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INDIAN MUSIC FORUM ARCHIVES: Sitar Forum: Thinking of buying sitar . .

 

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Korean with Sitar
Thinking of buying sitar . . Mar 25, 2003 01:32 a.m.

My mom is going to india in may and she said she would get a present i wanted. Well i always wanted a sitar. .but i know nothing about them. .how much are they in india and what should i know about them? Could some of u guys help me? feel free to email me
Dan
Re:Thinking of buying sitar . . Apr 03, 2003 03:34 a.m.

Hi, Korean with Sitar,

Finaly a reply, you might say! I would suggest you do the following with your mom:


  1. Buy the cheepest sitar you can find in your area or on the web.
  2. Examine it in detail:

    • How straight the neck is, not bended.
    • How the frets are attached and how tight they sit on the neck.
    • How the bridge sits on the tabli.
    • Look at every details from all angles and try to understand the function of each of them.
    • This is a bit pushy but try to draw the sitar from different angles by memory without seeing the sitar.

  3. Now, the bravery test: put it apart and check what is inside.
  4. Line up all the parts and imagine how the Indian craftmen did put them together.
  5. Virtually visit a sitar shop at Lars's web site.
  6. It might be good also to read about some basic care to do with a sitar, like SITAR GUIDE From A to Z.

By doing all those, your mom will be able to act like an expert in those shops

As for prices, Lars may be more qualify for he is in the business.
Tell your mom to have a nice trip.

Dan :-)
Lars
Re:Thinking of buying sitar . . Apr 03, 2003 09:35 p.m.

Well. . . . .don't know where to start. There are many sitars in India, it would depend on where your Mother is going (what city). But would be better if you had a player there to look at them with her. No 2 sitars are the same with any maker, usually the better ones are long gone before they are in the shop on display. Still, it depends on your definition of good, I'm quite biased, heh heh. . . . .
Prices: anywhere from $75 to $1800 and everywhere in between. Let me know where she will be, I can give recommendations (from hearsay) in Delhi, or Benares or Calcutta. By all means you should also get a fiberglass case with your instrument otherwise it will probably get damaged. Email me if you like and I'll try to help. . .

Lars
info@sitarsetc.com
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