Godin Lapatrie Collection

[oldrocker]

Recently I ordered a new Godin Lapatrie. I ordered the “Collection” model which has a cedar top and solid rosewood back and sides. For those of you interested in a relatively inexpensive classical guitar that is easy playing with a nice projecting sound, you may want to consider this model.

The woods are nice. The top is very fine grained (I believe I counted something like 130 grain lines) and the back and sides are nice quality rosewood. The tuners are smooth. Fit and finish are quite nice with no noticeable problems anywhere. I’m pretty impressed.

The neck has a truss rod which enables them to make a thinner neck than many classical guitars but it’s not too thin. It has a 52MM nut. The neck is easy and comfortable to play. I am quite satisfied with its feel and playability.

The tone is warm and the notes are meaty and project well. I am quite surprised at the volume. It’s really a mellow and compelling sound. What has bugged me about some of the less expensive classical guitars is that they almost sound like a ukulele. This one sounds like s classical guitar though I’m sure it’s not going to project and compete tonally with a several thousand dollar concert grade instrument.

I’m a classical guitar novice having only owned an inexpensive Gianinni years ago but this one satisfies the nylon urge I’ve had for some time and does it quite well for the relatively low cost.

This guitar is amplified but is about the best representation of the tone that I have come across http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAJ4j0csEUo

[bfloyd6969]

Congrats on the Collection!! Looks great! I read the La Patries are nice guitars and some of the best budget guitars for a good sound. Where did you get yours at? I'm kinda in the market but need to find a good deal. Thanks.

[Dru Edwards]

Great looking guitar!!!! I have a LaPatrie Etude (the beginner model) that I purchased new back in '97. Doesn't get much playing time these days but it still has its moments. Made in Quebec.

Glad to hear you enjoy your guitar. Enjoy!

[wcap]

Congratulations. I have thought the LaPatrie classicals that I have tried out were quite nice.

And thanks for posting that link to the YouTube recording. Not only does it illustrate the sound of the guitar nicely, but it it simply a very nice performance - that piece has moved way up on my "must learn to play" list!

[oldrocker]

Originally Posted by bfloyd6969

Congrats on the Collection!! Looks great! I read the La Patries are nice guitars and some of the best budget guitars for a good sound. Where did you get yours at? I'm kinda in the market but need to find a good deal. Thanks.

Bryan. I looked quite a bit for a used one. Found a couple but I wasn't happy with one thing or another and for the difference in price for a new one, just decided to go that way. They hover around the $700 price range. I don't remember who I got this one from. It was an e-bay seller who had one. Right now it doesn't look like anyone on e-bay has one of these. Places like Musician's Friend do.

I have so far been very impressed by Canadian guitar makers. In addition to this one built in Lapatrie, I've had steel strings build by both Kronbauer and Webber that were very fine guitars. Maybe it's something in that rare northern air

[oldrocker]

Originally Posted by Dru Edwards

Great looking guitar!!!! I have a LaPatrie Etude (the beginner model) that I purchased new back in '97. Doesn't get much playing time these days but it still has its moments. Made in Quebec.

Glad to hear you enjoy your guitar. Enjoy!

Thanks Dru. I'm not much of a classical player but I'm going to put some time into learning some more pieces. But even just using this guitar to play some of the songs I normally play with a steel string sometimes favorably alters the mood and the expression of certain songs to the point that they just work better than ever. Its great fun although most of the time I still prefer my steel string acoustics.

However, I'm working on the theory that tone is all about the player rather than the guitar. So my goal is to become such a good guitar player that I can make a steel string guitar sound like a classical guitar or a cheap guitar sound like an expensive handmade guitar. If I can ever reach that point of mastery where I realize that I and my hands have become the master of tone, having transcended the imagined limitation of the instrument itself, I'll sell this one

[oldrocker]

Originally Posted by wcap

Congratulations. I have thought the LaPatrie classicals that I have tried out were quite nice.

And thanks for posting that link to the YouTube recording. Not only does it illustrate the sound of the guitar nicely, but it it simply a very nice performance - that piece has moved way up on my "must learn to play" list!

I agree. I have about 50 youtube videos of songs like this that I want to learn. I would love to know how to play 20 or so nice classical pieces and play them well. I've probably never learned much of this because I was traumatized by my first guitar teacher, when I was about 9, who was determined to teach me proper classical style. All I wanted to learn was rock n roll so after awhile I dropped the lessons and did my own thing. I think I'm going back to my childhood with this guitar.

[wcap]

Originally Posted by oldrocker

Thanks Dru. I'm not much of a classical player but I'm going to put some time into learning some more pieces. But even just using this guitar to play some of the songs I normally play with a steel string sometimes favorably alters the mood and the expression of certain songs to the point that they just work better than ever. Its great fun although most of the time I still prefer my steel string acoustics.

However, I'm working on the theory that tone is all about the player rather than the guitar. So my goal is to become such a good guitar player that I can make a steel string guitar sound like a classical guitar or a cheap guitar sound like an expensive handmade guitar. If I can ever reach that point of mastery where I realize that I and my hands have become the master of tone, having transcended the imagined limitation of the instrument itself, I'll sell this one

I find that many things that I play on steel string guitar (including pieces that were composed on a steel string, and inspired by particular guitars) often sound better on my classical guitar. If I was forced to get rid of all my guitars but one I would probably choose my classical as the one to keep.

Tone is not just all about the player, but the player certainly influences tone a LOT. This is true on steel string guitar, and even more true on classical. Good nails and good right hand technique on classical guitar make all the difference.

[oldrocker]

Originally Posted by wcap

I find that many things that I play on steel string guitar (including pieces that were composed on a steel string, and inspired by particular guitars) often sound better on my classical guitar. If I was forced to get rid of all my guitars but one I would probably choose my classical as the one to keep.

Tone is not just all about the player, but the player certainly influences tone a LOT. This is true on steel string guitar, and even more true on classical. Good nails and good right hand technique on classical guitar make all the difference.

I agree, most of it is right hand technique and nails. In terms of nails, my experience has been that the length that gives me the best control of dynamic range and tone with the classical guitar doesn't work well for me when I'm playing fingerstyle with my steel string guitars. For those I prefer just a small amount of nail so that my finger tips influence most of the tone and I pull that nail into the stroke when I'm after definition or power. That gives me a lot of tonal variety (more than I would get using nails alone). But finger tips don't give you as much with nylon strings. I'm experimenting to find somewhat of a compromise so that I can play either guitar and get pretty good sounds (at least to the limit that my hand and finger technique will allow for).

[limnephilidae]

Congrats !

This was my first classical guitar and it served me well. I wish I still had it as my work/office guitar. Now I use a cordoba there which is equal but more money and not made in Canada.

[Tuba Mike]

Congrates! I must agree with your assessment of the LaPatrie Collection Classical. I had some free time today before picking up my daughter from school and found myself close to a guitar shop. I stopped in and they had one of the LaPatrie Collection guitars. I was amazed at the sound that came out of it. The bass was awesome! The neck felt great, the string spacing nice, etc. I was quite impressed. I had a Seagull S6 for about 5 years and loved it. Traded up to a Larrivee and that put me in guitar heaven. I guess you could say I like those Canadian guitars as well. I have not played classical before but could easily own one of the guitars I tried today. As for the nails though, I'll keep 'em short and use just the fingertips. I can't stand my nails to extend beyond my fingers. Not even a little bit. Just one of those things that bugs me. It's a good thing that I prefer the sound of the flesh over the nails. In fact, for the 1/2-an-hour I spent with the LaPatrie Collection today, I thought I got a lot of sound with only fingertips. Maybe it's not the "classical" sound and I' sure I was using horrible classical technique (causing Segovia to squirm in his grave and curse my very being) but I liked the sound and the volume I was getting.

Anyway, congrates again and enjoy your LaPatrie!

[oldrocker]

Originally Posted by Tuba Mike

Congrates! I must agree with your assessment of the LaPatrie Collection Classical. I had some free time today before picking up my daughter from school and found myself close to a guitar shop. I stopped in and they had one of the LaPatrie Collection guitars. I was amazed at the sound that came out of it. The bass was awesome! The neck felt great, the string spacing nice, etc. I was quite impressed. I had a Seagull S6 for about 5 years and loved it. Traded up to a Larrivee and that put me in guitar heaven. I guess you could say I like those Canadian guitars as well. I have not played classical before but could easily own one of the guitars I tried today. As for the nails though, I'll keep 'em short and use just the fingertips. I can't stand my nails to extend beyond my fingers. Not even a little bit. Just one of those things that bugs me. It's a good thing that I prefer the sound of the flesh over the nails. In fact, for the 1/2-an-hour I spent with the LaPatrie Collection today, I thought I got a lot of sound with only fingertips. Maybe it's not the "classical" sound and I' sure I was using horrible classical technique (causing Segovia to squirm in his grave and curse my very being) but I liked the sound and the volume I was getting.

Anyway, congrates again and enjoy your LaPatrie!

Mike. I don't cut my nails down below my finger tips like you do (except on my left hand) but I don't like much nail at all and I agree with you--these guitars are really sensitive and produce a lot of volume and a nice mellow tone with finger tips.

I'm waiting for the chance to be somewhere with a guitar store that has some other classicals so that I can get a feel for where this guitar stands compared to some of the more expensive classicals. But as good as this one sounds for the price, I'm not real motivated to consider buying anything better right now.

[guitpl4evr]

Once you get the upper end classicals, in Lapatrie, it gets good. The collection and the presentation guitars. A real deal to last you a lifetime, at least your lifetime.

[oldrocker]

Originally Posted by guitpl4evr

Once you get the upper end classicals, in Lapatrie, it gets good. The collection and the presentation guitars. A real deal to last you a lifetime, at least your lifetime.

I haven't played the less expensive Lapatrie models but over the weekend I had an opportunity to play a Rodriguez (that sold for nearly twice what I paid for mine) and a couple of Cordobas while visiting some music shops in St Lewis. The ones I got to play were nice guitars but I prefer the neck and playability of my Lapatrie collection. To my ears, it also has more volume, fullness, and a richer just more desirable tone. It's all about personal taste and preference but I am quite pleased with the Lapatrie.

[Dafiryde]

I have a LaPatrie collection, was wondering what strings you use