Godin or Ibanez Artcore

[the*doctor]

Hey Everyone,
I've been saving up for my first hollowbody jazz guitar for a while now.
I don't just want to buy a cheapo, and have to buy a better one further down the track. The Australian dollar is also high at the moment. My maximum is about $1300 dollars, including shipping.

Originally I was pretty set on an "Ibanez Artcore AF105". But I have recently come across the "Godin 5th avenue cw Kingpin II"

The Godin is slightly cheaper and Canadian made, but I'm just not sure which will be the best in the long run. My favourite players are Wes Montgomery, Joe Pass, Jim Hall & John Scofield.
I've attached pics of each, and here are the specs:

-Godin 5th avenue cw Kingpin II
Canadian Wild Cherry archtop
Canadian Wild cherry back & sides
Silver Leaf maple neck
Contoured high-gloss black headstock
Custom Polished Finish reminiscent of the
french polish of the 19th century
Rosewood Fingerboard
Adjustable Tusq Bridge by Graphtech
Cream Binding
2x Godin Kingpin P90 single-coil pickups
3-way toggle switch, 1x Volume, 1x Tone
16" (406 mm) fingerboard radius
24.84" (630 mm) Scale
1.72" (4,37 mm) nut width
Colors: Cognac Burst, Black, Natural & Burgundy

-Ibanez Artcore af105
•Artcore Custom Set-in neck

•5pc. Maple/ Bubinga Neck Material

•Flamed Maple top/ sides/back Body

•22/Large frets

•Bound Rosewood Finger Board

•ART1 bridge

•IBZ Custom 58 (H) Neck PU

•IBZ Custom 58 (H) Bridge PU

•Artcore Custom Inlay

•Hardware Color: Gold

The links for the sites are:
Godin Guitars
Ibanez.com | Hollow Body Guitars | AF105

Thanks

[23skidoo]

I am new to jazz guitar, but I've been playing a Taylor flattop for 15+ years and I'm a pretty decent bluegrass/country/rock rhythm player. I'm not a gear junky by any stretch of the imagination, but I've been saving up for an archtop, as well. I've played the different models of the Godin kingpin and lots of different Ibanez hollow body models and I'd have to say hands-down I like the feel of the Godin much better.

I like the acoustic sound better (not that you'd want to use it as an acoustic, necessarily, but for practicing unplugged, it seems to have a better sound). They seem to be much more consistent - I've played a handful of Kingpins and they were all pretty much great.... some of the Ibanez models just weren't as playable, didn't feel as good in the hands. I know nothing about pick ups or amps or the technical differences, but trying a variety of amps with both brands, I'd have to say, again, that the Godin models just consistently sounded more like what I wanted to hear with various set ups.

I have the advantage of living in a large metro area, so I can poke around and find these guitars in stock and play them. I'm just waiting till my better half gives me the okay to pull the trigger and by the Kingpin CW. It's just a great guitar and plays as well (or better, IMO) than guitars from other makers that cost a lot more. I did like some of the Artcore guitars very much, but I really fell in love with the Kingpin.

[mr. beaumont]

They'red both good instruments. The real value in the godins is the non cutaway, single pickup model, but that's a little more of a "niche market" instrument...you have to be looking for that old school vibe.

When you compare the more expensive cwII, it's not as great a value, but it's still a high quality instrument. It's not as cosmetically pretty as the ibanez, which will get you prettier woods and a gloss finish. Many of the players you mention are also humbucker users, whiich the ibanez will get you closer to the sound of.

Overall, I do think the godins are of better quality, but the "retro" vibe has to appeal to you for them to really be a better decision...otherwise, the ibanez is a great beginner to intermediate to budget minded advanced level jazz guitar.

[spiral]

These two guitars are totally different. The AF105 has humbuckers so will have a more mellow sound with more body, and the Godin has P90's (single coils) which will have more bite and clarity to the tone. So what kind of sound are you after? Give some examples of how you will use it, and types of tone you like: players, songs, etc.

BTW, i owned an AF105F for a little while (floating pickup) and was blown away by the fit and finish and playability of it. A crazy good deal for even twice the price.

[the*doctor]

Thanks for the replies.
I think I'm leaning more towards the godin after finding this video YouTube - Godin 5th Avenue Kingpin CW2
If somebody told me to think of that perfect jazz guitar sound in my head. This would be it.

Mr Beaumont, what was your reason for choosing the non-cutaway. Was it because it was cheaper? Do you ever feel cheated of the extra frets? and do you ever need that higher fret access at all?

Of course, you could have other guitars suited for jazz, but seeing as this will be my only one, and I will be trying different styles, I think the cutaway will be best for me.

Cheers

[mr. beaumont]

Doc,

I actually purchased my one pickup model before the cwII was released. I wanted something inexpensive with a kind of ES-125 or 150 vibe.

You actually get pretty good access up to the 15th fret, and I rarelhy play higher. I also have guitars with cutaways, so if I need to get up there, I can.

When you talk about using this guitar ffor other styles, which do you mean? If you're considering anything with high volume and distortion, a semi hollow might be a better choice...

[the*doctor]

Thanks for the quick reply Mr Beaumont.
No I didn't mean other genres of music or anything, just different styles under the large umbrella of jazz. From Joe Pass to John Scofield to Django, you know what I mean, I would like to explore these different styles, and was hoping that the godin could do that

I've already got a couple of solid bodies to handle other styles, so I want a guitar strictly for jazz, with the thick flatwound strings and the whole deal.

Thanks again for the info, and I think I'll go for the cutaway design for my first jazz guitar.

Cheers