Godin introduces a duo of semi-acoustic, two-voice pickup-loaded fretless basses, the A4 and A5 Ultra
Basswood bodies, Richlite fretboards and intuitive onboard controls adjusting both a Lace Sensor pickup and LR Baggs saddle transducer system headline the brand's all-new basses
After having a pretty hectic year in the electric guitar and acoustic guitar departments – having released the Bigsby-equipped Montreal Premiere LTD Imperial Blue, Summit Classic HT and the all-mahogany Metropolis Composer QIT – Godin has turned its attention to expanding its bass guitar lineup for its newest offering.
Enter the A4 Ultra Natural and A5 Ultra Natural: two semi-acoustic, fretless basses that, as the names would suggest, arrive in either a four- or five-string iteration, and feature some seriously intuitive onboard controls.
Before we take a look under the hood, the build is worth noting. Both basses are constructed from a two-chambered Canadian Laurentian basswood body, which is paired with a solid spruce top, bolt-on hard rock maple neck and a 16”-radius Richlite fretboard.
Additional appointments include a top-mounted thumb rest, Graph Tech nut and an ebony bridge.
In terms of tone, each bass boasts a two-voice pickup system, composed from a low-profile Lace Sensor magnetic pickup and individual LR Baggs saddle transducers. Both are said to offer up slightly nuanced tonal characteristics, with the former aiming to achieve a more modern and dynamic sonic range.
The LR Baggs system, meanwhile, strives to emulate authentic acoustic double bass sounds.
Tones are tweaked by way of two Lace Sensor-specific side-mounted volume and tone knobs, with the LR Baggs saddle transducers also dictated by the custom-designed top-mounted preamp system.
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Comprising four ergonomic slider mechanisms assigned with adjusting Volume, Treble, Mid, Bass and a warmth-inducing Saturation parameters, both the A4 and A5 also feature a Fat Switch, which is capable of providing a mid-low boost.
The A4 Ultra is available now for $2,150, while the A5 Ultra is currently listing for $2,300.
To find out more, head over to Godin.
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Matt is a Senior Staff Writer, writing for Guitar World, Guitarist and Total Guitar. He has a Masters in the guitar, a degree in history, and has spent the last 16 years playing everything from blues and jazz to indie and pop. When he’s not combining his passion for writing and music during his day job, Matt records for a number of UK-based bands and songwriters as a session musician.
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