Persian Iranian Santur with Metal Embellishments

This barely used santur is ready for its new home! Included accessories are: case, strap, spare strings, tuning key, and a pair of plastic mezrab (playing sticks), which seem to hold up better than any traditional wood mezrab I‘ve had.

This is kin to the hammered dulcimer, yet this instrument features movable bridges, allowing for adjustments in tuning maqamat (modes/scales). It is not fully tuned in the video, and you’ll notice some hesitation on my part in playing around on it. But that means you get to spend an afternoon choosing just how you’d like it tuned!

Each course contains four strings, which cross from treble to bass, making for a very interesting design.

The wood body is adorned with metal embellishments, adding flair to the otherwise simple trapezoidal zither.

It fits well in music of any kind, and I’ve even taken (a different one of) mine to a western music jam, where I challenged the guitarists to play with my quarter tones!

I got into this instrument after watching a performance by Light In Babylon - check them out, and I bet you’ll be smitten as well!