Any of you still rockin' a Godin SD???

For guitars of the straight waisted variety (or reverse offset).
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mortron
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Any of you still rockin' a Godin SD???

Post by mortron » Wed Jun 17, 2020 12:44 pm

Saw some old posts where some mentioned once owning Godin SD's.

Last summer I picked up a used Godin SD 24 and have been playing it for a while now, and have to say it's a nicely built guitar. It's got the HSS setup. The neck is pretty nice and my favourite part of the guitar. I dunno how I feel about the body shape, but it's at least different. I am thinking I need a neck shim or new saddles next string change is the only critical thing I need to address.

Curious who's still using a Godin SD and your thoughts on it? Have any of you modded them?

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Re: Any of you still rockin' a Godin SD???

Post by Embenny » Wed Jun 17, 2020 2:59 pm

As a Canadian, I grew up around a lot of players using those including one of my longtime guitar teachers. They were really high quality guitars, but man are they ugly as sin.
The artist formerly known as mbene085.

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mortron
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Re: Any of you still rockin' a Godin SD???

Post by mortron » Thu Jun 18, 2020 3:42 pm

I am in a small town, I don't think many Godin guitars came around.

With my eyes closed, it's a really nice guitar. Then I open them and it just does nothing for me. The neck is great, but can't justify cannibalizing a whole guitar for the neck. Though it would look killer with a guard less Mustang body on it and bridge only bucker.

It's a good enough guitar that I'm sure there is someone who will appreciate it. Just gotta find someone who likes weirdo non-offset guitars :)

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Re: Any of you still rockin' a Godin SD???

Post by Embenny » Thu Jun 18, 2020 3:47 pm

It's totally true, they really have never done themselves any favours in the aesthetics and design departments, which is a damn shame, as I've owned both electrics and acoustics by LaSiDo (the parent company, which also made La Patrie classical and Seagull acoustic guitars), and it's really quite incredible how high quality a guitar they could build for the price, in a Canadian factory, paying Canadian workers.

Really, they're the kind of company I should be supporting, for making a great, affordable product locally. But they're just...so damn ugly.
The artist formerly known as mbene085.

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Re: Any of you still rockin' a Godin SD???

Post by Pepe Silvia » Thu Jun 18, 2020 3:49 pm

mortron wrote:
Thu Jun 18, 2020 3:42 pm
I am in a small town, I don't think many Godin guitars came around.

With my eyes closed, it's a really nice guitar. Then I open them and it just does nothing for me. The neck is great, but can't justify cannibalizing a whole guitar for the neck. Though it would look killer with a guard less Mustang body on it and bridge only bucker.

It's a good enough guitar that I'm sure there is someone who will appreciate it. Just gotta find someone who likes weirdo non-offset guitars :)
The only time I saw Godins was at my small town guitar store. I forgot all about Godin until the other week and did some research to find they weren't some cheaply made guitar.

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Re: Any of you still rockin' a Godin SD???

Post by mortron » Thu Jun 18, 2020 6:57 pm

Yeah this is Made in USA of Canadian Parts or Vice Versa... Kind of refreshing to see. Definitely noticeable in the feel of it. Plays like butter.

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Re: Any of you still rockin' a Godin SD???

Post by burntumber » Thu Jun 18, 2020 7:23 pm

They're pretty nice guitars, you can find them used for $350-500.

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Re: Any of you still rockin' a Godin SD???

Post by BoringPostcards » Thu Jun 18, 2020 9:41 pm

They make fantastic guitars. The style of certain models aren't for everybody, but they are well made and sound excellent.

I've never played an SD, but I've owned an LGX 3, a 5th Avenue archtop acoustic, an A4 fretless bass and a few of their acoustics from their brands Art & Lutherie and Seagull.
All were great instruments. I was all about buying Canadian made for a while and went on a Godin kick.

The way our dollar has been, I might look into getting another Godin, since US brands are way pricier than usual right now.
I really miss both the LGX3 and the 5th Avenue.

I really love their Montreal Premiere model and the Stadium 59. The Summit SG is sweet as well.

Can't go wrong. Most are made in Canada and some are assembled in the US from Canadian parts and wood.

They get the best wood in Quebec and other parts of Canada. I think they have a deal with the provinces they source from.
Det er mig der holder traeerne sammen.

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Re: Any of you still rockin' a Godin SD???

Post by wingnutkj » Fri Jun 19, 2020 4:24 am

My go-to bass is still my Godin SD - 4 strings, fantastic neck, beefy P & J pickups. Only issue I had with it was the body shape, so it now has a standard P-bass body I got off E-Bay.
Kenny

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Re: Any of you still rockin' a Godin SD???

Post by mortron » Fri Jun 19, 2020 9:52 am

I keep playing this thing all night and love how it feels. I did not know they could still command a nice bit of coin. There are a few dings on this, but otherwise is in really nice shape with a sunburst that looks much more complimentary to the shape than the other colours offered.

wingnutkj, was the heel shape pretty bang on, or a bit of a compromise? I wonder what the heel profile on this is like?

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Re: Any of you still rockin' a Godin SD???

Post by wingnutkj » Fri Jun 19, 2020 10:00 am

mortron wrote:
Fri Jun 19, 2020 9:52 am
I keep playing this thing all night and love how it feels. I did not know they could still command a nice bit of coin. There are a few dings on this, but otherwise is in really nice shape with a sunburst that looks much more complimentary to the shape than the other colours offered.

wingnutkj, was the heel shape pretty bang on, or a bit of a compromise? I wonder what the heel profile on this is like?
On the basses, there was a contoured heel, which was pretty nice, although I'm rarely up that end of the neck so it was wasted on me. Mine was a transparent blue - I'll need to see if I can dig out some old pictures.
Kenny

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Re: Any of you still rockin' a Godin SD???

Post by burntumber » Fri Jun 19, 2020 7:14 pm

oh damn, today I checked one out, red body, HSH, maple board.
Just $300. I saw it in the shop over a year ago, maybe I can even talk him down on the price.

I'd probably swap the pickups.

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Re: Any of you still rockin' a Godin SD???

Post by mortron » Sat Jun 20, 2020 6:39 am

I have to say, if I was looking for a donor neck for a project, that a Godin would be on my radar. Half tempted to re-body this one!

HSH would be a nice setup... Was it a 22 fret? Was the red one you saw with a quilted veneer top? I presume they all got one?

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Re: Any of you still rockin' a Godin SD???

Post by burntumber » Sat Jun 20, 2020 9:33 am

mortron wrote:
Sat Jun 20, 2020 6:39 am
I have to say, if I was looking for a donor neck for a project, that a Godin would be on my radar. Half tempted to re-body this one!

HSH would be a nice setup... Was it a 22 fret? Was the red one you saw with a quilted veneer top? I presume they all got one?
The neck felt pretty nice on it, I didn't notice if it was 22 or 24 frets.

No quilter veneer, just solid red. Though kinda different than Fender's CAR.

The bridges on these are more forward like an SG.

I'm getting a little GAS for this thinking of what pickups I could plop in.

I just got a Variax though, so I have pretty much any guitar sound. :wtf:

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Re: Any of you still rockin' a Godin SD???

Post by mortron » Sun Jun 21, 2020 6:47 am

Cool stuff... I read somewhere they went to 22 frets so as to get a better spacing on the pickups as things were cramped on the 24 fret... But that could just be a rumour.

Wonder how mine is routed under the guard?

The SG feel is probably because it's a Gibson scale 24.75"... Coming from 36" basses, it's a bit tight for me if I want to go up the neck... So I just don't learn how to solo :D

The Variax always seemed like it would unseat a lot of stuff when I first heard of it, but don't see them often in my circles, and have never played one... You like the guitar I take it??

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