Godin Radiator and Fury BBM 2V Guitar Reviews

Godin Radiator From Canada like a cool blast come two new electric guitars with some refreshingly independent features and approaches to construction.

Godin’s Radiator is a simple yet different take on what a budget instrument can offer, particularly in the looks department. In addition to that bigger-than-yours pearloid pickguard, there are pearloid-buttoned enclosed tuners and pearl-capped Tele-style chrome knurled knobs. The colorful “Tele-meets-Les Paul Junior” body is so immaculately finished that it seems a shame to hide it beneath a sheet of plastic.

A look underneath the pickguard, though, will show one of the Radiator’s real surprises. Most of the maple body has been routed away to create a tone cavity for lighter weight and a more acoustic response. The pickups and electronics all mount on the pickguard; only the bridge and neck mount onto the body. The result is a distinctively snappy, yet full, unplugged sound.

Playing the Radiator is a pleasure. The maple bolt-on neck’s oval contour and satin finish is complimented by 24 neatly finished medium frets on a 12-inch radius rosewood fretboard, creating a feel that is friendly to almost any playing style. The pickups are a single-coil design regulated by two independent volumes and a master tone control. Their amplified output is pleasant and uncolored in low-gain settings, but higher gain and volume reveals a faulty desire for microphonic feedback. Keep the Radiator reigned in as a rhythm instrument or in mildly gritty blues territory and you won’t be disappointed.

Fury Guitars have kept an undeservedly low profile since their founding in 1962. Although the body design might strike some as “Sixties budget import,” there is nothing second-rate about these guitars. Our review model, a BBM 2V came in a flawless metallic charcoal gray finish with chrome hardware, two humbucking pickups and an optional vibrato bridge. Other choices include 18 different standard colors, gold hardware, a three-pickup configuration and matching color headstock. Apart from the Schaller tuners and the electronic components, all Fury parts are made at their own factory—that includes the pickups, vibrato bridge, knobs and, of course, neck and body.

And they do a furiously fine job of putting it all together. In addition to the enclosed Schaller tuners, the minimalist headstock is mounted with a large string guide and a uniquely designed “Uninut” that functions as a kind of zero fret plus nut. The maple neck features a 25.064-inch scale length with a gloss finish and a nicely rounded shoulder. The 22 jumbo frets are mounted on a 9-inch radius on the pao ferro fretboard. The frets are well crowned and polished, and what appears to be overcut fret slots are in fact intentional, and improve the neck’s stability over time.

The vibrato bridge has been re-thought from the ground up and features a non-locking design resting on a neoprene stop block to prevent the guitar from detuning when a string breaks. Additionally, the springs and leverage are set to eliminate detuning when strings are intentionally bent. In short, you could pop a string in the middle of a song and still play your favorite double-bends and whammy drops. Very impressive, Fury!

The Fury’s “Zero Pole” pickups are likewise built from the ground up and offer equally impressive results. Their hollow pole pieces create a less imposing magnetic field for the vibrating string, and this, combined with construction that secures every component at every point, results in a humbucking pickup with a delightful high-end sheen. This added definition can be heard in both clean and distorted settings as a subtle increase in pick attack and upper harmonic content. Add the dual coil-selector switches and extremely responsive tone control to this formula and you have an axe capable of colors from bright to funky to fat. By the way, you can crank this baby loud enough to be heard by the border police, and the only squeal you’ll hear will be one of delight.

END LINE

Godin’s Radiator has enough good looks and quality construction to be a smart choice for the player on a budget or on the lookout for a second or third instrument. Even with a pickup swap, it’s a good bang-per-buck axe. Fury’s BBM is a major contender for any major player who isn’t glued to the clone-of-a-clone design paradigm that most mid-priced models offer. Read: Godin LGXT Electric Acoustic Guitar Review.

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