About 7 years ago I got an itch and started playing my guitar again after 15 or so years of inactivity. Of course, just like all us serious guitarist’s, I started visiting the local music stores and guitar shops. Until one day my better half and I wondered into Bill’s Music Store in Baltimore, MD and I noticed that they started handling the Godin line of guitars.
Bill’s Music, Inc. | 743 Frederick Road | P.O. Box 3157 | Baltimore, MD 21228
They looked rather interesting and their price was very reasonable for what looked to be quality guitars. So, I asked to check one out. I played an electric guitar, LG Signature in a beautiful Trans-Blue finish. (see photos) As soon as my fingers touched that fretboard and I played it for a few minutes, I was sold. What an instrument; where did they come from ?
The guitar has a Mahogany neck, Rosewood Fingerboard w/16" fingerboard radius & (25 1/2" Scale) 1-11/16" nut width, Mahogany body w/Figured Maple Top. As for the electronics, it has Seymour Duncan Custom Humbuckers w/ a 5-Way switch and Volume and Tone Control Knobs.
Godin is a Canadian guitar manufacturer. It is owned by Robert Godin.
Godin started building Robert Godin's guitars in 1972 in La Patrie, Quebec.
Godin Guitars' head office is located in Montreal, and they build their instruments in six factories in four different locations, three in Quebec and one in New Hampshire.
Godin Guitars makes instruments under several different labels. Norman makes entry- to mid-level acoustic guitars. Art & Lutherie makes entry-level budget guitars. The Simon and Patrick brand make mid- to high-range steel-string acoustics. La Patrie manufactures classical guitars. Seagull is known for manufacturing solid wood entry- to mid-range acoustic guitars. Guitars under the Godin brand are primarily mid-range to top-of the-line electrics that are made of high quality wood from the northeastern part of North America. They have many models that feature synth pickups and some with piezo pickup-equipped bridges. Godin are notable for their use of synthesizer pickups as a standard feature in their high end models, and many of their electric models use piezo-acoustic pickups integrated with the bridge assembly. Aside from their technical innovations, Godin has a strong reputation among guitarists for their product quality. Most Godin guitars have the same distinctive, yet traditional, body shape, which has been described as a hybrid of the Gibson Les Paul and Fender Telecaster bodies.
Godin's guitars have won several awards, including Guitar Player Magazine's Editors Pick for the LG Signature, Exit 22, and Freeway Classic.
Notable Godin players include Sylvain Luc, Leonard Cohen, John McLaughlin, Daryl Stuermer, Eric McFadden, Steve Stevens, Lee McAdams, Habib Koité, Andreu Zaragoza, Michael ATONAL VVVick, RG Hughson, Rumesh De Mel, Michael Holmes, Elliott Sharp, Tim Brady, John Woog Johnson, Hugh Cornwell, Jandek, La Barranca, Curtis Merriman, Hiran and Vinnie Moore. They are also very common among session players and sidemen. Robert Godin was also mentor to Master luthier Mauro Liberatore.
After doing the investigative work and finding out all about who and what Godin is all about, I started my collection with the LG Signature Model that you see here. I will tell you more about all the other models that I currently have in my Godin Collection in my upcoming posts so please hang in there with me. I hope you enjoyed reading all about my experience uncovering the Godin guitar line.
Have a nice day tomorrow; I will be traveling home so I won’t be working on my post until late in the evening. Have a great rest of your holiday weekend. Thanks again for reading.
Bob
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