United States

I was toying with the idea of buying a sitar until I saw how much they usually go for.

So I was online and a friend called me and told me about this thing..
http://cnj.craigslist.org/msg/4180956575.html

50$?

OoohHhHhhhhhh, I said. I also thought I better ask anyone here if they have any experience with this type of thing.

I wanna use it for really ugly, tangled psychedelic stuff.

That and I am going to need an acoustic or piezo pickup.

Anyone know anything about these?

Are they the same as a Sitar?

Can I do that variety of psychedelic thing on this Veena?

BRB have to mop up the drool. lol

Veeeeenaaaaa through my electric rig.. ooh yea. Can you taste the sounds? Sounds like a better paintbrush for audio weirdness, no?

Too bad Paperdog isn't here, I bet he'd know what the story is on these things..

I was toying with the idea of buying a sitar until I saw how much they usually go for.

So I was online and a friend called me and told me about this thing..
http://cnj.craigslist.org/msg/4180956575.html

50$?

OoohHhHhhhhhh, I said. I also thought I better ask anyone here if they have any experience with this type of thing.

I wanna use it for really ugly, tangled psychedelic stuff.

That and I am going to need an acoustic or piezo pickup.

Anyone know anything about these?

Are they the same as a Sitar?

Can I do that variety of psychedelic thing on this Veena?

BRB have to mop up the drool. lol

Veeeeenaaaaa through my electric rig.. ooh yea. Can you taste the sounds? Sounds like a better paintbrush for audio weirdness, no?

Too bad Paperdog isn't here, I bet he'd know what the story is on these things..

You are in luck Scotty!!! ... I happen to know more about these than Paperdog (RIP)!

That is a Saraswati Veena.

The Saraswati Veena in Carnatic/South Indian music, is the counterpart to the Sitar of Hindi/North Indian music.

Veena is easier to tune since it has about 20 less strings on it than a sitar.

Veena has 7 strings, 4 that you actually fret on, three that you just hit open.

The thing that really makes it sound the strangest is just the way they bend the notes. It is a very "Hendrix" like style.

Here is one amplified with a popular Indian made pickup using coaxial wire for the cable.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzRxO8n3WRE

The strings are pretty high up from the body so you can probably place a pick up right on the top without drilling holes.

Here is the most revered of all Veena players S. Balachander
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6jRseg6ubM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6aS-tU1Pxk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRYdQZo_L8A

If you decide you don't want it, sell it to me for a $100!! Seriously, you can ship it via Greyhound bus.

So BUY IT!!! Then please sell it to me if you don't like it!!! Really!!!

Looks like that there are no strings on it - could be a problem finding them, and maybe whatever crack is in the top (description) will pull apart when the strings are tightened up? Go for it, you can always hang it on the wall if it doesn't work. I'd try micing it for recording, don't worry about a pickup unless you want to use it live.

Looks like that there are no strings on it - could be a problem finding them, and maybe whatever crack is in the top (description) will pull apart when the strings are tightened up? Go for it, you can always hang it on the wall if it doesn't work. I'd try micing it for recording, don't worry about a pickup unless you want to use it live.

There are strings on it, not easy to see, but if you look behind the bridge you can see where they cluster together toward the end pin.

It may well need some fixing up.
Scotty, if it turns out to be too much more trouble than you want to deal with .... sell it to me and I will fix it! Getting new strings is no big problem.

Odd looking instrument.
At least someone has some knowledge of them.
I'm clueless.

In another thread I think Scotty mentioned trying out a Banjo.

5 string Banjos have a headstock with 4 tuning pegs and a 5th tuning peg located part way up the neck along the top side.

Likewise, a Veena has a headstock with 4 tuning pegs and 5th, 6th, and 7th tuning pegs located along the topside of the neck.

Unlike the Banjo, it is really designed more for "lead" style playing, with "scalloped" frets and all, not much here for strumming chords.

There is one thing that might mess with your head ... the 4 main playing strings are strung opposite from what you would expect, like it was meant for a lefty .. (um, left handed person that is). The heaviest gauge string is closest to the floor. Thinner gauge are closer to your face. Dick Dale style!

There is one thing that might mess with your head ... the 4 main playing strings are strung opposite from what you would expect, like it was meant for a lefty .. (um, left handed person that is). The heaviest gauge string is closest to the floor. Thinner gauge are closer to your face. Dick Dale style!

Whatity,whatity, whatity, what-what-what? lol

Omg so really I should be looking for a left handed Veena?

I am not sure I could actually play it with the damn thing in effect strung in the reverse.

GOOD GOD, bad enough that it's difficult to tune, now it's opposite?

Gee, I don't know about this one.. might be setting my 50$ on fire..

Vinny, you really like that thing, huh? What's so nice about it?

I am a little put off by that crack in the headstock as well..
I'd just get done inserting a pickup and attempting to tune it, when it would poop the bed on me. I can see it now.

I'd be sniveling for days. lol

So I talked to the guy selling the Veena today...

Do you know someone from bandmix saw the thread and bought it last night, the guy just told me so.


(mope)

Aww maaaaan? I guess that solves that problem..

Geez and I was just starting to think about trying to flip that thing around see if I could get something more usable..so much for that.

That's the first time I ever asked on BMIX and someone else went and bought the damn thing after they read the thread.

What The Hell, people?.. lol Next time, I'll ask after I procure it. lol

Vinny? Did you scoop my Veena from a state or so away? LOL

Damn did I just miss out on something good? typical..

You sure it wasn't Les, trying to piss you off?

A friend suggested that I scoop that out from under you!!! I felt that might be cheesy though, since you were asking for advice.

My advice to you was, of course, to BUY IT!!!

If you did not like it or felt it was too many problems, I would have paid you a $100 + shipping for it and still feel like I was getting a great deal!

That Veena looked like it had been played a lot, rather than a wall hanger.

I think you missed out on something good!

You sure it wasn't Les, trying to piss you off?

... tell Les I'll pay him $100 for it!

LOL Lester did not buy that. He plays "the keys" and "the computer".
Besides, he's not too fond of that type of Indian influenced type heavy acid rock..in short he wouldn't have been interested, I don't think.

I dunno, ask him yourself, he pops up now and again on bmix still.
(lalong)

Whoever got it, they can have it. lol

And Vinny, you could have bought that from under me.
I wouldn't have cared, you'd have given it a better home than I would have..

I am still hung up on the fact that the thing was strung basically in reverse.

I'd have been bleeding from the nose just trying to tune the bastard.

PS: If Les did buy it, he'd sell it to you for 100$. He's generally fairly reasonable...generally. lol I think.. (imo)

vinny...my hat's off to you. you're a true class act. (as usual)

scott....you need to get yourself a mando, my friend. epiphone makes a solid body in the shape of firebird. they call it a mandobird! i see them going for $100-150 used. new i think around $250 or something. if you're after some pedal driven psychedelia...that might be just the ticket.

they make an 8 string (w double course strings) and a 4 string so you bend notes (not a good idea on a double course axe).

vinny...my hat's off to you. you're a true class act. (as usual)

scott....you need to get yourself a mando, my friend. epiphone makes a solid body in the shape of firebird. they call it a mandobird! i see them going for $100-150 used. new i think around $250 or something. if you're after some pedal driven psychedelia...that might be just the ticket.

they make an 8 string (w double course strings) and a 4 string so you bend notes (not a good idea on a double course axe).

Besides the Veena and Violin, the Electric Mandolin
has recently become popular in Carnatic classical music thanks to this kid
No pedals just some coconut oil on the fingers
to keep the frets from burning ..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H07Yqe5-daU

Damn! That's the kind of mandolin I could enjoy playing!

But I just finished playing my Firebird - I still sound pretty shitty...I play my American Stratocaster Lonestar afterwards to keep my ego up. I can wail on that guy.

The FB is a Winchester '73 of guitars - a true classic! The flat neck and wonderful action take getting used to. But I love it. And the pickups - think of the girl who really messes up your mind: that's those pickups! I hate to set it down - that guitar sounds so good. I need to practice up to it...

However - it's time to play the Fender! Adios!

Talbot