Q: How long do sitars last?

A: The climate in India, especially in Calcutta, is terrible for instruments. The heat and humidity take a big toll. The reality is that a sitar can be expected to last 30 or 40 years. There are exceptions of course, especially if the instrument has spent most of its life in a different climate. We have seen 75 year old sitars that have been in the US since the 30s. The other thing to keep in mind is that the neck of is a sitar is under a lot of tension from the strings. Over time it will start to bend, throwing the frets off, making the action higher and generally becoming harder to play. Eventually the neck will need to be replaced or the sitar junked.