At SiTAR FAcToRY, traditional sitar making has always gone hand in hand with experimentation and innovation. Over the years I have designed and built a range of custom and experimental sitars, exploring new materials, construction methods, electronics and amplification while preserving the essential playing characteristics of the instrument.
These projects include the Solid Body Sitar, Hybrid Sitar, See-Tar in transparent plexiglass and several New Style Sitars, as well as modifications, restorations and adaptations of existing instruments. Below you can explore their design, construction and development in detail.
The Solid Body Sitar, SBS-01, a unique combination of ancient and modern know-how.
A Hybrid Sitar, the modification of an acoustic travel sitar into an electric hybrid guitar-sitar.
The See-Tar, the making of a solid body electric sitar in plexiglass
The making of new style sitars: The Jazz Sitars SAS-01 & 02 & the Solid Body Sitars SBS-02, SBS-03 & SBS-04 .
Sitar Mods: applying modifications to and creating technical enhancements for existing instruments.
Sitar Restorations: a selection of restoration projects involving historic and contemporary sitars.: see list here
Guitar to sarod adaptation in Sarod.
Sitar Repairs: structural repairs, restoration and maintenance work on sitars and surbahars.
Experimental Sitar Bridge: making a ghodi (jawari bridge) from billiard-ball material in Ivory Jawari.
