Erin Rae and Kelsey Waldon pick on some holiday treats. Photos by Mackenzie Moore.Godin Multiac Spectrum SA Acoustic-Electric (left)
(Street: $1,579)
No matter what your taste or playing purpose, you normally can’t go wrong with a Godin guitar, and the company’s Multiac Spectrum SA is no exception. Godin has always been a rule-breaker, and they’ve done it again with this acoustic-electric that has a Seymour Duncan lipstick pickup in the neck, as well as individual transducer saddles under each string, giving the option of blending the bridge piezo and the Duncan. And for the player who takes things a few levels higher, it has a 13-pin connector for controlling Roland GR Series and Axon AX100 guitar synths. If you’re really adventurous, you can blend both pickups and the synth with each other using the sliders in the top of the guitar body.
The guitar has a chambered mahogany body that’s designed to fight feedback, with a spruce top, mahogany neck and Richlite fingerboard. And it’s got a way-up-the-neck cutaway that allows access to the 22nd fret. A cool and versatile guitar for the player who’s looking for something out of the ordinary that’s sounds great and is highly functional. Made in Canada.
Paul Reed Smith SE Custom 22 (right)
(Street: $729)
The PRS SE Custom 22 is a good all-purpose electric that can deliver everything from nice vintage rock tones to smooth jazzy sounds, and all points in between. Equipped with PRS Tone Furnace neck and bridge humbuckers, the guitar’s three-way toggle switch allows each pickup to be used separately, or for the two to be used together, with different tone combinations achievable using the single tone knob. The mahogany neck with a rosewood fretboard lends itself to both speed and accuracy, and PRS-designed tuners and stoptail bridge help ensure the most perfect intonation available.
On top of it all, this double-cutaway guitar is gorgeous, continuing the PRS tradition of making great-sounding axes that combine both fine art and engineering craftsmanship. The guitar features a beveled maple top and a mahogany back that comes in either a vintage sunburst or a sweet whale blue. And, of course, the neck inlay features the always-cool PRS bird inlay. A nice axe for both the stage and the garage.
Taylor 322ce Acoustic-Electric Guitar
(Street: $1,799)
Taylor’s new 322ce acoustic-electric is an excellent addition to an already-legendary product line. With a balanced sound that can be both warm and aggressive, depending on where the strings are picked/plucked, this guitar rings forever when the last chord is struck, with a uniform decay that makes it great for recording. The electronics system is Taylor’s top-notch Expression System 2, and the Venetian cutaway allows easy access to the higher frets, making even the 20th fret reachable if desired. The Grand Concert body is comfortable to hold, and the fast ebony fretboard lends itself to both fast picking and smooth, in-tune chord changing all the way up the neck.
This gorgeous guitar looks as good – or maybe even better – than it sounds, with a black pickguard against a sunburst finish on the mahogany top and a satin finish all around. And it comes with a sweet deluxe hardshell case. A nice axe for a pro, or good for someone to play on the porch while they’re working to become one.
Taylor 322ce Acoustic-Electric Guitar
(Street: $1,799)
Taylor’s new 322ce acoustic-electric is an excellent addition to an already-legendary product line. With a balanced sound that can be both warm and aggressive, depending on where the strings are picked/plucked, this guitar rings forever when the last chord is struck, with a uniform decay that makes it great for recording. The electronics system is Taylor’s top-notch Expression System 2, and the Venetian cutaway allows easy access to the higher frets, making even the 20th fret reachable if desired. The Grand Concert body is comfortable to hold, and the fast ebony fretboard lends itself to both fast picking and smooth, in-tune chord changing all the way up the neck.
This gorgeous guitar looks as good – or maybe even better – than it sounds, with a black pickguard against a sunburst finish on the mahogany top and a satin finish all around. And it comes with a sweet deluxe hardshell case. A nice axe for a pro, or good for someone to play on the porch while they’re working to become one.
