Description
The Egyptian clay darbuka is the deep bass voice of the goblet-drum family — a large, fired-clay tabla built to anchor the low end beneath the lead. This model pairs a resonant bass doum with a satin-black clay shell and a band of hand-carved terracotta relief around the flared foot, in the Egyptian tabla baladi tradition. It is handcrafted in İzmir by Ahmet Tashomcu and Mehmet Nihat San, and belongs to our clay darbuka collection.
Satin-Black Clay Body & Hand-Carved Terracotta Base
The shell is shaped from high-fired clay and finished in a deep, hand-burnished black with a soft brushed sheen along the waist. Around the flared base runs a band of hand-carved geometric relief — a row of vertical column-and-comb motifs cut through the black to reveal the warm terracotta clay beneath. The wide bell-shaped bowl narrows to a slim neck and opens again at the foot, the classic Egyptian bass-darbuka silhouette. Because every band is carved by hand, the pattern carries small variations unique to your drum.
29 cm Goatskin Head & Tuning Light System
A natural goatskin head, 29 cm across, is fitted over a black collar and laced with a triangular cord net across the shoulder. The wide, thick skin gives a full, rounded bass with a clear attack. An integrated Tuning Light System — an internal, dimmer-controlled lamp — gently warms the head from the inside to hold a stable pitch through practice and performance, without external heat.
Technical Specifications
| Type | Bass Clay Darbuka (Egyptian Tabla) |
| Body material | High-fired clay, satin-black finish |
| Head material | Natural goatskin |
| Head diameter | 29 cm |
| Total rim diameter | 36 cm |
| Height | 50.5 cm |
| Weight | 6.7 kg |
| Tuning | Integrated Tuning Light System (dimmer-controlled) |
| Includes | Padded gig bag |
| Handcrafted in | İzmir, Turkey |
Who This Egyptian Clay Darbuka Is For
This is an ensemble and recording instrument — the bass beneath the lead. It suits percussionists who need a dedicated low voice under a solo darbuka or a Sombati, adds weight to a rhythm section, and rewards players who value the warm, woody resonance that only fired clay produces. Its focused 29 cm head keeps the low note defined rather than boomy, so it reads clearly within a group.
Music Genres & Traditions
The bass clay tabla anchors Egyptian classical and folk rhythms — saidi, malfuf, masmoudi, and baladi — and appears across Arabic, Turkish, Levantine, and Maghrebi percussion. You can read more about the wider family on the goblet drum reference. Pair it with a Dohola bass or a solo clay doumbek to build a full darbuka section.
Care & Maintenance
Store the drum in moderate humidity (45–55%) and wipe the body with a dry, soft cloth. Warm the head only with the Tuning Light System, never with an open flame or heat gun. Transport it in the included padded gig bag, and keep the carved base away from hard knocks — the relief is cut into the shell itself. Browse the full darbuka and percussions ranges to complete your setup.
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