The Chetboard

I'm pondering on a Godin Multiac nylon with the rmc pickups, just wondering what your thoughts are on these guitars, is there anything else along these lines out there you can recommend?
Rob(uk)

I have a Godin Grand Concert SA, which is the classical size with 2" width neck, 12 frets to body, and the RMC pickups. It has very good intonation, and is larger than the 14 fret Godin nylon string Multiac. It also has a 13 pin output to use with a Roland synth, which I use on some recordings. In recent years this Godin has been my 'go to' guitar that I use in public performances. The soft Godin case I purchased has defects, so unless they have improved it I would recommend something else more durable. The case began to tear loose around the handle and now down the entire side. The case is not very well padded either. You can get a rectangular hard case, but it is very bulky and cumbersome to carry and stow away.

The Grand Concert Ambiance is another (later) variant of the Godin Multiac Guitar. It basically has a Fishman digital processing PU system in place of the RMC PUs. I suppose you could call it the next generation Godin Multiac. Here is a video that reviews it.. It is fairly long but worth the watch if you are interested in a Multiac
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=113YKkjW ... re=related

I had one for several years. They play nice, but I was never knocked out by RMC pickups....though the RMC is great if you are driving a synth like Bresh used to do. At any rate, after I got my Sand guitar several years ago, I quit playing the Godin, and eventually traded it in on an electric guitar.

Can't beat the Godin for the price, though.

Love mine!! But, I have friends with the "same" instrument and evey one has a different neck thickness (not width) and profile. I didn't realize that mine had a neck like a ballbat until I played others that were thinner to a lot thinner. They were much more playable. I once asked Pat Kirtley what he thought about the neck on mine. His only comment was "at least you'll never break it!" I've reworked it since removing about 0.075in thickness and it is much improved but could still use another round of wood removal. It's amazing what a difference that "little" bit of thinning makes.

Great, thanks for your thoughts.....sadly by the time the Godins get to the u.k. they are quite pricey, so may look for a used one, also looking at other makes.....
These look sweet....but expensive...

http://www.archtop.com/ac_02lowdenS25j.html

Thanks again...
Rob(uk)

Love/Hate. I have owned a Grand Concert SA and currently have a Nylon SA. Multiacs, they play great, are made of wood but sound like plastic. No substitute for a real wooden acoustic instrument with a soundhole but the problem there is finding a good one that isn't a laminated piece of junk or costs $5,000.00 or more.

Any suggestions on a good nylon string finger-style guitar? Kirk Sands are obviously the best choice, but not affordable for some. I've tried Cordobas and Takamines with cutaways but have been disappointed. Thanks

staxmarshall wrote:Love/Hate. I have owned a Grand Concert SA and currently have a Nylon SA. Multiacs, they play great, are made of wood but sound like plastic. No substitute for a real wooden acoustic instrument with a soundhole but the problem there is finding a good one that isn't a laminated piece of junk or costs $5,000.00 or more.

Any suggestions on a good nylon string finger-style guitar? Kirk Sands are obviously the best choice, but not affordable for some. I've tried Cordobas and Takamines with cutaways but have been disappointed. Thanks

The used Gibson CE/CEC guitars are in the same price ballpark as the Godin Multiacs (with the rmc PUs) and most of the older CE/CECs have very good pickups in them. Quite different sounding from the Multiacs. There are many variations of the CE/CEC. Most of the ones made during the 80s have good pickups.. I think during the 90s they changed to newer PUs that weren't nearly as good.. The really recent versions are quite different. They seem to be more chambered and therefore are lighter... that's a good thing, because the ones like mine (89) weight a ton... It's basically a back breaker!!! However, the tone and sustain are exceptional. All that said... They are solid body electrics and don't sound like an acoustic. I still think the Godin Multiac Ambiance Grand Concert... with the Fishman modelling PU comes closest to sounding like a real acoustic.... NOT the Multiacs with the rmc pickups.. they sound unique (in your words "plastic").

I nearly got a Godin. Very playable - but sound ? - not so sure its really good. Couldn't afford a Sand. Went to Pimentel in Albuquerque NM where they tailored me a cutaway classical with a Fishman pick up and it's fabulous. Real soul in it. Way cheaper than a Sand. All special order and I recommend going there. A fine family of makers of various styles of guitar. Pimentel was always the guitar on the cover of Mel Bay Books. Simon

Simon, I really like the sound of my Godin Multiac through my Roland Micro-Cube, which I run through either my home stereo system or the various church p.a. systems that I play through. My only complaint is that I owned a Kirk Sand for 11 years and was spoiled when it comes to the action. My Godin is too high for my tastes and tends to prevent me from playing some of the faster songs such as "Dizzy Fingers" as well as I'm used to when my time between notes isn't taken up with having to press the strings down that much further to reach the fretboard. I know that some on this board are guitar technicians but that's not me. I just play them.