Guitar Gear

About six weeks ago, I inherited the guitar to the left from a friend, who had it passed to her when her uncle passed away in 2003. Since I got it, I’ve been playing it every day. The only thing I’ve done to it is to replace the strings, add a strap peg to the heel of the neck, and remove a slight bow that developed after long years in storage. Other than that, this guitar has been absolutely perfect.

It has that classic dreadnought sound: A deep bass, combined with slightly shimmery highs. And it projects sound like no other acoustic guitar I’ve had. I can’t put it down! Combine that sound with a playability that is out of this world, and I’ve got – at least for me – the perfect guitar.

This guitar is going to be my new “Number 1” when I gig. Unfortunately, it didn’t come with any electronics, and I’ve taken a LONG time deciding on a system; though I’m leaning heavily towards the Seymour Duncan SA-6 Mag Mic. I’ve tested it out against others, and I like its warmth. But I will have to save my pennies to get it. So in the meantime…

I’ll mic the guitar.

That’s what I did at yesterday’s service. I have an SWR California Blonde – yes, it’s an original, model and still the best damn acoustic amp I’ve ever used – and I hooked up my trusty Sennheiser e609 instrument mic to it, mounted on a gooseneck stand and… #blownaway!!!

I knew when I got it that it was a special guitar. It’s loud all by itself, but miked and amplified… yeah… it’s going to be Number 1 for me.

The guitar has so much character, and she just begs to be played! She can belt out her voice but can dial it down and sing sweet notes that just float in the air.

The guitar’s neck is a slightly “D” shape, which is a change for me. All my other guitars have “C” shaped necks. I wasn’t sure how I’d like it for performance, but I didn’t have an issue. In fact, the neck profile forced me to play in a proper position, and that’s a good thing.

But the sound… Oh, that sound!

This is a guitar I’m going to lovingly care for. In fact, just as I call my firstborn daughter “Baby,” this guitar will now officially be called: “Baby.” So there you have it: The official naming of my new guitar!

If you’re curious about Simon & Patrick, it’s a Godin brand, completely assembled in Canada. My “Pro Rosewood” is no longer made, and has been replaced with their top-of-the-line Showcase model. If the new guitars are anything like what I have, then these guitars are definitely worth a look.

I know, Godin is known for less expensive guitars, and at around $1100-$1200, you might think they’re not quite as good as more expensive Taylor or Martin guitars. But I’d stack my guitar up against any of the high-end guitars. If I were to describe how my S&P compares to those venerable brands, I’d have to say that it has the projection of a Martin, but the playability of a Taylor and a sound all its own.

It’s hard for me to imagine that I had never even heard of Simon & Patrick prior to getting this guitar. But from here on out, I’m going to be keeping an eye on this brand.