Canada isn’t a country we normally associate with high-end guitars, although they should be. Godin have been making guitars in Quebec since the early 1970s, and have expanded to three factories in the region, as well as one in the northeastern US. Godin Guitars seems to be constantly coming up with new designs, from their retro Richmond series, to their innovative Multiacs. They are not afraid to design new classics or deviate from what we all grew up with. Doing so has amassed a very devoted group of followers who will sing Godin’s praises to those who will listen. I spent some time in Godin’s room (yes, they had a whole room) at NAMM this past winter, and I now know what everyone is raving about. This article will feature several new models this year, happily equipped with Seymour Duncan Pickups.

 Summit Classic GT

While keeping a familiar classic single-cutaway shape, the Summit Classic GT alters the formula by using Spanish cedar for the body. Cedar is a light, resonant wood used most often in flamenco guitars, so it is great to see this beautiful loud ‘n light wood used in an electric guitar. The top is maple, while the neck is mahogany. If you notice by the master tone knob, there is a little button. This button is Godin’s High-Definition Revoicer, a circuit which adds an active preamp, providing additional tones for each pickup. Speaking of pickups, the Summit Classic GT is available with 3 different sets of Seymour Duncan pickups. The one above features a ’59 in the bridge with a covered Alnico II Pro in the neck. It is also available with P-Rails (like you see at the the top of the page). P-Rails are the innovative pickup which combines a single coil rail pickup and P90 into one housing. P-Rails can be wired in many ways, from using both coils in series or parallel to either coil separately. The Summit Classic GT is also available with 2 Seymour Duncan SP90-1 pickups as well.

Core CT

The Core CT is a guitar that doesn’t need to be too fancy, since it was made to rock. Again, Spanish cedar is used for the body, with a carved maple top and mahogany neck. It features a GraphTech wraparound bridge system and a volume and tone control for each pickup. Pickups include models with a ’59 humbucker in the bridge, or a model with 2 P90 pickups: a Vintage SP90-1 in the neck and an SP90-3 Custom in the bridge. I tried this guitar out at NAMM and couldn’t believe how light it was. Cedar is certainly a wood which should get more attention from the electric guitar community, and it barks with authority with those P-90s.

Montreal Premier Supreme

Alright! Some of my favorite guitars are semi-hollowbodies and full hollowbodies. The Montreal Premier Supreme is a rockin’ semi-hollowbody with a unique Canadian wild cherry body and spruce core. Wild Cherry isn’t a well-known wood for guitars, but it grows all over the place in the Great White North, and Godin made use of what was in their backyard. It is beautiful in the translucent color that Godin calls Lightburst Flame. Pickups in this model include a Jazz II for the neck, and a Custom Custom for the bridge. The Custom Custom is usually known for a chunky and heavy sound, but it does the semi-hollow thing surprisingly well. It handles clean and semi-distorted sounds easily, and has enough power to get that pompadour swaying with the top down. I probably spent the most time playing Godin’s F-holed offerings, and I am sold on wild cherry, the pickup choices and the ergonomics of these guitars.

Session Custom ’59

The Session Custom ’59 is a versatile instrument capable of that country gig, the sock hop, the 60s tribute, and still rock out when it is all over. The classic bolt-on and two-point trem insures that you have the vintage-vibe thing covered, while the ’59 in the neck position can handle clean and distorted amps with grace. The Session Custom ’59 also contains the High-Definition Revoicer button near the tone knob, which adds an active preamp into the mix, doubling the sounds available in the 5-way switch. The rounded body sides were really comfortable- sharp edges kept me away from body styles like this for a long time. The Canadian basswood body keeps it light, too.

Progression Plus

The Godin Progression Plus is a comfortable double-cutaway with a few surprises. The body is made of maple with poplar wings, and features a newly rounded and contoured body. The bridge pickup is the classic Seymour Duncan JB Jr, which is like having the most popular rock pickup in a single coil size. The Progression Plus also features the High-Definition Revoicer button and 5-way switch. It is available with a maple or rosewood fretboard, and the new Godin Tru-Loc trem system allows the tension of the bar to be easily adjusted. Like the Session Custom ’59 above, it is available in sunburst, cream or black.

Passion Custom

The Passion Custom combines beautiful woods with the best in Godin craftsmanship. A unique cedar body is topped with either mahogany or ash, and combined with the comfortable body style of the Session Custon ’59. The neck pickup is Seymour Duncan’s P-Rails, and this is connected to a 5 way switch and the High-Definition Revoicer making for a total of 10 unique sounds. The 25.5″ scale neck is paired to muti-chambered body that increases resonance while cutting the weight. The back is as beautiful as the front too, as it features wood back plates.

While I saw lots of interesting things at NAMM this past year, I went back to the Godin room three times. I wasn’t looking for a jazz guitar, but one kept finding me.

Have you ever played a Godin Guitar? Which of the models above would you rock?