ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Electric sitar

Okay kiddo, do you know what a regular guitar is? It's a big stringed instrument that makes sound when you pluck or strum the strings. Now, an electric sitar is a special kind of guitar that actually sounds like a sitar, which is an instrument from India.

The electric sitar has electronic parts in it that help create the sitar sound. There is a special thing called a "pickup" that senses the vibrations of the strings and sends signals to an amplifier to make the sound louder. There are also little buttons or knobs that you can push or turn to change the sound and make it sound more like a sitar.

The cool thing about an electric sitar is that you can play all sorts of music with it, not just traditional sitar music from India. It's also easier to play than a regular sitar because the strings are closer to the neck of the guitar, so you don't have to stretch your fingers as much. Isn't that neat?