Godin A4 Fretless

$800, with case, at a guitar show

It has a very acoustic tone when properly
EQ'ed and is not too huge, unlike fully
hollow AGBs. I use Fender black nylon
covered roundwounds, and get a somewhat
URB-like voice. Also, it looks cool with
the natural finish cedar top and plain
fretless fingerboard. Action is very
decent for a non-adjustable bridge.

It's a bit neck-heavy, not too bad though.
The slider pots for EQ and gain are very
"fast" over a short distance, hard to set
safely while playing.

Biggest gripe is the 4-inline peghead.
Singe the body is barely bigger than the
typical solid body, if the peghead were a little shorter [like with a 2+2] it would
be much easier to find gigbags

Accquired from Sam Ash in Edison NJ, was a scratched demo model so I got it for around $700. I liked the way it sounded in the store, it had a beautiful tone, and it got some excellent magazine and web eviews. (Which I've since come to believe are all highly over-inflated!)

It's an electric hollow body semi-accoustic, but you wouldn't play it out unamplified as it has no sound hole. The tone, when used with the right amp (I use a Hartke KB12 or an SWR Workmans 10 cube with itis really fantastic; it's almost like playing a DB without having to haul one around!

You need a combo or an amp with at least 100W of power and at least a 10" speaker to get good sound from the A4's piezzio pick-ups. Mini amps such as Peavey's MicroBass or SWR's LA30 cube break up badly on the A string of this thing. Also the A4's EQ controls are tiny, delicate sliders, and moving the things just a tiny millimeter causes an ernormous tonal difference!
And (and this is a big problem IMO the Godin company is extremely unresponsive to it's customers! It takes months to get any kind of response out of them at all, and then they will give you lame excuses as to why they didn't respond and will also forget to follow through on whatever they said to you about providing assistance!

Fit and finish is not up to par for a bass that normally sells for around 1K; already, in 2 months of light use, one of the A4's bridge's pegs has splintered slightly and the neck is starting to bow and raise the string action too high. And the truss-rod adustment nut is extremely difficult to get at as the cavity it's in is too damn small!
The back of the A4 is not wood although it looks like it; it's some kind of plastic composite like one finds on a kitty-litter box, and the plastic battery holder inside it is like something from an Everything Is $1 store!

Beautiful tone (so far) from a crappy, overly delicate, poorly and cheaply constructed way over-priced bass made by a company that hides from its customers...
Buy at your own risk!

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

Godin A4 Fretless bass produces a sound reminiscent of acoustic bass, while offering the advantage of being lighter and less bulky than the latter. The concept of two acoustic chambers clean Instrument Series A at the Godin (guitars, ...) is also applied to low A4.
This concept eliminates the possibility of feedback effects, in addition to minimize the adverse effects on the belly caused by high noise levels on stage.
The vibrations of the solid cedar top, are also controlled by a dam similar to that found on a cello. Low A4 are equipped with systems LRBaggsMC ribbon transducer under the bridge, coupled to a preamplifier.

- Made in Canada
- Neck: Hard Maple
- Fingerboard: Ebony
- Radius: 40.6 cm (16 in.)
- Scale: 86.4 cm (34 in.)
- Nut: 3.8 cm (1 1 / 2 inch) - 4 strings
- Body: Silver Leaf Maple dual acoustic chamber
- Top: Solid Cedar
- Sensors: LR Baggs ribbon and special preamplifiers
- Controls: Volume, midrange, treble and bass
- Finish: Natural Satin

UTILIZATION

The handle is very nice, and its pace is quite important.
Good access to acute. The bass is not too heavy and its shape is close to a Solid Body. Godin configuration is ideal for equalization. The sound is magical and powerful equalizer.

SOUNDS

This product really low, a sound reminiscent of the bass sound (even on a Hartke amp and Ampeg).
It is magical and EQ is powerful.
Very good sound in any mixing desk without preamp.
Well suited to Jazz, Salsa and other music, with a view to the Acoustics (Set an example for Pop / Rock sound while)
The resulting sound is very round, precise and serious, close to both a bass and a fretless.
The portamentos are in order ...

OVERALL OPINION

This electro-acoustic bass Godin A4 Fretless, produces a sound reminiscent of acoustic bass. The concept of two acoustic chambers, eliminates the risk of Larsen effect, as well as minimize the adverse effects on the soundboard caused by high noise levels on stage.

Yet I have tried other basses such as acoustic Takamine B10 Fretless Carvin AC 40, Ovation, Fender ... but my choice is worn away, the Godin A4 Fretless.

Good value for money, even if this low is a little expensive (between € 1,300.00 and € 1,500.00 approx.) It is very good.
Nevertheless, I confirm my choice without hesitation
In style, there is no better in my opinion (of course outside the bass luthiers).

Made in Canada.
CONTRL: volume, mdiums, treble and bass
Fretless but around the 19-20 Jazz Bass Frets.Manche unmarked.
-1 Becaufe the table is not very strong (I bought mine split it does not affect the sound since it does not touch the dam, but I had a reduction of 500).

UTILIZATION

It's a Jazz Bass neck, so very little large.Apres round, we have the funny feeling to have a greater pitch (and yet it is the 34'').
The access to acute is simple, no big heel.
A relatively simple, I do not play seated, it is extremely fun to play! Well, it is a little heavy, but I think the majority of people
who will use play sitting ...
I would put only 7 because, acoustics, it has no real power and this particular bass timbre.

SOUNDS

Once branchc'est else! I play a Warwick 20 Watt and I sound phenomenal!
Low and Medium a flat Trebble thoroughly, and it was a true bass!
Reverse the mediums and treble equalizer on bass, and you sound nice Fretless (but does not equal a Fretless Electric).
I use poiur Jazz (gypsy), rock (RHCP), the power ballad (Metallica) at home or with an acoustic guitar as his and it's fantastic!
For the amateur bass player who destroyed the fingers on a bass for a bit more volume, it is happiness out of such power by keeping the sound of bass!
-1 Parcequ'en as Fretless, it does not make a electric.

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for three months, and this choice I would do a thousand times! This bass should be part of any good bassist Rig!
I love having the sound of a bass in does not alter the physical characteristics of the bass.
I try Harricot species of plastic Guild, and it takes no comparison with the Godin.
This bass is less expensive than the lowest range of bass and yet has a really extraordinary!

If you find a bass sound is huge, go and eyes closed!
Do not take it if it is to get his Fretless, try it before.

I can provide Sampler has the service.