Godin (Guitar Manufacturer)

Godin is a Canadian guitar manufacturer. It is owned by Robert Godin.

History

Godin started building Robert Godin's guitars in 1982 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, Exit 22, and Freeway Classic.

Notable Godin players include John McLaughlin, Daryl Stuermer, Steve Stevens, Habib Koité, Michael ATONAL VVVick, Rumesh De Mel, Elliot Sharp, Hiran and Vinnie Moore. They are also very common among session players and sidemen. Robert Godin was also mentor to Master luthier Mauro Liberatore

Current Products

Performance Series

*Radiator - A unique Godin design with a pickguard over the entire body and Godin designed single-coil pickups
* SD - Somewhat of a cross between a Fender Stratocaster and a Gibson Les Paul. This model has the pickguard, bolt on neck, and single coil pickup configuration of the "Strat", While bearing the Bridge humbucker and Scale Length of a Les Paul. This yields a tone that is most similar to a Les Paul or SG, despite the guitar's mostly "strat-like" appearance.
* Detour - A dual-cutaway "superstrat" design with a fixed bridge and two humbuckers. Some models have active EMG humbuckers and is aimed at modern metal and heavy rock players. The Detour was introduced in 2005.
*Redline - a double cutaway body with one active EMG pickup and no tone controls, available with flame maple tops. The Redline was introduced in 2007.
* Exit 22 - Similar to the SD in pickup configuration and scale length, but with a fixed bridge and solid mahogany body. The Exit 22 does not have a pickguard, and is available with a solid maple neck, or maple with rosewood fingerboard.
* Freeway series - A recent addition to the Performance line, it is a Dual cutaway body with options such as MIDI and Acoustic pickups, Locking and Non-Locking tremolo systems, and flamed maple finishes. It is also available with two EMG 81 pickups, or a Floyd Rose tremolo system. The Freeway line was expanded in 2005 to include the Freeway SA and the Freeway Floyd. The Freeway Floyd is no longer in production.
* LG - The LG is a fixed-bridge, mahogany solid body with p-90 pickups or Humbuckers. It is also available with flame maple tops as of 2008.
* Solidac/XTSA - The Solidac and XTSA are solid-bodied electrics with conventional pickups as well as acoustic pickups on the Solidac and both Acoustic pickups and MIDI pickups on the XTSA. Both feature non-locking tremolo bridges.
* Freeway bass - Available in four and five-string configurations, and active electronics.
* Triumph - Introduced in 2006, the Triumph is a single cutaway guitar. It has 3 Godin single coil pickups, and is available with either a sparkle finish or natural mahogany finish. The sparkle model has a silver leaf maple body with poplar wings while the mahogany model has a mahogany body. Both models have a rock maple neck.

ignature series

*Godin Summit CT - A single cutaway guitar with a carved flame maple top and 25.5" scale length. It has a string through body design, two Seymour Duncan humbuckers and flame maple tops.
* LGXSA/LGXT - Similar to the LG signature, but with Acoustic and MIDI pickups. The LGXT comes with a non-locking tremolo.
* Montreal - Semi-hollow electric with optional Acoustic pickups. Aimed more at Jazz and Blues players than hard rock players like other Godins. The Montreal was introduced in 2004.
* Multiac Jazz - Based on the Multiac acoustics with acoustic and MIDI options, but with a Mini-humbucker in the neck position and flamed maple tops for warm electric sounds.

Multiac and A series

The Multiac and A series are acoustic/electric guitars with thinner bodies than traditional acoustic guitars (Godin's sister companies produce traditional Acoustic designs). They are offered with hexaphonic pickups as well as steel or nylon strings. The A series are similar, but offer basses and mandolins and no synth-access options.

Glissentar

The Glissentar is a unique Godin design. It is a fretless nylon 11-string acoustic/electric guitar with the five high strings doubled like a 12-string guitar, and a single low-E string. It is aimed at players who want to incorporate non-western sounds into their music, and is based on a combination of the tradition Western guitar and the North African oud.

Guitars No Longer In Production

* LG Signature - A Signature Series version of the LG. Available with AAA or AA grade maple tops, the LG Signature had a carved top, 25.5" scale length, mahogany bodies and necks, Seymour Duncan humbuckers, and rosewood fretboards. The LG Signature was first produced in 2003 and was discontinued at the end of 2007.

* Flat Five - A hollowbody guitar, the Flat Five had a flame maple top, a 24.75" scale length, silverleaf maple body with poplar wings, a mahogany neck and rosewood fretboards.

* Flat Five X - A Flat Five model equipped with L.R. Baggs transducers.

* Artisan Series - A series of Stratocaster and Telecaster copies.

External links

* [http://www.godinguitars.com Godin Guitars]
* [http://www.seagullguitars.com Seagull Guitars]
* [http://www.simonandpatrick.com Simon & Patrick Guitars]
* [http://www.normanguitars.com Norman Guitars]
* [http://www.artandlutherieguitars.com Art & Lutherie Guitars]
* [http://www.lasido.com/lapatrie.htm La Patrie Guitars]