The Guitarra de Maya that you see here is the one that replaced the stolen instrument. It is a '67 Gibson B-25-12 (# 096093) that was purchased directly from Gibson immediately after the theft of the original. It has since been refinished twice and has received inlays of Mother-of-Pearl, Malachite, and Garnet along the neck and headpiece. Over the years it has been used to develop and refine the concept of The Guitarra de Maya and is still in excellent condition. It can best be heard on songs from the CD, Just Playing for the Moon. This is actually the third Guitarra de Maya built.

In these photos you may notice the unusual bridge arrangement, which is the heart of any Guitarra de Maya. On the two original 12-string versions the 'buzz' bridge sits beneath strings #7 through #12, while a more normal guitar bridge sits beneath strings #1 through #6. On this particular instrument, the most developed of the 12-string Guitarra de Maya, you will see three pyramid shaped bridges beneath strings #1 through #6. These three pyramids serve to bring the volume and tone of strings #1 through #6 up to a level where they match the powerful tone and volume of strings #7 through #12. On photos of the other Guitarra de Maya note that the bridges are full 'buzz' bridges, effecting the tone and volume of all of the strings. There is another 12-string version in existence that has the full 'buzz' bridge and was based on a very fine custom made 12-string guitar. Unfortunately its exact whereabouts are currently unknown.

The second Guitarra de Maya, a 7-string version also prepared in 1968, was based on a 1965 Martin 00-21 New Yorker and prepared for Dana Kennedy Russell of Boulder, Colorado. Dana was a member of my live band as both percussionist and second guitarist during the early days with Verve Records. Dana also assisted in determining the design of the 7-string layout. This beautiful little guitarra requires that the player use a technique similar to that used when playing a South Indian veena. Its sound is also quite similar to that ancient instrument but because of its compact size it is much more manageable for performances.

The 8-string Guitarra de Maya that you see in the next four photos has been strung in a very similar way to Dana's 7-string. It is a '46 Gibson LG-1 that was prepared in 1974 for Roger C. Ralphs of Sante Fe, New Mexico. If you look closely at the neck of Roger's instrument you will notice that it has scalloped frets. This particular instrument is certainly the most developed of the 7, 8, and 9-string Guitarra de Maya.

Here Roger explains this particular instrument's history (a .pdf file).

Notice the full 'buzz' bridge on Roger's instrument, almost identical to the bridge found on a veena or a sitar. It is the careful shaping of the top surface of this bridge that gives the instrument its exotic, some even say erotic, tone. This buzzing string is sympathetic to and symbolic of the vibration at the base of the spinal cord and the pathway by which the energy of this vibration flows. By playing such an instrument one can subtly energize the nervous system. Such music is excellent for those who practice certain types of yoga.

On Roger's Guitarra de Maya you should also notice the deeply scalloped fret board. This fret board modification was further inspired by guitarist John McLaughlin. Such a design gives an even more veena-like quality to this instrument.

This next Guitarra de Maya was also prepared in '74, this one for Professor Stanley V. McDaniel of Santa Rosa, California. It is a 9-string version, based on a well worn and now rare Harmony guitar whose model and manufacture date are unknown. Stan, an accomplished composer and musician, performed on bamboo flute with my live band during the early days when dreams gave birth to the Guitarra de Maya.

In the spring 1996 this instrument was presented by Stan to his highly regarded friend, Ananda Sirisena, a sitarist originally from Sri Lanka who now lives in Berkshire, England. Ananda's knowledge, talent, ear and ability to perform classic ragas with this instrument of mixed roots is quite impressive.

Over the decades there have been perhaps a dozen or more Guitarra de Maya that I have actually prepared or in some way participated in the preparation of. Besides the three you see here, I believe that only a few are still in existence and the rest have been either stolen, lost or destroyed.

I have however seen variations, the preparation of which I did not participate in. Whether they were copies of or efforts to improve upon my originals, or merely someone else simultaneously dipping into the Akasha I will perhaps never know. The most memorable of these was an instrument that I saw sitting in the window display of a music store in Petaluma, California in the spring of 1998. That instrument actually appeared to have 22 strings and was layed out very much (as is possible on a guitar chassis) like a full 22-string sitar. It appeared to be based on a 6-string guitarra built in Mexico. It was a very interesting variation on the theme.

And as if to show that I have no idea of what I speak, I have only recently been made aware of the Danelectro Coral Sitar. They say that if one remembers the '60s they probably were never there.
Perhaps this is proof that I was there.
Check it out:
The History of Danelectro

The Rogue STR-1 is a more recent arrangement currently available from Rogue, available at Musician's Friend. I would imagine that the propensity for feedback is virtually uncontrolable at volume, but that's certainly what some artists require to make their statement.

And at Jerry Jones Guitars in Nashville they've come up with three variations
on the electric buzz guitar that they also call "Coral Sitar". The three versions include
the Master Sitar, the Supreme Sitar, and the Baby Sitar.
On the web they appear to be very well made, though I've never played or seen one 'up-close-and-personal'. The variations are definitely very well thought out.