Am I the only one that doesn't like the Godin 5th Avenue?

**Woody Sound** · 03-14-2019, 08:24 AM

So what's the difference between a Kingpin and an Uptown? The specs on their site say cherry back and sides, but no mention of the top woods.

5th Avenue CW Kingpin II HB Cognac Burst | Godin Guitars

5th Avenue Uptown GT LTD Trans Cream w/Bigsby | Godin Guitars

**Woody Sound** · 03-14-2019, 08:30 AM

GS sounds pretty nice with TB.

Am I the only one that doesn't like the Godin 5th Avenue?-graysargent-jpg

**mr. beaumont** · 03-14-2019, 08:54 AM

Originally Posted by Woody Sound

So what's the difference between a Kingpin and an Uptown? The specs on their site say cherry back and sides, but no mention of the top woods.

5th Avenue CW Kingpin II HB Cognac Burst | Godin Guitars

5th Avenue Uptown GT LTD Trans Cream w/Bigsby | Godin Guitars

Looks like gloss, humbuckers, and the tone sucker anchor weight (Bigsby)

I believe the first version of the "Uptown" was a all gloss maple lam guitar...

From the website, it appears they've dropped the "jazz" and the "Composer" models? That's kind of a bummer. Philip Catherine sounds great on his composer.

**zcostilla** · 03-14-2019, 03:28 PM

I got the Godin 5th Avenue as my entry level archtop. It was the acoustic model and I added a custom Charlie Christian floating pickup by Pete Biltoft at Vintage Vibe Guitars. I happen to love it!

I don’t mind the flatter radius, coming from a flamenco guitar as my primary acoustic.

**Doctor Jeff** · 03-14-2019, 09:19 PM

I agree with Chasmo the most comfortable guitar ever. I think I will always have one. (I took my 5th Ave. with GFS floater to the office for something to distract me every now and then.)

I sure miss the old Kingpin with the P90 though. That was a nicely designed piece of gear.

**morroben** · 03-14-2019, 10:20 PM

I've had a Kingpin and a Kingpin II. I thought they were both nice guitars...well made and great for the price.

But I've found that I don't bond well with P-90s in hollowbody guitars, so that led me to part with them. I think my Kingpin went to JohnA, if I remember right.

Now that they're offering some other pickup options I would be interested in trying one again.

**John A.** · 03-14-2019, 11:11 PM

Originally Posted by morroben

I've had a Kingpin and a Kingpin II. I thought they were both nice guitars...well made and great for the price.

But I've found that I don't bond well with P-90s in hollowbody guitars, so that led me to part with them. I think my Kingpin went to JohnA, if I remember right.

Now that they're offering some other pickup options I would be interested in trying one again.

Yup, I've got your old Kingpin. So far, so good.

John

**consumerduck** · 03-15-2019, 12:08 AM

I love my single p-90 kingpin. Been gigging and playing it with my band for at least 8 years. I love the stock pickup and see no reason to change. It’s been set up with my preferred a bit higher than normal action. It plays, sounds and looks great.

Here’s a recent live improv with cool video editing and a live artist drawing (and drinking and later singing).

**Doctor Jeff** · 03-15-2019, 09:14 AM

Originally Posted by consumerduck

I love my single p-90 kingpin. Been gigging and playing it with my band for at least 8 years. I love the stock pickup and see no reason to change. It’s been set up with my preferred a bit higher than normal action. It plays, sounds and looks great.

Here’s a recent live improv with cool video editing and a live artist drawing (and drinking and later singing).

Crazy! Love the title. You ever see The Late Bronze Age with Bruce Hampton? This reminds me of them in their prime.

**Frank67** · 03-15-2019, 09:30 AM

Originally Posted by Littlemark

Am I the only one who does not like the Godin, kingpin guitars. I see nothing but love for them on this forum but to me they sound like cardboard boxes with strings on them. Just awful.
I think they are fine if you are looking for an entry level archtop. But, I could not imagine ever owning one if I wanted to enjoy hearing what I play.

Please note, I do like Godin as a company and am glad a Canadian company is doing well, and getting people to play archtops.

you are not the only one. I had one and couldn‘t get rid of it fast enough. I liked petty much nothing about it.

**DRS** · 03-15-2019, 10:20 AM

Originally Posted by Woody Sound

GS sounds pretty nice with TB.

Am I the only one that doesn't like the Godin 5th Avenue?-graysargent-jpg

I always love it when people talk about a guitar being an "entry level" or "starter" guitar then you see a total pro player using one and sounding great on a big gig. Same situation with Jack Pearson and his Squier strat.

joelf · 03-15-2019, 01:33 PM

Originally Posted by Littlemark

Am I the only one who does not like the Godin, kingpin guitars. I see nothing but love for them on this forum but to me they sound like cardboard boxes with strings on them. Just awful.
I think they are fine if you are looking for an entry level archtop. But, I could not imagine ever owning one if I wanted to enjoy hearing what I play.

Please note, I do like Godin as a company and am glad a Canadian company is doing well, and getting people to play archtops.

And I don't like Gibson 175s or L5s---and people swear by them.

One man's meat...

**joe2758** · 03-15-2019, 01:41 PM

Originally Posted by joelf

And I don't like Gibson 175s or L5s---and people swear by them.

One man's meat...

lol is that a phrase?!

**mr. beaumont** · 03-15-2019, 01:52 PM

Originally Posted by DRS

I always love it when people talk about a guitar being an "entry level" or "starter" guitar then you see a total pro player using one and sounding great on a big gig. Same situation with Jack Pearson and his Squier strat.

Actually, that's the nice thing about the Kingpin...it IS an entry level instrument, which really just means "inexpensive."

It just so happens it's also well made, consistent, and totally gig worthy without any upgrades. So that's pretty cool.

Again, it's also a small laminated, non-cutaway box with a P-90. It certainly ain't gonna please everybody.

I'm just a little interested in the comments that are the tune of "it sounded like cardboard," because in my opinion, compared to other guitars built the same (laminated, 16") they're really more vibrant acoustically.

So that's why I asked what the OP was comparing them to.

**Jehu** · 03-15-2019, 03:29 PM

Also, someone mentioned the bridge being plastic... it's Graphtec TUSQ, which is synthetic, but a far cry from plastic!

It makes excellent nuts and saddles, and I didn't see any reason to change out the bridge base when I had one. That said, some people have reported hearing (/perceiving) an improvement when they swapped out for an ebony bridge.

**vinlander** · 03-16-2019, 06:52 AM

Originally Posted by DRS

I always love it when people talk about a guitar being an "entry level" or "starter" guitar then you see a total pro player using one and sounding great on a big gig. Same situation with Jack Pearson and his Squier strat.

Martijn Van Iterson with his "student instrument" also agree

**zcostilla** · 03-16-2019, 07:58 AM

Originally Posted by Woody Sound

GS sounds pretty nice with TB.

Wow!

**Littlemark** · 03-16-2019, 08:28 AM

I agree that sounds pretty good.
But that is not an example of how it sounds acoustically.

**vinlander** · 03-16-2019, 08:40 AM

I don't think kingpins were designed to be acoustic instruments, no more than 175s, Tal Farlows or 125s even if I have to confess my '59 sounds quite good unplugged. A great electric sounding instrument doesn't imply a good acoustic tone!

**Littlemark** · 03-16-2019, 08:46 AM

Google Image Result for https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/519ju87QaaL._SL1000_.jpg
This is the guitar that I was referring to in the first post.

**Greentone** · 03-16-2019, 08:55 AM

I only evaluated one, so it's perhaps not fair for me to extrapolate. However, my thoughts at the time were that the Kingpin seemed like a good guitar for someone who cut his/her teeth on a solid-body guitar with a modern, flat-radiused neck to consider for a first archtop.

I liked the P90 a lot. Acoustically, I thought the guitar was 'meh', but electrically the guitar had useful tones. Again, the guitar would be an easy transition for someone coming over from an Ibanez, etc., solid-body.

**lammie200** · 03-16-2019, 10:37 AM

I had a Godin Jazz. My 2 cents:

Aesthetics & build quality: 10+
Tone: 10+
Flat radiused FB: 5
Neck joint: 1

**John A.** · 03-16-2019, 04:31 PM

Originally Posted by Littlemark

Google Image Result for https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/519ju87QaaL._SL1000_.jpg
This is the guitar that I was referring to in the first post.

That's the 5th Ave (acoustic), not the 5th Ave Kingpin (electric). Which one are you saying you don't like, and do you mean as an acoustic, or as an electric?

John

**Littlemark** · 03-16-2019, 04:42 PM

To be specific, the acoustic version. I edited the name of the thread to reflect that.

I don't think Godin makes them anymore, that's why I got the name wrong.
But they are essentially the same guitar.

**John A.** · 03-16-2019, 06:16 PM

Originally Posted by Littlemark

To be specific, the acoustic version. I edited the name of the thread to reflect that.

I don't think Godin makes them anymore, that's why I got the name wrong.
But they are essentially the same guitar.

Ok, well bear in mind that most of the love around here is for the Kingpin. So your criticism of the 5th Ave as a purely acoustic instrument is somewhat tangential to that. I haven't tried the non-Kingpin version, so can't comment from experience. But assuming it's a bit louder/better minus the weight of the pickup, agreed, it's not a huge sound.

John