# Agile Electric Sitar?



## Nonservium (Feb 2, 2012)

Agile Electric Sitar at RondoMusic.com







Interesting instrument, I've seen one or two things like this floating around but never on Rondo. Anyone played it or something similar?


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## Grand Moff Tim (Feb 2, 2012)

It's a concept that's been around since the 60s, with the Coral sitar. There have been a few reissues and copies since then from companies like Jerry Jones and even Rogue. 

Italia makes a pretty nice looking one now, too:


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## Waelstrum (Feb 2, 2012)

That looks really cool. It didn't say, so I assume this is not so, but I think you could get some really interesting sounds out of that thing if the sympathetic strings had a separate output.


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## Grand Moff Tim (Feb 2, 2012)

I haven't played one, though. I don't think I've ever even been in the same room as one, but I'd sure like to take one for a spin.


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## Hollowway (Feb 2, 2012)

Haha, I just signed on to post a thread about that thing, and I see you already have! That is sure interesting, and like all things Rondo, cheap enough to make it worth experimenting with.


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## Stealthdjentstic (Feb 2, 2012)

Holloway buy it so I can buy it from you later?


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## 27duuude (Feb 2, 2012)

Yet again, rondo pushes the limits to what is an acceptable instrument. Looks very cool and super progressive. If this catches we may be looking at a whole new genre.
EDIT: Ignore useless uninformed post..


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## Demiurge (Feb 2, 2012)

I played one like that awhile back (no sympathetic strings) and it was really fun to play around with... fun enough to justify a $400+ purchase, maybe not. I do have a neck and body sitting around, so maybe I'll wait and see if one gets damaged in shipping and Kurt sells-off the pieces so I could snag one of those cool "buzz bridges."


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## MF_Kitten (Feb 2, 2012)

You can get the buzz bridges on allparts.com, just so you know


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## r3tr0sp3ct1v3 (Feb 2, 2012)

I demand that 4 more strings be add nao!


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Feb 2, 2012)

27duuude said:


> Yet again, rondo pushes the limits to what is an acceptable instrument. Looks very cool and super progressive. If this catches we may be looking at a whole new genre.
> EDIT: Ignore useless uninformed post..



Rogue beat them to the punch. 
Rogue STR-1 Pro Electric Sitar Guitar: Shop Guitars & Other Musical Instruments | Musician&#39;s Friend









Then again, its Rogue.


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## Grand Moff Tim (Feb 2, 2012)

HeHasTheJazzHands said:


> Rogue beat them to the punch.


 

And the Rogue is nearly an exact copy of the Coral that was released fifty years ago.


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## Valennic (Feb 2, 2012)

Rondo really is adventurous with their instruments. That thing looks awesome.

Well, adventurous as long as 7 string acoustics aren't involved


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## Hollowway (Feb 2, 2012)

Stealthdjentstic said:


> Holloway buy it so I can buy it from you later?



Meh, I'm waiting to order a custom with more strings and a longer scale length so I can wait several years before ever getting it. That's more my style.


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## MaxOfMetal (Feb 2, 2012)

This isn't the first time they've had this. Several years ago, before the Intrepids even, these used to pop up on Rondo every now and then.


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## Uncreative123 (Feb 2, 2012)

I think that's awesome. I would definitely consider that...


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## in-pursuit (Feb 3, 2012)

I think I might need one of those....


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## vansinn (Feb 3, 2012)

Cute 

Mmnn.. a 7-string version, please, so I could tune it in major-3rd, and still have enough range.
Shouldn't be too difficult adapting it for a seven neck (except for the paintjob around the pocket). The buzz bridge looks modable to me..
Are those lipstics build with six poles or bars under the hood?


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## Necris (Feb 3, 2012)

Just poking my head in to say "Crackle Paint jobs, Fuck yeah!".


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## UnderTheSign (Feb 3, 2012)

Necris said:


> Just poking my head in to say "Crackle Paint jobs, Fuck yeah!".


Same here  Though a sitar guitar sounds like a good idea too!


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## leandroab (Feb 3, 2012)

love me some sitar shit!


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## TravTrav (May 17, 2012)

I play a real sitar as my main playing instrument (it's eclipsed the guitar completely haha) and i've played this guitar/sitars, they are alright, but it's a very surperficial sound if you're going to the indian/middle eastern vibe... while it's a cool gimik and would work really really well in a 60s/70s throwback psych band, it's not really a worthwhile investment getting one of these as opposed to a real sitar. there are some incredibly cheap electric sitars on ebay that are quite adequate for playing, i currently use a classical and electric sitar, my calssical has contact pickups on it to amplify it. one thing i would die for though is the new carbon fibre fosse electric sitar... this thing looks absolutely BRILLIANT

Fosse | Sitar Factory


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (May 17, 2012)

I'd probably just grab one and play the intro to Wherever I May Roam all day.


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## ragweed (May 18, 2012)

It's all nice, but does it djent?


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## Explorer (May 19, 2012)

TravTrav said:


> I play a real sitar as my main playing instrument (it's eclipsed the guitar completely haha) ...it's not really a worthwhile investment getting one of these as opposed to a real sitar. there are some incredibly cheap electric sitars on ebay that are quite adequate for playing....



I appreciate your thoughts, but it's worth pointing out that a sitar doesn't have anything remotely like the guitar fretboard paradigm. You're only using frets on three strings, and not fingering any chords or harmony notes. 

An electric "sitar" guitar keeps the six-string guitar paradigm, and adds sympathetic/drone strings to the side. 

As you noted, it's to get the vibe of sitar, but you neglected that it's also to keep the vibe of playing guitar. Suggesting one master an entirely new instrument which adds some limitations (compared to guitar) is great if someone is looking to play Indian music, but given the standard Western temperament of the fretboard, the Agile instruments and others aren't targeting that music, only the sound. It's not worth the limitations of an actual sitar if one isn't focusing on the music which lives within those limitations.


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## 2ManyShoes (May 19, 2012)

Cool! I want one.


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## AdrielAzure (May 19, 2012)

And then there are these. Slide based and pretty awesome
Trideb International Guitar Co.


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## TravTrav (May 20, 2012)

AdrielAzure said:


> And then there are these. Slide based and pretty awesome
> Trideb International Guitar Co.


 
ahh mohan veena, have one of these babies.. .they are sweet to play!


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## TravTrav (May 20, 2012)

Explorer said:


> I appreciate your thoughts, but it's worth pointing out that a sitar doesn't have anything remotely like the guitar fretboard paradigm. You're only using frets on three strings, and not fingering any chords or harmony notes.
> 
> An electric "sitar" guitar keeps the six-string guitar paradigm, and adds sympathetic/drone strings to the side.
> 
> As you noted, it's to get the vibe of sitar, but you neglected that it's also to keep the vibe of playing guitar. Suggesting one master an entirely new instrument which adds some limitations (compared to guitar) is great if someone is looking to play Indian music, but given the standard Western temperament of the fretboard, the Agile instruments and others aren't targeting that music, only the sound. It's not worth the limitations of an actual sitar if one isn't focusing on the music which lives within those limitations.


 
yeah man, totally. just wanted to point out that the guitarsitars are a very fake sounding 'sitar' and chords/harmonics, as you stated, aren't part of indian music, sometimes they are used, but rarley indeed. and even if a band gets one for an intro or interlude to sound middle eastern or indian or mystical or whatever, it will sound different to the realy thing. i have no problem with the guitarsitars, i love 60's psych rock with the sitar, i think it's great, and i like the coral add "you don't have to be hindu to play the coral sitar" hahaha, just handing in my 2cents on the sound aspect of the instrument.

As for using a sitar with a conventional band as an instrument i assure you it can most definately done with ease, having a technical knowledge of music theory means that one you've wrapped your head around what the string tunings (which is quite simple) and the fret layout, again is quite simple, with the exception of moveable frets on Sa and Pa (do and So for westerners) to change between natural and flat tones. it's not that different from playing an open tuned guitar. Keeping in mind that melody is dominant in middle eastern and indian music and harmony and chordal structures are relatively new in the musical systems that they are involved with (bhajans, kirtan, qawwali) to achieve 'that' sound on a guitarsitar, it would be adventageous to treat it just like a normal star, having a melody string and drone strings, using the sympathetics for 'chords' per sae as these are tuned to the notes of the scale and strummed like a harp and resonate the notes of the melodies played on the main string.


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## Explorer (May 21, 2012)

So... you're saying a guitar player can immediately pick up a sitar and play it? 

*laugh*

I know that wasn't your point, but you keep pointing out how easy it is to go back and forth, and I know it doesn't work that way. Otherwise, you'd be able to find at least one video of someone using a sitar like a guitar, chording and all. 

I get it. You think this isn't a real sitar. I agree. I also dont' think the sitar is a guitar, and hopefully you agree there's a difference which isn't minor, including how one plays them.

If you had a point beyond those few, I might have missed it....


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## TravTrav (May 21, 2012)

Explorer said:


> So... you're saying a guitar player can immediately pick up a sitar and play it?
> 
> *laugh*
> 
> ...


 

firstly it seems you don't play the sitar... i do, so take my word (this sounds aggressive, it's not honestly)

secondly, just so you know, i do play guitar, have done for 15 years, qualified teacher blah blah blah, so i am adequate at guitar and the same in violin. so my western musical theory knowledge is fairly adequate too.

as i was saying earlier... chords and harmonies were introduced to indian/middle eastern music recently. i should've stated that these are generally NOT played on the sitar, harmonium is the chordal instrument of the regions, sometimes harps, but mainly harmonium. although it is possible to play simple two, three and four note chords on the sitar. and it sounds fine, it actually works quite well as a transitional component in improvisation. but single string melody is the main use of sitar.

As for similarity to open tuned guitar. well, it's undoubtedly similar, seeing as sitar is tuned (when in C) CCGCGCF, and open C on guitar is CGCGCE and sometimes CGCGCF.... not much difference there... one of the only differences is instead of chording, you play melodies on the F string and use the remainder as drone strings, ringing out tonic and 5th and harmonics and overtones. so yes, sitarists and guitars can exchange instruments with ease, granted their knowledge of their own instruments is well sufficient and they take the time to work it out.

I know this because that how I became a started on the sitar. now i've been happily studying hindustani classical from Shrabani Choudhury : BEMAC Multicultural Arts

i'm not saying that a guitarist can be a sitarist playing indian music, or a sitarist can play western guitar... that's definately a no way... i'm merely stating for production and composition purposes in a western sense, if you write a riff on the guitar and want to do an instudio sitar version of it... use the information above to transpose and rework it to single melodic string, then give it a go... you'd be surprised at how well you can use the sitar... 

i tell you what, i'm getting my electric sitar on thursday, i'll post a vid of me playing chords and link it here, or maybe a recording, how does that sound? so you can get what i'm getting at? you can't  like a mental, the picking technique is mildly different, but when i started i used a pick and played it like that... jeff martin from the tea party uses a sitar very similar to how i'm describing how to use it... you should all do yourselves a favour and youtube tea party instruments from the edges of twilight.


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