I'm trying to build a sitar but can't find any information on the spacing of the pegs and frets, and how long the scale of each string should be. I can find basic information and sitar diagrams, but none with detailed measurments of key components.
Does anyone have any info (websites, books, magazines. .)? thanks
I tried to build a sitar about 20 years ago. I admire your ambition. I didn't have much luck.
With the internet, however, you have many more resources at your fingertips. There is a site with an article entitled "The theory of the 22 shrutis" which gives the ratios between the frets which in turn would determine where to drill the holes for the tarab khunti. I would think that if you have access to another sitar, you could do a bit of reverse engineering to establish the distances. Perhaps you could share some photos on the web of your progress. Also, someone else on this forum recently mentioned that they too, built a sitar. Check the posts of the past to locate this maker. Best of luck.
I built a sitar from a neck off another sitar as well as a top of off another I made the body out of mohagony, did the hollowing with a chizzle and hammer. think that if you go to sitarsetc.com there's pictural tour of some people building sitars. I hope you have fun. if you can find a sitar to get measurements from it would help you. unless someone else beats me to it I can sit down & measure each for you. . . . . . . . .Peace
Total length of a standard sitar is 4 ft. the most important thing to remmember is the length from second nut to bridge which is 35 inchs. From 3 rd tuning peg to the last taraf peg (sympathetics) is 30 inchs. 1 st & 2nd pegs are 4 inchs apart. Total length from 1st fret to last fret is 23 inchs. I'm not sure how one overcomes the problem of making sure that you don't place a peg where a fret needs to be tied. If I was doing it, I'd tie the frets on, then string up the sitar with only the main strings first, find the placement of each fret for desired pitch of note. once you've worked that out, then drill the holes for the taraf pegs. That way the peg woulndn't be where a fret should be tied. Good luck I hope this has helped. . . . . . .Peace
