EYB Sitar Bridge is the only adjustable sitar bridge available for guitar.
If you know my work, I am interested in building all the possible guitars you can think of. After these days, I think I made about 24 different custom guitars that I am using daily in my studio to record my music, or for licensing music production.
I was wondering about guitar sitar for a while. I knew about the Danelectro model, and I was trying to put my hand on a secondhand one. But I decided a long ago to only play with instruments I make. Except for an acoustic guitar, a 6 strings bass, and a nylon guitar, all the guitars I have are my creation.
I was clueless about how those guitars were made. I knew some people were doing some low-grade mods on their guitar to transform a regular guitar into a sitar. But first they sounded bad, and secondly, they sounded out of tune.
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As stated in the video, there were many solutions available to have a guitar sitar.
- First, buy a Danelectro or a copy of this Italian brand.
- Second, buy a Gotoh bridge and install it on one of my guitars
- Third, buy the EHX sitar stomp box
- Fourth, get the EYB Sitar Bridge
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Firstly, I decided to order the Italian guitars sitar red Crackel model. I did that because at Thomann you can return any products within 15 days if you are not happy about it. I knew that I wouldn’t keep it when I ordered it. I just wanted to see how it was made to be able to replicate it.
That guitar is a joke. It’s not an instrument, but a toy. The body seems to be made out of plastic, and the Gotoh bridge is impossible to intonate rights.
The EHX sitar stomp box is impressive, but the sound is incredibly artificial.
I was about to give up when I found out about this German luthier that was offering this EYB Sitar Bridge.
EYB Sitar Bridge
This bridge is the only one that allows you to set the intonation for each string. It is incredibly easy to achieve. Check the video where I’m explaining precisely how to do it.
Pros and cons of each solution
- Gotoh bridge: for this one it is simple. The price is not bad, but you cannot set the intonation. So, the guitar is unplayable.
- The Italian Guitars sitar red Crackel model: this guitar is owning a Gotoh bridge, so the issue is the same. Plus, the mini autoharp is utterly unusable. Strings spacing is so narrow that you just can’t play it. And also, they are not resonating as they are supposed to do. So, it’s a gadget. Pros for it, I don’t know. Maybe the look if you like it?
- The EHX sitar stomp box: sound is artificial, but the pros for it is that you can set the drone or resonating strings in the key of your choice. Also, you do not need to dedicate an instrument to be a sitar only. You can plug any guitar into it, and you are all set.
- EYB Sitar Bridge. Pros: possibility to set the intonation perfectly. Cons, no resonating strings and you have to devote a guitar for that only. So, if you’re not using this type of instrument often, it might be a problem, and you might prefer to go for the EHX sitar stomp box.
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EYB Sitar guitar hardware details
- Custom scalloped Stratocaster’s neck with a modified head stock.
- Locking tuners
- rolling trees
- Godin Stratocaster body
- hot rail Belcat humbucker pickup in the neck position
- Entwistle AS 57 single coil pickups in middle position
- unknown Humbucker in wood from AliExpress in the bridge position
- EYB Sitar Bridge
- 250 K push pull volume potentiometer. (Solo wiring in up position)
- regular 500 K tone pot
- three on-on toggle switches
- two on-on-on toggle switches
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Check out the video
Wiring
The wiring is simple. The three on-on toggle switches are simple on-off for each pickup. The two on-on-on toggle switches set both humbuckers in series, split, and parallel mode.
If you are interested in making your guitar sitar using the EYB sitar Bridge, you can start with a first price Squier Stratocaster, from Partcaster parts you buy on eBay, or any secondhand guitar. In the event you like it, you can always amend it later to superior pickups, and a scalloped neck. Keep in mind that an EYB sitar bridge is different for a Stratocaster or a Telecaster.
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A few words about the scalloped neck
If you never played a scalloped neck, it’s not what you might think. You cannot achieve an incredible band like a sitar. The fact that frets are scalloped do not give further possibilities regarding intonation.
It just allows playing faster because fingers are not touching the fingerboard. You can also bend strings more easily than a regular neck. Except that, there is not much difference between a scalloped and a regular neck. You need to get used to it because first if you press too hard it will be out of tune.
Guitar players who started on acoustic guitars and have a firm grip might find it difficult. Personally, I’m an electric guitar player, and my grip is extremely light, so it was easy for me to adapt.
If you want to make yourself a scalloped neck, it is straightforward. You only need a Dremel and sandpaper grinding wheel accessories. You must use the big one up to the 12 fret, and the small one from the 12 frets, up to the last one. Pay attention to not damage frets and you are all set.
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Here are some links you might find interesting to achieve this project
At AliExpress
At eBay
Wiring plans
click on pics to get access to the large image
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Note that if you want to have the solo function on when the pot is up, you have to invert the wiring. Like it is in the wiring, the solo mode is on when the pot is in a down position.
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This post is also available in: French