Coral Sitar Semi-Hollow Body Electric Guitar, made by Danelectro (1968)
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Item # 7793
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Coral Sitar Model Semi-Hollow Body Electric Guitar, made by Danelectro (1968), made in Neptune, NJ, crystaline paint finish, masonite and pine body, poplar neck with rosewood fingerboard, black hard shell case.
One of the coolest and most interesting oddball instruments of the 1960's, the Coral Electric Sitar has gone beyond novelty status and proved to be a practical and timeless creation. The most elaborate of the many designs east coast session guitarist Vinnie Bell created for Nathan Daniel's Danelectro organization, the electric Sitar has added its totally distinctive tone to many famous recordings. Wanting to use the sitar sound on sessions but not grapple with the complex instrument itself, Bell created by the graduated "Sitarmatic" bridge that combines the Indian instrument's traditional buzzing, twangy tonality with the playability of an electric guitar.
Besides the six standard 'play' strings the Coral sitar offers an array of 'drone' strings along the upper bout which are designed to vibrate sympathetically with the notes being sounded, or be used for special effects. Three pickups with individual tone and volume controls allow all the sounds to be easily blended. This instrument was only in production for a year or so before the demise of Danelectro, and so is fairly rare today despite being very popular when new. While widely imitated over the years, the original Electric Sitar is an off-the-wall classic yet to be bettered!
Overall length is 39 3/8 in. (100 cm.), 13 3/4 in. (34.9 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 1/2 in. (3.8 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 25 in. (635 mm.). Width of nut is 1 3/4 in. (44 mm.). This instrument is very clean overall, with only some chips to the finish on the edges -including a big scrape mark on the bottom edge near the endpin-but very little play wear. The bridge is a modern Gotoh version of the classic sitar bridge, with individual facets for each string allowing for a bit more intonation control than the original. The clear plastic cover plate for the drone strings has a repaired crack at the top corner, the control cavity coverplate is a replacement and the original silver serial number sticker from the back of the headstock is missing. Other than these points everything else is original. This is a very good playing and sounding example of the Coral original, still the best and coolest of all electric sitars despite a number of later imitations. Excellent Condition.
One of the coolest and most interesting oddball instruments of the 1960's, the Coral Electric Sitar has gone beyond novelty status and proved to be a practical and timeless creation. The most elaborate of the many designs east coast session guitarist Vinnie Bell created for Nathan Daniel's Danelectro organization, the electric Sitar has added its totally distinctive tone to many famous recordings. Wanting to use the sitar sound on sessions but not grapple with the complex instrument itself, Bell created by the graduated "Sitarmatic" bridge that combines the Indian instrument's traditional buzzing, twangy tonality with the playability of an electric guitar.
Besides the six standard 'play' strings the Coral sitar offers an array of 'drone' strings along the upper bout which are designed to vibrate sympathetically with the notes being sounded, or be used for special effects. Three pickups with individual tone and volume controls allow all the sounds to be easily blended. This instrument was only in production for a year or so before the demise of Danelectro, and so is fairly rare today despite being very popular when new. While widely imitated over the years, the original Electric Sitar is an off-the-wall classic yet to be bettered!
Overall length is 39 3/8 in. (100 cm.), 13 3/4 in. (34.9 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 1/2 in. (3.8 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 25 in. (635 mm.). Width of nut is 1 3/4 in. (44 mm.). This instrument is very clean overall, with only some chips to the finish on the edges -including a big scrape mark on the bottom edge near the endpin-but very little play wear. The bridge is a modern Gotoh version of the classic sitar bridge, with individual facets for each string allowing for a bit more intonation control than the original. The clear plastic cover plate for the drone strings has a repaired crack at the top corner, the control cavity coverplate is a replacement and the original silver serial number sticker from the back of the headstock is missing. Other than these points everything else is original. This is a very good playing and sounding example of the Coral original, still the best and coolest of all electric sitars despite a number of later imitations. Excellent Condition.