Sato (instrument)

The Sato is a bowed tanbur, or long-necked lute, played by performers of Central Asian classical and folk music, mainly in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.[1] It has five strings. When plucked, the top string is pressed to the neck to produce a melody; the other four strings are drone strings.[1] Frets on the neck are made of tied string.[2] The soundboard has holes drilled in it for sound holes.[2] It is made from mulberry wood.[2]

the sato, a Central Asian instrument with 5 strings.

Sato and bow in a hard case

Famous Uzbek musician Turgun Alimatov is solely responsible for reviving the art of playing the Sato, as it had completely disappeared for a number of centuries before he took it up in 1957. Thus he has been considered as the founder of the Sato and its playing style and technique.[3][4] Professor Abduvali Abdurashidov is the foremost teacher of Sato and composer of the art of Shash Maqom (also called Shashmaqam) in Tajikistan.

the sato, a Central Asian instrument with 5 strings.

The bridge of the instrument the sato is called xarak - also the word used for bench and donkey

the inlays are usually mother-of-pearl, and the frets are generally made of string or gut.

the highest frets on the sato are made of wood.

The strings are tied off in a loop and anchored on the metal plate at the bottom. the top string is set slightly apart from the 4 drone strings, and is elevated higher above the finger board as well.