Philip Catherine swapped his ES175 for a Godin 5th Av Composer GT?

**Little Jay** · 07-26-2013, 04:59 PM

Quite remarkable, I thought: Belgian guitarist Philip Catherine on a Godin instead of his trusted old ES175!

**mr. beaumont** · 07-26-2013, 05:51 PM

I find this interesting too--and not because the Godin is a "lesser" guitar...and his 175 may have well needed to be retired, it had been played hard for a good long time.

my question is that of tone...Philip seemed to use the middle position on his 175 a lot...interesting to see him with a one pickup guitar...

**Doctor Jeff** · 07-28-2013, 10:21 PM

That sounds great and makes me miss my Kingpin a lot...

Having other humbucked guitars though if I were gonna get another 5th Ave. I think I would get the Jazz model with the floater.

**JimBobWay** · 07-28-2013, 10:33 PM

It's probably like Metheney - he had to put his 175 out to pasture after riding it hard on the road, that was what made him finally decide to do the endorsement. The original 175 is a durable beast, but travel ain't what it used to be. I would never take mine anywhere I couldn't drive to. And anyway, the Godin shop turns out some high quality instruments, as the video shows.

**Gertrude Moser** · 07-29-2013, 11:57 AM

Thanks for turning me on to this guy; love it. It kind of has mid 70's ECM all over it.

**mangotango** · 07-29-2013, 12:59 PM

Wow, that sounds great. I currently have a real wish for a single-hum cutaway archtop - wish this one were slightly more affordable over here.

'Course, being able to play it like M. Catherine would be useful......

**Little Jay** · 07-30-2013, 06:48 AM

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

I find this interesting too--and not because the Godin is a "lesser" guitar...and his 175 may have well needed to be retired, it had been played hard for a good long time.

my question is that of tone...Philip seemed to use the middle position on his 175 a lot...interesting to see him with a one pickup guitar...

No "lesser" guitar indeed (on top of that, I believe the Composer GT is one of the higher classed Godin guitars). I was just surprised that after all those years on his ES175 he made the switch, that ES175 and Philip seemed inseparable.

I don't really hear a change in his tone (I think), which is once again more proof that the guitar used is only one of many variables that all together shape the tone. (Philip sometimes plays a flattop acoustic that he makes sound remarkably like an archtop.)

I think Godin is doing well, and is a serious brand to consider when looking for a professional jazz guitar nowadays.

**StevieB** · 07-30-2013, 09:44 AM

Thanks for posting this video as I wasn't family with Philip Catherine. I really enjoyed his playing and the piano player was out of this world great - so fluid.

**Chazmo** · 07-30-2013, 02:39 PM

I dig Philip Catherine. I wrote to him recently via a contact link on his web site to say I wish we could see him in the U.S. His manager replied that, alas, it is hard to put a U.S. tour together. There is probably no money in it and I can appreciate that the cost of the tour would have to be covered. Too bad those of us in the U.S. who would support a great artist like M. Catherine do have the opportunity to see him.

I am playing a Godin 5th Avenue acoustic with an added Bartolini Johnny Smith-style pickup a lot these days as my gigging guitar. It sounds great and plays very well. Depending on how I play it, I can get a warm, ES-175 thing going or make it sound sharp and acoustic-like in the Django vein. I can't justify the cost difference right now, but if a great deal on a Godin Jazz came up, I would probably get it. On the other hand, I like the matte finish and non-cutaway on the base 5th Avenue. It really has a cool, old-school vibe. The Godins are viable jazz guitars with a voice all their own.

**nado64** · 07-31-2013, 03:50 AM

Thank you to share this video.

A new guitar, a new haircut, maybe a new wife behind that...

I prefer widely the sound from his gibson. It transported really elsewhere.
The feeling is always here, but I find the sound more common.
Perhaps, I listened too much P. Catherine, and his new sound breaks my habits.

**akubra** · 07-31-2013, 05:50 AM

Here is another video of Philip Catherine playing Godin:

Cobra.be: Videozone

**MorningSong** · 09-25-2013, 01:43 AM

Well, from the other video on Youtube with the godin, the tone is not the same as with his ES-175. As I was living in Belgium for quite a while, I did see Philip Catherine live several times, over maybe 20 years. One memorable time as a duo, with Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen. Unbelievably beautiful thrilling concert. And another concert in the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels, with Christian Escoudé, Didier Lockwood and André Ceracelli.
Maybe I can try to find out what happened to the ES-175. I know for sure he will get my question, but have no clue whether he will respond.

Does anyone have an idea if the record "End of August" is available on CD?

Cheers

**kris** · 09-25-2013, 03:02 AM

Great Philip Catherine on Godin/sound with compresor or similar efect/.Anyway nice sounding guitar with great articulation of Mr.PC...:-)
Beautifull playing pianst,bassplayer and drummer.

**nado64** · 09-25-2013, 03:12 AM

Originally Posted by akubra

Here is another video of Philip Catherine playing Godin:

Cobra.be: Videozone

the link doesn' work.

Welcome MorningSong !
I don't think the album "end of august" has been masterised into a cd version.
The only way to listen it, will be to buy a record player....

**akubra** · 09-29-2013, 08:40 AM

Originally Posted by nado64

the link doesn' work.

You're right, looks like they changed it for some reason. This is new link:

http://www.cobra.be/cm/cobra/videozo...ziek/1.1466752

**brashboy** · 09-29-2013, 04:05 PM

I really like the look of the 5th Avenue Kingpin, but don't think anybody in this area carries them, and would like to see one in the wood.

**Aladin111** · 10-24-2015, 09:30 AM

Did Philip Catherine swap his Godin for a Scharpach Opus Vienna archtop.?
The Vienna OPUS - Scharpach Master Guitars
philip catherine.com : NEWS

**neatomic** · 10-24-2015, 11:46 AM

here's pc-
Philip Catherine swapped his ES175 for a Godin 5th Av Composer GT?-new_guitar-jpg

some of the most beautiful guitar finishes i've seen..wonderful

cheers

**Klatu** · 10-26-2015, 11:03 AM

Originally Posted by Aladin111

Did Philip Catherine swap his Godin for a Scharpach Opus Vienna archtop.?
The Vienna OPUS - Scharpach Master Guitars
philip catherine.com : NEWS

I don't think the Scharpach is a guitar that would be used to replace a working guitar like the Godin. As far as I know, Scharpachs are known to be some of the more expensive custom builds on the market and, as a result, would be used sparingly in public performances.

**Little Jay** · 07-16-2018, 10:53 AM

Sorry for the bump but I remembered this thread when I stumbled across this picture on FB of Philipe playing his Godin after his pickguard broke off!

**Durban** · 07-16-2018, 04:26 PM

Godin 5th Av Composer GT

hi where are these made?

i had peek at their site but no info.

**icr** · 07-16-2018, 05:43 PM

In my opinion his ES175 tone is better. In fact it beats Bireli's "not an L5" tone here.

**Little Jay** · 07-19-2018, 10:44 AM

Originally Posted by Durban

Godin 5th Av Composer GT

hi where are these made?

i had peek at their site but no info.

Godin is a Canadian brand and have their own factory in Canada to my knowledge. From their website:

“Godin guitars are unique because from forest to stage, they are North American. The necks and bodies are all made in our original location in La Patrie, Quebec. Godin Guitars are then assembled in our Quebec and New Hampshire factories.”

**Serge Sorber** · 02-10-2020, 03:27 PM

I can testify that Phllip has returned to his trusty ES-175. I attended his January concert on Lier (Belgium) where he played the 175 exclusively. A gorgeous tone !

**Doug B** · 02-11-2020, 10:53 AM

Originally Posted by Serge Sorber

I can testify that Phllip has returned to his trusty ES-175. I attended his January concert on Lier (Belgium) where he played the 175 exclusively. A gorgeous tone !

You may be right but just because he plays a guitar in one concert does not mean that he has 'abandoned' another guitar.