Which one would you choose?

Gretsch New Yorker. This guitar will sound good with or without an amplifier.

 

I can talk about The New Yorker and the Godin

To me The New Yorker is better guitar, plugged or unplugged. I like much more the neck, size and feeling ...and even looks

 

As a gift, I'd be thrilled with any of them!

I happen to own a Godin 5th Avenue. It's one of the few guitars I've ever bought on total impulse. Walked into the store, liked it, bought it. I had never heard of it prior to buying it!

Comfortable neck, nice flat fretboard. Canadian cherry construction, which I assume is responsible for its mellow tone. I'd expect the two Gretsches to be a good bit brighter, with their maple components.

It's a pretty nice guitar. However, I do consider it more of blues guitar than a jazzer. With that single P90 and open tunings, it does that vintage Delta tone really, really well. But if my goal was Wes Montgomery or Grant Green, not sure it'd be my pick. Either of the two Gretsches might be better suited for that.

Hope this helps, good luck with the search!

 

I was looking at that Godin model but the big turn off was the neck being made from Richlite. That was a deal breaker.

 

Which model were you looking at? The Godin website lists some 5th Avenue models with rosewood fretboards and some with Richlite.

For what it's worth, I had a Hagstrom with a synthetic fretboard, and it felt perfectly good to me. I know @englishman has done at least one build with a Rocklite fretboard. Rocklite is a different beast from Richlite, though, so I don't know how closely they compare.

 

Maple necks, richlite fretboards ... on some models.

I dunno, I guess it depends on whose propaganda you believe. It's actually supposed to be closer to ebony than rosewood, which most would consider an upgrade. Martin and Gibson are both using it on some models. Can it be all that bad?

I tried out a Martin Road Series acoustic a few months ago. That's supposed to be Martin's cheapo line, but at $1200, I guess "cheap" is a relative term. First time I've played a richlite board, and I came away pretty impressed.

Anyway, FWIW, my 5th Avenue has a rosewood board - that's what they all had when they first came out.

 

I'm not a fan of Richlite, seems like it's being used as a cheaper alternative. Rocklite actually costs more than the real stuff and looks way better IMO.

 

Same advice for me. I have a 2008 (LH-Ized) G100 Synchromatic, the predecessor of the New-Yorker. I choose it over the Godin for the same reasons as mentioned by @lathoto and @El Marin.



Oh, also because in France, Godin is this :

 

I had a number of students who initially were attracted to some cosmetic feature of their first instrument. Just make sure the action is the best it can be so they will play the guitar more and smart their hands less.

 

Yea its more religion than science. Count me in the "real" ebony cult!

 

Well, I had a LP with Richlite fretboard and can't say nothing bad about it. Really don't care

 

Possible day trip? Let him play them in the shops and pick the winner. Or more likely the wand picks the wizard.