Meet the Maker #3 – Kees Verbeek

Meet the Maker – Kees Verbeek: Sitar making in the Netherlands

Intro

In the Meet the Maker series, I talk to sitar makers from all over the world. People who bring instruments to life with their hands, their ears and their hearts. Meet Kees Verbeek.

Kees Verbeek is a Netherlands-based instrument maker specializing primarily in the construction of surbahar and, more recently, the rudra veena. Both instruments demand a different level of structural understanding than the sitar, particularly in terms of scale length, resonance control, and string tension management.

His surbahars are built with extended scale lengths and carefully proportioned dands to support the lower pitch range and longer sustain required for alap-oriented playing. The tabli thickness and internal cavity shaping are calibrated to avoid excessive damping while maintaining structural stability under higher string tension.

In his rudra veena work, Kees engages with an even more demanding acoustic and structural system. The alignment between the two tumba resonators, the hollow dand, and the precise positioning of the large, fixed frets requires a high degree of accuracy. String spacing, bridge geometry, and jawari shaping are all executed to support the instrument’s characteristic deep, meditative tone, while maintaining note definition.

Kees’ approach is not about imitation, but about careful listening: to materials, to sound, and to the lineage of the instrument itself. In a landscape where authentic sitar making remains rare in Europe, his work stands out for its sincerity and attention to detail.

Profile

Interview

How did you start making sitars?

As a teenager I played guitar and a five-string banjo, so I was always busy with maintaining those instruments. I was also studying carpentry and carving, so I was learning other making skills. 

Then, around the age of 20, out of curiosity and fun, I began to build my first string instruments: a lute, a violin, and a hurdy-gurdy.

After that I studied sculpture at the Art Academy Den Bosch, and then worked as an independent sculptor for about 30 years.
About 15 years ago someone gave me a broken sitar and I decided to repair it. That is when I discovered the special nature of the instrument. Other Indian instruments also caught my attention and I quickly decided to start building instruments again, particularly Indian string instruments.
Currently, I am mainly working on building Surbahars and a Rudra Veena.

What does your environment mean to your work?

Instrument making is an extreme focus for me, it takes a lot of time because most of the work is done by hand. At home in central Eindhoven I have a well-equipped workshop with industrial machines and many tools. The preliminary work usually starts there.

I also spend a lot of time in France, together with my partner, where I look after my in-laws’ house. There we have a lovely small workshop on the edge of a field where I can work with the doors open, peacefully among the sound of birds and frogs. I usually like to work there on the tabli, decorative carving, and jawari – the more focused handcrafting.  

What, in your opinion, makes a good sitar?

It is a combination of the instrument’s construction, its weight in relation to its size, how well it stays in tune, the setup, etc… and of course the sound it makes and the visual aesthetics!

A good instrument is a combination of all those factors – that is why I also think that work on an instrument is never finished… there is always room for improvement or fine-tuning somewhere. A good instrument is an on-going organic object – is never complete. It always requires focused attention and maintenance.  

Where does your creativity come from?

From my upbringing. My parents always taught to be open to new things and always leave room for experimentation. My life as a sculptor is naturally very important in that it has shaped how I view my surroundings. I still learn a great deal from YouTube videos… the most diverse craftspeople and instrument makers from all possible cultures and skills share everything, which is great! It is wonderful that all that knowledge is accessible now.

Closer to home, I am of course very grateful to Toss Levy and Klaas Janssens, who are always willing to brainstorm and are generous in offering their expert opinion!

How do you combine tradition and innovation?

Tradition is naturally the starting point for building an instrument, that is where all knowledge begins. However, tradition can also lead to limitations and stubbornness. I believe you should always be open to new materials, new ideas, new approached and different methods. Sometimes you gain something from it – also you bump your head – but you always learn or discover something new.
I would not describe myself as a traditional builder.

What materials do you prefer to use and why?

I am busy experimenting with papier-mâché made from old newspapers……it is lightweight and, with the right treatment, super strong, hard, and low cost.

I use stainless steel for the pardas because stainless steel is super hard, polishable, and does not bend.

Of course I use old wood…  in particular I like when the wood has its own story. So, for the tabli I am currently using mahogany from 80-year-old windowsills, and for the pegs I am using Boxwood that is over 100 years old from a friend’s garden…that sort of thing.

But for the Jawari, I am now also using a super new compressed material that was developed for the kitchen construction industry – very exciting!

How do you collaborate with musicians?

For repair work I naturally collaborate with musicians, because it is their instruments I am working with, so I listen carefully to their wishes.
The instruments I build from scratch are never built on commission – they are exclusively for myself.

I do of course have some contact with musicians because I am very curious to hear what they think and what their feedback is. I am currently working on building a Surbahar, and get regular feedback from Matyas Wolter from Germany, which helps me think things through to the finest details. 

What project are you most proud of?

By very slowly developing a method to build tumbas using papier-mâché with a mould, I can now make tumbas in any shape. I use my daily newspaper for the mâché and I like the idea that old and bad news can build instruments that make beautiful sound…again a play on story-telling, like how i work with old/used wood.

What was your biggest challenge?

I have been working on the construction of a Rudra Veena for about four years now, a very lengthy project, partly because I use the experience of building and repairing other instruments to learn how to finish this one. The steps I am taking on the Rudra Veena are very small but important … slowly this project it is evolving.

What are your dreams for the future?

I do my work as an instrument repairer and maker alongside my daily job as a bronze caster.
Most of my free time goes on working with the instruments but in about 3 years I want to stop working as a caster and devote myself fully to working with these instruments. 

Quote From The Bench

A good instrument is an on-going organic object – is never complete.

My Reflection

What I find particularly compelling about Kees Verbeek’s work is his choice to focus on instruments like the surbahar and rudra veena. These are not forgiving instruments to build. They expose any weakness in construction or setup immediately, especially in terms of sustain and tonal balance.

His work suggests a methodical mindset. You can sense an attention to proportional relationships: between scale length and tension, between cavity volume and response, between bridge surface and sustain behavior. These are functional decisions, and they require a deep level of engagement with the physics of the instrument.

I also find it interesting that, working outside of a traditional lineage, he appears to rely on careful study and iteration rather than inherited shortcuts. That can lead to a very clear and deliberate build philosophy. There is less reliance on “this is how it’s always been done,” and more on “this is what works.”

To me, that results in instruments that feel considered and structurally honest, where the sound is a direct consequence of well-resolved technical choices rather than approximation.

Discover More

Want to know more about the work of Kees Verbeek:

• SiTAR FAcToRY: Kees Verbeek slideshow

And would you like to learn more about sitars and maintenance yourself? Feel free to take a look at SiTAR FAcToRY.

Next Episode

Coming soon in Meet the Maker: Alan Arthur Suits, New Mexico