Solid body Electric Sitar Prototype

Hows it goin yall? I know this isn't a bass but the effort will hopefully result in the development of a surbahar/electric bass hybrid. A solid body Electric Sitar doesn't necessarily exist currently, I've seen a few other prototypes on the internet but they all have left over design features from the acoustic instrument. Has anybody on here ever attempted anything like this????

 

After about a year of research I've discovered that the sympathetic strings were an addition to the sitars design somewhere around 100 years ago. Most ppl think the drone in sitar music comes the sympathetic strings when it's actually the sound of an accompanying tanpura player. The sympathetic strings add a shimmer to the sound, which is cool on an acoustic instrument but barely would translate on an electric instrument unless they had their own pickup and output. I'm thinking of adding a harp-esque set of sympathetic strings on the lower half of the body, kind of like the coral sitar has. I honestly believe the sympathetic strings are an overkill addition to an electric instrument.
My design incorporates steel strings so a standard magnetic pickup can be used instead of a piezo. I also added a truss rod since it has no sympathetic strings and has a solid wood neck. As for the jawari, Im going thru the trial and error phase of crafting one that actually works lol Currently it sounds like a muted sitar in need of adjustment.
Ill keep this thread updated as the project develops further.

 

I do not agree that the sympathetic strings are the "essence" of the instrument at all, I feel that the tuning, elevated frets, and way its played make the instrument what it is. But I respect your opinion.
Compromises have to be made in any engineering environment so I'm down for whatever.

 

I went with a 32" scale, it's gonna be a total of 7 strings with 2 chikari strings tuned to C#. After getting as far as I have with this I'm planning out a redesign with the chikari strings mounted to the body (kind of like on a Veena). I had this idea with piccolo bass strings, basicly it would be a 6 string (2 chikari + 4 main) tuned down to C# in 4ths like a bass. I came up with this because piccolo bass strings are easy to find and cheap compared to a custom set of steel sitar strings. The scale length is totally compatible too

 

Well disaster struck yall, I've had my prototype parked until I figured out where I wanted to go with it next, unfortunately a board miraculously fell on it and busted off the targahan and nut.... It busted out one side of the nut slot too which idk how I'm gonna fix without replacing the whole thing or fashioning some kind of tall nut to sit at the edge... Might end up parked longer than I anticipated

 

I thought of that but idk if that would work with the height of the nut. It's like .75" off the top of my head, but it might be my only option at this point

 

Update!

I've decided to transform this thing into a piccolo bass hybrid and it actually works! (kind of...)
This thing would benefit considerably by going headless, I also need to find a way to mount the drone string tuners separate from the neck, I've got a few ideas tho. I have to craft a wider jawari too, which I'm dreading because I know it's gonna be a huge pain. My main objective is to make this thing comfortable to us bass players and still keep it distinctly a sitar; obviously the tuning has changed to that of a bass but it sounds and feels like a sitar. Since this experiment worked with piccolo strings I assume it's gonna work with bass strings, which is insane!

I must note that not all these ideas are completely original, I've been inspired by Jason Everett's "piccolo sitar bass", the great work they do at the Sitar Factory, and Yoshida Daikiti's "Sitalele" which is an experimental instrument.

 

Update 9/26/21
I've made some improvements to the design and put a pup in it. It's tuned same as a sitar which is basicly D Standard with a drop C on the bottom w/2 drone strings tuned to C5 and C6. It's surprisingly comfortable but I still have to level the parda (frets) and some other technical crap. Anyways, this it what it sounds like so far:

I'm pretty confident in this thing and it's sort of easy to build. You can play it like a sitar or piccolo bass and all the techniques I've tried are pretty comfy (even slap)