Saz originally means "musical instrument" but is mainly used for stringed instruments (according to wikipedia). Nowadays saz is often used for baglamas. So you can call it saz or baglama (the "g" is silent, so call it ba'lama). I used to play some gigs with a Syrian musician and he called it both, saz ("tsaz") and baglama. The main difference in sound is that some intervals are different but you can move frets on an original baglama as they are just thin plastic ribbons which you can slide along the neck. You can listen to my cigar box baglama or saz (along with my baritone cbg) here:
Cigar box baglama, waycool. Never played one myself. The photo is of a musical in adana turkey. Brought in turkish "studio" musicians to back up the band.
I have a medium grade acoustic one, although the guy who sold it to me, in the little shop near the Galata Tower in Istanbul, corrected me when I referred to it as a saz. He said it should properly be called a baglama. Mine has three string courses, with the lowest two strings doubled, and the third higher string course tripled. It is fretted differently than a guitar, which still gives me fits, as the intervals are completely different. The guy who sold it to me could rip on it, segueing effortlessly from a sad Turkish love song I to Zep's Stairway to Heaven. Later found out he was something of a master. Got his name in the gig bag it came in, but I won't see it for 3 or 4 months, as it's packed in my shipment back to the States.
You've been playing in Turkey? Not the safest place to be at the moment...
Unfortunately there's so much trouble in this beautiful country. Turkish folk music is great to listen to. Have you tried to play the saz? I built this one two years ago:
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Thanks for the comments!
Saz originally means "musical instrument" but is mainly used for stringed instruments (according to wikipedia). Nowadays saz is often used for baglamas. So you can call it saz or baglama (the "g" is silent, so call it ba'lama). I used to play some gigs with a Syrian musician and he called it both, saz ("tsaz") and baglama. The main difference in sound is that some intervals are different but you can move frets on an original baglama as they are just thin plastic ribbons which you can slide along the neck. You can listen to my cigar box baglama or saz (along with my baritone cbg) here:
Cool photo Ted!
Cigar box baglama, waycool. Never played one myself. The photo is of a musical in adana turkey. Brought in turkish "studio" musicians to back up the band.
Saz who, Ted. Cool pic and I think that is a saz. What was the occasion and what did you play?
You've been playing in Turkey? Not the safest place to be at the moment...
Unfortunately there's so much trouble in this beautiful country. Turkish folk music is great to listen to. Have you tried to play the saz? I built this one two years ago: