Re: Godin Glissentar Response

["James Pokorny" <j.pokorny@worldnet.att.net>]

Tim wrote:

>From the link that someone posted the other day, the only difference I see
>between the Glissentar and an electric oud IS the scale length. Its scale
>is typical of a guitar, which would place it between a sitar and an oud.
>(My ouds are quite a bit shorter.) But you're right, the sound is most
>likely very oud-like, having the same string courses and no frets, and it
>sure would be easier to amplify...


It sure looks like a great instrument.  Tim's right -- the neck is much
longer than an oud neck.  The oud, somewhat like the guitar, is played
across all strings in only the first few hand positions.  I 'm assuming the
glissentar is built with some compensation in the neck to allow clear
intonation and good sound farther up the fingerboard.  Almost all
"long-necked" instruments (like sitar, tar, saz, bozouki, etc.) have either
metal or catgut/nylon frets, which are essential not only for intonation,
but especially for volume as one plays higher up the neck closer to the
bridge.

One other point:  the oud generally has doubled strings for all except the
lowest (bass) course, since that string tends to get quite muddy when
doubled.  Several oud players that I know also like to play the highest
string as a single course (removing one of the pair) because this string
gets played often and it's very difficult to keep both strings in perfect
tuning.

I would imagine that chording would be quite tricky as well, with no frets
to rely on for intonation.  But many oud players add chords to their 
melodic
lines, so I guess it could be done on the glissentar as well.

All in all, though, the glissentar looks very impressive.

James Pokorny