Folk Cedar Review

Basically, this is a steel string guitar with a body that conforms to classical guitar dimensions. The smaller size makes the Folk very comfortable to play, especially advantageous to smaller players, and it produces a sound that emphasizes more mid-range, making it a great choice for finger style players.

Features:	8
Sound:	9
Action:	8.5
Reliability:	8.5
Impression:	8.5
Overall rating:	8.6
Reviewer rating:	8.5
Users rating:	8.7
Votes:	16

overall: 8.8

Reviewed by: JU5TIN, on january 18, 2006

Price paid: $ 177.75

Purchased from: Long & McQuade

Features: This guitar was made in Canada but I don't know when. It is a smaller body than regular acoustics, something I didn't realize when I bought it but it's got a mahogany neck and rosewood fretboard with 21 medium frets and no cutout. I don't know what the body is made of but it's a very light wood with a non glossy clear finish. It doesn't have any onboard electronics, something I wish it had but I can always add later. It has very nice tuners and are smooth and stay in tune very well and have a nice chrome finish. It didn't come with any accessories at all, a gig bag would have been nice and I had to install a second strap button on the neck tennon. // 8

Sound: I guess it suits my style, what is a punk rock acoustic style anyway? I don't think it matters, every band plays something different. It does have a much brighter sound than other guitars I have played, like my friends Yamaha, man that one sounds like crap, and I'm very happy with the bright sound it creates. // 9

Action, Fit & Finish: The action is very high from the factory, something I hate, the action did lower itself when I put on lighter strings but it is still very high, I will need to get that changed. The frets were very smooth and nice on the fingers and the guitar looks to be manufactured very well, I has no flaws and the only damage to it was what I've done to it smacking it into walls and what not. // 8

Reliability & Durability: This thing has held up very well, to be honest I'm not very gentle with it and I drop it and carry it without a case all the time and it hasn't broken yet, thank god for that. Nothing has come loose or broken off, the tuners are still smooth and the sound is still good. there's not much finish left to see anymore, most of it is covered up with writing and stickers and all that good stuff, but the finish did look very durable. // 10

Impression: This suits probably any style of music, I don't finger pick or anything so who knows if it's good for that, but anything with a pick it sounds great for. I really wish I had of bought one with a full size body, but no point complaining about it now. Like I said I've played it compared to a Yamaha and a Seagull guitar and they both sound terrible next to it, so I am very pleased with that, I also kind of like the flat finish as compared to a very glossy finish. The only thing I wish it had was the onboard electronics but I've been doing fine without them so far. // 9

overall: 8.2

Reviewed by: GuitarPetey, on march 11, 2013

Price paid: C$ 390

Purchased from: Domenic's Music Shop, Orleans, ON

Features: Mine is a lefty. Handmade in Canada in Princeville Quebec by the Godin group. Solid Cedar top, back and sides of Wild Cherry (3-layer laminate), maple neck, rosewood fingerboard and saddle. Mine is the "antique sunburst" finish - a very pleasing tobacco stain all over with a shaded stain on top. It has a very thin satin veneer. Cream binding on the top only. The body is the same size as a Concert classical. Tuners are cheap no-name but work fine.

Top is quite thin but it has very thick bracing which might explain some of the sonic characteristics (balanced tone, lots of sustain, but relatively quiet...) // 8

Sound: The sound on my guitar is incredible. Very warm and balanced, neither too bright nor too mellow but with plenty of complex overtones. It has incredible sustain - best of any acoustic I've ever tried. The voicing is quite deep but the treble notes still seem to ring out quite well - as I say, it has a very balanced tone. I think this is important in any guitar since it means that, in the end, the musician is in the driver's seat. It's not a very loud guitar, but since the body is relatively small, you wouldn't expect it to be. It's perfect for voice accompaniment. // 9

Action, Fit & Finish: These are very well put together guitars. The only problem I've had with it so far is that the action was slightly too high. I've heard this about all the Godin-group guitars - you will likely not have a problem in this area. The maple neck seems extremely stable, but even if the action does increase with age, the saddle is very high so there's plenty to shave off and there are slots cut in it to increase the break angle of the strings. Very nice touch... The stain on top is slightly uneven, but here I'm picking nits because I haven't used up my character quota. // 9

Reliability & Durability: I'm not too sure about long term durability since the guitar is not very old, however there is already quite a deep gash on the top. The finish is very thin so is unlikely to provide much protection, while the Cedar top seems quite soft - handle with care. The lack of binding on the bottom will also make the guitar more delicate. Apparently newer Godin guitars have the necks epoxied in place whereas on the older ones the neck was bolted in place - thus it is now impossible to do a neck reset. As I've pointed out already, this is unlikely to be a problem since the maple neck is very stable and the saddle very high. // 7

Impression: I absolutely love this guitar. I play all styles with it - rock, folk, finger-style and classical. I think the thing really shines for voice accompaniment - I ought to install some pick-ups in it. I have another Godin guitar and am similarly impressed with it. No matter what your playing style, whether beginner or seasoned veteran - these are the guitars to buy.

I do, however have two gripes with the Godin line of guitars - there are seven brands each with their own line-up of guitars in different body-styles and combinations of woods giving the impression of incredible choice. However, if you look at the specs, you'll notice that the necks are only available in three different types - steel six-string, twelve-string and classical. Since the neck is one of the most important aspects of the instrument-player interface, if the particular neck on offer is not to your liking, you are SOL. Second, of all that tremendous range of guitars, only a tiny fraction are available left-handed, and mostly lower-end models. // 8