Godin xtSA

I am an intermediate player who was looking for an "all in one" guitar. I play in a worship band (acoustic), lead (only guitar) in a 60s/70s/80s/90s/00s rock band, and am the lead singer/co-guitarist (mainly lead) in a variety party band. I played it through my TECH 21 Trademark 60, with MXR Comp & TC electronic OD in front and TC Electronic NOVA in the effects loop.

The workmanship and finish on this guitar is PERFECT! The neck is buttery, and the intonation right out of the store was perfect as well. I played it through a Mesa Mark at the store and didn't get the strat brightness I'd hoped for but blamed it on the amp. Even with the split coils in 2nd and 4th selected position, I was skeptical but bought it anyway. The hex pickup for MIDI apps tracks great, but I don't think it's an improvement over the separately mounted Roland pickups (I have one a cheap start that tracks as well). The controls are intuitive as well. The acoustic pickup is adequate but definitely lacks the brightness of other options (strats, teles, Epi LPs, cheap Parkers.) However, I could live with all those things, but I have taken it back for one reason -- the electric pickups. Other reviews have warned that the pickups are too "warm" or "vanilla." I agree. I frantically attempted to get a Fender-esque sound but only achieved with low watt practice amps (FM 25 and a Champ).

Clean sounds were adequate, however, for Skynyrd and other 70s rock. Crunch as well. Again, as a variety player, I simply need the option for the bite of a strat.

Pros:
- VERY well made.
- VERY clean.
- Awesome neck and overall workmanship.
- The action was fantastic right out of the store!

Cons:
- Limited (or disappointing) electric sounds compared to other guitars in price range.

I bought this primarily to use as an "all around" guitar. Acoustic, synth, electric in one instrument. I find the electronics to be fairly good. However, the guitar weighs more than any other I own, including my Strat and Tele. Noise resonates through the tremolo. Plumber's tape on the arm threads did not help. It does not stay in tune. I do like the acoustic pickup. (Just don't forget to unplug the guitar or the acoustic battery will die.) But, the Godin electric pickups are a bit disappointing. I'm sure the original issues with Seymour Duncans must have been better. The synth tracking is very good. As you would expect with a built-in system versus an add-on. Overall it's a solid 5 out of 10. The weight is the worst thing about it by far. Pair that with the tuning problem and you'd better have a real need for it's versatility or look to another axe for what you require.

I bought directly in Canada. This is the only guitar I have bought without trying it out before. It's the most versatile guitar there is. It's 3 instruments in 1.
1 acoustic-electric part, 1 electric part with 5 pickups in HSH configuration, and a hexaphonic sensor to control a MIDI pedal (ROLAND GR20), all quite usable, even for beginners, it's not a Rube Goldberg machine.
A nice violin layer when picking, and it doesn't sound like a toy at all...It really does the trick and, furthermore, it conceals unwanted string noise...it's a real treat.
Go watch it on youtube.
Like any good product, the guitar + pedal combination is pricey.
The GR20 comes with a GK3 which I installed on a Vantage...it's not very easy to adjust. When set too low, some notes go missing, you get too much latency, and too high it gets all mixed up. On the Godin it's perfect, no need to adjust anything.
Further, the craftsmanship is impeccable, the neck is precise, it doesn't go out of tune...It's a high-end product.

Where is it made? Canada

How many frets and what kind of pickups does it have? What's the pickup configuration?
3 Godin-type pickups, two humbuckers and one single-coil
+ One piezo for electric sounds
+ One piezo for synth access

What kind of bridge does it have (Floyd Rose, Wilkinson....)?
It has vibrato but no Floyd, it's the classic type with springs

What controls does it have (volume, tone, pickup selector...)?
One volume / one tone control for the three classic pickups
Vol + Bass + medium + treble controls for the acoustic-electric part
One volume for the synth
One split to toggle between them
One split for the synth settings

What kind of neck does it have?
Mahogany neck with ebony touches
I think it's a bit sticky, even though I've cleaned it up completely to no success (I don't like mahogany)


USE

Is the neck comfortable?
Apart from the fact that the rear is sticky, yes it's fast and easy to play

Is the access to the upper frets easy?
YES, thanks to the skillfully carved cutaway

Does the instrument have an ergonomic design (body shape, weight...)?
The guitar is heavy, but it's like an all-purpose Swiss-army knife

Is it easy to get the right sound? ...
Yes! But careful, the output level is twice as high as that of a Clapton Strat or any other Godin and even a Takamine with the electric (these are three of my favorite guitars)... Watch out with the volume pot and involuntary distortions with multi-effects!

SOUND

Does it suit your music style?
You can do anything with it! So, yes.

Which amp(s) or effect(s) do you use with it?
I play a GNX directly connected to a PA system or, when I play on my own, I use a Stagepass

What kind of sounds do you get and what settings do you use ("crystal-clear", "fat", ...)?
Anything! It's a Swiss-army knife!

Which sounds do you prefer / hate?
I think the MIDS are a bit light. The lows are often too low and the highs too high. It might lack an additional pot... And the remarks some other people have made regarding the split and the tuners are true.


OVERALL OPINION

How long have you been using the product?
3 months

Which feature do you like the most / the least?
I can go to any bar and play ALONE with my multi-effects, my GR20 and my Stagepass, and it all fits in the trunk of my old cabrio! No need to carry three guitars, two amps...

Did you try any other models before buying this one?
I already have 10 guitars and have played an awesome one: The Parker... But it's too expensive

How would you rate its value for money?
Considering the price I bought it for... Excellent

Based on your experience, would you buy this product again? ...
Yes! I bought it to go easier on my Clapton Strat equipped with GK3 and my Takamine, which has started to age a bit and it cost my a kidney to get it refretted this year. It doesn't have the same appeal as the others, though... I think it's a "salable" (but not disposable) guitar