Summer NAMM 2011: Electro-Harmonix launches the Ravish Sitar

Although Summer NAMM 2011 didn't see a deluge of exciting new guitar products, there were a few surprises. At the very top of our 'must-try' list is the latest stompbox treading the fine line between awesomeness and madness from the guys at Electro-Harmonix in NYC.

The puntastic Ravish Sitar certainly looks like a more practical way to add an Indian flavour to your sound than either getting hold of the real thing, tracking down an original Coral Sitar or picking up a second-hand, not-at-all-convincing Danelectro Sitar Swami pedal.

According to EHX, the Ravish Sitar boasts the following features:

  • Lead sitar voice tracks polyphonically
  • Sympathetic string drone simulation
  • Selectable keys and scales including major, minor and exotic
  • Select the sympathetic key by playing a note on your guitar
  • Bend the pitch of your lead voice using an optional expression pedal
  • Save and recall nine presets

We'll bring you a full video demo as soon as we get our hands on the Ravish Sitar. So far we've only managed to track down one video from the show floor. It's not great but you get the idea:

Chris Vinnicombe worked with us here on the MusicRadar team from the site's initial launch way back in 2007, and also contributed to Guitarist magazine as Features Editor until 2014, as well as Total Guitar magazine, amongst others. These days he can be found at Gibson Guitars, where he is editor-in-chief.