A Rare Slice of Godin's Golden Era
If you've spent any time digging into Canadian guitar history, you know the Godin Artisan series occupies a very specific and respected corner of it. Built during Godin's original Artisan run in the 1990s, the Artisan TC was the brand's take on a high-end, carved-top Telecaster-style instrument — made in Canada, loaded with boutique appointments, and largely overlooked by the masses at the time. That's their loss and your gain.
This particular example wears an amber quilted maple top that showcases the depth and figure you'd expect from a guitar at this tier. The single-cutaway, T-style body delivers that familiar silhouette with a distinctly Canadian twist — a carved top, quality hardware, and construction that punches well above the price tags these typically carry on the used market today.
This is a used instrument with some finish wear, so read the condition details carefully. But if you're looking for a player-grade piece of Godin history with real visual character, this one's worth a close look.
This Godin Artisan TC is in Good condition. The guitar is fully functional and will go through a full tech set up prior to shipping. It has a small finish crack at heel, drop fill repair upper bout arm area, fine play wear noted. Please review photos.
Telecaster Style, Carved Maple Personality
The Artisan TC's body is Canadian basswood — a lightweight, resonant wood Godin leaned on throughout the Artisan line. Over that sits the carved, figured quilted maple top in an amber finish that gives this guitar its visual identity. The maple top isn't a veneer — it's a proper carved arch, which adds both character to the look and a bit of brightness to the overall tone character.
The bolt-on neck was a signature of the Artisan TC, with various neck wood options across the production run — birdseye maple and rock maple are both documented on units from this era. Fretboard options included ebony, rosewood, and maple depending on the specific configuration. The T-style body shape keeps everything familiar for players coming from that world, while the carved top and premium build quality set it apart from standard fare.
Godin Twin Blade Pickups and Controls
The vintage Artisan TC came equipped with Godin's own twin blade (blade humbucker) pickups — developed in-house and, on many units, wound by Schaller in Germany. These are full-sized humbuckers in a blade format, offering a hum-canceling design without the traditional pole piece look. The push-pull tone control on these guitars typically allows for coil splitting, giving you access to a thinner, single-coil-adjacent sound as well.
The electronics layout is straightforward: volume, tone with push-pull functionality, and a 3-way selector switch. The bridge is a fixed, fully adjustable gold ashtray-style unit — classic Telecaster territory, and it keeps the feel familiar for T-style players. Gold hardware runs throughout, consistent with the premium finish level of the Artisan series.
Built in Canada When It Meant Something Extra
Godin built the Artisan series at a time when they were quietly making necks and bodies for some very well-known American brands — so the craftsmanship and material sourcing were genuinely high-end. These guitars didn't get the brand recognition they deserved at the time of release, which is why finding one at a used price today feels like a genuine discovery for players who know what to look for.
The Artisan TC specifically was Godin's single-cutaway flagship in the line — a carved-top T-style that combined premium tonewoods, Canadian manufacturing, and a level of detail that holds up decades later. It's a vintage Canadian guitar that rewards anyone willing to go looking off the beaten path.
Product Features:
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Body: Canadian basswood with carved quilted maple top in amber finish
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Body Style: Single-cutaway Telecaster-style solid body
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Neck: Bolt-on maple (birdseye or rock maple depending on production run)
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Frets: 22
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Scale Length: Approximately 25.5" (648mm)
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Pickups: Godin twin blade humbuckers (bridge and neck)
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Controls: Volume, push-pull tone, 3-way selector switch
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Bridge: Fixed gold ashtray-style with adjustable saddles
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Hardware: Gold throughout
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Country of Origin: Canada
Brand: Godin
Model: Artisan TC
SKU: U-ARTISAN-TC-AQT|ISI91628D
Condition: Used
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