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Turkish Oud

The Turkish oud is an eleven-string fretless lute at the heart of Turkish classical music, Ottoman court repertoire, and contemporary world music ensemble work. Compared to its Arabic counterpart, the Turkish oud has a smaller body and shorter neck, which produces a brighter, more focused voice with precise control over microtonal ornamentation — essential for Turkish maqam performance and the rapid melodic passages of Ottoman classical practice.

Most Turkish ouds use a spruce or cedar soundboard paired with walnut, mulberry, or mahogany back and sides. Strings are typically arranged as five double courses plus a single bass string — eleven strings total — made of nylon or wound metal and tuned in fourths. The fretless fingerboard supports the quarter-tones and microtonal slides that define Turkish maqam practice, including taqsim (improvised solo), çeşni (melodic flavor), and usul (rhythmic cycle).

The Turkish oud is played with a risha (plectrum) to articulate melodic lines, alongside fingerpicking for ornamentation. Its brighter timbre and shorter scale make it the instrument of choice for solo taqsim performance, fasıl ensemble work, and recording — where its focused mid-range cuts cleanly through dense arrangements. Players moving from Arabic oud often find the Turkish instrument’s response and string tension better suited to fast melodic passages and precise microtonal control.

At Tapadum, our Turkish oud collection brings together instruments from master luthiers in the Izmir workshop tradition. Signature pieces from Feramis Aktas (professional concert and electric ouds) and Yildirim Palabiyik (signature acoustic instruments) each carry distinct voicing, materials, and bracing decisions. Every instrument passes individual quality control — tuning stability, head tension, soundboard response, and balance across registers — overseen by our string instruments specialist Sertan Sarioglu at our Izmir workshop before leaving for our Brisighella, Italy showroom.

For Arabic maqam practice and deeper bass character, see our Arabic Oud collection; for stage use with amplification, our Electric Oud range; for broader context across both traditions, see the Oud category overview. Free Shipping & 15-day return apply across the EU.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a Turkish oud and an Arabic oud?
The Turkish oud has a smaller body and shorter neck than the Arabic oud, producing a brighter, more focused voice optimized for Turkish maqam practice and rapid melodic passages. Arabic ouds use a longer string scale and larger body for deeper bass character and the slower, more declamatory phrasing of Arabic maqam. Both share the eleven-string fretless lute structure, but the Turkish instrument is the choice for taqsim solo work and fasıl ensemble playing where focused mid-range projection matters.
How is a Turkish oud strung and tuned?
A Turkish oud has eleven strings arranged as five double courses plus a single bass string. Strings are typically nylon or wound metal, tuned in fourths. The fretless fingerboard allows the microtonal intervals and quarter-tones that define Turkish maqam — quarter-tones are not available on fretted instruments, which is why the oud is central to Turkish classical and Ottoman repertoire.
What woods are used in Turkish oud construction?
Most Turkish ouds use a spruce or cedar soundboard paired with walnut, mulberry, or mahogany back and sides. The soundboard wood drives tonal character — spruce gives a clearer, brighter response, cedar produces a warmer, fuller voice. Back-and-side wood affects projection and sustain. Master luthiers in the Izmir workshop tradition select aged, properly-stored wood for stable response and long-term tuning consistency.
What's a good entry point into the Turkish oud range?
For first-time players, an acoustic Turkish oud with stable tuning and clean intonation is the priority — concert-grade and electric models add complexity that beginners don't need at the start. From our current collection, the Turkish Oud with Maple Bowl offers an accessible starting price with traditional construction, while signature acoustic instruments by Yildirim Palabiyik provide a mid-tier step up with refined voicing and reliable build. Both support early maqam learning and the playing techniques (risha articulation, fretless fingering) that define Turkish oud practice.
Who are the master luthiers behind Tapadum's Turkish oud collection?
Our Turkish oud collection draws on the Izmir workshop tradition, with instruments by Feramis Aktas (professional concert and amplified ouds with integrated pick-up systems), Yildirim Palabiyik (signature acoustic instruments with refined voicing), Mustafa Gezerdag (acoustic Turkish ouds in our entry-to-mid tier range, restocked periodically), and Ahmet Topan (acoustic and semi-hollow designs, restocked periodically). Our string instruments specialist Sertan Sarioglu oversees individual quality control at the Izmir workshop — checking tuning stability, head tension, soundboard response, and register balance — before each instrument ships to our Brisighella showroom.
Turkish Oud

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