This year I’ve completed 2 plexiglass sitars. They are 100% See-Tar cloned replicas according to the original Purbayan Chatterjee copy as seen here on this site.
Sound sample:
Plexitar on AER Compact 60 amp
Comes with a solid AUER CP 12416 Protective case Pro with locks & wheels in beautiful “blutorange” (vermilion) color.
Last week Friday, 19/06/2015, I’ve delivered this electric plexiglass sitar to Purbayan Chatterjee. One year has passed since he had asked me to build this instrument for him (May 2014). Initially I found it a weird idea and honestly, I didn’t favour the choice of plexiglass because of the rather unknown and synthetic nature of this material (modified PMMA / Polymethyl methacrylate). In general I prefer working on wood, rather than with plastics. But the unique challenge seduced me completely and I plunged into this venture which took me a year to accomplish.
The moment I finally passed this sitar into Purbayan’s hands was very exciting, for me as well as for him, because this is really the first sitar ever made completely out of plexiglass. The instrument has a breathtaking look. The transparency is 100% and makes it look quite unreal… But, as this is meant to be a professional musical instrument, I was especially wondering how it will behave on stage, how it will sound, will the material withstand the constant changing and heavy tensions caused by the powerful play of an extremely talented professional sitarist like Purbayan Chatterjee…? 
Soon after handing over the instrument I went back home and kept my mobile close to me. That same afternoon Purbayan tested the sitar profoundly during the rehearsal for a concert the next day in Brussels with Slang, the impressive jazz/rock band (with flute virtuoso Manuel Hermia) from Belgium. 
To my relief no alarm call came, not in the evening, and not in the following morning. A few hours before the concert on Saturday I received an sms from Manuel Hermia writing: “Purbayan loves your sitar!!” and, indeed, a few moments later, when we met in front of the concert stage, his big smile welcomed me,… and,… the concert was marvellous and blew away all my initial questions. Purbayan named the instrument “The See-Tar”, a see-through sitar.
Must read (on this site): The making of a solid body electric sitar in plexiglass.
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
the plexiglass sitar
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
Comes with a solid AUER CP 12416 Protective case Pro with locks & wheels in beautiful “blutorange” (vermilion) color.
Sound Sample
Plexitar on AER Compact 60 ampFor more info about this currently available instrument please write to : info@sitarfactory.be
See also “the making of” this Plexitar here on this site.
the solidbody sitar
Specifications
Dimensions: 1230mm x 343mm x 125mm (L x W x H)
Neck width: 90mm
Scale: 860mm
Weight: 3,75kg
String configuration: Pandit Ravi Shankar
Parda setting: chromatic (24 full)
Materials
Body: Walnut & Honduras Mahogany
Neck: African & Honduras Mahogany with Indian Rosewood
Parts: Indian Rosewood & Stagghorn
Pardas: Nickel Silver wire 5,0mm diameter
Machine heads: M4 & M6 Mini / Schaller
Pickups: 3x Seymour Duncan™ Lipstick single coil pickup / Seymour Duncan
Electronics: volume & tone pots (front) with series/parallel switch (back)
Strings: Silver plated steel N°3 (0,30mm) & N°0 (0,23mm) / Pyramid
Nickel flatwound Jora N°26 (0,46mm) / Pyramid
Nickel flatwound Laraj N°24 (0,56mm) / Pyramid
Nickel flatwound Kharaj N°22 (0,76mm) / Pyramid
Comes with a solid StormCase™ model iM3300 Protective case Pro with locks & wheels in black color.
Sound Sample
SBS-02 & SH101For more info about this currently available instrument please write to : info@sitarfactory.be
See also “the making of” this SBS-02 here on this site.
your solidbody sitar
Specifications
Dimensions: 1230mm x 343mm x 125mm (L x W x H)
Neck width: 90mm
Scale: 860mm
Weight: 3,55kg
String configuration: Pandit Ravi Shankar
Parda setting: chromatic (24 full)
Materials
Body: Honduras Mahogany
Neck: Maple, African & Honduras Mahogany with Indian Rosewood
Parts: High quality bone
Pardas: Nickel Silver wire 5,0mm diameter
Machine heads: M4 & M6 Mini / Schaller
Pickups: custom one pickup at your choice
Electronics: custom on demand
Strings: Silver plated steel N°3 (0,30mm) & N°0 (0,23mm) / Pyramid
Nickel flatwound Jora N°26 (0,46mm) / Pyramid
Nickel flatwound Laraj N°24 (0,56mm) / Pyramid
Nickel flatwound Kharaj N°22 (0,76mm) / Pyramid
Comes with a solid StormCase™ model iM3300 Protective case Pro with locks & wheels in black color.
For more info about this currently available instrument please write to : info@sitarfactory.be
See also “the making of” this SBS-04 here on this site.