Back to the Future, Part “Fun”
For over twenty years under the watchful eye
of Robert Godin, Godin Guitars has carved
out its own niche, pushing the bounds of guitar design by creating innovative, well-made
acoustic and electric guitars that have a voice
of their own. Based in Montreal, Godin maintains six manufacturing facilities in Canada,
intentionally kept small to create an intimate
work environment that is evident in the “
custom shop” quality of their instruments.
joint is stable and has a tight fit. Another
interesting feature, which is shared with the
Dorchester model, is that the headstock is
“sliced” and fitted with opposing grain pattern to ensure neck stiffness. It is so meticulously executed, one has to look very carefully to pick up on this design specification.
features two black “top hat” style knobs
(Volume and Tone) with silver tops and a
black-tipped five-way switch.
As a logical extension of their electric guitar
operations, Godin has recently introduced
the Richmond Guitar line, the designs of
which strike a balance between sleek retro
styling and true innovation with meticulous
craftsmanship. The Richmond brand, named
after the town in Quebec where these guitars are manufactured, currently features
two offerings, the Dorchester and Belmont
models. Both models feature unique, retro
styling with fantastic playability, and come in
a well-made Taupe tolex-covered hardshell
case with “Alligator” accents—all at a very
competitive price (both models can have
street prices around $1,000).
The double-cutaway mahogany body has
the devilish hint of a late-sixties SG and
sits very comfortably in either a standing or
sitting position. The Black Wash HG finish
co-ordinates nicely with the guitar’s retro
look, with a tastefully faded black finish
that highlights the grain of the mahogany
body and matching headstock. The finish is
nicely contrasted with a single-ply, Nordic
White pickguard, matching white truss rod
cover and trio of chrome covered Seymour
Duncan pickups that makes one want to
break out the Lava Lamp and take in that
sixties vibe. The chrome roller bridge and
14: 1 Kluson vintage style tuning machines
finish off the retro look. The guitar also
Belmont Model
Plugging In
The thick mid-range focused voice of
the Belmont is matched with three stock
Seymour Duncan pickups: two lipstick-style
single coils (SLD- 1) in the neck and middle
position, and a ’ 59 model humbucker (SH- 1)
in the bridge. Overall, this seems to be a
great design choice for the Belmont, as this
electronics package provides a broad array
of usable tones that bring a high degree of
versatility. Fired up through a Carr Mercury,
I could not find fault with the fabulous hard
rock tones produced by the bridge setting.
I have always been a fan of the SH- 1 set in a
mahogany body, and the added articulation
offered by the bolt on design brought this
classic combination to a new level. Position 4
(bridge/middle) was particularly memorable,
as it added that greasy aftertaste to a classic
rock tone, making it a natural choice for
Belmont Model
The Belmont model solidly earns the
Richmond moniker with its Gibson SG-meets-Danolectro styling, and offers a unique
blend of design and electronics to make it
a versatile, easy-to-play tone machine. The
mahogany body features a beveled front
edge along three quarters of the body, as
well as a “tummy cut.” The generous, slab-style rosewood fretboard is cantilevered to
extend over the edge of the neck end at the
22nd fret. The neck has a matte finish with
a smaller, C-size neck carve reminiscent of a
sixties slim taper profile (a personal favorite)
and a 12” fretboard radius. The finish and
carve make for a very enjoyable playing
experience, allowing the player to fly across
the neck. The designers at Godin made a
great call in combining a bolt-on design with
what is considered to be a traditional set-neck wood configuration (i.e., a mahogany
body/mahogany neck, 24-3/4” scale). The
result is the best of both worlds, as there is
a certain “snap” blended into a thick, mid-range voiced unamplified tone that rock and
blues aficionados will most certainly enjoy.
Like its sister Dorcehester model, the fretwork on the Belmont is executed flawlessly,
and that combined with the “Ergocut” fretboard make the Belmont a joy to play. Full
step bends are a breeze with the help of the
expertly cut and honed Graph Tech nut and
perfectly dressed medium jumbo frets. The
neck plate is an interesting, four-screw shape
with a rounded, offset design. The neck
