Meet Today's Most Reputable Turkish Oud Makers

The Turkish ord-makers are amazing. Unfortunately, this craft is slowly dying. There still traditional Turkish ord makers today.

Let's get to know the best of them, shall we?

Say hello to today's most famous Turkish Oud makers

Mustafa Copcuoglu

Mustafa Copcuoglu has been making ouds for over a century. After developing his musical interests in Pazar, he graduated from the Vocational High School and moved to Istanbul.

He arrived in Canada and began to learn from Emin Ongan. He eventually earned a Master's degree in Folk Instruments. He opened his workshop in 1986, and has been making high-quality ouds ever since.

The Turkish Ouds he most loves are made of mahogany, but he can also use rosewood and padauk. To ensure that each instrument is perfect, he takes great care to craft it.

What Makes Him Different?

Copcuoglum's ords are unmatched in quality. They are extremely comfortable and can be played for extended periods of time. Why? Why? Because Mustafa Copcuoglum is very particular about the spacing between the strings and the softness of the bass.

Faruk Turunz

Faruk Turunz was a Turkish luthier who was born in Turkey (specifically Adana) on the 28th June 1944. He is a Turkish luthier and is one of the most respected oud makers today.

You will need to travel to Istanbul to visit his shop if you're interested.

He was actually a primary school teacher for about 10 years before he began making these beautiful arabic oud instrument in 1985. This may be a question you might ask. He began studying under the Musical Instruments Construction Branch Head at Istanbul Technical University. He discovered his true passion after this.

What makes him different?

Faruk Turunz, unlike other Turkish oud-makers, didn't start making instruments at an early age. He picked it up much later in his life. This is quite remarkable when you consider that people will travel from all around the world to see Faruk Turunz work on his ouds.

Baris Yetka Karatekeli

Baris Yikta Karatekeli enjoys sharing his amazing creations on Instagram. There is a large online community of musicians, oud players, and makers.

His high-quality Turkish ords are made from a variety of materials. You can see his social media accounts to see that he adds a modern and sleek touch to the traditional instrument.

What Makes Him Different?

His Turkish ouds are unlike any other. Some look more traditional than others, while others are brightly colored and some are purple. No matter what your style, there's bound to be a Baris Yetka Karatekeli ord that suits you.

Cengiz Sarikus

1946 was the year Dr. Cengiz Sarikus, a Turkish physician, was born. Since he was just 13 years old, he has been creating his beautiful instruments. When we say he's a master we mean it.

Sarikus was the star pupil of Agop Ahanyan, who was a prominent player and maker. This gave Dr. Cengiz Sarikus the opportunity to perfect his skills and create the oud that we all love today.

What makes him different?

Cengiz Sarikus isn't content to create ouds; he also aims to share this timeless skill with others. His instruments are made by several students. Each instrument is made with passion, love, and amazing craftsmanship. It's hard to find anything better.

Why bother buying an Oud from a Maker?

You've now met some of the most famous Turkish ord-makers in the world. Why should you purchase from them? This might seem obvious to many, but for those who need additional assurance, here are some pros and cons.

The Benefits

• You are receiving a top-quality instrument.
• You are supporting a real human being and not a large corporation.
• The instrument will be made to order.

The Advantages

• Your instrument will cost you more.
• They may be more difficult to find depending on where you live.

The Bottom Line

Supporting today's top-rated Turkish ord makers is key for keeping this amazing craft alive . We promise that buying a pre-made instrument won't do the trick!