The Banjira Sitar Chikari and Sympathetic String Set contains 15 steel strings with looped ends made in the USA. The chikari are typically drone strings while the sympathetic strings vibrate on their own creating the overtones that give the sitar its distinctive sound. The tuning of the chikari and the sympathetic strings may vary with the school or style of music being played. Specifications: Stainless Steel, loop-end strings with a gauge of 0.009-inch (0.23 mm) and approximately 42 inches long.