The making of a solid body electric sitar in plexiglass, the See-Tar.
Specifications Materials Drawings The making of Press Video
This instrument has been made on demand
The original idea comes from Purbayan Chatterjee (May 2014)
Design & drawings by Klaas Janssens @ Sitar Factory (September 2014)
Raw plexiglass body is made by Patricia Stoops & Alexander @ Plexi Reine (Januari/April 2015)
Assembly & completion by Klaas Janssens @ Sitar Factory (May/June 2015)
Specifications
Dimensions: 1070mm x 300mm x 105mm (L x W x H)
Neck width: 90mm
Scale: 822mm
Weight: 3,25kg
String configuration: Ustad Vilayat Khansahib
Parda setting: traditional (20 with no Komal Dha or Re)
Materials
Body: modified PMMA (Polymethyl methacrylate) = plexiglass
Parts: Black Buffalo horn & modified PMMA
Pardas: Nickel Silver wire 5,0mm diameter
Machine heads: M6 Mini / Schaller
Pickup: Slimbucker™ Jazz guitar pickup / Kent Armstrong
Strings: Silver plated steel N°3 (0,30mm) & N°0 (0,23mm) / Pyramid
Nickel flatwound Jora N°26 (0,46mm) / Pyramid
Drawings
click on the pictures for zoom or alternative view
The making of
1 The plexiglass body, as coming from Plexi Reine
2 Making the main parts out of black buffalo horn
2.1 taardan
2.2 langot
2.3 jawari
3 Assembly
3.1 taardan & machine heads
3.2 langot
3.3 pardas & cikari posts
4 Installing electronics for sound reproduction
4.1 pickup mount
4.2 potmeters & jack
5 Installing electronics for light effects
6 Amazing color effects
Press
Video
Hi
I just got the news tha Purbayans Plexiglass Sitar got damaged.
I am interested in purchasing the Plexiglass Sitar. So if you are making some new ones pls let me know.
Hope to hear from you.
Hans
LOOKS AMAZING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am a huge fan of plexiglass instruments.
I was waiting to see if somebody would come up with a Dan Armstrong type plexiglass body for a sitar. Very happy to see it has now come to pass. Beautiful job in concept, design, engineering and assembly. Nice clean wiring as well. Congratulations on taking this idea and making a superb job of it. Well done ! ! !
Hi Tony, thank you for your kind comment.
But credit where credit is due: the original idea came from Purbayan Chatterjee. The challenge for me was only to make it come true, and yes, of course I am a kind of proud about the result. The instrument plays perfectly well and sounds amazingly good. Even pure acoustically a well-balanced sound comes out. It is very suitable for practice sessions or a late evening cosy intimate play with your most beloved one(s)… 😉
Hello,
I’m interested by this sitar.
What is his price? There is no sympathic string: what about the sound?
Best regard
Patrick
This sitar is made on special request and not for sale. But, if you want, I can make a new one. Please contact via mail.
The sound is superb. Check-out on Purbayan Chatterjee concerts…