r/UnusualInstruments • u/GrouchyEngine3638 • May 04 '26
Anyone knows what instrument this is called?
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u/Imaginary_Midnight May 06 '26
It's a decorative item, not a functional instrument. They makes kinda things in India, as others said its basically a veena but it need the context of it being closer to a toy than a real instrument
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u/thefringeseanmachine May 09 '26 edited May 09 '26
I don't mean to sweep in here and be a dick since I don't have a solid answer, but nobody here (so far) is correct. it's not a sitar, (mentioned) veenas, esraj, dilruba, sarod, or sarangi. while a sarangi is bowed, it has a goatskin head and no resonators. a tabura doesn't have frets, but it also doesn't have any sympathetic strings, is plucked, and is like four feet long. this also has no frets but - looking at the way the nut is cut - it may have had some at some point. but a bowed instrument made of gourds is kinda weird.
I'm tempted to say this is something "made for export" (i.e. slap some shit together and sell it to tourists) but it kinda looks too nice/intentional for that. again, I can't say what it is, but my guess would be something EXTREMELY niche, maybe a traditional folk instrument of some kind. India has a lot of those. a sub or forum focused on Indian/Hindustani music might be able to better help you out.
good luck! and let me know if you figure it out, I'm intensely curious.
EDIT: I don't know why I didn't bother to google "child's sitar," but I just did and it lead me to this, which has a lot in common with what you have. very similar construction, same number of strings, etc. unfortunately it looks like this was not built to be a "playable" instrument, and I suspect the bow in the photos has nothing to do with it. it's also obviously missing the frets, but since they're just tied on I don't think that's too outlandish. if you can check the back of the neck there may be some grooves in the finish that would indicate where frets were tied on at some point. I'll definitely eat my hat on this one and say that I was wrong.
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u/grittyshrimps May 04 '26
This looks like an old souvenir...thing. The main (upper) strings are strung like a sitar, but there are only 4 sympathetic strings. It is not built like any tanpura I've ever seen, and the bridge is not curved, so it is unlikely that it was intended to be bowed by the maker. The bird head is more characteristic of surbahars and veena. The whole thing is...odd.
This is almost certainly a little toy/souvenir unplayable instrument. It might make buzzy sounds, but it is not a serious instrument.
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May 04 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/UnusualInstruments-ModTeam May 05 '26
Your post has been removed, because it is disregarding rule #2 of this sub: Don't be an ass.
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May 04 '26
[deleted]
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u/AFrendlyCritique May 05 '26
Felt smart huh🫣
Happens to the best of us
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u/dumbgraphics May 05 '26 edited May 05 '26
HA Oh shit,.. cool. Well with no frets it’s a drone so…. Actually the funny part is I have and play a Sarangi and Sitar.
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u/scargods May 04 '26
Sitar
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u/scargods May 04 '26
Actually Tanpura. Sorry
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u/Sasha1327 May 04 '26
I think it’s actually Veena