Caglama

The caglama is a contemporary Turkish hybrid instrument that blends the tonal language of the Anatolian baglama with electric guitar amplification — designed by Turkish musician Ömür Kılıçarslan to bridge traditional saz practice with amplified ensemble and crossover contexts. Its elongated neck, solid or semi-hollow body, and electric pickup system support the microtonal voicing of Turkish music while delivering the sustain and projection of an electric instrument.

Construction follows electric-baglama hybrid design. The body is typically built from carved tonewoods — maple, ash, or alder for the body, with a maple or rosewood fingerboard. Tied gut or nylon frets are arranged for Turkish microtonal practice (allowing koma and quarter-tone playing), unlike standard electric guitar fixed-fret layouts. A single- or dual-coil magnetic pickup system captures string vibration directly, allowing the caglama to plug into standard guitar amplifiers and effect chains.

Tuning follows baglama conventions — three double or triple courses with the lowest string typically tuned to A or G — but the electric pickup system supports adjustable output and tonal shaping through both the instrument’s onboard controls and external amplification. Players can use a tortoise-shell plectrum, a fingerstyle şelpe technique, or a guitar pick depending on the musical context.

The caglama is used by contemporary Turkish musicians exploring fusion between traditional Anatolian repertoire and amplified ensemble settings — including jazz crossover, world music projects, and modern recording contexts where the saz’s microtonal voicing needs to project alongside electric instruments. It represents the latest evolution of the baglama saz family within the broader string instruments tradition.

At Tapadum, our string instruments specialist Sertan Sarioglu tests each caglama for amplified response, acoustic balance, microtonal fret accuracy, and pickup output before listing. Each instrument ships from our Brisighella, Italy showroom.