Any news on Godin fifth avenue Jazz?

[FrankLearns]

Dear friends,

I have been trying to get some information on the recently announced Godin fifth avenue jazz but found confusing what i learned so far. It seems to be in the catalogue of several major sellers but nobody seems to be able to ship it or have accurate pictures. The Godin website also doesn't seem to know their latest model which i find strange. I also haven't found any report of somenody playing it except for the few seconds of video from the Godin NAMM feature.

Does somebody have information on:
- is it a cutaway model or not (i guess yes based on what i have seen, some resellers like Thomann show, however, a non cutaway model)
- what is the top made of? Is it also candian cherry? Is it solid/carved or laminated? .... This is obviously a question pertaining to the much higher pricetag on this guitar that was commented upon already in another thread
- is the minihumbucker pickup floating or did they make a hole in the body
- is it 24.6 or 25.5 scale?
- is there a second voice (like piezo)?
- the fretboard seems to be ebony? This is also a departure from the previous model that has this amazingly hard wood on the fretboard which may add to note definition and all that but takes some real getting used to IMHO.

I generally really like what Godin offers and it is typically extremely good value for the money - so i guess there must be a good reason when they upgrade this model and make it more than twice the price (just a mini humbucker instead of two P90s and a glossy finish can't be it). The Kingpin II is a nice instrument too (amplified that is) but i thought it could be more jazzy than it is - and the new one may fit the bill nicely.

Just curious if people in Canaa or the US may be better informed than we here in Europe. I will go to Montreal for a business trip soon and may have to fight a real GAS :-) is there a Godin shop there to visit?

Thanks and all the best,
Frank

[clem_gael]

Hi Frank,
I really think that Godin wanted to bring the 5th ave Jazz to the 2011 NAMM that took place in January. But they were not ready to release that model right away.

I hope that your business trip will be during the Montreal Guitar Show (july 1 to 3) because Godin is suppose to feature that guitar.

Exhibitor : Godin Guitar Company - Montreal Guitar Show

[Foulds Jazz Guitars]

I briefly saw it at Frankfurt and from what I can remember it is a laminated (maple?) with a floating mini humbucker, high gloss finish. The one I saw was natural, should be available in a month or so in Europe. I've got one on order so I'll have it as soon as it is available!

[GuyB]

This is what I could get :

«GODIN "5TH AVENUE JAZZ" ARCHTOP ACOUSTIC GUITAR & CASE
Cutaway body design, wild cherry top, back and sides, silver leaf maple neck with ebony fingerboard, adjustable GraphTech Tusq bridge, custom polished high-gloss finish, floating pickguard and contoured high-gloss headstock, one Godin mini-humbucker pickup, one volume and one tone control, 24.84" scale length, 1.72" nut width, piano black finish, TRIC case included.
on order, expected arrival date unknown
sku: 5THAVEJ-BLK .. piano black .. list $2245.00 ours $1895.00»

at this site : http://www.elderly.com/new_instrumen...THAVEJ-BLK.htm

[troika]

Would be really interested in this guitar, but if that's really the price, I wouldn't consider it an option. In that price range there are a lot of other choices. I think the Godin's are GREAT in the sub-$1,000 range. Maybe I'm wrong, I haven't been looking that near $2,000 range, so maybe there is room for it there.

I could so without the gloss finish too, if that's what's driving the price. Their acoustic version with a floating pickup with our without a cutaway, would be just right for me. I may have to create my own.

[BigDaddyLoveHandles]

Originally Posted by troika

I could so without the gloss finish too, if that's what's driving the price. Their acoustic version with a floating pickup with our without a cutaway, would be just right for me. I may have to create my own.

That's easy enough to do, or to get someone to do for you.

[Elias Graves]

I added a mini to my acoustic 5th Avenue. I have less than $600 in it with case.
No cutaway, but I don't care.

EG

[troika]

Yeah, I saw someone on YouTube (maybe you?) who had done that. Sounded good.

I just find the acoustic version of this guitar to be a much better acoustic guitar than the kindpin models. I would love the KPII, but don't really want to sacrifice the acoustic-i-tude. It seems like they could do that with the jazz guitar, keep the top thinner and float the pickup and controllers and maybe that's what they've done, but if it's priced over $1,500...maybe it's worth it, but it's hard to justify over what you've done.

They are nice guitars.

[SamBooka]

There is a great vid by Brian Galloup.
Just for fun it would be nice to try this with a 5th ave.
Maybe a nice finish at the same time

YouTube - Making a custom cutaway in a Gibson acoustic guitar

[Elias Graves]

Well, the Kingpins are not acoustic guitars. With all that stuff bolted to the top, they are meant to be plugged in.
That's why I modded the 5th Avenue...wanted to still play it unplugged.

EG

[troika]

Exactly