Some time back I looked at a Godin and passed on it. Looked is a pretty accurate assessment of my assessment of the Godin as the store didn't have an amp readily available for me to play it through. I decided that, while the acoustic output was easily suitable for practice, I didn't have a good sense for what it would sound like through an amp and I was short on time so I hung the Godin up and walked out.
Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago when I ordered Ted Eschliman's "Getting into Jazz Mandolin" and I started thinking about wanting an amplified acoustic sound that was heavier on the acoustic than it was on the amplified. I remembered the Godin and typed Goden A8 into Google and up popped a used A8 in a store about 25 miles from me.
I went over and played it through a junker amp (I seem to be destined to have to extrapolate to get a sense of the sound of Godin mandolins), and it sounded good enough for me to decide to get an A8.
The next decision was new or used and do I unload something else first. If I sold something I would then feel justified in buying a new one without any out of pocket money and I would be true to my semi commitment to my wife to move something out before moving something in.
OTOH, if I was able to get the barely used Godin for a low enough price, I wouldn't feel like I had to put that much out of pocket and, as for moving something in without making room, the Godin isn't really that big. So I offered, he agreed and I brought it home.
Played through either my Genz Benz acoustic amp or the Roland Cube 60 in acoustic mode, the Godin sounds very much like what I was looking for. Had I been able to hook that one up way back when, I very likely would have bought it then.
The neck is a little thicker than I am used to, but I can adjust. It plays nicely without hindering my left hand in any way. All in all, a very good move on my part, I would say.
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