Godin Arena Pro CW Bourbon Burst EQ

The Godin Arena Pro CW (Cutaway) Burst EQ is a premium acoustic-electric classical guitar from Godin, designed for serious players and performers who need a stage-ready instrument with exceptional tone and comfortable playability. As part of Godin's La Patrie series (though often simply branded Godin due to its higher-end features), it maintains the Canadian-made quality and attention to detail.

Here's a detailed breakdown of its key features:

• Made in Canada: A hallmark of Godin guitars, ensuring high-quality craftsmanship and materials.

• Body:

  • Body Shape: Classical with a Venetian Cutaway. The cutaway provides excellent access to the upper frets, which is essential for soloists and players who venture beyond the lower positions.

  • Top Wood: Solid Cedar (often Pressure Tested Solid Cedar). Cedar is highly prized for classical guitars due to its warmth, rich overtones, and quick, articulate response. "Pressure Tested" tops are designed to ensure optimal rigidity and harmonic vibration, enhancing projection and sustain. The "Burst" in the name indicates a beautiful, often highly figured, burst finish on the top.

  • Back & Sides Wood: Solid Mahogany. Unlike many guitars in this price range that use laminated back and sides, the Arena Pro CW features solid mahogany, which significantly contributes to a rich, warm, and resonant tone with excellent sustain and harmonic complexity.

  • Binding: Rosewood binding, adding a touch of elegance and durability.

  • Rosette: Intricate wooden rosette, often a multi-ring design.

  • Finish: High-gloss finish on the body (often including the "Burst" effect on the cedar top), allowing the woods to resonate fully while providing a beautiful aesthetic.

• Neck & Fingerboard:

  • Neck Material: Solid Mahogany, known for its stability and contribution to the overall warmth of the tone.

  • Neck Profile: A comfortable classical neck profile. While still a classical nut width, Godin often designs these necks to be a bit more player-friendly than extremely wide traditional classical necks.

  • Scale Length: 25.66" (651.764 mm), a standard full-size classical scale length.

  • Fingerboard Material: Richlite. Richlite is a durable, stable, and environmentally friendly composite material that feels very much like ebony, offering a smooth playing surface.

  • Nut Width: 2" (50.8 mm), a standard classical guitar nut width, providing ample string spacing for fingerstyle playing.

  • Nut & Saddle: Graphtech Tusq, a synthetic material designed to enhance sustain and tuning stability.

  • Frets: 19 frets.

• Electronics (EQ):

  • Pickup System: Equipped with a high-quality onboard electronics system, often the Godin Q1T or Q1T Custom preamp. This system is specifically designed for nylon-string guitars to accurately capture and amplify their natural acoustic tone.

  • Controls: Typically includes Volume, Bass, and Treble controls for tone shaping, along with a built-in digital chromatic tuner. This makes the guitar exceptionally stage-ready, allowing players to dial in their sound directly on the instrument.

  • Output: Standard 1/4" output jack.

• Hardware:

  • Bridge: Rosewood.

  • Tuners: High-ratio classical tuners (often Gold with pearloid buttons), providing precise and stable tuning.

  • Strings: Comes with high-quality Savarez Corum Alliance strings.

• Other Features:

  • Truss Rod: Often includes an adjustable truss rod, which is beneficial for neck stability and action adjustments, a feature not always found on traditional classical guitars.

  • Case/Gig Bag: Typically, a high-end Godin model like this would come with a Godin Gig Bag for protection and portability, though sometimes hard cases are bundled or optional.

The Godin Arena Pro CW Burst EQ is celebrated for its rich, full-bodied classical tone, excellent projection, and responsive feel, both acoustically and amplified. The solid wood construction, combined with its ergonomic design and versatile electronics, makes it a formidable instrument for recording, performing, and serious practice.