Godin A4 Bass??

I've owned the earlier "Acoustibass" model (double cutaway, shallower body) for a long while...10 years at least. It's well made (especially the neck), sounds good and I have had zero problems with it.

If you have some specific questions, fire away.

 

I love the playability and quality of my A4 fretless, but I find it too boomy sounding and cannot seem to find a good balanced sound.... but that is MO!
Best to test one yourself.

 

I had one of these for over a year. Sold it to pay for my Turner Electroline.

I never had any problems with my A4. I had an unlined fretless. I loved the woody sound. I had a set TI jazz flats on it and they baby could sing.

 

Battery clip? My A4 had one of those battery boxes in it that swing open and closed.

 

I've played one. Great bass.

 

I play both a fretted A4 and fretlesss A5. Both are fantastic basses. As stated the necks are outstanding, and the overall craftsmanship is quite above par.

These basses offer a multitude of varying tones and dynamic sensitivity which cannot be achieved by solidbody/maganetic PU basses. Due to this the eq is going to be a bit different. I have found that using the onboard eq to cut freqs rather than boost provides all the tonal shaping neccessary, and thwarts the boominess inherent in semi acoustics.

That being said, I now use mine all the time in a variety of settings and the sensitivity, articulation and tonal variety have made me "retire" most of my other basses (at least for the time being).

They are very expressive instruments, and as such are quite unlike most solidbodies. More control over your touch and articulation is required, and finger placement makes a world of difference tone-wise. But the payoff is a sound which unique and wholly musical, and fits into any situation.

Max

 

I love Godin acoustic/electrics.

Brianrost mentioned the older Acoustibass model. Here's a black one for sale. FYI...they came with either a Jazz width or Precision width neck. The one featured on the link in a Precision width at 1 5/8 at the nut.

You can't see in the pictures, but there is this nice thumb rest that runs above the E string. That is a very nice feature.

http://www.tradingbasses.com/webalbumtradingbasses_027.htm

 

I have not had any problems with a rattling battery clip on either of mine. My A4 is an older model where the battery clips, quite firmly and secure, to the preamp circuit board, and is accessed via the plate on the rear.
My A5 is a newer model with a pop up battery compartment on the rear behind the bridge. Neither ratttles in any way.

I am curious; does the rattle appear on only certain notes or is it there whenver the bass is being played?

Max