One of the most ancient musical instruments of Central Asia, the tanbur is a long necked lute with a small round sound board. Its neck features several frets and “T” shaped pegs which are arranged in a mixed disposition (sidelong or posterior) as a token of the different influences (in order Persian and Turkish) that this insrument has been passing through. Its strings are mostly made of iron and steel and are pinched with fingers or a plectrum. Its origin can be traced to Babylon and Ancient Egypt; right now the word tanbur is employed to describe several kinds of long necked lutes, quite heterogenic. In particular, the Iranian tanbur resembles the shape of Uzbek one.
Made of: wood (neck and sounding board); silk, nylon and steel (strings) Lenght: variable Width: variable Played with: plectrum, fingers
