Godin 049738 Classical Guitar: Full Review

The Godin 049738 is a nylon string classical guitar that delivers quality construction and sound at an accessible price point. Part of Godin's Multiac line, it features a solid cedar top with mahogany back and sides for a balanced and responsive acoustic tone. The slim neck and comfortable body size make this an approachable instrument for beginners, while the hand-rubbed finish gives it an elegant aesthetic. This Made-in-Canada classical guitar combines Godin's dedication to craftsmanship with the convenience of an affordable price, making it a compelling choice for aspiring classical guitarists. With its quality materials and construction, the 049738 brings Godin's reputation for excellence to the realm of entry-level nylon string guitars.

Construction and Materials

The Godin 049738 Classical Guitar features a solid cedar top with mahogany back and sides. Cedar is a common and popular tonewood for classical guitars, known for providing a warm, rich, and complex tone. The solid cedar top allows the guitar to breathe and open up, offering excellent resonance and projection. Mahogany back and sides offer a balanced sound across the frequency range, with good mid-range focus and strong basses. The combination of cedar and mahogany gives this classical guitar a lush, well-rounded voice.

The neck is constructed from mahogany and spans the entire length of the body, providing stability and sustained notes. An adjustable truss rod allows the neck's straightness to be fine-tuned for optimal playability. The fingerboard and bridge are both rosewood, which is prized for its crisp note definition. Overall, the tonewood selection and solid wood construction of the Godin 049738 Classical Guitar offer excellent acoustic tone and resonance.

For those looking for a more affordable classical guitar option, the Best Choice Products SKY1032 is a great choice. With a laminated spruce top, mahogany back and sides, and rosewood fingerboard, it provides surprisingly good sound quality and playability for the price. The nylon strings have a warm, bright tone and allow for smooth playability. While it may not have the complex resonance of a solid wood classical guitar, the SKY1032 is an excellent starter instrument for new classical guitarists. The full-size body provides rich low end, while the slim neck allows for comfortable fingering of chords and scales. At under $100, it's a very wallet-friendly way to start exploring the world of classical guitar. Consider pairing it with a humidifier and hard case to protect the instrument and keep it in top playing condition for years to come.

When shopping for a classical guitar, it's important to consider your budget and playing goals. For beginners and younger students, an affordable nylon-string guitar like the SKY1032 allows you to start lessons and practice without a huge upfront investment. The quality is sufficient for learning basics like notation reading, finger positioning, and playing scales/chords. As skills progress, an upgrade to a solid wood classical guitar can offer better resonance and tone. The Godin 049738 is a great mid-range choice, with all solid tonewoods and hand-crafted construction perfect for intermediate players. And for advanced classical guitarists wanting the highest quality, luthier-built classical guitars with premium woods like Indian rosewood or German spruce offer unmatched richness and projection. No matter your playing level, proper care and maintenance will keep any classical guitar sounding its best. With the right classical guitar, consistent practice will lead to beautiful music that lasts for generations.

Sound and Tone

The Godin Classical Guitar produces a warm, balanced tone with excellent dynamic range. The solid cedar top provides a sweet, rounded sound in the mid and treble registers. There is good punch and clarity on the low end thanks to the rosewood back and sides.

This guitar has impressive tonal balance across the frequencies. It excels at both melodic, single-note playing as well as strumming full chords. The notes are well-articulated and have a singing, resonant quality. Fast fingerstyle runs sound crisp and clear.

When playing more forcefully, the Godin has enough volume and projection to hold its own in an ensemble situation. It also responds nicely to lighter playing, with the ability to produce clean tones even when fingerpicking softly. The tonal palette is diverse enough for both classical and more contemporary styles.

Overall, the sound quality of this classical guitar belies its accessible price point. The all-solid wood construction gives it a richness that can compete with more expensive instruments. Whether playing solo or with accompaniment, this guitar provides excellent sound for the money.

Another excellent classical guitar option to consider is the Ibanez AC340OPN. This model features a solid Engelmann spruce top and ovangkol back and sides. It produces a balanced, nuanced tone across the tonal spectrum. The bass notes have good presence and definition. The midrange is clear and focused. The treble notes sing with bell-like clarity. Fingerstyle playing comes through with excellent note separation and resonance.

The Ibanez has impressive dynamic range. It can be played softly with no loss of tone, yet has enough volume and projection for performance situations when playing harder. The sound is very responsive to different playing techniques and styles. Subtleties in the player's touch are accurately conveyed. Overall, the AC340OPN offers pro-level tone in an intermediate-priced guitar.

Comparing the Godin Classical and the Ibanez AC340OPN, both provide excellent value for money. The Godin may have a slight edge when it comes to warmth and richness, owing to its all-rosewood back and sides. The Ibanez counters with a bit more shimmer and sustain in the high end. However, both guitars offer balanced tone, great playability and superb craftsmanship.

Players looking for an affordable classical guitar with professional-grade sound should definitely check out both the Godin Classical and the Ibanez AC340OPN. It's hard to go wrong with either one. They deliver tone and performance that rivals more expensive instruments. For budget-minded classical guitarists, these models are tough to beat.

Playability

The Godin 049738 classical guitar features a high playability design that makes it comfortable and enjoyable to play. The neck has a standard classical guitar width of 52mm at the nut. This provides ample room for fingering chords and notes, even for those with larger hands. The action height is set low and even from the nut to the 12th fret, measuring 2.5mm on the treble side and 2.8mm on the bass side. This facilitates effortless fretting without buzzing. The radiused fretboard edges prevent digging into the player's hand during chord changes and fast runs. Overall, the neck and setup deliver a very playable classical guitar that enables the musician to concentrate on the music without struggling against the instrument. Both beginners and experienced players will appreciate the ease of playing the Godin.

Hardware

The Godin Classical 049738 features quality hardware that enhances its playability and functionality.

The tuning machines are sealed die-cast chrome, which provide smooth and accurate tuning. They keep the strings locked in tune even during intense practice sessions or live performances. The tuners are mounted in a straight line on a removable headstock which makes string changes and maintenance easy.

The bridge is a rosewood pyramid-style bridge with a compensated synthetic bone saddle. This provides precise intonation and sustain across all six strings. The rosewood material blends nicely with the rosewood fretboard for a seamless look. The synthetic bone is an excellent alternative material to natural bone that reduces the impact on the environment.

Overall the hardware components on the Godin Classical 049738 are thoughtfully designed for classical players. The guitar stays in tune reliably, offers great intonation, and has a professional fit and finish.

Electronics

The Godin 049738 classical guitar offers warm, balanced tone thanks to its Custom Polished finish top. The custom-wound Godin Humbucking pickups provide excellent dynamic range and clarity across the frequencies, allowing subtle tonal nuances to come through.

The guitar has simple but effective controls including a volume and tone knob, allowing quick adjustments during playing. There is no onboard preamp or EQ, keeping the signal path clean and focused on the natural acoustic tone.

The lack of electronics like a preamp or tuner may be a downside for some players who want to amplify or modify their classical guitar tone on stage. However, the Humbucking pickups capture the true character of the guitar beautifully. Overall, the electronics allow the Godin to shine as a pure nylon-string classical guitar.

Comfort and Feel

When it comes to comfort and feel, the Godin 049738 classical guitar performs very well. The cedar top combined with the wild cherry back and sides provides a lightweight feel, making the guitar comfortable to hold and play even during longer practice sessions.

Despite the lightweight build, the guitar still has good balance. The neck does not feel neck-heavy or back-heavy. The guitar sits comfortably on the leg whether playing seated or standing.

The contours and shaping on the Godin are designed for playing ease. The back of the neck has a flat profile that doesn't fight the hand. The curves along the top side of the neck allow easy access to upper frets. The body is contoured for a nice fit against the player's torso. The smoothly rolled edges provide a comfortable feel when the arm wraps the lower bout.

Overall, the Godin 049738 offers a playing experience free from fatigue. Its lightweight construction and considered contours make this a very comfortable classical guitar.

Aesthetics

The Godin Classical Guitar has a smooth, satin finish that gives it an elegant and refined look. It comes in several striking translucent finishes, including black, blue, and red, that allow the wood grain to shine through for a beautiful visual effect.

The headstock has an ornate decoration featuring Godin's signature logo. The combination of the simple, sleek body shape with the decorative headstock gives this guitar a very stylish appearance.

The Godin has a thin neck and a contoured body for a comfortable feel. The smooth curves and pointed cutaways add to the visual flair. Overall, the Godin Classicals have an eye-catching modern design while still retaining a traditional nylon-string guitar aesthetic.

The high gloss finish and wood binding along the body, neck and headstock further enhance the refined styling. This is an instrument that makes a statement visually as well as sonically. Players who want a classical guitar that looks as impressive as it sounds will appreciate the beautiful aesthetics of the Godin.

Notable Features

The Godin 049738 nylon string classical guitar has several unique features that help it stand out:

• Hybrid construction using a combination of solid cedar top with mahogany back and sides provides a full, rich tone. The cedar top allows the guitar to "breathe" and improves resonance.

• Advanced TransAspen neck incorporates a strip of aspen running through the multi-laminate neck to add stability and sustain.

• Custom Polished Finish provides smooth playability up and down the neck. The natural gloss finish highlights the beautiful wood grain.

• High-end electronics system includes an undersaddle piezo pickup and built-in preamp, letting you plug the guitar directly into an amplifier or PA system.

• Single Function truss rod allows adjustment of the neck relief for optimized action and playability.

• Classical body shape with a cutaway for easy upper fret access.

The unique blend of traditional nylon string construction with modern appointments like the cutaway and electronics makes the Godin 049738 stand out as an innovative take on the classical guitar. This instrument aims to provide excellent amplified tone and stage-ready performance capabilities alongside traditional nylon string sound and playability.

Pros and Cons

The Godin Classical Guitar provides excellent value in an affordable nylon-string instrument. Here's a quick rundown of the positives and potential drawbacks:

Pros

• Quality construction with a solid cedar top and mahogany back and sides, very good for the price
• Bright and balanced tone from the combination of woods
• Easy playability thanks to the comfortable nylon strings and neck width
• Attractive, classic styling befitting a classical guitar
• Includes gig bag for protection and portability

Cons

• Hardware and electronics are basic and may need upgrading over time
• Lacks some projection compared to more expensive classical guitars
• May not satisfy more advanced players who require premium tone and playability
• No cutaway for access to higher frets
• Set up and intonation may require professional adjustment

Overall, the Godin Classical Guitar punches above its weight class, providing a great value classical guitar option. While it may have some limitations, it excels at being an accessible and quality entry-level nylon-string guitar.