Denim is a wondrous thing, forever soaring above the fickle world of fashion with an appeal that transcends class.
But its relationship with our instrument has usually been restricted to a player’s jeans or jacket accompaniment, rather than a whole denim guitar finish. Could this be the moment where the two worlds finally align?
Recently, we took a look at the Maritime: a solid wood cutaway electro from Seagull, one of Canadian maker Godin’s acoustic brands. Art & Lutherie is another member of the Godin family, but this is clearly a very different bird, with its own distinct vibe - one that goes beyond mere plumage.
The Denim Blue is a first for the Quebec company, even though the concert-sized Legacy model first surfaced in 2016 (this semi-gloss finish is also available on the smaller-bodied parlour Roadhouse). The effect creates a faded, semi-transparent ‘patina’ look over the solid spruce top, allowing the grain to come through. But while it also brings out a fine contrast on the laminate wild cherry back, it’s less impressive on the sides of our test example, where the wave effect looks a little too pale, and more like spillage in places.
The finish here is fresh, but the aesthetic of the Legacy is distinctly vintage elsewhere; a folky flat top with open gear tuners and a much subtler headstock design than the Seagulls. The label tag on this guitar is reassuringly hand-initialled by nine different staff with 11 different quality checks. This attention shows in fine fretwork with bevelled edges and a wonderfully playable low action that immediately reveals the charms here.
It’s a friendly fingerpicker, with a low end deep enough to make this guitar tonally versatile
These traits complement the visual vibe very well; a sprightly high-end and resonant mids feel very much at home with blues and folk rhythm, while letting lead lines cut through. It’s a friendly fingerpicker, too, with a low-end deep enough to make this guitar tonally versatile.
The front-mounted preamp controls are another first for A&L, bringing to mind the controls of Cobain’s bespoke Martin D-18E on MTV Unplugged. Built by fellow Canadian EPM, the Q-Discrete isn’t as visually low-key as say, Fishman’s Sonitone, but shares the volume and tone control options. You’ll need the latter because some of the guitar’s zingier high-end qualities can turn quacky with the tone up.
Some players who see the preamp as more than a bonus here - which it should be at the price - may want more control, but it’s a hard guitar to put down for its acoustic performance. And while this denim look won’t suit some, we think a unique proposition is always welcome to the guitar stage.
