1970s Long-Scale Dilruba Modified to Hawaiian/Lap Slide Mohan Veena-Like Guitar

Overview: This is a '70s dilruba (a bowed, sitar-like instrument with a skin head) from which I have removed all the tuners and replaced a number of them with all geared guitar tuners. I then removed the curved, sitar-like frets and fit some aluminum-tape "fret markers." I eliminated half of the sympathetic strings so now there are only 7 and the drone strings from the headstock are simply removed. It had rust-encrusted original melody tuners at the headstock but I've replaced them with Grovers in guitar orientation. I then made a new bridge and strung it up as a 4-string, slide/Hawaiian guitar setup.

I love the sound of mohan veena (Indian slide guitar with drones) and so this works as a cousin to an instrument of that style, though simplified for someone like myself. This has all plain strings with a pitch range like a sitar up at the headstock but non-re-entrant. It's tuned CGCE like open C tuning on guitar at the moment, but the strings will suit a variety of tunings. The 28" scale suits this pitch range. I have the sympathetic strings tuned C, D, E, F, G, A, B at the moment, low to high, but they could be retuned to suit a different key.

Repairs included: It was a lot of modification, really, and installing tuners -- all of which are newer and good quality. I left all of the old holes for tuners extant so one could theoretically modify the instrument back into a normal dilruba if desired. The original parts will come with it.

• Weight: 4 lbs 0 oz"
• Scale length: 28"
• Nut string spacing: 1 3/4"
• Bridge string spacing: 2 1/8"

Condition notes: It's been modified a lot and has mild wear and tear here and there but is overall in good order. The nut is a little squirrely on one end (bent a bit) but it's not where the strings are seated.

It comes with: Sorry, no case -- though it does come with a baggie of all its parts.

Consignor tag: WDWD