Two Cities, One Instrument
Founded in New York City by musicians with Istanbul roots — we exist to bring the authentic Turkish oud to players everywhere.
A New York Dream,
an Istanbul Soul
Turkish Oud was founded in New York City by Emre Yılmaz and Sofia Kara — two musicians who grew up with the oud in their homes but found themselves thousands of miles from the workshops that built them.
Living in Brooklyn, they kept returning to the same problem: finding a well-made, authentic Turkish oud from the United States was nearly impossible. The instruments available locally were either poor quality or vastly overpriced. Good ones had to be sourced blindly from abroad, with no guarantee of what would arrive.
In 2020, Emre flew to Istanbul — the city his grandfather called home — and spent six weeks in the oud workshops of Eminönü. He returned with four handmade instruments, a notebook full of luthier contacts, and a mission. Turkish Oud was born in their Brooklyn apartment.
Our Principles
Authenticity
Every instrument is genuinely handcrafted in Turkey. No shortcuts, no mass production — ever.
Integrity
We describe every oud honestly. What you read is what arrives — no surprises, no disappointments.
Musicianship
We are players ourselves. Every selection is guided by an ear for tone, not a spreadsheet.
Accessibility
From student models to concert-grade instruments — every player deserves a great Turkish oud.
Meet the Team
Based in Brooklyn, NY — with our hearts in the workshops of Istanbul.
Emre Yılmaz
Co-Founder & Oud Specialist
Brooklyn, New YorkBorn in New York to a Turkish family from Ankara, Emre grew up with oud music in every room of his childhood home. He studied music at NYU and made his first pilgrimage to Istanbul's Eminönü workshops in 2019. His ear for tone and deep ties to Turkish luthiers are the backbone of our instrument selection.
Sofia Kara
Co-Founder & Musician
Manhattan, New YorkSofia is a Greek-American oud player and maqam instructor who studied under masters in both New York and Athens. She is responsible for every instrument's final play-test and setup approval. If it doesn't sound right under her hands, it doesn't ship. She teaches oud at two NYC music schools and performs regularly in the city's world music scene.
Daniel Park
Operations & Customer Experience
Queens, New YorkDaniel handles the logistics that make Turkish Oud possible from New York — international shipping, instrument packaging, and making sure every single customer gets the attention they deserve. A former jazz bassist, he discovered the oud at a Brooklyn concert in 2018 and has been obsessed ever since.
Ahmet Doğan
Master Luthier, Istanbul
Eminönü, IstanbulAhmet is our lead luthier in Istanbul and the craftsman behind much of our collection. With 28 years of workshop experience, his rosette inlay work is considered among the finest in Turkey. He is the reason our New York team can guarantee the quality of every instrument that crosses the Atlantic.
From Brooklyn to the World
Emre spends six weeks in Istanbul's Eminönü workshops, learning from master luthiers and forming the relationships that would make Turkish Oud possible.
Turkish Oud launches from Emre and Sofia's Brooklyn apartment. The first four instruments sell within a week, entirely by word of mouth in NYC's music community.
Orders arrive from across the US and then internationally — Egypt, Germany, the UK, Australia. Each instrument ships with a handwritten card from the luthier.
Formal partnerships with four master luthier workshops in Istanbul. The range expands from student models to concert-grade instruments, with Ahmet joining the team.
The 500th oud leaves the workshop. Players in 30+ countries, from conservatories to living rooms, are now part of the Turkish Oud family.
Our highest-grade collection yet — instruments co-designed with professional soloists in New York and Istanbul, built for the stage and the studio.
How Every Oud Gets to You
Workshop Selection
Our New York team works with Ahmet in Istanbul to hand-select each instrument for grain quality, construction, and tone.
Luthier Build
Master craftsmen in Eminönü build each oud using centuries-old techniques — steam-bent ribs, carved soundboards, hand-fitted rosettes.
Sofia's Approval
Every instrument is played and approved by Sofia in New York before we confirm it to a customer. Tone, action, tuning — nothing is compromised.
Expert Packing
Daniel's team in Queens packs every oud in a custom hard case with humidity control. Fully insured, fully tracked, door to door.
Delivered Worldwide
From New York to your door — whether you're in Chicago, Cairo, or Copenhagen, your oud arrives ready to play.
"We left Istanbul with four ouds in a Brooklyn apartment and a simple belief: that the finest Turkish instrument deserves to be in the hands of the finest players — wherever in the world they live."
— Emre Yılmaz & Sofia Kara, Co-Founders · New York City
Ready to Find Your Oud?
Browse our handcrafted collection or reach out to our New York team — we love talking about ouds.