Buying Persian Santoor

1. The first thing to know is that buying a Santoor is, in fact, a challenging process. This is because currently, unlike western instruments, there are no established standards in building Iranian traditional instruments especially Santoor.

2. It is widely recommended by Santoor teachers to refer to a reliable teacher or music school to buy their instrument. This is the easiest way to buy a Santoor.

3. After doing some research, you will notice that you should consider several factors in buying a Santoor such as voice, wood, quality, where the main bridge is put, saddle, peg, bridges, nut, etc. However, if you want to have all of these perfectly, you should know that a relatively high price should be paid.

4. After knowing these tips, which Santoor is good for each music student? Some students might decide to buy a cheap Santoor and change it after a while when they are more proficient. Others might decide to buy a good one from the beginning? It is worthwhile to note that, a low-quality and cheap Santoor would discourage you from learning and demotivate you. That's why most teachers recommend buying Santoor with at least the minimum desired quality. This way, you’ll get used to listening to good Santoor noise.

5. During the process of researching and deciding what to buy, music students usually inquire about the prices from different Santoor builder and even visit their workshops to inspect the instruments personally. There are lots of Santoor building brands, such as Nazemi, Ansari, Mousavi, Rasekh, Rezvani, Ghaffarpour, Kaffashzadeh, Memarzadeh, Gholami Shirazi, Sadeghi Azar, Taghavi Alashti, Vazifehdoust, Salari, Ghaffari, Sadeghi, and so many others. With an inspection of quality, conditions, and services, you should decide where to buy.

6. While inspecting different Santoor builders, you will face various conditions and specifications. You should decide to buy a Santoor with desirable conditions and after-sale services. For example, you should have the right to refund or exchange. Also, note that the noise of your purchased Santoor should be at the same level as the Santoor you saw as a sample.

7. Please note that usually, the required accessories such as the Santoor pick, tuning wrench, and its case should be offered without extra charge. Some other extra items like extra bridges or strings could also be useful for you, especially if you live outside the city and don’t have access to the seller and its workshop.
In Santoor Center, we strive to consider all of the above and to provide high-quality and suitable instruments to art students and Santoor players in all levels.