Godin A/E mandolin

MikeBmusic · #1 04-29-2016, 07:13 AM

Alan Doyle (formerly with Great Big Sea) used a Godin (guessing an A8 model since there's even a pic of him holding one on the Godin page) last night at his show for a few songs. Only heard him using a standard acoustic mando with pickup before.
Sounded ok in the band mix, but too piezo-y for me.

http://www.godinguitars.com/godin_wo...495_16488.html

blue · #2 04-29-2016, 08:01 AM

Thanks. That could be my entry into Mando. No fuss, no muss, no "dogs" in terms of consistency.

Petty1818 · #3 05-12-2016, 09:09 PM

I am a big fan of Alan Doyle and Great Big Sea. I think it was around 1996 when I became a fan. Alan really only started using mandolin live back in 2011/12 and it was with a Godin A8. They sound great live! He has used an octave mandolin for years with a headway pickup. It has a piezo tone to it but I find it very natural.

MikeBmusic · #4 05-13-2016, 08:50 AM

I can't remember Alan using a Godin A8 in all the times I saw GBS, but I can't remember him using a standard a/e mando, either! He used an octave mando for one or two songs when I saw him this last time, no bouzouki at all.

Petty1818 · #5 05-13-2016, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeBmusic

I can't remember Alan using a Godin A8 in all the times I saw GBS, but I can't remember him using a standard a/e mando, either! He used an octave mando for one or two songs when I saw him this last time, no bouzouki at all.

He started using the A8 around 2012 with GBS when they went on their 20th anniversary tour, which was also their last. They put out a song for the XX album called, "Heart of Hearts", which required mandolin. At that time he was using the sunburst A8 model. He has been using the A8 ever since as a solo artist. I own one and love it. I am seeing them pop up more and more since they sound so good live.

I have never seen Alan use a bouzouki live. Bob Hallett usually covers the bouzouki duties. Alan has used his Trinity College octave mandolin for years. I know he had it around 1997. GBS actually haven't changed their instruments all that much. They have a variety of Takamine guitars but Sean and Alan each have one or two models that they have used the most. Bob has used the same bouzouki throughout as well.

MikeBmusic · #6 05-13-2016, 01:13 PM

Maybe it was an octave mando I saw Alan with mostly. I saw one of the XX tour shows (Boston) but didn't notice the A8 - we were not sitting too close.
Sean had a Taylor (new) 6 string acoustic at one show - can't remember the year, maybe 2010 or so - and the electronics went out on it early in a show (suspect the battery did its quick death thing), and Alan made quite a joke about Sean buying a non-Canadian guitar.

MikeBmusic · #7 05-13-2016, 03:30 PM

Here's a video from the fundraiser in St John's, Petty - enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EggWAPWK0Mo

Petty1818 · #8 05-14-2016, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeBmusic

Maybe it was an octave mando I saw Alan with mostly. I saw one of the XX tour shows (Boston) but didn't notice the A8 - we were not sitting too close.
Sean had a Taylor (new) 6 string acoustic at one show - can't remember the year, maybe 2010 or so - and the electronics went out on it early in a show (suspect the battery did its quick death thing), and Alan made quite a joke about Sean buying a non-Canadian guitar.

There's a neat book written by Bob Hallett where he discusses the frustrations GBS had with their stage set up when they first started out. He said that when they discovered Takamine guitars, everything changed. They could get a natural tone at higher levels. That's where I discovered their use of the Headway pickups for their octave mandolins and bouzoukis. Cool stuff!

By the way, that fundraiser was an awesome idea! Wish I could have gone.

Hotraman · #9 05-15-2016, 09:57 PM

I own a Godin A/E mandolin in a natural finish.
You do have to work with it a bit to get a nice tone at times.
But it is one of the nicest, easy-playing mandolins I have played.

Petty1818 · #10 05-16-2016, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hotraman

I own a Godin A/E mandolin in a natural finish.
You do have to work with it a bit to get a nice tone at times.
But it is one of the nicest, easy-playing mandolins I have played.

I personally haven't found that. It's pretty plug and play IMO. The eq controls are subtle but they work well to shape the sound quickly.

Hotraman · #11 06-13-2016, 08:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Petty1818

I personally haven't found that. It's pretty plug and play IMO. The eq controls are subtle but they work well to shape the sound quickly.

I can respect that. I have a 1900's Lyon Healy T drop to compare. My hands are on the smaller size.
YMMV