Turkish Cura Saz

The saz is a common Turkish musical instrument that is played basically like a guitar, using a flexible plectrum in the right hand and fretting notes on the fingerboard with the left hand. This is a “cura” saz, which is the smallest of the saz family. As can be seen in the pictures, it has a very slender neck with a bowl back. The tuners are wood pegs, not machines. The frets are tied and include several microtonal intervals that are used in traditional Turkish music but not in the 12 tone scale of Western music. It has three courses consisting of strings that are tuned in octaves or unison, which is what gives it a mesmerizing sound. Saz players employ different tunings but one of the most common is in fifths (G-G'-D'-D'-A-A'), which is how I have it currently set up. Very funky and cool just for experimenting or adding some international spice to your music. No case.