Ahmet Topan

Ahmet Topan is a master oud maker based in İzmir, Türkiye, and co-founder of Alto Müzik — one of Türkiye’s longest-running independent oud and baglama ateliers. Specializing in Turkish, Arabic, and electric ouds, Topan has spent more than four decades shaping the sound of Anatolian string instruments for musicians across Türkiye and abroad.

His path began in 1982, when he started his apprenticeship under the legendary luthier Temel Şehit, widely regarded as one of the great oud-making masters of his generation. The meticulous standards and quiet discipline of Şehit’s workshop became the foundation of Topan’s approach — a respect for the wood, the player, and the instrument as a lifelong companion. Two years later, in 1984, Topan co-founded Alto Müzik together with Vefa Aldemir, carrying that lineage forward under their own name.

Today, Alto Müzik is run by the second generation. Topan’s elder son, Mehmet Topan, graduated from the Instrument Making Department of Ege University State Conservatory — bringing an academic foundation to the family craft. His younger son, Ubeyd Orçun Topan, holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Aydın Adnan Menderes University, adding precision engineering to a workshop built on traditional ear and hand. The Topan brothers grew up among shavings and resonance; the atelier they inherit reflects both heritage and forward-looking technique.

Tapadum’s curated collection includes three of Ahmet Topan’s signature instruments: the Arabic Oud Maple (Mat) — a maple-bodied Arabic oud with ebony pegs, Eastern spruce top, and Kürschner strings; the Electro-Acoustic Turkish Oud, a semi-hollow design with integrated magnetic pickup for amplified stage use without losing traditional tonal character; and the Semi-Hollow Arabic Electric Oud with guitar pegs, a forward-looking instrument that merges traditional oud character with modern playability.

Together, these three instruments reflect both the breadth of Topan’s craft — from acoustic tradition to electric innovation — and Alto Müzik’s commitment to making serious oud-playing accessible to a new generation.