Conference napalm::guitar

    
    	I believe they were using an Electric Sitar made by CORAL
    (Danelectro).  The Electric Sitar was similar to a regular 6 string
    except it had another set of strings where the pick guard is (like
    a tiny harp) complete with a pickup.  This was used for drone effects
    or an effect similiar to the beginning of that Harrison tune on
    Revolver (Love Me While You Can????).
    
    	Any way I think it was the **strings** that gave it this sound.
    I haven't seen any for sale in a music shop in years.  I can't ask
    the place where I saw it years ago because the former owner is selling
    used cars someplace.
                        
    That sound still pops up every now and then:
    
    	Every time you go away - Paul Young
    	Hooked on a feeling    - B.J. Thomas ???????????
    	I Cry like a baby      - The boxtops ??????????? 
    
    
    Guy Novello
                                                                       

    
    The Coral Sitar got its buzzing sound from the bridge (which was
    patented).  There was also a less expensive version caled the
    Danelectro Sitar which eliminated the drone strings.  Both are pricey
    collector's items these days.  Many studio musicians still use them
    on occasion.
    
    You can approximate the effect by modifying the bridge on any guitar.
    The idea is to make the bridge buzz.  The way Coral did it was to
    build a wide, almost flat bridge saddle out of some sort of plastic.
    When the string vibrated, a small portion of the string near the
    actual fulcrum point would come into contact with the saddle, causing
    a buzz, not unlike that of a fretless bass.  The drone strings,
    which looked like a miniature zither built on the top of the guitar,
    added to the sitar "effect" but few players seemed to use them.
                 
    Except for the bridge and drone strings, the electric sitars were
    built like most Danelectros, with lipstick pickups, masonite bodies,
    etc.
    
    Cheapest way to get the sound: cram a matchbook between your bridge
    and strings!!!!

    I'll bet it's possible to design a digital effects processor to
    produce this effect. If not, I'm sure you can get it from a
    guitar synth. It will probably be years before I can afford
    to find out. By then, guitar synths will be selling for 299 
    complete.
    
    	Considering the popularity of the Sitar in the 60's, I'm surprised
    that only the two companys mentioned earlier made electric sitars. It
    sounds like something I would expect from a company like Rickenbacher
    considering the strange beasts they have introduced like their 6/12
    convertible or their short scale guitars.                            
    
    
    	Maybe someday I'll run across a DanElectro at a yard sale. (Pinch
    me, I'm dreaming !!). 
    
    
    							Mark J.
    
    

    
    I may be wrong, but I believe that sound heard on that Steely Dan
    tune WAS an effect box.  I remember reading an interview with some
    guitar player (60's-70's) who talked about the box that produced
    that "sitar" sound.  A good person to ask (locally) would be Mr.
    C (Mr C's Music in Marlboro).  He's pretty knowledgable about guitar
    history and associated stuff.
    
    /paul
    

    I have a sitar-like sound that I get with a delay.  I set it to
    a very short delay cycle with moderate modulation and then mix the
    delayed signal out of phase with the dry signal.
    
    I'm not sure if you can do this on any delay because many don't
    have the "mix out of phase" capability.
    
    You don't get that characteristis sitar buzz, but you do get a very
    twangy sound.
    
    	db

Pat Metheny's recent semi-hit "Long Train Home" has a very sitarish sound to
my ears. Any idea how he gets that sound? Maybe he just has a sitar sample
in his Synclavier.

Don.

    
    	I've heard that Steven Stills has a sitar sound stomp box. Also
    Glenn Campbell has one too...
    
    	Joe Jas
    

    Re. Pat Metheny. Considering a complete Synclavier system will run
    about 20k, I would be surprised if it didn't also butter your toast
    for you, too.
    
    							Mark J.
    

    re: -.1 I had thought that a complete synclaver was running nearer
    to .5 million...ya know all the options..
    
    dave

    Realistically, A SynclavierII cost about 10k. This does not include
    too many options. Most people hook them up to a computer. I think
    the SynclavierII has a built in emulator. I don't see how it could
    cost .5 million. Let's be real. Just the 10k pricetag alone puts
    it out of reach of most of us.
    
    				  		Mark J.
    			

    Be real?? What about Frank Zappa's synclavier....$250,000.00 + he
    didn't buy all the options. Check it out for your self. It's been
    referred to in Muscian mag as his digital orchestra.     
    
    Syncalviers and Fairlights cost bucks only the stars can afford.
    
    dave

    In guitar player this month there is an interview with George Harrison.
    There is also a pictorial on his guitars, and guitars used by the
    Beatles. Pictured is a Coral Sitar. George says that right after
    he bought it Spensor Davis saw it and asked to borrow it for the
    night. He had it for over four years before George got it back.
                       
    	You could clearly see the drone strings in the picture of this
    instrument. It also appeared to have "rail" pickups similar to Bill
    Lawrence pickups in appearence.
    
    
    	I would still like to know if there are any effect pedals or
    other type of effect for getting a reasonable facimile of a sitar.
    
    
    							Mark Jacques.
    

    And I still don't know.  However, here's a couple more tunes that
    might jar somebody's memory...
    
    STONES:	Paint it black
    YARDBIRDS:	Heart full of soul
    
    I think the stones tune might have a kazoo behind the guitar to
    emphasize the fact that they wanted a rude sound.
    
    Jon
    

    
    Re: "Heart Full of soul"
    
    The Yardbirds hired a sitar player and tabla player for the session,
    but Jeff Beck ended up playing the sitar line on his Telecaster
    because the Indians couldn't play in 4/4!!!!
    
    Re: Coral Sitar
    
    The Coral definitely has lipstick tube pickups.  That photo is not
    done with the greatest lighting.
    
    
    

               
               
    
    Re: .6
    
    I actually saw a Pat Metheny video the other day and it was of
    "Long Train Home". Thought it was pretty stupid...
    
    In the video, anyway, he uses a Coral sitar with the lipstick pickups
    removed and replaced with what looks like Strat or Tele pickups.