Godin a8

[mandroid]

rather than hijack a thread on #'equipment', DPA mini mics in particular
' beluga' (Jim) wanted to know how they compared with a well amplified acoustic , what ever you all may interpret that to mean.

Personally The one [A8] that passed thru my hands a couple years ago was fine, as an amplified semi acoustic, which is what it was made to be.
particularly at $400, used, a decent tone for the money, but then I didn't #go shop around for the best Amp match #to use with it.. [put it into a PA channel]
built in EQ and volume control, battery powered #preamp.
A fixed bridge , and bolt on neck, so, action tweaking was simple.

[rounDSound]

I've played one at a local guitar shop a few times acoustically and amplified through a yorkville acoustic amp. The action/set-up was pretty bad, and the fret ends literally cut my hands up. Whether this was a result of the instrument being improperly humidified, or just poorly finished I can't say.

Compared to a fender electric/epiphone firebird with a magnetic pickup, it was gold. There was just no contest. Even comparing it against mic'ed instruments, it still held it's ground. It sounded exactly like a mandolin should, just louder. No wierd piezo quack or magnetic pickup twang. Output can get pretty hot, but I didn't find the EQ offered that much versatility at all.

I haven't played that many mandolins, but if it weren't for the horrendous frets/setup I would have walked out of the store with it.

[Pen]

I liked it ok. #I played a few of them in various stores around here a year ago when I was in the market. #I think $400 is a fair (if not pretty good) price for that instrument. #If you intend to never play it as accoustic - you may be happy with it. #I found it's unplugged sound just pathetic (of course - it wasn't made to be unplugged).

I ended up buying a Ovation MM68. #A bit more expensive (found a good used one for $600.00). #It sounded better plugged in to me. #It had a much better sound unplugged than the Godin (not that I play it that way often - but I do occasionally). #It is a much sturdier instrument - and I mean much. #I've also read of issues with strings slipping off the nut on the Godin (G string I think it was).

I played a lot of accoustic mando's that had factory pick ups when I was looking for something for the stage. #Godin & Ovation where the top 2 - with Ovation rising head and shoulders above the Godin when I started doing comparisons.

Either are going to be much better in a loud environment over a mic'd accoustic. When I play all accoustic with no loud guitars or drums, I prefer to use my accoustic mando and play into a shur 57.

[mrkrgr]

I have had both and I chose the Godin. To me the Ovation neck was smaller and I didn't like that feel, the Godin neck is somewhat larger, its a lot like my Weber. And I also thought that the Ovstion sounded more like a high strung guitar than a mandolin. I would be hard pressed to replace my Godin with any other emando. Also no soundhole, no feedback.

[Richard H]

I prefer the Godin to my Rigel A+ Deluxe in the relatively loud amplified settings I usually encounter. No feed-back, nice action, acceptable tone.

It's the only mando I use on gigs nowadays.

[hellindc]

I'm happy with my Godin, but I did have adjustments made to keep the strings (especially the G and A) on course. I don't know why Godin doesn't make them that way from the start. It does sound pretty close to my acoustic when amped, but I like being able to adjust volune and tone.