School me on the Saz

[burpgun]

Hey all, something's come over me and I want to get a Saz. I wondered if anyone has any thoughts on where to start: short neck or long, how much I should expect to pay for a decent entry level model, etc. Thanks for any guidance!

[epizootics]

Others with actual knowledge of the instrument will probably chime in, but I did build an electric version for my brother a few years back and I guess I can share my general impressions, although the result was something of a hybrid between a Baglama and an electric guitar, owing to the fact that it had metal frets and a solid body, and used electric guitar strings!

Here is the build thread in question.

I went with a short-neck version (27" scale) and found it easy enough to play, at least not a huge departure from a 25.5" scale guitar. The major disconcerting factor for me was the tuning - I went with B - A - G, like Arif Sağ (who can be seen rocking out on a short-neck here and a long-neck here), using (24 ; 9) , (13 ; 13) , (17 ; 9) gauges, respectively. The middle course (A) is tuned the lowest, then the B, and the G. It felt totally adapted to playing Arabesque-style song but still very weird for a guitar player.

Saz players tend to tailor their tuning, strings, even fret placement to their needs. I couldn't move frets around, obviously, so I missed out on part of the fun there. A Turkish member on the Tdpri forum was kind enough to give me a link to a Baglama fret placement calculator - https://www.turkuler.com/5/5.asp - and I went with that.

One thing you must remember is that although the instrument's 12 'western' notes allow you to play chromatic western music, the location of the quarter-tone frets restrict you to a few modes, essentially making the saz diatonic, because for playability's sake not every quarter tone has its own fret. They are usually used on the second and sixth degrees of the scale.

The one (obvious) advice I can give you is to listen to a bunch of players and recordings to figure out if you want a short- or long-neck.
And just for the sake of it here's Lu Edmonds using a long-neck electric saz on stage with PIL (here). I couldn't go as far as saying it sounds fantastic with all the effects and stuff but it is an interesting, if not traditional, use if the instrument

[TagoMago]

I had a short neck one and a long neck one that was modded with a pickup. Neither had metal frets. The shorty was cheap on Gumtree and I took the long necked one as payment for a session gig.

I definitely preferred the longer necked one, I found it easier to play. I'm no saz expert at all, but I'd pick one up and noodle away on it for hours. If you can get to a store that has some, then noodle away and see what clicks with you.

Same when I had an oud, they just draw you in. Don't have any of them now though as they were sold off to help fund emigration, but I wouldn't rule out getting another saz. Or an oud. Or maybe a gimbri. Or....

[Larry Mal]

I own one, it's a very beautiful instrument. It's a baglama saz so a long necked variety. Purely acoustic. I fairly recently put a higher bridge on there because the strings were rattling on the frets.

I'm not super skilled at the instrument.

[Larry Mal]

I used these folks:

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trkpar ... n=luthiera

Would recommend. Their website is here.

[Larry Mal]

Here is mine, by the way. What a shit picture this is even by my own low standards, but maybe it will be helpful:

[burpgun]

A very belated thanks for this guidance. As I move toward this instrument, I'm wondering what sort of price attaches to a playable but not fancy saz. If it's $400-500 I can see it but as I'm not sure this is going to be something I play well, if a playable saz is a grand I may have to give up on this dream.

[Larry Mal]

Take a look here, I think they have some pretty good stuff at a variety of budgets.