Reviewed by:
musicology, on august 07, 2006
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Purchased from: Music Factory
Features: This model was a dealer showcase guitar, used by the dealer to travel with to show to clients and customers. Like all Godin's, it was made with Canadian maple and assembled in the US. It has a transparent blue finish on the solid maple AAA top. It has two soapbar Basslines pickups for the active system, powered by a 9V. It offers a volume pot (with push/pull for slap), a mid pot, and a stacked treble and bass pot. This particular guitar has standard Godin tuners. The maple neck is filled with birdseye, and attached with 5 solid bolts. I purchased it with a Godin hardshell case. Overall this bass is absolutely gorgeous, a dream to have on stage. // 10
Sound: This guitar puts all other basses I've played to shame. I've played jazz, blues, modern rock, classic rock, and metal with this bass. I use a Gallien Krueger 1001RB with the 410 RBH cabinet, and I can shake walls and break glass with it. The low B string is incredibly clear, even when I've downtuned it to an A-flat. Sustain is amazing. I can hold a note for a good 10-15 seconds if I want to. My distortions come from a tubescreamer and an American Metal pedal, and this bass delivers with both for either a growly deep distortion or a serious bright crunch. I've done both fingerpicking and slap, and this bass is a monster. I've received numerous compliments on it's looks and it's sounds. I've never had any problems with excess noise, even when I crank the GK up to around 5 (any louder and it shakes screws loose in the walls). I use a Dunlop Bass crybaby which sounds great with it. This bass can go from deep and warm to a bright snap in a second. I mainly use GHS boomers, but I love how D'Addario prisms sound on it. // 10
Action, Fit & Finish: The Music Factory in Traverse City is a great shop. They introduced me to Godin guitars (thankfully) and the setup was perfect. Intonation was flawless, the adjustments to the bridge and neck were precise. The only blemish on this guitar was a small dent from a tuning fork, which I kind of look at with love as a character trait. All the hardware is solid black with no imperfections. The wood is solid, all excellent pieces chose from the factory. // 10
Reliability & Durability: I've played out at various gigs with this beauty, both indoor and outdoor, and it has stood up to the task. I had the strap holders changed for my strap, and those and all the other hardware have held up amazingly well. I have had this and only this for gigs and never had a moments concern. With some TLC and some soft cotton cloths, I can have it polished up and shining like new in no time. This bass is a beast, yet shines like a beauty. // 10
Impression: Like I said, I've played a lot of different music, from soft jazz (Ellington, Miller) to blues (Waters, Walker) to classic rock (Cream, Stones, Beatles) to modern rock (Godsmack, Velvet Revolver, Green Day) to metal (Pantera, Deftones, Avenged Sevenfold, well, early Avenged Sevenfold anyways) and this bass does it all. I've been playing just over 10 years now. I own another Godin (BG IV) that I picked up after this one, a Paladino 3/4 upright, but I've played Ibanez, Washburn, Fender, Cort, etc. and they all pale in comparison. I would do everything in my power to replace this if it was lost or stolen, although I don't really know how I would. I got a great deal on this puppy. I've seen a price tag in the $1300-1600 range for these beauties and for what I paid, I consider this one of the best investments ever. I love just about everything about it. It stays in tune like a champ. What I like best is the attractiveness of the AAA top, and that it still sounds like a thundercould when I need it to. // 10
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