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INDIAN MUSIC FORUM ARCHIVES: Sitar Forum: Action height???

 

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Dave
Action height??? May 06, 2004 11:15 a.m.

I have a copy of Manfred Junius� book on Sitar and he states that 10mm is a good clearance between the last fret and the Ma string. On Batish�s site he gives the impression that lower is sometimes better on string height. As a guitar player I've found that lower is almost always preferable.

So any thoughts on proper string height for Sitar�s?

Thanks,
Dave
K.K.
Re:Action height??? May 06, 2004 01:29 p.m.

Hi Dave:
Welcome to the Sitar Forum and the enchanting world of ICM!
Working at Martin, you probably will be able to give us here at the Sitar Forum some good advise!
I'm no expert, so somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but 10mm is about the lowest you would want to go. Also, by changing the string height, you'll be changing the geometry of the string/jawari interaction. But then, since your sitar is old, it might need jawari work anyway.
Just for fun, what is the history of the sitar - how old is it, who made it, etc?
Dave
Re:Action height??? May 06, 2004 02:55 p.m.

K.K.
Thanks for the tips, they're appreciated!

History of the Sitar. . . I don't have much at my fingertips (hee,hee) but I've found much on the Internet re: History of the Sitar. Persian word origin meaning "three strings", that's the "tar" part of Sitar.

I would guess there is a connection then to guitar since both titles use "tar" in the name.

I will definitely share what I can and have made a point of learning as much as possible about finishing (which still isn't much). From what I've read Sitars are usually finished with "French Polish" which shares similarities with shellac, varnish and lacquer.

More later. .

Dave
K.K.
Re:Action height??? May 06, 2004 03:19 p.m.

I guess I should re-phrase that:
What is the history of your sitar; when was it made, what brand is it, etc?
Lars
Re:Action height??? May 06, 2004 08:33 p.m.

Dave,
Welcome to the forum. .action height is generally 10 to 12mm measured at the highest fret. My own teacher prefers a higher action. . .

Indrajit Banerjee will be in Cincinnati for a few days this year if you want to sit with him for a lesson or two. You can email me for further info if you're interested. Also there are a couple of other players that frequent the board from your area too. . . .

Lars
Dave
Re:Action height??? May 07, 2004 08:46 a.m.

K.K

I've been trying to find info on my "old Sitar" and have not found a single reference to the builder anywhere. . It is marked "Prof. Haji Abdulkarim Ismailsaheb & Sons. Miraj, India"
on the head stock.

The carving on the tumba is very similar to the "1948" Sitar that someone here referenced on Ebay. I've exhausted my Indian friends by asking them how to find info on my Sitar. . The only info I gleaned from them is that the builder was a Moslem.


Lars,
Yes, Yes, please let me know when the Cincinnati session is scheduled! I travel to Cincy on a regular basis

Thanks!

DaveJ
Sangeeta
Re:Action height??? May 07, 2004 05:15 p.m.

Dave,
There are bunch of Sitar and Taanpura makers in Miraj - a city in Maharashtra state.
I have two sitars that are made in Miraj and believe it or not, one of them is a folding Sitar. I brought it to US as my cabin baggage!!!
-
Sangeeta
Sitarfixer
Re:Action height??? May 08, 2004 08:44 a.m.

Hi, Dave. Your Sitar is a jewel. I bid on it and lost at the last second. My first sitar was from the same family in Miraj. My shop in Miraj where my sitars are being put together is about 100 ft. away from the shop where yours was made. If you like, I'll email you a few pictures taken of their shop about six months ago. Good people there but their output quality ,alas, is not any where near the quality of yours. I highly recommend hanging onto the one you have. It was built sometime in the early - mid 1960's. The gourd has a nice nice copper nitrate solution applied at birth so it is mold proof. The wood has by now aged nicely. I had to sell my Miraj sitar when I left the USA. That sitar had the best sound of all in my collection, including a 1962 Hiren Roy Teak machine, a 1974 Hemen machine and various other "high end" models. You are most fortunate to have such a fine instrument. The decorative carving is secondary to the overall sound and action your instrument has. Take good care of it ! "Ya hear!?" Cheers! Tony Karasek
Dave
SitarFixer May 10, 2004 11:21 a.m.

THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE INFO!!!!!!

You're the first person who has told me anything about my sitar of value!

I would love to have a photo or photos of the shop or any other information on it.

I was pretty sure it was a jewel because it sound incredible to my ears.

Thanks again,
DaveJ
Juan Carlos de E
Re:SitarFixer May 11, 2004 02:26 p.m.

Hello Tony,

Very interesting your info. Please, do you know if this workshop is related to the actual Bhartiya Tatuvadya Kendra too in Miraj?

Thank you
Juan Carlos
Sitarfixer
Re:SitarFixer May 12, 2004 09:14 a.m.

Hi. BTK's shop is jusat a few blocks across the main street (M.G. Road) (( Mahatma Gandhi Rd.)) I don't think there is any actual family relation, but the network is tighter than a junior high school girls clique! I walk into town and within 5 min. every shop in the town knows the ferengi from california is here! I'll ask next time I'm in Miraj (a few weeks). Cheers! Tony Karasek
Juan Carlos de E (May 11, 2004 02:26 p.m.):
Hello Tony,

Very interesting your info. Please, do you know if this workshop is related to the actual Bhartiya Tatuvadya Kendra too in Miraj?

Thank you
Juan Carlos
Juan Carlos de E
Re:Action height??? May 12, 2004 12:21 p.m.

Jajaja,

I understand. Thank you, and good luck!

Juan Carlos
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