Godin 5th Avenue Kingpin

**morroben** · 11-17-2016, 09:07 PM

Not as exciting as most of the guitars posted around here, but it's my latest attempt to bond with an inexpensive archtop. I had a Kingpin II a few years back but it didn't really fit the kind of music I was playing at the time, and when I needed some money it was the first to go. I think I'll prefer this non-cutaway, single pickup version. Since I finally started taking lessons a couple of months ago, and I'm working on standards almost exclusively, I figured it was time to try another archtop. I cleaned it up and put flats on it tonight, but it will have to wait until tomorrow to get a thorough workout through an amp.
Godin 5th Avenue Kingpin-20161117_165045-1-jpg

Godin 5th Avenue Kingpin-20161117_165045-1-jpg

**Doctor Jeff** · 11-18-2016, 12:05 AM

I have a black 5th Avenue that I put a floating pickup on. Classy looking guitar, and very light and comfortable to play. Surprisingly loud for the size and laminate construction.

**Jim Soloway** · 11-18-2016, 01:42 AM

I've got a Kingpin II that I've put a lot of hours on in the last year (Including about 7 hours today doing a new video). Godin really are on to something very cool with this line. It's a super light and lively body and their P90 is a first class pickup. A lot of guitar for an incredibly reasonable price.

**morroben** · 11-18-2016, 12:26 PM

Originally Posted by Jim Soloway

I've got a Kingpin II that I've put a lot of hours on in the last year (Including about 7 hours today doing a new video). Godin really are on to something very cool with this line. It's a super light and lively body and their P90 is a first class pickup. A lot of guitar for an incredibly reasonable price.

Looking forward to another video! The pickup does sound nice. I have a buddy at Bartolini that offered to wind me up something special for this guitar, but I'm not sure if it needs anything other than stock.
Do you have any string recommendations for this guitar? It showed up with a bunch of rust disguised as acoustic strings. I put on a set of TI flats that I had laying around...every few years I have to remind myself that I don't like TI strings. I use Chromes on one of my Teles. Maybe I'll try a set of those.

**Jim Soloway** · 11-18-2016, 02:18 PM

Originally Posted by morroben

Looking forward to another video! The pickup does sound nice. I have a buddy at Bartolini that offered to wind me up something special for this guitar, but I'm not sure if it needs anything other than stock.
Do you have any string recommendations for this guitar? It showed up with a bunch of rust disguised as acoustic strings. I put on a set of TI flats that I had laying around...every few years I have to remind myself that I don't like TI strings. I use Chromes on one of my Teles. Maybe I'll try a set of those.

I do like TI's so I'm no help to you there but if you like Chromes, they should work just fine. These guitars are quite bright so my feeling is that the brightness should be offset with a darker sounding string (but that my also be a factor of how bright my playing is in general).

**morroben** · 11-18-2016, 03:08 PM

Originally Posted by Jim Soloway

I do like TI's so I'm no help to you there but if you like Chromes, they should work just fine. These guitars are quite bright so my feeling is that the brightness should be offset with a darker sounding string (but that my also be a factor of how bright my playing is in general).

Thanks for the input Jim. Maybe I should try a heavier set of TI's than I usually use. I think it might be the combination of TI's smaller gauges and the Kingpin having a shorter scale than my Tele with Chromes.

**skykomishone** · 11-18-2016, 05:55 PM

That looks like a nice guitar. Happy NGD! Congrats on that.

**Max405** · 11-18-2016, 06:31 PM

Morroben,
that guitar is just as nice as all the big dollar guitars. It is more than capable of taking your playing to new heights. I think that's the best thing about buying a new axe. You end up playing like crazy and you get better as a result.
very cool guitar, enjoy it!
Joe D

**Doctor Jeff** · 11-18-2016, 06:35 PM

I've always had round wounds on mine, I think they're D'Addario Pure Nickels. I have also chrome rounds on there as well.

My usual archtops get flats, but I wanted something slightly different for the 5th Avenue, a little brighter.

The factory strings per Godin's website are EJ21 JAZZ LIGHT - NICKEL WOUND (Wound G-string) (.012,.016, .024w, .032, .042, .052). I don't think that's a bad choice at all.

**Fidman** · 11-18-2016, 10:15 PM

I appreciate the great videos!
Could you tell me, is there a reason why you don't play a single p90 Kingpin?
You seem to be using only the neck pickup if I'm not mistaken.
And they seem to be just a little over half the price of the Kingpin II
Thanks

**Jim Soloway** · 11-18-2016, 10:42 PM

Originally Posted by Fidman

I appreciate the great videos!
Could you tell me, is there a reason why you don't play a single p90 Kingpin?
You seem to be using only the neck pickup if I'm not mistaken.
And they seem to be just a little over half the price of the Kingpin II
Thanks

Because I struggle without a cutaway. (And used, the price difference is much smaller)

**Fidman** · 11-19-2016, 12:36 AM

Thanks. i've been looking at them the last month or so and was trying to figure which might be the best fit.

**citizenk74** · 11-19-2016, 01:59 AM

That's a sharp looking axe, morroben! I've heard nothing but good things about these. Congratulations, and play it in good health!

**0zoro** · 11-19-2016, 10:32 AM

Nice looking guitar, I wonder what is the size of the bout on a Kingpin? They are hard to find in my part of the world.

**bohemian46** · 11-19-2016, 11:48 AM

A few years back when I bought my acoustic 5th, and contemplating one of the Kingpins..
I was told by a Godin rep , not a dealer, that the Kingpin I had a thinner top for acoustic playing and tone, and the Kingpin II top was thicker specifically for electric set up , tone/use.

I did not consider the II as the pickups are too close together and in the way of my style of fingerpicking,... the same reason I sold my Epiphone Elitist Byrdland.

I also prefer non cutaway guitars, particularly on a 14 fretter.
perhaps one day a Kingpin I....fine guitar.

Congrats on the choice.

BTW, most 5th owners I know have gone to a Stew Mac bridge and 13 strings. Does make a difference.

**morroben** · 11-19-2016, 12:00 PM

Originally Posted by bohemian46

BTW, most 5th owners I know have gone to a Stew Mac bridge and 13 strings. Does make a difference.

I have a set of 13s on the way from Amazon. Is this the bridge you're referring to? What are the advantages?
Archtop Guitar Bridge | stewmac.com

**morroben** · 11-19-2016, 12:03 PM

Originally Posted by 0zoro

Nice looking guitar, I wonder what is the size of the bout on a Kingpin? They are hard to find in my part of the world.

Looks like 16".

**anothersixstringer** · 11-19-2016, 01:01 PM

I use TI flats 13 on mine (same model), they work great. the amplified sound is absolutely wonderful. i recently plugged it into one of those italian Acoustic Solutions amps distributed by Godin and the results were mindblowing. Congrats on the new git, great choice!

**Jim Soloway** · 11-19-2016, 01:19 PM

Originally Posted by bohemian46

A few years back when I bought my acoustic 5th, and contemplating one of the Kingpins..
I was told by a Godin rep , not a dealer, that the Kingpin I had a thinner top for acoustic playing and tone, and the Kingpin II top was thicker specifically for electric set up , tone/use.

I did not consider the II as the pickups are too close together and in the way of my style of fingerpicking,... the same reason I sold my Epiphone Elitist Byrdland.

I also prefer non cutaway guitars, particularly on a 14 fretter.
perhaps one day a Kingpin I....fine guitar.

Congrats on the choice.

BTW, most 5th owners I know have gone to a Stew Mac bridge and 13 strings. Does make a difference.

Interesting about the top because I thought my Kingpin II was incredibly thin. It's a really light weight guitar and the body is very lively. Hard to imagine how light the build must be on yours. Clearly they've figured out some very different ways of forming and shaping the laminates for these guitars and it really works.

BTW, I use TI 12's on mine but I have it tuned down a full step so it feel pretty much like 10's in a standard setup. (I also pick so far forward that the pickup positions never really matter to my right hand. I'm usually somewhere between the last three frets and the neck end of the front pickup no matter what guitar I'm playing.

**mr. beaumont** · 11-19-2016, 02:20 PM

Originally Posted by morroben

I have a set of 13s on the way from Amazon. Is this the bridge you're referring to? What are the advantages?
Archtop Guitar Bridge | stewmac.com

Switching to a wood bridge on mine killed a lot of the metallic "ping" I heard on notes when playing unplugged.
The difference plugged in was negligible.

**bohemian46** · 11-19-2016, 02:30 PM

Exactly as mentioned by Mr Beaumont... tone is the short answer.

I also change out TUSQ saddles on my acoustic guitars and insert bone.

I also prefer the look of wood and dislike plastic saddles or nuts of any kind.

The new bridge will need fitting.
Fitting the bridge to an archtop guitar - Bing video

As much as Godin raves about and extolls its virtues on their videos..the stock TUSQ Godin bridge did/does NOT make full contact with the top. How could it be better .. than anything properly fitted. Even fitted properly, not the sound I look for. Their initial cost of molding and tooling was certainly substantial and pennies after that.. a product of economy.

I consider most musical instruments to be kits and in need of fettling including nuts, bridges, saddles, strings and set up.

My hand position was a result of fingerpicking a ala Travis ( though mine is highly modified) starting in 1961, to include the dreaded anchoring.. lightly these days. I can't get used to picking over a pickup.

**Jim Soloway** · 11-19-2016, 02:37 PM

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

Switching to a wood bridge on mine killed a lot of the metallic "ping" I heard on notes when playing unplugged.
The difference plugged in was negligible.

Am I missing something? Mine has a wood bridge but I don't know if that's original but the website shows all of the Kingpins and the Composer as having a wood bridge.

**mr. beaumont** · 11-19-2016, 02:48 PM

Might be a recent change. The original bridge on my Kingpin was TUSQ.

**morroben** · 11-19-2016, 02:51 PM

Thanks for the info, Bohemian46. I noticed the poor contact of the stock bridge. I used to do instrument setups and repairs for a mid-size manufacturer and later a local Mom & Pop shop. Probably 15 years in total. And I don't think I've ever had to replace an archtop bridge. Kind of strange, but it's just never come up. It's pretty rare to have archtops come in at all, and when they do it's usually an electronics issue or the occasional level & crown or refret on an older instrument. Seems pretty self-explanatory but I'll check out that video just in case. Thanks!

**Jim Soloway** · 11-19-2016, 02:54 PM

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

Might be a recent change. The original bridge on my Kingpin was TUSQ.

Apparently I am missing something (this is what happens when your eyes get old). it never occurred to me that the bridge was anything other than wood but they do appear to be TUSQ. I honestly never noticed (or cared much I guess).