Godin Bridge Woes

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2018/10/25 01:00:59 (permalink)

Godin Bridge Woes

I've got a Godin Grand Concert Duet Ambiance classical guitar and had a problem with a pickup going bad a while back (just on the bass end oddly enough). I took it to a repair shop that really mucked up the bridge on it. For some stupid reason they took a router to it and created a ridge and . . . well they just ruined it. So, I ordered a new bridge from Godin along with a pickup. This is what they sent me:
 

 
Obviously not the right bridge. They knew what model and year I had because I even sent them the serial number. So I emailed them and they said the new models were using this new bridge now. I said, "That's great but you know I don't have a new model. Where's the bridge for mine?, and why did you send me one for a different year where you knew before you sent it that it wouldn't fit?"  They said they no longer made the old bridge and had none of the older ones in stock.
 
I was in shock. They just switched over to the new bridge a couple of years ago. This guitar has been in production with the older bridge for nearly 15 years. There are thousands of them in the world. And they've already quit making parts for it? I can see where they might stop making the older ones eventually (like ten or fifteen years down the line), but this was a $2,000 guitar that you could buy new exactly like mine just a couple of years ago, and already you can't get all the proper replacement parts for it? Obviously the new bridge is smaller and the finish under the old bridge would be sticking out and not match up with the rest of the top. In fact, the bridge is so large that there isn't a replacement bridge made anywhere by anyone that's big enough to cover the entire space.
 
Fortunately, I found out a guy who used to do repairs for me decades ago was still in the business, and even though he lived pretty far off, I took it to him. He was able to fill in the saddle slot with a piece of rosewood and then re-route it and put in the new pickup. The guitar is now better than ever.
 
I'm still a little ticked at Godin though. Am I wrong to be? I know that no manufacturer makes replacement parts forever, but my gosh, they were still selling this guitar with the old style bridge just a couple of years ago. Doesn't make any sense to me. If you're in the market for a Godin, buyer beware I guess. It's a really nice guitar, but . . . man.
 
Bill
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    bapu
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    Re: Godin Bridge Woes 2018/10/25 14:07:14 (permalink)
    Caveat Emptor for anything these days.
    #2
    kennywtelejazz
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    Re: Godin Bridge Woes 2018/10/25 15:44:04 (permalink)
    Bill , I just read your post ...
    Yikes , that's a tough read considering the first three letters in that guitar company's name is the head honcho of The Whole Universe's Name
    One thing I'm not clear on , which bridge is which ? Is the old one the ebony or the rosewood bridge ?
    Anyway , there was a dealer of that brand guitar up where I live and I would often say to myself they seem like real nice high quality guitars . Those and some of the Taylor electric acoustic hybrids .
    I wouldn't lay a hand on them to check them out when I was in the store ...Way too much bread ( for me ) to lay out ..
    I wish you all the best on getting your guitar back to where you are happy with it
     
    Kenny

                       
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    #3
    Wayfarer
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    Re: Godin Bridge Woes 2018/10/25 17:15:03 (permalink)
    Too rich for me too Ken. I got some life insurance money when my pop passed in 2010 and spent some of it on a new Taylor 314. I played that for a few years and then traded to somebody even up for this Godin they had.
     
    The ebony is the replacement. (I never had to use it thank God!) All is fine now. Don't think I'll buy anymore Godin's though.
     
    Bill
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    JohnKenn
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    Re: Godin Bridge Woes 2018/10/26 01:41:19 (permalink)
    This is bloody insane. If it did not look like hell by itself, what happens to the intonation when they slopped this thing together. You got every right to be outraged. Guitar looks like **** and can't tune anymore.
     
    John
     
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    Wayfarer
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    Re: Godin Bridge Woes 2018/10/26 13:01:13 (permalink)
    Well, the intonation should be fine John. There's nothing to prevent lining the bridge up so that the saddle would be in the exact same location as the previous one. But yeah, some of the finish that's underneath the current bridge would be sticking out with the newer bridge (mainly just in the back and at the sides) and would never match up with the rest of the guitar top. Trying to sell it then would be a nightmare. I would have had to take about half of what the guitar would normally sell for new. I'm just thankful my old repair guy was able to fix the old bridge.
     
    Bill
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