The Godin Nylon ACS KOA is a great guitar for live performances and recording and features:

• High gloss Koa top
• Gloss finish Maple Body
• Gloss finish mahogany Neck with 16" radius Richlite® composite fingerboard
• 1.9" width at the nut
• Custom RMC active electronics with 6 saddle transducers
• 3 Band active active EQ
• Selectable midrange center frequency
• Schaller strap lock buttons
• Less than seven pounds
• Includes deluxe Godin padded gig bag
• List Price: $1650

Since this ACS Koa does not use a body mic, the maple body is essentially solid, although not of one piece construction. Even with a solid body the weight is only around seven pounds, and unplugged the volume is reasonable enough for practice. The thick Koa top has has a lovely eye popping grain that will get you noticed, and provides a brighter more responsive sound than Cedar. The standard 1.9" nut width will feel totally familiar to nylon players and the neck profile is a relatively shallow "C", making it easy to reach around for chords or finger picking. The finish and feel of the neck is smooth and comfortable, and the dark glossy Richlite fingerboard provides nice snap, and is said to provide better note tracking when using a synthesizer. The headstock is nicely detailed and gives the guitar an expensive look.

Running through our BBE Acoustimax preamp and straight into an QSC K-10 powered speaker, the Nylon ACS provided very nice note definition and great string-to-string clarity. The sound was detailed without a hint of mud or murkiness, no doubt due to individual bridge saddle transducers. The 3-band EQ seemed to offer greater range than the less expensive Nylon Encore, and even at fairly extreme settings the guitar remained composed without any boom or crackly treble that often accompanies piezo type transducers. Whether single note picking or strumming, each note seems to occupy its own space, and one can only imagine how good it would sound through a good stereo PA system. It even sounds great plugged straight into our Fender Bassman, which with it's 4x10 configuration makes a nice acoustic amp. Like most acoustic guitars, the ACS benefits from some type of aural exciter such as the BBE Sonic Maximizer (Sonic Stomp). The Sonic Maximizer is built into the BBE preamp and does wonders for clarity, imaging and a sense of separation around the notes. It's a great enhancer for acoustic electrics.

The 13-pin Roland compatible-synth output transforms the ACS from mere electrified nylon to personal orchestra. Whether it's piano, saxophone or other synthesized tone, the ability to add an additional instrument and even blend it with the nylon sound makes the ACS Nylon a killer tool for solo performers. Whether you use the synthesizer or not, the natural sounding tone, comfortable fit, and easy playability make the Godin ACS Nylon a totally satisfying high quality instrument.