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Godin xtSA Limited Edition Rosewood with Bag

Designed to be the ultimate tool for adventurous guitar players. The xtSA's packs a versatile H-S-H pickup combo, six saddle mounted transducers on a floating bridge, a 13-pin synth output, and very flexible switching. The xtSA is an acoustic, an electric and anything a synthesizer can imagine, giving the player practically infinite tonal capabilities, in a guitar that feels and plays like the best of them.

This is a limited edition Rosewood top guitar with Seymour Duncan humbucker pickups!

This Godin xtSA Rosewood:

  • Highly figured Rosewood top
  • Maple/Poplar body
  • Mahogany neck, 25.5" scale, 1-11/16 at the nut
  • Richlite fingerboard
  • Locking tuners
  • Seymour Duncan Custom humbucker pickups
  • Godin GS-2 middle pickup
  • 5-way pickup switch
  • Volume, synth volume, tone control
  • Six RMC piezo saddle transducers with 3 band active EQ
  • Floating 3-spring vibrato bridge
  • 1/4" Outputs for Electric, Acoustic or mixed signals
  • 13-pin synth output for Roland GR-type synthesizers
  • Schaller strap locks
  • Dual action truss rod
  • Godin Deluxe padded gig bag
  • Made in Canada

The Godin xtSA has been in the lineup for many years, but for shear versatility and value it's no wonder it has such staying power. There is a lot going on with this guitar, but their single page cut sheet -- which we include -- explains all the knobs and sliders quickly and succinctly. Dressed up with a figured Rosewood top, the Rosewood does more than just look good. Rosewood is a very hard, dense wood and adds and extra does of snap and attack. The effect is like a maple top but with more complexity.

Starting with the electric guitar side, the three pickup H-S-H combination opens a lot of possibilities. The nicely polished medium frets are set into a smooth, slick Richlite fingerboard, and the 1-11/16 wide neck is a nice width for both traditional electric playing and "acoustic" work. Godin claims that like Ebony, Richlite provides better note tracking for the synthesizer and it has the additional benefit of providing a dense, smooth playing surface that is both percussive and fast.

This limited edition up-market version of the xtSA comes with the same Seymour Duncan Custom pickups as their more expensive LGX-SA. And you get the added bonus of the fat-magnet GS-2 middle pickup. The medium output Alnico 5 Duncan pickups are voiced for a brighter tone with a slightly scooped midrange. Great for rock and with plenty of clarity for clean tones too, they pair well with the punchy GS-2 middle pickup. The H-S-H format is a ton of fun, offering both traditional humbucker tones and "Strat-ish" combinations via the 5-way switch. The bolt-on neck and 25.5" scale also gives it an extra dose of attack and note separation when compared to a set neck humbucker guitar.

There is no "kill" switch on the xtSA so switching over to the acoustic mode requires either turning down the electric guitar volume or having some type of mute switch on your pedalboard. Once you've made it over to the acoustic side, you'll be impressed by the natural acoustic sound out of what is essentially a solid body guitar. The 3-band EQ has plenty of boost/cut range, and it's also possible to simultaneously blend in the electric pickups. A little "electric" blended into the acoustic sound is a good way to add more complexity and richness, while still sounding largely like an acoustic guitar.

Our trial with the synth capabilities was brief, and if you are not accustomed to a guitar synth, get ready to be shocked. It's quite an experience when chords turn into a chiming grand piano, a hammond organ...or a sitar. It sounded great, and most importantly the tracking was on point. And of course you can blend the synth tones in with the electric and acoustic tones too!

The Godin xtSA has a lot going on, and it's a compelling option for the gigging musician that needs a little bit of everything but wants to travel light. It also does not force the player into a series of compromises: It's a fully competent electric guitar with pickup voicings that can range from jazz to hard rock, and it's got convincing acoustic sounds that are eerily similar to Godin's Multiac line. Plus there is the synth, which opens up limitless possibilities for unique sonic creations. Factor in Godin's build quality and that sexy Rosewood top, and there's not much out there that comes close.