sitar bar question

Tommy Auldridge · Post by **Tommy Auldridge** » 13 Aug 2021 8:52 am

On a sitar bar, how wide is the flat part usually? Just wondering. Thanks, Tommy.....

Jerry Overstreet · Post by **Jerry Overstreet** » 13 Aug 2021 9:08 am

I have a Loni Specter 3/4 in. sitar bar that has 1/4 in. flat.

I really don't know how that compares with others.

Greg Cutshaw · Post by **Greg Cutshaw** » 13 Aug 2021 9:13 am

Here's 3 pics of my Dunlop sitar bar. Any bar with a flat edge machined into it should work fine. Diameter is 1.0" and length is 3.75". It's pretty heavy so maybe that helps keep it flat against the strings. Flat spot is 0.375".

Kenny Davis · Post by **Kenny Davis** » 17 Aug 2021 7:43 pm

Here's an original "Hughey" Sitar Bar. It's 3 1/2" long, diameter is 15/16", the flat spot is 5/16" and the groove is 1/8" Shown next to a Sho~Bud bar.

Darrell Criswell · Post by **Darrell Criswell** » 24 Aug 2021 7:10 am

What is it used for?

Tommy Auldridge · Post by **Tommy Auldridge** » 24 Aug 2021 7:41 am

With the flat side down(on the strings)it makes the steel sound like a sitar.

Greg Cutshaw · Post by **Greg Cutshaw** » 24 Aug 2021 7:53 am

Sound sample here:

http://www.gregcutshaw.com/Sitar%20Bar/Sitar%20Bar.html

Larry Dering · Post by **Larry Dering** » 25 Aug 2021 7:51 am

Greg, cool sounding bar if not over used. I recognize that song "if" by Bread. Do you have a chart for it?

Greg Cutshaw · Post by **Greg Cutshaw** » 25 Aug 2021 12:05 pm

Larry, no charts. I have more sound samples somewhere here.

Larry Dering · Post by **Larry Dering** » 25 Aug 2021 1:25 pm

Thanks Greg. I have just started working on that song. I may throw a few lines in with my sitar bar to see how it goes. Definitely catches the ear with it's tone.

Gene Tani · Post by **Gene Tani** » 30 Aug 2021 3:17 pm

You can order 1 from Michael Hillman, or ask him about the flat (but I always order by emailing him, NOT thru this website

https://tonebars.com/product-category/sitar-bars/

Ron Hogan · Post by **Ron Hogan** » 30 Aug 2021 7:06 pm

Hal Rugg and his Sitar bar

https://youtu.be/N1bUXCc_ENo

Mark Greenway · Post by **Mark Greenway** » 1 Sep 2021 7:11 pm

From the Paul Franklin Method. Paul Franklin writes: Get as short a piece of 1/8" thick channel aluminum. Have that machinist make a 4" bar and ever so slightly round off all of the sharp edges with a belt sander...Take some 600 sand paper and smooth all of the rough parts and you will have the best and easiest to use sitar bar..It's psychological, put a round bar in the hand and we subliminally use vibrato which is why more downward pressure is applied and that downward pressure causes intonation changes........
Sho-Bud, back in the late 60's made a flat sitar bar that was overkill because it was 1/2 inch thick and very hard to get in tune...It took up too much landscape. I believe some other company started the round bar thing and the concept of using a sitar bar went away because the sound is best when a light touch is used...
I asked my father to make me one as described....Now most of the other session players own one of the type I describe. For a couple of years I started using it and once I played the sitar parts on the Country/Pop hit, "I Hope You Dance"...I started getting calls where they said bring that sitar bar....I believe everyone should own one just in case you get the call.

"I Hope You Dance" Lee Ann Womack https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmBSGlXqC4Q

Mark Greenway · Post by **Mark Greenway** » 1 Sep 2021 7:38 pm

That Sitar bar lesson is just one of many lessons from the Paul Franklin Method. That course is great for players at any level. It is truly a remarkable wealth of knowledge.

Ron Pruter · Post by **Ron Pruter** » 16 Oct 2021 6:52 pm

Mark, Franklin doesn't do a good job describing and the picture gets blurry. Can you better describe what he's talking about. RP

Mike Bacciarini · Post by **Mike Bacciarini** » 17 Oct 2021 5:49 am

Sound Sample..... Norwegian Wood

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DJTPtaYtc6s

Mark Greenway · Post by **Mark Greenway** » 17 Oct 2021 6:04 am

Take a piece of aluminum like this. It is 1/8 in. thick and 1in. wide. Cut a piece that is 4in. long. Slightly round the edges with a fine grit sand paper.

That is my interpretation of his message.

Michael Hillman · Post by **Michael Hillman** » 2 Jul 2022 2:38 pm

I appreciate the commentary on this thread. Forum member Kenny Siegal brought this discussion to my attention- I’m pursuing making an aluminum sitar bar just as Paul Franklin describes - in numbers. After the prototype is tested, I will post details in the new products section -assuming it works as well as we believe it will.

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