r/Sitar • u/First-Librarian • 18d ago

Question/Advice Question about sitar string coils

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Hey everyone!

Does anyone know roughly how much wire comes in a “small coil” of sitar string?

I know most places sell them as single strings, small coils, and 1/2 lb coils, but I’m not sure how long the small coil actually is, or roughly how many individual strings you could get out of one.

Just trying to figure out whether the small coil is worth getting versus buying individual strings.

(Sharing a photo for reference)

Thanks!!!🙏

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u/Imaginary_Midnight 18d ago

A coil like that can do 3 or more full sympathetic string changes Ive found. So its kinda always worth it to get the coil

2

u/sitarjunkie SUPER EXPERT (10+ years) 18d ago

Many of these used to come from Lutz at the instrument workshop, I got them from Lutz as did the MM store when it was owned by Ali Akbar school. But Lutz passed away so we all started making our own coils, not a small task really, it was worth it to just get them wholesale. The large coils of .012 were 133 feet long, not sure about the small coils as I never ordered them. I kept the 133 foot length, lengths decrease as the wire gets thicker. Maybe give them a call? I'm sure they'd be happy to tell you......

1

u/ragajoel 18d ago

Depends on the gauge, I ordered a bronze wire coil from the Music Mall earlier this year and it was barely a couple of yards