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Godin Radium Matte Green RN SF w/Deluxe Gig Bag

The Godin Radium features a unique mash up of Fullerton-meets-Kalamazoo pickups, body shape and scale length, the Radium packs a diverse set of tones in a comfortable, easy to play package. From jangly rhythm tones to heavy rock crunch, the Radium will surprise you with its build quality and unusual versatility.

This is a Godin "SF" guitar which means it contains small cosmetic defects (see photos) that are typically not noticeable except under close inspection. Godin SF guitars are a great value and still carry the full lifetime Godin warranty.

The new Godin Radium Matte Green features

  • Canadian basswood body, 8 pounds
  • Satin Matte Green finish
  • 24.75" scale 12" radius mahogany set neck
  • Rosewood fretboard, 1-11/16" nut width
  • Godin Zebra humbucking neck and bridge pickups
  • Custom Cajun middle pickup
  • Wrap tailpiece
  • Volume, Tone controls w/pull split tone control
  • Pull tone splits both neck and bridge pickups
  • 5-way pickup switch
  • Schaller strap locks
  • Godin padded gig bag
Looking somewhat like the ultimate "Partscaster" the Godin Radium combines a multitude of influences to create a surprisingly broad array of tones. The basswood body combined with a maple set neck and wrap tailpiece creates a punchy and clean platform for the Godin humbucker and Cajun Tele-style pickups. You won't find the dark and woody tones of a mahogany set neck guitar, and the medium output humbucker pickups have a lot of bite and definition. They are direct mount, so any pickup output balancing is accomplished with the middle pickup. Compared to the other two pickups, the Cajun pickup is down a bit on output, and it also serves a different role than the middle pickup in a Strat might play.

Selecting the neck and bridge pickups you get much of what you might expect out of those positions. As mentioned, they a cleaner and leaner than usual, and single coil players will be pleasantly surprised with the note separation and chime. Overall it's a very resonant guitar with a lot natural acoustic tone. Gained up through our JAM Tubedreamer there is plenty of rock crunch and sizzle, although without the heavy bottom end of an all-mahogany guitar.

In the middle position, the Cajun pickup does not deliver the warm slightly compressed tones of a Tele neck pickup. It's jangly, reasonably bright and is a great for rhythm parts where you need a nice acoustic-like tone. Combined with neck or bridge pickup you also don't get the classic "out of phase" tones that you expect from a Strat. The vibe is more clean and distinct and with less quack. While that might disappoint some, it works great with vibe, chorus, and phase effects to create lush, detailed and hypnotic chords that shimmer nicely when the notes are individually picked out. If you like to get a little trippy now and then, you'll love it.

And something interesting happens when you pull the tone knob up to split both humbuckers: You get a bit of the "quack" back when combined with the middle pickup. This gets you closer to a "Strat" tone, but not completely. But its a totally usable second set of sounds that can get pretty funky, or in a pinch get you through a Robert Cray tune.

The Radium is an excellent value from its smooth playing medium C profile neck to its unique pickup arrangement. Tonally it occupies its own space, so don't expect it to substitute for a Les Paul or a Strat. It will certainly rock like any two-pickup humbucking guitar, but it has a whole other personality that is well suited to rhythm playing, modulation effects, and even a little funk. The Godin Radium radiates uniqueness, and if you like to color outside the lines, we highly recommend it.



*Authorized Godin Dealer*