La Patrie Etude

This is a basic student guitar. I have been playing classical for three years now and I bought this guitar two years ago. I play mainly fingerpicking and this guitar is good for learning your way around the fretboard. The specific technical despcription is: Solid cedar top, truss rod (good for the learner), lacquer finish, rosewood fingerboard.

I play fingerpicking classical guitar. The guitar is very basic for this purpose, but it does the job. The quality of the sound is very full for a cheap guitar, open chords sound amazingly, as a cedar top guitar should sound.

The guitar was a little to high when I bought it. One year after I bought it I changed the strings and there was buzz all over, in the bridge, and the headstock. The vibration is terrible and I think the tuners might not have been well adjusted because when I tighten the screws the vibration is not so bad. I have not dropped or hit this guitar, so now it is terrible with that noise. I adjusted the height and it got rid of it a little bit, but now it is annoying to play the guitar.

The wood is very week. I am not hard on my guitars, but his one has dings all over, because of the finish. It looks beautiful, but it is not durable.

N/A

Overall I give it a 5 because the sound is beautiful, but the fret buzz and the headstock are horrible.

As previously mentioned, this guitar features:
Solid Cedar top
Wild Cherry back & sides
Mahogany neck
Rosewood fretboard

Very light, slightly glossy, slightly satin finish.
No tuner/eq onboard, straight up acoustic guitar.

Sound suits the style I play very well.
I fingerpick mostly, classical guitar pieces as I can.
More often than not, acoustic interludes from Opeth (Benighted, Patterns in the Ivy, etc).
Guitar also plays well for softly picking, playing singer/songwriter type compositions.
Sound of guitar is very warm, and for small size, the guitar projects suprisingly well.

The action of this guitar was setup just fine for me directly from the factory. There are no buzzing or dead spots anywhere along the fretboard.
I noticed NO defects in the craftsmanship of this guitar.
The tuners feel solid, and the strings that came on the guitar are still bright enough as not to necessitate a change.

I love the Cedar smell, I have owned this guitar for two months now and still can pick up the aromatics of the wood.

I have not tried playing live with guitar, put do travel with guitar regularly.
Main home for the Etude is a padded gig bag, which suits just fine.
I have safely taken this guitar camping, and would not fear using live.

The finish (and cedar in general), as most reviewiers have pointed out, is VERY soft.
This is a good thing, as it allows the soundboard to vibrate more freely, thus enhancing the tonal characteristics.

I did not take their warnings as seriously, and have already mannaged to leave noticeable pick scraps near the soundhole.

BE CAREFUL!

Have never needed to deal with their support.

I have been playing guitar for roughly six years, and switched from mainly electric to acoustic in the past year.
This is the first acoustic guitar I have ever purchased new, and I wouldn't trade it for anything else in the same price range.

I know this guitar will continue to open up over time, and the sound is only going to get better.

If it were stolen/lost, I would not hesitate to purchase from the Godin family of guitars again. Maybe not this exact model, but definately a La Patrie/Seagull guitar.

This guitar is perfect the way it is, needs nothing!

As a classical instrument, simplicity is often a desired feature. I would prefer a cut away due to being a flamenco player primarily and using the higher registers quite a bit but I have found that most cut-aways lack the warmth and projection of the full body.

The instrumnet sounds as good and better in some respects than my collection of high end Cordobas and a $3000 Navarro. Cedar has never let me down for warmth and articulation.

There are no corners cut. Binding is flawless and attention has been paid to each detail.

Too early to tell, but the bracing pattern seems sturdy.

After adding a golpeador (tap plate), I was able to play all styles and the guitar provided tones suitable for the contrasting styles ranging from classical to pop to the rasp of flamenco. It is definately more suited to the warm tones of rhythm guitar however I have put this guitar in my performance line up along with my flagship Cordoba models.

I have an Etude I bought new about 6 years ago. Mine is the model with the built in pickup. The only feature I wish this guitar had was a cutaway so I could reach the top frets a little easier but I don't spend much time up there. In my opinion this guitar has all the features it needs.

I've used this guitar to play jazz, folk, celtic, classical, and other acoustic music. This guitar has an awesome sound! It has changed a bit over the years and is more balanced now than ever. The bass is really strong in this guitar and is a little overpowering for some classical music where you want to get a really bright sound. I think this guitar is better suited to mellow music and rich chords. The guitar has a very full and rich sound without sounding boomy. It's great!

When I plug in, I play this guitar through a Fender Blues Jr. The tube sound makes a great combo with this guitar.

The fit and finish of this guitar don't leave anything to be desired from me. Not one single flaw in the top or the workmanship. The guitar was set up well but maybe a little high for my likes. Still, it's easy to play and I've never had to tweak the truss rod, bridge, or nut in any way. Holds it's tune like a champ.

The finish is a light satin so it feels like almost nothing. Great for sound, bad for durability. I've taken care of this guitar. I've played with it live on a weekly basis for almost 4 years and it's holding up great but I do have a couple dings in the top. I'd trust this guitar in any live situation.

The neck on this guitar is amazing. I think it's mahogany. It's so perfectly finished that playing is an absolute breeze. No stickiness.

The reason why I'm not giving this a 10 is because of the body finish. If it were thicker and more durable it would get a 10, but the sound rating would suffer. I'd rather have the better sound and be more careful.

Never had to deal with them, but the shop where I bought the guitar put the strings on incorrectly and there was a buzz. They fixed it free of charge. No fault of the company.

If I lost this guitar I'd buy another one. A friend of mine has a $2000 Spanish guitar which is amazing but totally not suited to what I like to play. I'd honestly pick my guitar over it. No matter what you're playing, this guitar makes you want to play and play and play! It rocks!

I think the other reviews have already covered this guitar very nicely. I mainly just wanted to add a couple of comments about the sound and the action.

This guitar has basic features, which is perfect for those situations where you want good sound and playability, without the heavy investment or risk.

I have no problems with the tuners by the way (I've seen mixed comments about that in other reviews).

The sound is certainly what attracted me to this guitar. I've been looking for a classical with cutaway (my existing doesn't have a cutaway). But when I came across this used guitar, I felt compelled to get it. So now I have two without a cutaway. Hmmm, well, the price was certainly right, and I don't regret getting it one bit.

The sound can be a bit too bassy, or boomy in the midrange, for some songs in my opinion, and I don't think it's a perfect fit for everyone. I really need to try a wider variety of strings on it though, to see if I can bring out the brightness for the top three strings.

But overall the sound is reasonably balanced, and is just very impressive for a guitar in this price range. It resonates so nicely and sounds so good that it keeps you inspired. Sometimes I just say "wow" when I play certain passages.

I'm giving it a 9, but I would clarify by saying it is easily a 10 in this price range, and probably an 8 compared to guitars at 5 times the price.

Even with the much more expensive guitars, you have to decide on what type of sound you're after, and I would say that some people would be willing to pay a LOT to get this particular sound.

The action is really the main reason I wanted to write this review. I think the fret height could be just a little higher than what it is now. But this is just a minor comment, and it is still overall very good.

I'd rather have the fret height be too shallow than too high. I've seen a lot of classical guitars where the fret height is too high, which can affect intonation, and just doesn't feel right. But in this case, it seems a bit too low.

It really isn't an issue for me except for bar chords. For someone who has thicker fingers, it makes bar chords harder to play. Parts of my index finger are pressing against the fret board pretty hard before I get enough pressure against all the strings. Thus it takes more force to get the job done, compared to my other guitar. I don't mean really thick fingers (I'm a fairly skinny person, but just happen to have kind of long fat fingers). I think for someone with more boney type fingers this wouldn't be an issue.

Other than that, the neck seems well shaped. The nut / saddle / string height all seem just fine.

Haven't had it long enough to really comment on long-term durability. It's used, yet is in near perfect condition, so the previous owner was either very careful, or it's reasonably durable.

I notice the grain on this particular cedar top is fairly coarse.
This might be one of the reasons it's very soft, which others have commented on. It might also impact how much the sound will improve with age.

But, I'm not complaining. The more choice tighter grained cedar is probably reserved for more expensive models. With the less expensive models it may be hit-or-miss. The sound is just fine with mine as is. Any improvement with age is just icing on the cake.

Haven't tried to contact the maker.

Overall I like this guitar a lot for the price, and some aspects of it stack up well against much more expensive guitars.

I'm giving it a 9 overall, but I think it would be more like a 7 or 8 against more expensive guitars, and 10 for this price range.

This is a very basic, fully acoustic classical guitar. Nice satin finish, which should age well and allow the sound of this instrument to really open up. I like the fact that it has a truss rod- a very rare finding in a classical guitar in any price range, let alone one so affordable. The top is solid cedar, I believe the back and sides to be a cherry laminate. This one is brand new, made in La Patrie, Quebec, Canada.

I love the sound of this guitar. It is well balanced and quite loud. I play anything from rip off classical to jazz to metal and bluegrass, so I wanted to add an actual classical guitar to my collection. It suits my playing style perfectly. The tone of this guitar is quite warm and rich. The sound projects amazingly. It doesn't have any electronics, but the guitar stands up well on its' own. I can see this guitar working well for classical (of course), jazz, bluegrass and folky, fingerstyle acoustic.

I can find only a little extra glue on one of the bracings inside the guitar- otherwise it is cosmetically flawless. I own 2 Seagull acoustics and I have to comment on the Godin corporations' attention to quality, detail and value. They put out some of the best playing, best sounding and most affordable instruments available. My Seagulls sound better and play better than Martins and Taylors that cost 3 or 4 times as much. This La Patrie is no exception. It is set up perfectly, I tuned it up and started playing and that's all I've had to do to it. Can't go wrong with that at all.

The finish on this guitar is light. It's meant to be. Cedar is a soft wood. It sounds beautiful. It will sound better as it ages. The finish and the wood work together for that to happen. You shouldn't expect a guitar like this to hold up to years of rough handling and abuse. If you play it like it is intended (a classical guitar), it should last you many years and sound better as it ages. With the light finish, you should treat this one with respect and care or you will ruin it.

That being said- with proper care, I will be playing this guitar in live situations and would use it without a backup. No strap buttons or anything on it- this is a sit down and play kind of guitar.

I've never had a need to deal with the company, my Seagulls are perfect and have never had any problem with them, I have experienced the same with my La Patrie thus far. Honestly, I would sooner take my guitars to my trusted local guitar tech/luthier for any work and just pay them for it before I would try to deal with a company 100's of miles away for a warranty.

I've been playing for over 20 years and have a room filled with Fender and Gibson electric guitars, but my only choice for acoustic instruments is the Godin company I own 2 Seagull acoustics and plan to add at least another in the not so distant future. The quality, sound and value are unsurpassed. I played some Takamine, Alvarez and Ramirez classicals before deciding on the La Patrie Etude. The Ramirez was a fabulous guitar, but it also cost 5 times what I paid for the LaPatrie, and this guitar sounds every bit as good as the Ramirez for a fraction of the cost.

I love the cedar top and light finish. I truly dislike guitars that have heavy lacquer finishes- they don't allow the instrument to resonate properly, or age properly. As you play this guitar, you can feel each note you play. The sound is amazing and I'm looking forward to hearing how much it opens up as it gets older.

There's nothing I dislike about this guitar. It's simple, it's not ornate in any way, but it plays and sounds like a guitar that costs much more than it does. At the end of the day, we as guitarists are more concerned with how we sound anyway and this guitar lets you sound as beautiful as the song in your heart.

If this guitar were stolen, I would hunt down the thief, get my guitar back and then hang him upside down by his toenails. If I couldn't find him- I'd go buy another one just like this.

i have wrote a review on the previous 2nd post, just wan to elaborate it after extensive use

well basically i play this guitar everyday, more of a fingerstylist. from pop to classical to jazz, well i have start to fall in love with this guitar, the sound has totally open up now, it is very responsive, well balance bass, mid and high.
still i think i won't recommend this guitar to those who really use it for classical songs. cos it really don have that hard punch like those spanish guitar.
it is more like having a well-round warm sound

the action still as good as it could be, you can see from side top that is looks slightly high, but it is really easy to press.
the top is quite soft and easily indented,

i think i will buy back this guitar if it was stolen. unless i have more than $3000 cash in my hand, i would buy a high end spanish guitar, so basically i think this guitar plays like a $1000 guitar.

It's got the satin finish, made in Quebec, solid top. Not sure about what kind of wood, etc.

This guitar (to me) sounds incredible. It is the first classical guitar I've owned, and I am judging it against an Alvarez RD8, but it really, really does sound good. One thing I dislike is that bass notes tend to sound a little TOO bassy, but that's really not something to complain about.

I got this guitar used from my dad, who bought it used from a guy on the net, so it's essentially a hand-me-down. The only thing wrong with it that I can see is that the asshole used a *pick* and really, really screwed up the finish.

The finish is very, very soft. I mean, you can seriously take a fingernail and dent the wood. I wouldn't recommend using a gigbag - nothing less than being extremely careful & storing the guitar in a hard shell case will work.

I love this guitar. It's responsive, attractive, has a warm sound, and is incredibly easy to play. I'd recommend buying one.

the wood expecially the top is easily indented

my music style is from classical to fingerpicking. this guitar suit it well. Just don strum or play pop song wif it. it sounds awkward.
the sound is very nice, the bass and treble is well balanced. but i feel a bit plain in the sound, like a straight from wood sound, hmm.. dunno how to explain, some ppl may lilke it. but i can hear the fullness of sound. the resonance is nice too. yeah it has bright sound. you can fell it projected all the sound it could have. SO basically, i lilke it.

the action is perfect. very easy to press on it, in fact it is too easy i may say, good for beginner. I will give 10 for it's action. The finish is not too good, like there is none. the top is very easily indented, and it's like there's no protection on it at all. There is no flaw in it.
There's a problem when i first get the guitar, the neck is slightly bend somehow. but they change for me, now it's ok.

it seems the guitar is a bit fragile. cos i think it is because the wood is not thick. Anyway, jus take good care of it and i think it will last for bout 10 years.

i have problem with the neck, and they changed one for me while i was using the old one. so i think their service is quite good.

i have been playing for 7/8 years. i have a gibson electric guitar, epiphone acoustic and yamaha electric guitar. When u buy the guitar, u shud ask if the guitar can withstand the weather in ur country. If it were stolen i will buy it again, but if i have plenty of money, then i will buy other more expensive guitar.

This guitar is made in La Patrie and Princeville, Quebec, Canada. I was told that la patrie is actually a small town of guitar luthers. I don't know for a fact but it is worth looking into. Solid cedar top with rosewood fret board and laminate back and sides (I think mahogony. The pick-up is a EPM Quantam and the tuners are gold.

I don?t really have a style of music per say. I play mostly Rock. I bought this guitar for a classical guitar class that I took. At first I bought a Cardoba 20 from Musician?s Friend. I strongly recommend never buying that guitar. Everything about that guitar was a joke. I got frustrated and decided to go to the next tax bracket of $1000.00 for next purchase. I got some Takamine that totaled a little over a thousand dollars and it sounded pretty thin. I was pretty frustrated in thinking that all of that money was just for better materials and action but not a better sound than the previous Cardoba. That next week fate happened. I went to pick up my 91 Gibson LP at my guitar tech?s store and I?d be damned if he had a nylon string hanging on the wall for sale. Since I had been doing so much research on the Nylon strings this one caught my eye right off the bat. I sat down for 30 seconds and purchased it. Because this guitar isn?t lacquered the sound just pours out. It is very hard to find a guitar with a natural finish. The action was way better than the Cardoba maybe a hair not as good as the Takamine but then again it was 1/3 the price. The only complaint that I have is that the pick ups on this thing are very poor. It feeds back like crazy. You have to back the volume way down if you have the bass up at all. I play this guitar on a Roland AC-60 and it can sound fantastic once you dial everything in. The projection on this guitar isn't the loudest but it sure beats most. For guitars $1000.00 I give this guitar a 10 but I am scoring on all guitars.

Action is great. Pickups will get you by. The solid cedar top is fragile due to the fact that it doesn't have a thick coat of lacquered but the sound makes up for that big time. The only flaw is that on the first fret there luther cut a little too deep so there is a little tiny gap where the fret fits into the rosewood. This is a tiny cosmetic flaw. The butterfly's around the sound hole are a little girly and take some getting used to.

Nylon string guitars are not ment to be thrashed around. I have had my guitar for almost two years now and nothing is wrong with it. Very duriable for normal use.

Never had to deal with them but I am sure that a company that makes this quality of a guitar for this price must care a lot about musicians. This is only a theory so don't quote me on it.

I have been around a lot of music in my life time. I have played trumpet, baritone, and french horn for over 20 years and guitar for 15. I love Type O' Negative, Opeth, Anthrax, NIN, all the way to Vivaldi, Franz liszt, Bach and Beethoven and then sometimes and I emphasize sometimes Garth brooks and Brad Paisely. Being around cheap and expensive instruments for a great deal of my life I would have to say that this guitar is a golden buy. You can not go wrong with this guitar period.