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Godin 5th Avenue Kingpin
Archtop Guitar: Modern
Spin on a Classic Axe
Godin Guitars has introduced the 5th
Avenue model, the company’s first entry
into the archtop guitar world. Combining
classic design and tone with modern manufacturing
technology, Godin has produced a
surprisingly nice instrument at an incredibly
attractive price.
According to Godin, the 5th Avenue has
been in development for some time. Two
models are available: the original allacoustic
model and the new Kingpin,
which features a P-90 pickup mounted
into the top. In designing the guitar,
Godin was determined to create
something with a vintage vibe, and
the 5th Avenue Kingpin is reminiscent
of the great hollow-body
electrics of the 1950s.
The guitar is attractive, using a simple
yet functional design. The body is
made of molded laminated Canadian wild
cherry wood and the neck is Silverleaf maple.
Godin has used cherry on several other guitar
models, and found it to be responsive as a
tone wood. The Kingpin has a standard
trapeze-style tailpiece and floating adjustable
rosewood bridge. The single-coil P-90 is
mounted onto the top just below the end of
the fingerboard, and controlled with a volume
and tone knob. A floating pickguard
completes the picture.
The 5th Avenue is comfortable to play. The
16-inch bout and 3-inch body depth are perfect
for sitting and standing. The neck has a
rosewood fingerboard with a 24.84-inch scale
and 16-inch radius. The guitar arrived welladjusted
and played great, with good intonation
up and down the neck. Acoustically, the
Kingpin delivers a fair amount of volume, but
I found the tone to be a little thin, which is not
surprising for a pressed-laminate guitar. The
real strength of this guitar is its amplified
capabilities. The P-90 is a great choice here,
and produced a range of colorful sounds
from thick creamy jazz to growling blues and
rockabilly.
The Godin 5th Avenue Kingpin is definitely
worth a look. At a street price of $699, it is a
solid value for those purchasing their first
archtop, or for players looking to expand their
arsenal without breaking the bank.
—Keith Baumann
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Ordering info: godinguitars.com
compact, well-centered tone, along with a
quick response suitable for all types of trombone
performance. Tone-wise, I agree.
Initially I was struck by its crisp, bright sound
across all ranges. The horn has a dual bore
of 0.484–0.490 inches, with a 7.5-inch onepiece
bell. That makes it a pretty small bore
in my book, but not noticeably smaller than
my regular axe. However, the way the high
notes popped out so easily, it felt like an
even smaller bore.
It seemed like a fun, free-blowing horn
that required little effort to play, and I
couldn’t wait to show it off at some gigs and
rehearsals. Luckily, I had the opportunity to
play it with four different bands, including a
funky jazz combo, a couple of pop and r&b
bands, and a Latin jazz band. Visually, it drew
the kind of responses I expected, like,
“Whoa! What the hell is that thing” and, “I
see you’re playing a black trombone. Cool.”
In terms of playability, unfortunately, I
didn’t enjoy the Black Phoenix onstage as
much as I did alone in the practice room. I
struggled a bit with the intonation, and that
delicate, crispy tone was missing some of
the fatness I’m accustomed to. I play in some
loud bands, and I had a hard time pushing
enough air through this baby; it wasn’t cutting
through.
I have a feeling this horn would be bettersuited
for a small, quiet jazz combo, where
its distinctive tone could shine through naturally,
without forcing it. In that kind of situation,
it could be a real attention-getter—and
not just for the looks. —John Janowiak
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Ordering info: yamaha.com
June 2009 DOWNBEAT 101