8/20/2011

Godin 5th Avenue Archtop Jazz-Style Acoustic Guitar (Cognac Burst) Review

Godin 5th Avenue Archtop Jazz-Style Acoustic Guitar (Cognac Burst)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
This guitar was amazing right out of the box. I was leery of buying a guitar on-line, sight-unseen primarily because I knew I would have to deal with setting it up myself. My first surprise was the guitar was nearly in tune already! I fine-tuned it and checked the intonation of each string at the 12th fret using an electronic tuner. Every string was perfect. The action and neck relief were already set just to my liking (there's plenty of differnce in personal preference on this point, but it was clear that the person who made the adjustments cared about getting it right). In short, the guitar came out of the box ready to play.
Pictures of this guitar do not do it justice. My cognac burst model is absolutely beautiful. Its lines and proportions speak elegance and many small details put it in a class with much more expensive guitars. The satin finish gives the guitar a very rich woody feel. The wild cherry of the body is boldly grained and the grain is enhanced with a subtle undercoat of dark pore-filler. The grain is bookmatched (identical on either side of the center line) on front, back and sides. The headstock shape is reminiscent of classic Gibsons but much narrower again adding to the elegance. The use of a 17 degree headstock angle (also reminiscent of classic Gibsons) provides for a strong break angle at the nut while contributing to the guitar's dramatic profile. The headstock's high-gloss black face is off-set by a narrow band of cream around the edge and a tortise-shell truss rod cover matching the pick guard. The neck is bolted on (a technique pioneered in high-end Taylor guitars) and "floats" where it meets the body allowing the top full freedom to vibrate. And the sound? Amazing! I have had the guitar for a month now and I can not get enough of playing it. I had thought I would use it for a few swing-type number I play with my band, but I am using it for everything. The tone is full and balanced and, as other reviews have said, "woody." The volume is amazing from such a compact box (only 3 inches deep). The projection and sustain are incredible, strongly developed upper partials add to the resonance, and the guitar is a canon when miked at the lower f-hole. I could go on, buy to keep it short I'll say this guitar is worth far, far more than I paid for it. I don't know how Godin did it but they've created a work of art that anyone can afford. Amazing! BTW this guitar fits perfectly in the Musicians Gear Deluxe Hardshell Dreadnaught case and it looks great in the tweed version which I bought.

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The 5th Avenue is Godin's take on the archtop jazz-style acoustic, complete with classic looks: Canadian cherry in a polished burst finish, a floating pickgaurd and cream binding, and the requisite F-holes. But with modern touches like a height-adjustable Tusq bridge by Graphtech, it definitely lets you keep one foot in the past and the other firmly in the present.


A Modern Update on a Vintage Gem
The Godin 5th Avenue brings you back to a time when the archtop acoustic guitar reigned supreme. With the soul of a 1950's archtop, the 5th Avenue is a true vintage spirit of yesterday with today's level of modern playability. With more projection and volume in the low/mids than traditional archtop acoustic guitars, the dynamically rich tone of the 5th Avenue makes this sophisticated instrument a dream to play, but not a nightmare to pay for. From Alt-Country, Delta Blues, Slide, Jazz to Rock, the 5th Avenue can really deliver.
Height-adjustable rosewood bridge.

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