player friendly' guitar that just feels so natural in your hands. I really havn't found anything wrong about this guitar. It has loads of features, and can make all sorts of different sounds.

Bottom line is, for the money, I didn't find a better guitar. I was in the market for a Les Paul, though this guitar was a $1000 cheaper, and could do much more than a Les Paul. No, it dosn't sound exactly like a Les Paul, though it's very very close. I will probably buy a Les Paul some day, when my talent justifies a $2500 guitar.

I bought my Godin in September 1998, I believe it was a '98 model. It has a mahogany neck and body with an awesome maple top. There are a few slight color blemishes on the body and near the nut on the (rosewood) fretboard, but overall it is a jewel to look at. The electronics are as follows: 2 Seymour Duncan humbuckers (these are optional, it also can come with Godin Tetrad Blade humbuckers), a Jazz II in the neck and a rewound Custom Custom in the bridge. It also has a L.R. Baggs piezo system and 3-way graphic equalizer. There are a LOT of controls on this guitar, and one problem is figuring out how to make everything work. There are 3 input jacks on the side of the guitar: 1) Magnetic pu's only, 2) Mix, and 3) Piezo only. With a chord in the first input, you have the volume, tone and 5-way selectors that most people are used to. In two, you have the magnetic pu controls as well the volume and equalizer for the piezos. Confused yet? It gets worse. There is a 3 way switch that is enabled with the second jack that selects 1) magnetic only 2)mix, and 3) piezo. In the second position there, you have a balance knob which fades the Duncans and piezos. In the third input jack, you just have the piezo controls. BUT! You can run chords from all 3 jacks at the same time, powering three amps and three different sounds, making a "three part unison" section playable by one person. After mastering all of the controls, there is no end to what you can do. The electronics, however wonderful, have been less than reliable for me after the first year. I've had to have the 5-way selector replaced, and I need to replace the volume pot, which gets scratchy when you crank it. Even if the place I purchased it from didn't do this for free, I think the guitar would worth the trouble. I'm giving this guitar a seven, but it would be upwards of 10 if the electronics were more reliable.

It sounds awesome! I play in Jazz Band at school, and the Jazz II pickup sounds incredible through my Peavey Classic 30 all tube amp. At home, I play a more rock-influenced sound, and I think the guitar is restrained by my amp. Through the Mesa/Boogie I hope to buy this summer, the guitar will surely scream. I almost exclusively use the neck pickup (untapped) because I hate the thinner sound of bridge pu's. The pickups are pretty noisy when tapped, but that's pretty normal. Also, it's very interesting that the volume is cut when you run in the middle position (bridge and neck.) In the neck position, the sound is incredibly rich and full. I'm not an expert on piezo pickups, but the sound is pretty impressive. It does click and pop when you adjust controls (like the 5-way selector) but that is also normal for piezo's. I'll give it an 8, but that may very well be higher if I had a more impressive amp.

The guitar was well setup, of course I replaced the strings right away, but the action was exactly how I like it. It was my first electric, so I got used to everything that might have been wrong with it. I already mentioned the blemishes on the neck and body. The bother me a little, but nobody else hardly notices them. It gets an 8, but only because of the blemishes.

I guess I covered most everything in the features category. Everything is absolutely dandy besides the electronics. I've used it live (jazz band concerts and competitions, and one small gig)and it has never surprised me. I have a very soft touch, I've been told I'm almost elegant (blech!) but the guitar is very tight. Darned electronics are forcing me to give it a 5.

Haven't had to deal with them. Got repairs from my wonderful music store.

I would buy a PRS if this guitar got stolen, but while I have it and can still buy other guitars, it is an awesome start to my budding guitar collection. I recently bought a used hollowbody that I plan on completely "remodeling" so I might not need the jazzy pu's in the Godin. If I decide to replace the pu's, I'll probably put some screaming Gibsons or something in. Overall, this guitar needs a 9. The individual ratings are low, but I've been a little picky and they could differ on the guitar, since it is handmade in the U.S. With a few little tweaks, this guitar is truly stellar.

I purchased this guitar from Electro-Music in Doncaster, UK, after researching the product databases for a single guitar that offered me maximum versatility. It was built in 1999. Up until purchase time I had been playing an American Telecaster (1983) and a Godin A6 (1994)in a rock/pop covers band. The LGX seemed to offer me what I wanted (apart from the Tele sound!). I had toyed with purchasing an LGXiii (3 single coils) but after playing the Seymour Duncan Humbucker equipped LGX, I knew it was the guitar for me. Other reviews in the database deal with the features of the LGX, so I wont bore you by repeating them all. In short my LGX is in stunning natural finish (absolutely flawless), mahogany with a maple top, has a wonderful neck and an extremely verstile pickup configuration (dual humbuckers + LR Baggs tranducers for the acoustic sound). The guitar came with a Godin hard case (many don't, I guess I was lucky) which considering the cost of the guitar is dissapointingly flimsy, but better than the ubiquitous gig bag.

I play mostly rhythm guitar. Our material ranges from Chuck Berry to Shania Twain, with a little Clapton, Stones, Beatles, Bowie, Doobie Brothers and Steve Miller along the way. Previously I had continually switched from Telecaster to A6 through our sets - this is now a thing of the past - I can switch from single coil to humbuckers to acoustic quickly and simply, or mix acoustic and electric sounds - this is particularly effective with a little chorus on the electric. I am very pleased with the range of sounds the guitar can produce. I play the electric side through a Peavey Delta Blues (with a Boss Chorus pedal) and the acoustic side through a Trace Elliot TR50. I now have a much greater range of sounds than with my Telecaster, although I do miss the crisp jangle of the Tele, but the humbuckers give a much warmer and fuller sound, particularly when driving the lead channel of the amp. The acoustic side is excellent, although not quite as good as the A6. This is probably due in part to the string gauge, it came factory fitted with 9s, I used 11s on the A6. I will try 10s next time when I re-string. The guitar matches the amp brilliantly - I particularly like finger picking the acoustic side, while underpinning it with a little chorus on the clean channel for the elctric side. I also like the ability to blend the acoustic and electric sounds through a single amp, something I do when practicing at home. Its all likes at the moment, and apart from misssing my Tele, no real dislikes.

The guitar was immaculately set-up when I picked it up from the shop (I would recommend Electro-Music to anyone) - everything seems absolutely fine.

Playing this guitar live is just wonderful. We play a lot of gigs in small crowded pubs. Continually switching guitars was a bind - and often hindered continuity - I also save a fortune in strings! The guitar is exceptionally well made and I believe I am going to be able to depend on it. I have never used back up guitars on gigs (often because of cost reasons).

Haven't had much cause to test this. I have emailed Godin with some questions and haven't heard back yet - I guess I had expected to - so this distracts slightly.

I have been playing guitar for over 30 years and have owned a lot of guitars (mostly acoustic) during this time. In order to buy the LGX I had to sell my Telecaster, A6 and a Guild D4. This leaves me with the LGX and my Martin HJ28 (which I would not sell - unless I found a nice D42!). My wife is pleased as we now have much more room! I love the LGX, I wish I had bought one a few years ago when I first saw them. It may not have the fashion/name appeal of a Fender or a Gibson, but pound for pound (buck for buck) the sound, finish and build quality knock similar priced guitars into the ocean and beyond. If the LGX was stolen, I would definiteley replace it with another - although I might get a Trans-Blue one! I know some of the reviews for this guitar have been a little scathing whilst others have praised it. I can't comment on the sound from the Godin Tetrad pickups - but for me and for what I play, I just love it - it is the best electric guitar I have owned.

1998 Godin LGX, assembled in USA with parts made in Canada and elsewhere. 22 frets, rosewood fretboard, 16" radius. Body is mahogany with quilted maple cap and has its own distinctive shape: kind of a cross between a Tele and a Les Paul. 2 humbucking pickups: a Seymour Duncan SH-2 Jazz pickup in the neck, a custom-wound SH-11 (i.e. a custom Custom Custom :-) in the bridge. 5 way switch gives split-coil and in-between sounds. Also, this guitar has an LR Baggs bridge pickup with separate 3-band eq and volume. Bridge is tune-o-matic style, with a string-through-body configuration. Tuners are Schaller non-locking tuners. Includes a very nice case. As far as features go, it's hard to imagine a more complete electric guitar.

I play mostly blues and funk, and am starting to learn some jazz. The neck pickup is warm but extremely clear; the acoustics of the guitar come through very well. Great for traditional jazz guitar or (crank the amp up a bit to get some overdrive) blues. The bridge HB has a traditional rock sound and is great for soloing. It has slighly more output than the neck and is much brighter (as a bridge pickup should be). The in-between positions are quite good too: #2 splits the neck pickup and renders a decent single-coil sound. I use this for a lot of funk rhythm. The #4 position splits the bridge pickup and delivers decent twang, suitable for country, or a slightly lower-output lead tone. The middle position sounds like a typical middle position: nasal, with a bit of a quack. Akin to a Tele middle position, though not quite as pronounced.
The LR Baggs acoustic pickup delivers a decent acoustic tone, though it is a bit sterile to my ears. Best results for this pickup definitely come from playing through a full-range system (such as a PA or acoustic amp).
One of the most interesting features of this guitar is the ability to blend the magnetic pickups with the LR Baggs. It is possible to get some very unusual and often inspiring tones by fiddling with the settings. I often play in the blended mode, using mainly the magnetics and mixing in just enough EQed acoustic to give the flavor I want. In the blended mode, the possibilities are quite extensive.
This is an extremely versatile guitar. The humbuckers alone are heavenly, but with the middle positions and saddle pickup, it's hard not to find something to like about this guitar. Definitely my "desert island" guitar.

This guitar is immaculate. The neck pocket is clean, no paint, glue, etc, and is the tightest neck pocket I've ever seen. The quilted maple top is beautiful, rivaling many PRSi I've seen at 2.5 times the cost. The action and intonation straight off of the wall was perfect. It came with 10s, and I play with 10s, so I haven't had to change anything about the setup since the day I took it out of the case.

Unfortunately, this model did have some flaws with the components it shipped with. The Schaller tuning machine heads are black plastic, and one of them broke in half while I was tuning up one day. Hrm. Also, the 5-way switch shipped with the guitar was of dubious quality. Soon after I started using the guitar, the switch started to protest when I wanted to move positions. I had to apply much more force than is usually necessary to move the switch. Eventually the situation got worse and I had to replace the switch altogether. Everything else about the guitar has worked just fine.

Fortunately, Godin has pretty good support. When both of the above problems occurred, I notified the folks at Godin via email, and soon after they shipped me the necessary parts free of charge. IMO, they make a great instrument and stand behind it.

Been playing guitar for about three years; I've been musical for about 20 years. I also have an Am Std. Strat and a Tele. If this guitar was stolen or lost, I would cry, save my pennies, then buy another one ASAP. Though I'd probably get the cognac burst this time, as that has a cream binding, and I love guitars with binding. :-)
When looking at this guitar I was also considering the Parker Fly, Epiphone Les Paul, and PRS (Custom 22 and CE). I difinitely liked the tone of the LGX the best, and I liked the fact that the LGX was a different type of guitar.
Overall, this is a great guitar, especially considering the price in relation to other guitars of the same quality, tone, feel, and beauty.
Godin has a decent web site, too: <http://www.lasido.com/godinmaster.html>

Probably made in 99, in USA with parts handcrafted in Canada. 22 frets, maple top with mahogany body (I'm pretty sure). I got the model with two Seymour Duncan (a "custom" Custom Custom in the bridge position, and a Jazz in the neck position) with nickel plated covers that look terrific! With the 5-way selector you can split the pickup, or run both at the same time, has a master volume and a tone control. Also included is the acoustic portion! With some sort of acoustic pickup in the Schaller bridge, with a preamp section that includes master volume, low, middle and high. One thing that impressed me a lot is it came with an Energizer battery! Not a cheap hi-watt like the one that came in my friend's Ibanez bass. The tuners are Schaller and do their job perfectly. It is stringed through the body. You have 3 outputs: electric guitar, acoustic guitar, and mixed. WIth the mix output, you have a 3 way switch where you can select electric, acoustic and mix, and you have a knob to mix electric and acoustic together to your liking for new sounds. The finish is AWESOME, I got the trans amber color, it looks incredible, the flame on it is pretty good, even the head of the neck has a flame maple top! The shape is not conventional, it takes time to get used to, at first you're not sure about it. There's a lot of electronic in there, but they had the marvelous idea of cuting a BIG cavity (actually, 2 cavities) so it's not that clogged up. What I like most about it: look, Seymour Duncan pickups and integrated acoustic guitar.
Oh yeah, and it came in a special Godin case with the interior sculpted to the guitar's shape!

The sound is really great. It's the first guitar I have on which I really use the neck pickup. The fact that it comes from the factory with 2 Seymour Duncans help a lot (they were an option though). The 2 buckers truly shine in full humbucking mode, however I'm less impressed by their split mode, there's nothing bad about their split sound, but no it won't replace a real Strat if you really need a Strat sound. For a more Les Paul type of sound though, this guitar is perfect. The Duncans can go a long way, I play a lot of metal. I wouldn't say it's that great of a guitar for really heavy stuff, the pickup would need to be hotter and brighter. With a Dual Rectifier type of sound with drive a 10, you get a nice balanced sound that will sit in a mix very easily, but don't think you'll sound like Metallica. This one's about TONE, not power, tone. But if you want tone, it will give you everything you need!
The acoustic portion is rather surprising. At first when they told me this thing could serve as an acoustic guitar, I was suspicious. But when I tried it, it blew me away. This thing is an electric guitar and it sounded like I just plugged an acoustic into the amplifier. The only problem is that it's nothing but an acoustic when unplugged, you need an amp :o). And with a real acoustic, when you plug it, you still hear the "real" acoustic sound mixed with the amplifed sound, with the LGX you only hear the amplified sound. It's really useful for live applications, you don't need to bring an acoustic with you and deal with feedback issues. And you can even switch from acoustic to electric during the same song!
The only reason I'm not giving a 10 is because of single coil sounds, they could be better.

Everything was perfectly set up when I got it. The only thing was that the 3 knob were a little loose, so I tightened them. It also has pretty good string from the factory, so good I'll probably buy Godin string when it's time to re-string. I haven't heard string that had that good of a sound in a long time. The Blue Steel I use normally last a long time, but they lack something compared to the Godin. Like I said earlier, Godin put a Energizer battery in it! Other brand put the cheapest batteries they can find to save money...not Godin!

I trust Godin, but I haven't had it long enough to have an opinion.

I have three guitar, a Yamaha RGX, a Yamaha Pacifica and this Godin... it looks like the Yamahas will remain in the closet a lot! No matter if it were stolen or not, I'd probably buy another if I had the money! I can't believe the quality of the components used by Godin: Schaller tuners, Schaller bridge, Seymour Duncan pickups with nickel cover, and the aforementioned Energizer battery (it seems stupid but it makes a difference!) and the top-notch Godin strings. Unlike my Yamaha, witch are worthless without pickup modifications and a good set of string, you take the Godin out of its cool case and you start playing and it sounds amazing. And when you really look at it, you can't believe it,s so cheap (or you can't believe Gibson charge double that price for a Les Paul!)

It's a 22 fret, mahogany neck and body with a rosewood fingerboard and a carved maple top. I got the model with the Tetrads for the electric portion of the guitar. I personally like the Tetrads, but I wouldn't buy a used guitar without playing it, then complain about it. You can get a lot of sound out of the Tetrads...from a Tele to a Les Paul. If you don't like the Tetrads, get the Duncans - Yet another advantage of not buying a used guitar without playing it. The 'acoustic' portion of the guitar uses a Schaller Tune-O-Matic bridge with LR Baggs micro transducer saddles (Piezo style). The shape is a mix between a Les Paul and a Tele. The finish..YOW! I have the blue quilted maple finish. Look out PRS, Godin's finish is just as nice.
The Tetrads have a 5 way switch, volume and tone. There are 3 inputs. One for the Tetrads, one which is mixed, and on for the the micro transducers only. To control the input there is a 3 way switch and a mixing control knob. When the mix input is selected as well as the mix switch, you can control the mix of sounds coming out with the mix knob. If you have an extra amp, or dual ins on your amp you could do some pretty creative stuff...such as lead and rhythm sounds out of one guitar at the same time.
The only minus I have in this category is the tuners. They feel a bit cheap. Kind of a cheezy graphic in the headstock also.

To be honest, I don't think I've played it in a few weeks. I've owned this guitar for 6 months, and played it heavily at first, but I've been playing a lot of acoustic lately. I use a Crate GFX212 at home which is a sumulated tube amp. They do a great job of simulating the tubes. I think they finally got it right! I also usually run through a Digitech RP-7. The acoustic sounds from it are great, I just feel more comfortable on stage playing an acoustic. So maybe I'm weird. The only dislike is that I wish the Tetrads wer just a touch louder.

Perfect match on the top, no flaws - anywhere. It was all great. I wouldn't have bought it if it weren't. All I've had done is had the top nut lowered just a touch out of personal preference, and it still doesn't buzz one bit. You get a much better sound out of this guitar with 10's or even 11's. 9's just don't work right on this. Whenever I need to crank out somthing from a Beatles tune like Day Tripper to something like Lenny Kravitz Are You Gonna Go My Way, I have the Tetrads. If Dave Matthews comes calling I mix the micro-transducers with just a touch of the Tetrads, and let's say something like Blackbird by the Beatles can be pulled of with the micro-transducers.

Even though the tuners seem like a cheap plastic this thing appears that it will take a beating and keep going. I have played live with this - without a backup, and I can and have depend on it.

Haven't dealt with them

I've been playing for 12 years or so, and I've owned a buttload of guitars. Whatever I haven't owned I've played since a friend owns a guitar shop. I looked at this guitar, and played it in the shop for the better part of a month before buying it. I knew I wanted it, but I wanted to see if I could find anything better, and when compairing everything - price, versatility, etc. - I just couldn't, so I broke down and bought it. I was also looking at - A Heritage Les Paul, A Rickenbacher (still want that one!) and a Gibson Chet Atkins SST (what a piece of junk! At least the I played was.)

Paid $800 used
Well, I waited a long time,read the reviews, was real careful, and finally bought a godin.The features on the guitar are pretty good as you have probably read. I rather have a couple extra knobs for the acoustic section in stead of the slide controls but that no big deal. Its a pretty easy guitar to use overall. I really don`t see the need for three output jack either.How many cords can one have fro his guitar.

Well, heres thae main reason I am writing this review. I will start buy saying the acoustic section of this guitar sounds pretty nice. Gives a good acoustic sounds that in fairly convincing. I have a Parker and it does have a better acoustic sound that that guitar . The godin I have came with the triad pickups. I bought the guitar from someone where I could not play it first ( I have done this many times as I am sure most of you have using the net) I bought it in person and the guitar was vurtially like new so I for saw no problems. That said I got it home pluged it in and was exited to see what it sounded like. Well lets put it this was now I know why not many stores carry Godins. The electric pickups have to be the worst ,thin , weak and blah sounding pickups I have ever heard. I play through a Marshall JCM 50 and I also have a Soldano amp so I was no playing with a junky amp. I fooled around for a long time trying to get a decent sound but I really could not. After a few days I came to the conclusion there MUST be something wrong with the pickups. This guitar has absolutly no tone. The treble pickup is thin and just blah and in the neck position is just as thin and to be honest sounds like nothing you would expect from any guitar not only a $ 800.00 guitar. I have had a lot of guitars and still do. I currently have 11 whick include a Parker,4 Andersons, SG custom, and various others and this guitar electrically compared to them is terrible in my opinion.To make a long story short I sent it back to Godin (tell about there service later)to have them check it out. Two weeks later my baby came back and sounded,THE SAME . I would like to change the pickups on the thing but because of all the electronoics and the way the are mounted it looks like no easy task. In closing I hate the way this guitar sounds electrically . Acoustically it better than average so I will give it a 3 because let be honest the main reason to buy a electric is for the electric sound.

All in all I would say the guitar is well made, Nice finish good hardware,nice stuff. The 5 way switch is a peice of juck and noisey. I also am not crazy about the neck.I have had it worked on and still buzzes here and there but I would live with it if THE GUITAR SOUNDED BETTER.But all in all its a fairly well made guitar . The top is nice and I am sure Gibson would charge a few grand for it. But in opion the guitar does not have the feel of a true high end guitar such as a Anderson,PRS or Gibson so yes it is a guitar that could give you a lot of sounds for the money but as I have seen in other reviews it is not to be compared to higher end model guitars as far as value goes. Its worth what I paid (except sound wise) but thats it in not a great value. If you want a true high end guitar this is not it even if it sounded good. If you own quality guitar you will understand.

If the guitar sounded better I would use it live in the band.I would not use it with out a backup live not because of the guitar because strings breaks and so on. But other wise if it sounded good yes I would.

Well as metioned before I did send my guitar back to Godin. The first time I called the guy I talked to was not really a expert on their guitars but told me that guitar is supposed to sound that way and basically tried to make me feel like a oaf for suggesting a Godin did not sound good.That said a wrote a e-mail to the company (not nice to say the least) and yes I did get a quick response. The said there must be some thibg wrong send it in. Well I did, It came back as they say in a new godin box,( the same one you will get if you want to buy it from me) and was sure the guitar was ready to go and sound great,But no it was not meant to be ,it sounded the same. But in Godins defense the looked at it and it came back promptly . So I will say they have excellent service. Oh yes I would have had them replace they pickups with the duncans in factory but they said they don`t do that. Lets be honest ,you make a guitar with pickups that can only be swapped with a special pickup that will fit in the guitar,there are no dealers who sell the pickups anywhere in my area,I send the guitar back to you factory where you have the pickups and the knoledge to change them ( I would have paid) and you say that you don`t do that.Well all I can say to the Godin guys is how am I supposed to change the pickups in this guitar. I asked a few stores and nobody will touch the guitar. Dump the triads and install duncans in all your guitars and then you will have a ecent guitar.Maybe ,I say that because I never played a Godin with the duncans in it.

I have been playing 30 years, I have had over a 100 guitars, I have told you about the guitars I have. I wished I was able to play one in a store or some place before I bought one. This guitar sound wise cannot hold a candle to most other guitars in its class and sad to say cheaper models also(sound wise only but well built). I have guitars that I paid and are worth $200 that sound better than this guitar.I pray it gets stolen so I can claim it on my insurance. The reason I am so bitter on this guitar is I read every review,reseached alot on this guitar and was really excited to get one. I am very unhappy with it and would only say in closing, They are a nicely made guitar,sound good acoustically,look nice have a good case but if you do buy one get try it out first. I my very well be a guitar oaf but stating the fact that I do own and play through very high quality equipment I can`t be to far off the mark. Sorry if I offended any Godin fans but lets put it this way in my area there are lots of guitar stores why does no one carry them and the one dealer I found does not keep more than one in stock and the one I saw was used. Mr Godin change the pickups or make the easier to replace and you have a better guitar.

Why the LGX?

I decided on the LGX after careful consideration of just about every major electric acoustic on the market. The ones considered were the Parker Fly, Parker Nitefly, Carvin AE185, and the Hamer Duo-Tone. I won't go into the details of my comparisons here, as you can find them on my webpage or one the newsgroups via DejaNews. I will say, that after comparing what each of these guitars had to offer, the decision to me was a no-brainer. In short, the LGX offers the most features and best quality for the money.
Who Makes the LGX?

The LGX is built in Berlin, NH, USA with parts made in Canada. The company that builds the LGX is LaSiDo which is the same company that makes Godin, Seagull, Norman, LaPatrie, Simon & Patrick, Art & Lutherie, etc... LaSiDo also builds guitar parts (necks, bodies, etc.. for other major guitar manufacturers. You can visit their website at www.LaSiDo.com. I have owned guitars from this company for several years and can easily say that they don't skimp on quality. They use the best parts possible for their guitars given the guitars price range. When comparing any of these guitars to other guitars on the market, I think you'll find that you get a lot more for your money. That's enough hype.. let's get to business.
What is the LGX?

The LGX is an electric guitar with the ability to play an acoustic-sound. This is done through the miracle of modern technology. Most other guitars in the class of the LGX use a Piezo pickup combined with an onboard pre-amp to achieve this sound. The results of the Piezo pickup are often disappointing, though and will vary widely depending on the type/gauge of string that you use. The Godin LGX separates itself from the pack by using a custom-designed system by L.R. Baggs (Maker of PREMIUM acoustic guitar pickups installed in some of the finest hollow-body acoustics). L.R. Baggs has specialized in making acoustic pickups for years, so they're probably the best company that Godin could have used. From what I know about L.R. Baggs, they ONLY make pickups that sound "great". No low-end models, here.
For the LGX, L.R. Baggs takes a Schaller tune-o-matic bridge and replaces each string saddle with their own saddle-transducer. Yes, there are six wires exiting the bottom of the bridge, thus there are six separate channels on the L.R. Baggs on-board pre-amp. You can use your imagination, here. With six channels on the pre-amp, L.R. Baggs has precision control over every aspect of the acoustic sound. With a Piezo pickups, you have one signal to work with. This, again, may vary the sound depending on the gauge/type of string. Also, the Piezo pickup is susceptible to quite a bit of string/finger noise which is very annoying when trying to tailor the best acoustic sound. In my opinion, the Piezo pickup is useless for recording. The L.R. Baggs system is a transducer-system, which acts much like a tuned-pickup for each string. This greatly lessens the amount of unwanted acoustic noise from the acoustic pickup. (This is probably why the L.R. Baggs system is a favorite recording/live pickup for guitar greats like Michael Hedges.)
The LGX is much more, though, than a great-sounding, solid body acoustic guitar. The LGX is first an foremost a premium electric guitar with Godin's own Tetrad electric pickups. These pickups are unlike any other pickups as they were completely designed from scratch and carefully tuned for excellent sound. I'll talk more about this later. The LGX stands out as one of the best guitars for recording live, as it has the ability to mix/separate any of the sounds available on the guitar. Total, I count 21 different pickup combinations. The LGX has two Tetrad combo pickups and a five-way toggle switch along with a push-pull tone knob that activates an MFB Midrange EQ system. This gives the guitar much more tonal flexibility. You also have the ability to "mix" the electric and acoustic sounds, or play the acoustic sound alone. (5 pickup combinations + 5 combination

How does it sound?

The Tetrad combo pickups are rather unique, and I would have to say that I prefer them somewhat to traditional humbucking pickups for the most part. The thing I like most about the Tetrads is that the sound is more refined and "even" when compared to traditional humbuckers with their bell-like tone. When run through a good tube amp, these things SCREAM. They are really high output, but not harsh, tubby, or treble-happy like most traditional humbuckers. The LGX pickup selector allows you to use any or all of the eight coils on the Tetrad - each Tetrad has four coils. With all eight coils activated, the guitar pumps out some amazing sound through just about any FX setup you run it through. Of course, the lower pickup is adjusted for better highs and the higher pickup is set-up for warmer rhythm like a traditional twin-humbucker guitar. However, the LGX has a unique MFB EQ that acts as a midrange EQ. Godin says that it gives you strat-like tones. I wouldn't go that far... It does give change the sound up, and give you a warmer/jazzy sound, though.
The acoustic sound of the LGX is easily the best in it's class. However, you can't fully appreciate it without running it through a good acoustic amp or directly to a soundboard and through monitors. At home, I run the acoustic side of the LGX through my soundboard and ART FXR Elite (for reverb) to my power amp and Alesis Monitor One speakers. This creates a beautiful full-bodied acoustic sound that surrounds your head. I run the electric side down to either my Fender Blues Jr. or Fender Hot Rod deluxe.
By using the mix output for my acoustic sound with the "blend" knob turned all the way to acoustic I can quickly shut off the acoustic sound if I want to switch to the drive channels on the tube amp with a simple click of the three-way toggle switch (or I could just put a footswitch in the loop). The mixed sound of the acoustic and electric part of the guitar creates a seemingly infinite palette of sounds and will keep you busy writing music for a long time. Guaranteed.

How does it play?

The LGX plays just like it looks - Great! The scale is a standard 25.5" scale and the guitar takes almost no time getting used to. The neck is super precision and the radius 16". This makes for incredibly easy fingering of notes. Right out of the box, my LGX was set-up with a very nice set of strings and presented no buzzing or action problems. Their QC is obviously first rate on the LGX. This is the first guitar that I've even bought that I've actually used the factory stings. It's these little touches that make you happier with your purchase of over $1000 hard-earned dollars.

Overall

I am an owner of a LOT of nice guitars. This one is the nicest and most versatile, period. I can't say enough about this guitar without being accused of being on the Godin payroll. (Hey! I should be! I did get a nifty T-shirt awhile back, though.) My thoughts on this guitar are echoed by Godin LGX owners across the net. This guitar is truly a relatively "undiscovered" guitar. The number of LGX owners is pale in comparison to the number of expensive Gibson, Parker, and PRS owners. The LGX is kind of in a class of it's own. To me, this guitar is worth it's weight in gold. After owning this guitar for awhile, I don't think that the LGX's list price is bad price to pay for a guitar of this quality when compared to other similar guitars. It's worth more if you consider the high-quality top to be the "deciding factor" on the price of a guitar. This is my "desert island" guitar.

From what I understand, the parts for the guitar are manufactured in Canada and then they are assembled in New Hampshire (USA). The body is shaped like a Les Paul/Tele mutant. It is mahogany with a carved maple cap. The cap on mine is a very nice AAA grade of flamed maple and is is a transparent mahogany gloss finish. The neck is one piece of mahogany, with an ebony fingerboard. (The fingerboard on the newer models has been switched to rosewood.) The scale is 25.5" and the radius is 16". It has 22 frets with what look like small metal fret markers. The fret markers are _very_ small, about the size of a pencil lead, and are located with one on the side of the fingerboard facing the guitarist and another on the front of the fingerboard, but shifted all the way to the edge. The headstock has a birdseye maple veneer on the front face. The nut is bone and comes slotted for 9's, but I switched over the 10's with no noticeable problems. The tuners are Schaller's with ebony knobs; the bridge is a Schaller, as well. The bridge is a tune-o-matic, with LR Baggs micro transducer saddles for the acoustic sound. The strings go through the body, for more sustain.
The controls are quite extensive, probably because this guitar has so many options. There are two Godin Tetrad pickups, both similar to humbuckers, with one coil having a blade and the other flat polepieces. The pickups are mounted directly into the body, and although I believe other humbuckers might fit, the single coil pickups would leave a gaping hole! The holes where the pickups are located are painted black on the inside. The controls for the magnetic pickups include a master volume, master tone, and a five way switch. The tone knob is a push-pull switch, which acts as a mids filter, giving a convincing pseudo single coil sound. The five way switch allows for: a bunch of combinations with either humbucker, both, one coil of each, or one coil of one and the other as a humbucker. The knobs and switches are very study feeling, although after 1 1/2 years there is a bit of scratching in the volume pot. As for the acoustic controls, there is a three band eq and volume setup in the top bout of the guitar. All are sliders and there are detents in the middle of each eq range. The holes the sliders are set into are also painted black inside, like the pickup holes. There are also controls for combining the pickup systems, with a balance and a three way switch for controlling the output of the mix jack (magnetic, both, acoustic). There are three jacks on this guitar, one for magnetic pickups only, one that mixes both, and a acoustic only jack. The micro transducers are powered by a 9 volt battery located under the electronics plate in the back.
I am giving this category a 10, both for the shear quantity of features, but also because of the quality in presentation. The guitar does not look cluttered, and the controls are arranged in such a fashion as to be ablee to easily discern them from each other.

I play a little bit of everything, but mostly rock from the '60s to '90s. It goes through a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe, with no effects at this time. The LGX is very versitle in producing different sounds, but owing to that I don't think it nails any one guitar's sound down; except for maybe its own ;>). It does a great job as a humbucker guitar, with a lot of credible single coil sounds. The guitar is quite warm, owing to the large amount of mahogany, but the tone control does a nice job allowing all warmth to a lot of bite on top. I personally like the warmness, I really like the thick bell like sound you can get with the tone about halfway down. Then you add on the acoustic sound, and you have a virtual tonebox... The guitar is mostly very quiet, although at times there can be a slight buzz in single coil mode.
In this category I am giving an 8, because although I love the sound, someone else might not. It does a great job of variety, but if you are really looking for a strat, for example, this won't quite be there.

In this area the LGX was GREAT! There is no other way the say it, when I got this guitar it looked like the luthier was building for himself. It has a perfectly glossed finish, and the top looks like a single piece unless you are really looking for the bookmatching. The action is about as low as you can go, barre chords are a breeze; and the frets were very nicely crowned with no overhang of the fretboard.
My only complaint would be the slightly noisy volume knob, but that just occurs with use...

I am pretty much a bedroom rocker, but this guitar seems about as stable as can be. The hardware looks to be tough and durable, and I haven't had any problems. But since it has never experienced a gig, I will abstain.

I've never had any problems with this guitar, so I can't really rate customer support.
The warranty is for one year.

I have been playing for almost three years. In addition to the LGX I own a Hot Rod Deluxe, Princeton 112+, an old seventies Applause acoustic, another seventies nylon Yamaha, a Washburn B-400 bass, and a Crate BX-25 bass amp.
If this guitar were stolen (It would never get lost), I would first mourn the loss, and then buy another one exactly like it. I love this guitar, with its versitility and great looks, but my favorite feature would be its playability. My fingers just slide around.
When I bought this guitar I looked at many, many others before getting it. I was looking for a cheaper guitar say $600, but after playing it I had to have it! Since then I have played other high end guitars, and the LGX beats out pretty much everything in its price range, and compares favorably even to those $3K top end stuff.
The one thing I dislike about this guitar, is that is precludes GAS. Every time I see a great guitar I have to think to myself whether it will ever get played. The only reason I would have to get another electric would be strictly for variety.