What the heck is a "Glissentar"? The Godin catalog described this head-scratcher model as "an Electro-Acoustic 11-String Fretless Nylon." What even is that? With standard guitar tuning and a 25-1/2" scale, the A11 Glissentar opens the doors to Microtonal sounds of Asian and Middle Eastern styles.
When you pick up the Glissentar and tart playing, you instantly explore the micro-tonal territory because of the fretless design. The nylon strings give it a softer, percussive timbre, and since 5/6 strings are doubled, you get to explore a deeper, more harmonic resonance. Because the 11th string is on its own, we find ourselves leaving it open and letting the bass end of the spectrum drone. Ultimately, you'll find new sounds that stretch you beyond the guitar. We find ourselves exploring sounds similar to an Oud—and when you push the treble, you can imitate sounds almost like a Shamisen—but all through the familiarity of guitar tuning and vocabulary.
This A11 Glissentar was made in 2001. It plays nicely and sounds great plugged in. It has two gnarly gouges on the bass side of the Cedar top, and the finish is chipped by the input jack (see photos). There are some other minor dings and cosmetic wear, but no repairs and the electronics work 100% as they should. Also- four of the bridge pins don't match the others. Like other instruments in Godin's Multiac series, the Glissentar features an active preamp with on-board 3-band EQ. This lets you shape the sound of the Glissentar, and you can plug directly into an interface for recording. The nut measures 1-3/4", and the ebony fingerboard has a 16" radius. The feel is smooth, fast, and playable.
If you're interested in pushing your playing beyond the sounds of the guitar, the Glissentar may be everything you never knew you needed. Our advice is to try it with reverb, delay, or something that expands the sound with echo and repeats. This 2001 Godin A11 Glissentar includes its original gig bag, which is in fairly rough shape. All but of the handles are broken, so carrying it around is a little obnoxious.