Arash -> Found a Setar (persian instrument) in the basement (Oct. 28 2025 11:39:53)
Found this Setar in the basement of my parents.
All I know that it is at least 35 to 40 years old and brought here from Iran. And that my mother went to a master builder (who died shortly after that visit) and asked for one of his best setars. The master then asked my mother if there is a good setar player in our house who is going to play one of his very high end instruments regularly. My mother truthfully said not right now. The master then replied with sorry, I can not sell my best ones, they will die if not played, they have a soul, but instead I can give you a quite good and ok one.
That's basically all I know about this.
I need to bring this back to life, but have absolutely no clue about Setars. Always liked the sound and listened to it from time to time but never cared about the details of the instrument itself.
The bridge on this one is not glued and is compleletly movable ?! I can't even find glue marks on the top, so that I would assume it came off.
On the top side (when you look down) below the finger board, I first thought there is a long crack. But it is too straight and looks like it was carved there on purpose. What purpose exactly, I don't know.
The frets seem to be animal guts and movable. Some of them, towards the bridge are completely loose, others more tight.
Any input is appreciated.
Am watching some videos about restringing and tuning right now.
Here is a video with this type of instrument.
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Arash -> RE: Found a Setar (persian instrument) in the basement (Oct. 28 2025 14:55:29)
Ok so the loose bridge is apparently normal. It should be moved and fixed around 52 mm from the back where the strings holder is, when restringing, as shown here at 03:05
Ricardo -> RE: Found a Setar (persian instrument) in the basement (Oct. 28 2025 14:56:35)
Interesting. Similar to Turkish Soz my roommate used to play.
Arash -> RE: Found a Setar (persian instrument) in the basement (Oct. 28 2025 15:06:01)
quote:
ORIGINAL: Ricardo
Interesting. Similar to Turkish Soz my roommate used to play.
If this is what you mean with Turksh saz, yes they look and kinda sound similar.
One thing I noticed that apparently the turkish play with a pick, but iranian with index. At least from what I can see in several videos
Arash -> RE: Found a Setar (persian instrument) in the basement (Oct. 28 2025 15:19:22)
Really hard to find any video about refretting, but here at least I can see that there is no "crack" and it appears to be normal.
Arash -> RE: Found a Setar (persian instrument) in the basement (Oct. 28 2025 17:35:44)
Ok finding out more. The video shows the process of refretting and also shows that that long indentation is for refretting purposes and to slide the fret material through it and also for the positioning of knots of the frets if wanted. Video is in persian but english subs.
One thing I apparently also need to buy, is baby powder [:D]
Also here is a video of a setar luthier (also persian but english subs, if anyone is interested)
Arash -> RE: Found a Setar (persian instrument) in the basement (Oct. 28 2025 17:57:25)
Also found more in the basement [:D] like these two old so called "Daf" which is a frame drum kind of instrument, made out of goat skin.
I have also seen it rarely but sometimes used in Flamenco as well like here with Manuel Valencia
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silddx -> RE: Found a Setar (persian instrument) in the basement (Oct. 28 2025 19:28:49)
What a lovely, interesting find! I really like the sound of it.
Since a friend of mine played bass in a band that did a recent BBC Persian service new year celebration, I have been fascinated by Gord Afarid.
Arash -> RE: Found a Setar (persian instrument) in the basement (Oct. 28 2025 21:51:36)
quote:
ORIGINAL: silddx
What a lovely, interesting find! I really like the sound of it.
Since a friend of mine played bass in a band that did a recent BBC Persian service new year celebration, I have been fascinated by Gord Afarid.
Interesting. Could this be your friend right at 9:10 in this vid?
silddx -> RE: Found a Setar (persian instrument) in the basement (Oct. 28 2025 22:15:00)
quote:
Interesting. Could this be your friend right at 9:10 in this vid?
Ah no, it was the year before I think. I have the link somewhere.
Arash -> RE: Found a Setar (persian instrument) in the basement (Oct. 29 2025 12:46:06)
Found a one week old great video about setar building, fretting, stringing, the whole process.
I just need to calculate the measurements for refretting for a persian mode (there are different modes). Dicussing it with chatgpt right now [:D]
