Description
The Hand-Painted Kutu Saz is a one-of-a-kind electric box saz from the Caglama Box family, finished with an original, hand-painted figurative panel on its body. Compact, amplified and easy to carry, it pairs the microtonal voice of the Anatolian baglama with a piece of folk art — no two examples are exactly alike.
Like the rest of the Caglama Box – Kutu Saz line, this caglama is a contemporary Turkish hybrid: a small, box-shaped resonating chamber beneath a full-length fretted neck, built for the stage, the studio and the road.
The Hand-Painted Artwork
What sets this model apart is the artwork on its box body: a hand-painted figurative scene of a robed musician in a red headdress, playing a bowed instrument against a field of stylised poppies and flowers. Painted directly onto the natural wood and sealed for protection, the panel turns the instrument into a visual object as much as a musical one — a single, unrepeatable piece.
Materials & One-Piece Construction
The body is shaped from solid, light-toned tonewood with a natural, hand-finished surface. Its neck and body are a single piece (yekpare) of wood, carved from one continuous section with no glued-on or added joint — a construction that removes the usual neck-to-body seam, improving structural stability, tuning reliability and the way vibration travels through the instrument. The instrument measures 77 cm in total length, with a 58 cm string (scale) length.
Electronics & Playing
A magnetic pickup with two onboard controls (volume and tone) lets the Hand-Painted Kutu Saz plug straight into any guitar amplifier or effects chain. Stringing and tuning follow baglama conventions; several tunings are possible, with D–A–D a common choice, and the fretting keeps the microtonal (koma and quarter-tone) voicing of Turkish music intact. It responds equally well to a plectrum, to fingerstyle šelpe technique, or to a standard guitar pick.
Technical Specifications
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Instrument | Electric box saz (Kutu Saz) — hand-painted caglama hybrid |
| Total length | 77 cm |
| String (scale) length | 58 cm |
| Body | Compact box-shaped, solid natural tonewood |
| Artwork | Original hand-painted figurative panel (unique piece) |
| Neck & body | Single-piece (yekpare) — no glued joint |
| Neck | Fretted, baglama-style tuning (e.g. D–A–D) |
| Electronics | Magnetic pickup, onboard volume & tone |
| Amplification | Amplifier- and effects-pedal compatible |
| SKU | C-Box2 |
| Price | €689 (list €750) |
Who It’s For
- Players who want a compact, amplified saz that doubles as a hand-painted art piece.
- Saz and baglama musicians looking for a portable electric instrument for travel and small stages.
- Collectors and performers drawn to one-of-a-kind, decorated instruments.
Musical Genres & Traditions
The compact, amplified voice of the Hand-Painted Kutu Saz suits:
- Turkish folk and Anatolian repertoire in amplified settings
- Fusion and crossover projects that place saz alongside electric instruments
- Experimental and studio work that calls for a portable, pedal-friendly string voice
Explore the wider string instruments collection, the original Caglama Box – Kutu Saz, or the full-scale amplified Caglama Double Pick Up.
Care & Maintenance
Keep the Hand-Painted Kutu Saz in a protective case when it is not in use, and wipe the body and neck with a soft, dry cloth after playing. Because the neck and body are a single piece of wood and the panel is hand-painted, avoid sudden humidity or temperature swings and keep the instrument out of prolonged direct sunlight to protect both the timber and the artwork.
Worldwide shipping & 15-day return. Each instrument is made to order and tested before it ships from our Brisighella showroom, with a preparation time of 3–10 days.
