Faruk Türünz Oud Shop

Faruk Türünz Oud Shop is an internationally recognized artisan lutherie workshop located in the İçerenköy neighborhood of the Ataşehir district in Istanbul. Founded in 1984 by master oud maker Faruk Türünz, the workshop specializes in handcrafted, professional-grade Turkish, Arabic, and Iraqi ouds. Today, the studio is jointly directed by master luthier Faruk Türünz and his son Ali Türünz, who holds a doctorate in sociology focused on music, migration, and culture, serving as the workshop's managing director.

The inception of the workshop stems from Faruk Türünz's childhood fascination with musical instruments. Rather than playing with conventional toys, he was captivated by acoustic sound, drawing early inspiration from his first instrument, a mandolin, and dreaming of one day constructing his own stringed creations. When he crafted his first oud in 1984, he initially approached the task as fine woodworking. However, he quickly discovered that crafting an acoustic instrument required understanding intricate physical and resonant dynamics. Following the completion of his first three ouds, he spent an entire year dedicated to experimental and theoretical acoustic research without relying on ready-made measurements or external templates. Over a twelve-year period of trial and systematic observation, he mathematically formulated these acoustic principles into what he designated the Brace Tuning Method (İç Takviye Ayar Yöntemi). By 1996, this rigorous research enabled the workshop to reliably build instruments possessing precise tonal characteristics, establishing an enduring standard in modern lutherie.

Programme and What's On

Although classified on some directory registries under performing arts and music venues, Faruk Türünz Oud Shop does not host public concerts, scheduled stage performances, or ticketed entertainment programmes. Instead, what is on offer is an elite artisan lutherie workshop and bespoke studio where traditional craftsmanship converges with modern acoustic engineering to produce professional concert instruments.

The workshop offers three primary regional instrument styles: handmade Turkish, Arabic, and Iraqi ouds. Within these categories, the catalog features two foundational soundboard architectures alongside completely customized commissions:

• Double Soundboard Oud: An innovative, proprietary design developed to enhance acoustic projection, maximize resonance, and maintain exceptional tonal equilibrium across all registers.
• Single Soundboard Oud: A traditional soundboard construction executed with master-grade acoustic balancing for classic tonal timbre.
• Custom-Made Bespoke Instruments: Tailored commissions built to the precise physical, ergonomic, and tonal requirements of individual performing artists.

The creation of each instrument is a demanding, month-long scientific process rather than simple carpentry. Every oud requires more than 800 discrete structural stages, progressing from raw timber to the final placement of strings. Crafting a single instrument demands approximately 300 to 400 hours of labor over 30 to 40 days, with Faruk Türünz dedicating roughly 12 hours of daily handcrafting to each piece.

A central pillar of the workshop is its meticulous wood selection. Tone woods are individually chosen based on acoustic resonance, grain density, structural durability, and visual aesthetic. Furthermore, as documented in biographical records, Faruk Türünz refined his lutherie under Cafer Açın, Head of the Musical Instrument Making Department at ITU Turkish Music State Conservatory, and integrated advanced engineering techniques such as Finite Element Method stress modeling and Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) acoustic analysis to fine-tune soundboard dynamics.

Atmosphere and Who It Suits

The atmosphere at Faruk Türünz Oud Shop is that of an authentic working lutherie atelier and scholarly acoustic laboratory rather than a commercial retail showroom. The physical space is defined by the organic scent of seasoned tonewood billets, delicate wood shavings, specialized hand tools, and the quiet precision of acoustic calibration. During the workshop's initial twelve years, Faruk Türünz executed every stage of construction in solitary practice. As musical interest grew, he began actively integrating the inquiries, tonal observations, and performance feedback of visiting musicians into his technical work, turning the atelier into a thoughtful meeting ground where practical performance experience continuously refines structural engineering.

This focused, artisanal setting is specifically suited for:

• Professional Oud Virtuosos and Performing Artists: Instrumentalists who demand superior acoustic projection, precise frequency separation, and enduring structural stability for demanding stage and recording environments.
• Discerning Instrument Collectors: Connoisseurs seeking individually crafted, master-grade instruments that represent more than forty years of systematic acoustic innovation and refined woodwork.
• Dedicated Students and Lutherie Apprentices: Practitioners interested in the physics of soundboard resonance. As noted in independent musicological and biographical records, aspiring luthiers and international researchers frequently visit the Istanbul atelier to observe Faruk Türünz's construction methods firsthand.

Renowned international performers have consistently praised the atelier's instruments; notably, acclaimed British oud artist Khyam Allami has publicly commended their remarkable tonal balance and acoustic responsiveness. To serve a diverse global community of musicians, the workshop provides native Arabic communication support ('نتحدث العربية') coordinated by Ali Türünz, enabling detailed consultations regarding custom dimensions, wood pairings, string tensions, and regional acoustic profiles.

Location and Practical Details

Faruk Türünz Oud Shop is situated on the Asian side of Istanbul at the following branch address: Prof. Dr. Ali Nihat Tarlan Cad. Eryılmazlar Sok. Çamoluk İşhanı Kat:4 Daire:9-10 İçerenköy Ataşehir, Istanbul (officially recorded in municipal records as Çamoluk İş Hanı No: 3/10).

In terms of local navigation and neighborhood landmarks, the workshop is located at the direct junction of Prof. Dr. Ali Nihat Tarlan Caddesi and Eryılmazlar Sokak. The building is positioned within comfortable walking distance of the M4 Bostancı Metro Station and the Bostancı Bridge (Bostancı Köprüsü), situated immediately adjacent to the main access entrance of the Bostancı Industrial Site (Bostancı Sanayi Sitesi).

Because the location functions as an active artisan workshop rather than a conventional walk-in store, practical planning is required before visiting:

• Visiting Protocol and Opening Hours: The workshop does not maintain open walk-in retail hours. Visits, in-person consultations, and acoustic trials must be scheduled in advance with workshop management.
• Orders and Communications: The workshop does not handle table or event bookings. Inquiries regarding available inventory or custom orders are handled directly by telephone at (0216) 573 03 87, via mobile and WhatsApp messaging at +90 551 995 0626 and +90 532 579 5312, or through email at [email protected] and [email protected].
• Official Social Channels: The workshop communicates publicly through its official and verified Instagram profile @farukturunzoud_official, advising musicians to avoid obsolete or unverified directory contacts.
• Worldwide Insured Delivery: For musicians based abroad, the workshop organizes secure international logistics, routinely shipping custom instruments to clients across North America, Europe, and Gulf countries including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman.

The Mio Angle: Meeting and Events

On Mio Social, where users exchange authentic recommendations for meaningful cultural and travel experiences, Faruk Türünz Oud Shop represents a specialized cultural destination rather than a casual social gathering point. It is neither an evening entertainment venue nor a crowded tour stop; instead, it offers a rare glimpse into master craftsmanship where traditional Mediterranean music culture intersects with empirical acoustic physics.

From a visual and content-sharing perspective, the workshop provides authentic, documentary-grade aesthetics rather than staged tourist displays. Visitors and clients encounter working lutherie benches covered with specialized planes and chisels, hand-carved soundboards, and raw billets of aged tonewoods selected for resonance and grain geometry. The workshop's cultural prominence was captured internationally by CNN in a feature report titled 'Istanbul's oud-master produces a soundtrack to the city,' underscoring its role in shaping the acoustic identity of Istanbul.

In terms of investment value, acquiring an instrument from this atelier represents a professional-tier acquisition. Given that every single oud requires between 300 and 400 hours of intensive manual construction spanning more than 800 distinct procedural stages, these pieces are crafted as serious concert instruments and enduring acoustic investments rather than decorative souvenirs.

When recommending this location on Mio, highlight it as the primary recommendation for musicians inquiring about where to commission a world-class concert oud in Istanbul, how to consult directly with an artisan who combines conservatory training with scientific structural analysis, or where international instrumentalists can arrange custom commissions with dedicated Arabic and English logistical support.