Pricing and availability

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Average Price: $1,422

High-end/Boutique

$500

$1201+

Price Tier

Budget

Standard

High-end

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Description

The Godin Montreal Premiere is a standout in the world of semi-hollowbody electric guitars, offering a blend of classic style and modern innovation. This versatile guitar is crafted to deliver rich tones and exceptional playability, making it a must-have for both jazz aficionados and rock enthusiasts. Its custom Godin humbuckers provide a warm, full-bodied sound, while the semi-hollow design ensures resonance and sustain that can fill any room. The Montreal Premiere features a unique body construction that enhances its tonal range, allowing musicians to explore a wide array of sonic landscapes.

With a focus on comfort and aesthetics, this guitar boasts a smooth mahogany neck and a rosewood fingerboard, providing a seamless playing experience. The contoured body not only looks elegant but also feels comfortable during extended playing sessions. The Montreal Premiere is equipped with a Graph Tech ResoMax bridge, which adds to the guitar's sustain and tuning stability. This makes it a reliable choice for live performances or studio sessions.

Whether you’re looking to experiment with new sounds or stick to your favorite genres, the Montreal Premiere offers the flexibility and quality you need to elevate your musical journey.

Key Features:

  • Semi-hollowbody design for enhanced resonance and sustain
  • Custom Godin humbuckers for a warm, full-bodied sound
  • Mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard
  • Graph Tech ResoMax bridge for improved sustain and tuning stability
  • Versatile tonal range suitable for various music genres

Product specs

Brand Godin
Model Montreal Premiere
Finish Sunburst
Year 2010s
Categories Semi-Hollowbody Electric Guitars
Body Shape Single Cutaway
Body Type Semi-Hollow Body
Bridge/Tailpiece Type Tremolo Tailpiece
Color Family Brown
Finish Pattern Sunburst
Fretboard Material Rosewood
Neck Construction Set-Neck
Number of Frets 22
Number of Strings 6-String
Pickup Configuration HH
Right / Left Handed Right Handed

FAQs

What type of music is the Godin Montreal Premiere best suited for?

The Godin Montreal Premiere is versatile and well-suited for genres like jazz, blues, and rock due to its semi-hollow body design, which provides a warm, resonant tone with excellent sustain.

What is the neck profile of the Godin Montreal Premiere like?

The Godin Montreal Premiere features a comfortable set-neck construction with a rosewood fretboard, providing smooth playability and easy access to all 22 frets, making it ideal for both rhythm and lead playing.

What kind of pickups does the Godin Montreal Premiere have?

The Godin Montreal Premiere is equipped with a dual humbucker (HH) configuration, offering a rich, full-bodied sound with reduced hum, suitable for a wide range of musical styles.

Does the Godin Montreal Premiere come with a tremolo tailpiece?

Yes, the Godin Montreal Premiere includes a tremolo tailpiece, allowing for expressive pitch modulation and adding versatility to your playing style.

Is the Godin Montreal Premiere suitable for beginners?

While the Godin Montreal Premiere is a high-quality instrument that can be appreciated by players of all levels, its features and price point may be more suitable for intermediate to advanced guitarists seeking a versatile semi-hollowbody guitar.

Guitares Godin Officiel / Godin Guitars Official

Guitares Godin Officiel / Godin Guitars Official

Godin Montreal Premiere

Video thumbnail for Godin Montreal Premiere by Guitares Godin Officiel / Godin Guitars Official

Godin Montreal Premiere

Guitares Godin Officiel / Godin Guitars Official

Guitares Godin Officiel / Godin Guitars Official

Video thumbnail for Jim Soloway demoing a 2017 Godin Montreal Premiere by Jim Soloway

Jim Soloway demoing a 2017 Godin Montreal Premiere

Jim Soloway

Jim Soloway

Video thumbnail for Godin Montreal Premiere by Guitarsenal

Godin Montreal Premiere

Guitarsenal

Guitarsenal

Reviews

PROS

  • Spruce center block enhances resonance and clarity

  • Crisp sound with distinct electro-acoustic punch

  • First-rate craftsmanship and setup

  • Comfortable, full neck with easy playability

  • Versatile sound suitable for various styles

  • Seymour Duncan pickups deliver perfect tonal quality

CONS

  • Complex software setup for Triple Play and sound library

  • MIDI functionality can be overly sensitive, causing unwanted notes

  • Incompatible with some popular VST synths

  • Reversed 1/4 inch jacks differing from user manual

Owner Insights

We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Godin Montreal Premiere.

Build quality

  • The Godin Montreal Premiere is noted for its sleek curves and distinctive F-holes, drawing visual inspiration from the Gibson Les Paul and ES-330.

    Source
  • The Montreal Premiere is praised for its lightweight design, similar to a Gibson Melody Maker, making it a comfortable choice for extended play.

    Source

Value and pricing

  • Godin guitars depreciate significantly in the used market, allowing buyers to acquire models like the Montreal Premiere at a fraction of the original 2500 CAD retail price.

    Source

Comparisons

  • The Montreal Premiere's shape is similar to a single-cut ES-330, offering a familiar aesthetic to Gibson enthusiasts.

    Source
  • Some users find the Montreal Premiere to be of better quality than certain Gibson models, appreciating its Canadian craftsmanship.

    Source

User experience

  • Owners frequently find Godin guitars to be exceptionally built, with one user describing them as the most versatile they've owned, particularly in the LG Signature model.

    Source
  • Owners appreciate the addition of a piezo pickup with a blend function, offering versatile tonal options beyond traditional semi-hollowbody sounds.

    Source
  • Owners appreciate the pleasant tactile feel and great finish, enhancing the overall playing experience.

    Source

Features and functionality

  • The 9V battery for the piezo system is located under the bridge humbucker pickup, an unconventional placement that requires removing the pickup for replacement.

    Source
  • The semi-hollow architecture provides a notably good acoustic sound, suitable for practice without amplification.

    Source

Use cases and applications

  • Users report excellent sound quality when pairing the Montreal Premiere with a Fender Princeton amp, highlighting its compatibility with classic tube amps for rich tones.

    Source
  • Versatile pickups allow for easy style transitions, from gypsy jazz to blues rock, and even metal, suitable for live performances.

    Source

Critic Reviews

Godin Montreal Premiere Electric Guitar Review - Premier Guitar

premierguitar.com

The Godin Montreal Premiere is a beautifully crafted semi-hollow guitar that stands out with its unique design and sound versatility. Priced at around $1,500, it offers quality and craftsmanship that justify the cost, though some might desire flashier aesthetics. Its innovative breathe-through core enhances resonance while maintaining structural integrity, making it lighter and more comfortable than traditional semi-hollows. The guitar shines with small to medium amps, providing airy rhythm textures and rich lead tones but might struggle to deliver the sharp attack of a solidbody. The absence of dedicated tone and volume controls per pickup is a drawback, limiting expressiveness in loud settings. Overall, the Montreal Premiere impresses with its playability, sound versatility, and elegant design, marking it as a compelling choice for those exploring semi-hollow guitars beyond the typical options.

positive

Godin Montreal Premiere review | MusicRadar

musicradar.com

The Godin Montreal Premiere is a standout semi-acoustic guitar, praised for its tidy build, retro-modern design, and light weight which contribute to its resonance and clarity. The innovative 'breathe-through' spruce center block enhances airflow and gives the guitar a vibrant feel. While its sound is more acoustic, lacking some of the 'dirt' typical of solidbody guitars, it delivers pristine clarity, especially with the bridge pickup, making it ideal for modern modulation and delay effects. However, the side-mounted jack socket could work loose, and the guitar might benefit from a different pickup for a rounder tone.

positive

5.0 out of 5

Based on 1 Review and 4 Ratings

5 star
4 star
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1 star
sandy_ridge

Seriously love this thing

I'e been on the look out for a semi hollow or hollow body guitar for a while now but wanted something a little unusual compared to the typical gibson offerings. I genuinely think theis guitar can compete with a gibson es335, only difference being tthat this guitar brand new is about half the cost. You still get North American manufacturing, a full, airy tone with the double humbucker. only real difference I can see is that this only has 1 tone and one volume. Otherwise this guitar punches way above its pricepoint. Follow me and my youtube channel for a demo and review video in the next few weeks :-)

Artist usage

Add artist
See how Alex Skolnick uses Godin Montreal Premiere

Alex Skolnick

Guitarist

Ozzy Osbourne

...
Verified via Alexskolnick

I'm grateful to Godin founder and CEO for letting me keep this debut model when I fell in love with it at NAMM. This has become my #1 guitar for my work with AST.

See how Daryl Stuermer uses Godin Montreal Premiere

Daryl Stuermer

Guitarist, Bassist

Genesis

...
Verified via Darylstuermer

As mentioned on Stuermer's official website.

Genre Usage

Based on how artists on Equipboard use this gear, it is most commonly found in the following genres.

Used With

Based on how musicians on Equipboard use Godin Montreal Premiere, it is most commonly used with the following gear.

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Community setups

Show yours
alessandroalia

alessandroalia

Gear IQ 161

marcodroletbluesproject

marcodroletbluesproject

Gear IQ 75

1 alternative for Godin Montreal Premiere, curated by the Equipboard community.

Gibson ES-335

$2,555.00 - $3,499.00

high-end alternative

If having an extra volume and tone knob is worth 2K to you give the Gibson a shot...

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Gear Guides

  • Added to Equipboard on by

    neal74
    neal74

    Gear IQ 52