Description
The Professional Electro Baglama Saz is a long-necked Anatolian lute built for the player who needs the traditional voice of the baglama and the reach of an amplified instrument. A built-in pickup lets it move from a quiet room to a loud stage or a recording session without losing the character that makes the saz the backbone of Turkish folk music. It sits at the centre of Anatolian folk song (turku), the asik bardic tradition and Alevi-Bektasi ceremonial music.
Carved walnut bowl
The body is a deep bowl (tekne) carved from walnut, chosen for a warm, rounded tone with weight in the low courses to carry under a singer. Walnut gives a fuller, darker voice than the brighter mulberry bowls, which suits amplified playing where clarity matters as much as projection. The bowl measures 38 cm.
Neck, frets and tuning
This is a long-neck (uzun sap) baglama, the full-scale form of the instrument rather than the shorter cura. Twenty-three tied frets run along the neck, and because they are bound rather than fixed, each can be nudged a few millimetres to place the microtonal steps (koma) that Turkish makam and regional folk modes depend on — the intervals that sit between the notes of an equal-tempered scale. It is traditionally strung in three courses and tuned to a folk tuning such as baglama duzeni, kara duzen or misket duzeni, each opening a different set of modes.
Pegs and inlay
The tuning pegs are turned from ebony, a dense hardwood that holds a setting and resists the seasonal movement that lets softer pegs slip. Embroidered mother-of-pearl inlay follows the traditional Anatolian decorative language — worked into the instrument rather than printed on, so the detailing is part of the build.
The electro component
A built-in pickup is the reason to choose this model over an acoustic saz. It takes the string signal straight to an amplifier, PA or audio interface, so the baglama holds its place in a loud ensemble, on stage, or in a mix where an acoustic instrument would be buried. Unplugged, it still plays as an ordinary acoustic baglama.
Specifications
– Bowl: walnut
– Neck: long neck (uzun sap)
– Bowl length: 38 cm
– Frets: 23 (tied)
– Inlay: embroidered mother-of-pearl
– Pegs: ebony
– Electronics: built-in pickup
Who it is for
This is an instrument for the performing and recording player — the folk musician who works with a band, the singer-accompanist who needs to be heard over percussion, and the student moving from an acoustic saz toward stage work. If you play unamplified at home or study the tradition without a PA, a straightforward acoustic instrument from our baglama collection will serve you at a lower price; the electro model earns its place once you plug in.
Care and maintenance
Keep the baglama away from direct heat and sudden humidity changes, which move the bowl and can pull the tied frets out of position. Wipe the strings after playing, check the fret placement against a tuner from time to time, and store it in a case when you carry it. Spare strings, cases and tuning aids are in our saz and baglama accessories range, and other amplified models sit alongside this one in the electro baglama category. For background on the instrument’s history and regional forms, see the baglama entry at Wikipedia.
Worldwide shipping & 15-day return.
