Godin Richmond Belmont Review

Specifications

Neck : Mahogany
Fingerboard : Ergocut Rosewood fingerboard
Radius : 12"
Nut Width : 1 11/16"
Scale Length : 24 3/4 " scale
Body : Solid Mahogany
Pickups : 2 x Single coil Lipstick pickups and 1 x Seymour Duncan 59 humbucker in bridge
Bridge : Chrome Roller bridge with fixed tailpiece
Tuning Machines : High-Ratio Chrome tuning machines
Controls : 1 x Volume, 1 x Tone and 5-way switch
Colors : Black Wash HG & Burgundy HG

Features

From the Godin website:

The Belmont packs a full gamut of classic rock muscle into its incredibly resonant solid mahogany body. This 24 ¾” scale axe is powered by two single coil Lipstick pickups, along with the vintage bite of a Seymour Duncan ’59 humbucker in the bridge. All of which is controlled by a 5-way selector switch and separate volume and tone knobs.

The Belmont’s bolt-on mahogany neck features the worn in feel of an Ergocut rosewood fingerboard for an incredibly comfortable playing experience. The Belmont is finished off with high-ratio tuning machines, a chrome roller bridge with fixed tailpiece, a Nordic white pickguard and truss rod cover. 

Review

"Forward thinking" and "innovation" are hardly what you'd think of if I started out by telling you that Godin Guitars are based out of a tiny place in Quebec (Canada) called La Patrie.  But between here and several other locations in Quebec and one in New Hampshire, Godin creates next-generation guitars with old fashioned craftsmanship. Founded (and still owned) by Robert Godin over twenty years ago, Godin steps off the beaten path with their aesthetic, tone and quality.

This is the first in a series of reviews of guitars by Godin, a Canadian company that we had the pleasure of running into first at NAMM back in January.  Their array of current models was impressive, taking up a huge room on the second floor of the conference hall, and we were lucky enough to get a sneak peak at some of the new and exciting things happening for them in 2009 (http://www.guitarfixation.com/features/more/namm_2009_day_three). They've been kind enough to follow up our meeting there with a whole slew of guitars for our staff to test out. Not surprisingly, I've chosen the burgundy Richmond Belmont to review first.

Described on Godin's website as "sleek, sexy and full of sizzling tone with a serious amount of retro space-age vibe to boot," I wasn't really sure what to expect from the Belmont. Space age and retro at the same time?  That's a pretty tall order, given that the things that make a guitar retro (pickups, design) don't usually lend themselves to modern (or future!) tone and styling.  This was more than enough to make me curious to play these guitars.

The Richmond line (the Belmont and the Dorchester, which is next on the review docket) is made by a dedicated team of luthiers in the town of the same name in Quebec.  Both come in sturdy Richmond hardshell cases, a retro-styled taupe affair complete with faux-alligator accents. First impressions count as much for guitar as they do for people, and the quality of Godin's guitars shines through first and foremost when you swing open the case.

I immediately fell in love with the deep, rich burgundy finish of the Belmont, a modern take on an late-60s-esque SG shape with a solid mahogany body, Ergocut rosewood fingerboard, and Nordic white pickguard. This 24 3/4" scale electric features two single coil Lipstick pickups paired with the crunch of a Seymour Duncan '59 humbucker, controlled by a 5-way selector switch, volume and tone knobs. The craftsmanship that went into this guitar is clear, with a combination bolt-on/set-net configuration and headstock attached at opposite grain for additional stability.

To really put this and the other Godins to test I called on Player 3 of first person shooter and our friend Adam Boyle, the drummer from Left of Zero, to camp out with me and some Marshalls at the Rehearsal Factory one Saturday afternoon.  The line up of digital amps at HQ was great to get a feel for the range of these Godin guitars, but I wanted to hear what these crazy French Canadians sounded like with the volume up and the gloves off.

The Belmont came through the test like a champ, going from bright and clean to grungy and loud, by far the most versatile, playable guitar I've ever come across. We tested at some huge volumes, and played songs ranging from jukebox oldies to modern punk anthems, but no matter what genre we threw at it, the Belmont lent itself easily to tone required for the job. The humbucking Seymour Duncan and Lipstick pickups proved a powerful combination to drive endless varieties of tones.  It really lived up to Godin's claims of having created a guitar both space age and vintage at the same time.

The Belmont is weighted nicely, with a smooth, fast neck and nice light weight.  The 24 3/4" scale is a pleasant vacation if you've been playing a longer scale guitar like I have.  Perfect for punchy leads, the Belmont has a wide dynamic range and sustains into feedback nicely. Godin really hit the mark with the combination of the Lipstick pickups and the Seymour Duncan humbucker in the bridge position, giving you everything from vintage twang to modern crunch.

Myself, I was less of a fan of the tones the Lipstick pickups had to offer, in part because of personal preference for heavier tone and partly because all the boys made fun of me for having Lipstick pickups.  If you're into vintage tones though, the 50s and 60s vibe from these pickups will delight and thrill you, and it's important to note that once the Belmont was plugged in the boys quieted down with their jeering. My preference was for the extra push and grit from the Seymour Duncan pickup; with the switch in the bridge position this guitar was loud, snotty and full of great punk, rock and garage tones.

This guitar stayed in tune throughout rigorous jamming, and lent itself to the widest range of tones out of all the guitars we tested.  Equally suited to clean lead parts as grungy rhythm backing, the Belmont is a wonderfully playable guitar.  The super smooth rosewood neck lets you fly through lead riffs and the guitar's light weight makes it comfortable to play for extended periods of time.

The Final Word

While I was expecting the company to overshoot the mark in trying to combine modern and vintage tone and design in the same guitar, I think Godin succeeded in building something new and fantastic with the Belmont.  Both vintage and modern tones are achieved with shrewd selection of great pickups, and the lightweight but sturdy mahogany body combined with the ercocut fingerboard and slick neck to create a guitar that's an absolute delight to play.

Godin's claim to have created a guitar for players "looking for a vintage vibe backed by meticulous craftsmanship, innovation and modern playability" isn't just good marketing speak, it's an accurate description of an outstanding axe. The Richmond Belmont makes good on Godin's claim to have struck a balance between innovative styling, vintage tone and true playability. It's range of choice tones combined with sleek design, lightweight feel and high-quality construction make this guitar hard to beat for versatility, comfort and tone.

With Help From:

Ryan Couture of first person shooter (http://www.firstpersonshooter.ca)

Adam Boyle of Left of Zero (http://www.leftofzero.ca)

Photos by:

Joanna Cwik for Velvet Photography (http://www.velvetphoto.com)