The Turkish banjo (Cümbüş) is played by Turkish Gypsies in a repertoire of popular music, alongside clarinets, violins, zurnas, and percussion instruments.
It is a relatively recent instrument (1930), a blend between the American banjo and the oriental oud, with the advantage of being loud enough to be heard next to clarinets and darbukas.
All models come from the same manufacturer in Istanbul.
I play two models: the fretted one for Western music and the fretless one for Eastern music, which is played like an oud.
I love the sound of the double strings on the skin; the open strings resonate sympathetically, creating an incredible resonance.
