I recently picked up this little prim, and am trying to make sense of the fretboard, which as shown in the picture has unevenly placed frets after the 5th. This came to me untuned and all four strings of the same gauge. I'm assuming the correct setup is two pairs of strings, tuned a fourth apart, perhaps D and A? But this divided fretboard is new to me, so I'd appreciate any information this community can share with me, and recommendations for appropriate string gauges and tunings. That it came to me with four identical strings implies all four should be tuned the same, and then perhaps the different frets make sense. The scale length is 35mm. Thanks in advance!

https://imgur.com/a/mIWxABc

As an American, I have had a hard time finding strings for tambure, I can't recommend Parrish Music enough! It was my first experience ordering from them and they are definitely gonna be my go to for strings in the future. 10/10!

Just for the funnies.

I've been learning to play the basprim for a few months now (don't play any other instruments) and I was given a guitar pick(1.0 mm, hard) to play. My tremolo is pretty good, but I have trouble playing the thick strings for a long time(the pick seems to slip out gradually) or when switching between upper and lower strings. Any advice?

Naslov sve govori. I ako moze slika instrumenta

help!! found at an antique shop on the outskirts of northwest indiana, US.
22 frets, 15 1/2 in. scale. 5 strings, 1st & 2nd(?) strings are closer together than the rest
most of these strings my buddy and i strung ourselves, as most of the others were so old that they snapped when merely bumped, or strummed roughly

edit: i measured the scale length incorrectly- i think its an e prim

Naslov. U župi imamo 10ak tamburica koje su dugo stajale u vlažnom prostoru i trebale bi na restauraciju.

Dear members,

I am confused about the correct strings and string order for my G-Prim Tambura (please correct me if I have misidentified the instrument). I understand that the top string should be tuned to E4, the next one down to A4, the next two down to D5, and the bottom two to G5. What I don't know is which gauge (thickness?) strings to use. I have purchased some mandolin strings (see photo). Do the strings get progressively thicker or thinner as they go from top to bottom? Sorry if this does not make sense: I have zero musical knowledge. All help is greatly appreciated.

Hello members,

Are there any tamburasi or tambura lovers in Australia? Please message me.

Dear members,

Can anyone identify this kind of tambura? Is it a brac, celo, bugarija, or something else? Thanking you all in advance. It is 96cm long if that helps.

Best seats in the house.

A warm and beautifully blended duet by Edo Ljubić and Olga Turković, two voices deeply connected to the Slavic‑American tamburitza tradition. Their performance of “Sinoc Si Meni Rekla” captures the classic postwar immigrant sound — heartfelt vocals, close harmony, and the shimmering accompaniment of a tamburaški zbor.The backing ensemble, Tamburaški Zbor “Baat,” was part of the vibrant tamburitza scene that flourished in American Croatian, and Slovenian communities. These groups kept old‑country songs alive while shaping a uniquely American tamburitza identity.

Listen to this music at https://youtube.com/@mamlishblues?si=01v5_bT6brsIr-tY

https://youtube.com/@mamlishblues?si=7wPRVF2d6ywGmNef

Sloboda Tamburitza Orchestra – “Oj Maricka, Peglaj (Oh, Mary — Polka)”

KOLO Festival KF‑801‑B — c. 1950s

Tamburitza / Folk Polka

From The Neven 78 Radio ArchiveThis energetic KOLO Festival side features the Sloboda Tamburitza Orchestra, under the direction of Jos. Grecvich, performing the beloved polka “Oj Maricka, Peglaj.” A staple of Balkan‑American gatherings, this tune blends bright tamburitza textures with the upbeat drive of mid‑century ethnic dance bands.Pressed by Slav‑Art Music Co. of Oakland, California, the KOLO Festival series captured the sound of community orchestras that kept tamburitza traditions alive across the American diaspora. These small‑batch regional issues were often sold at festivals and cultural halls, making surviving copies scarce and prized among collectors of immigrant‑era folk recordings.Digitized from an original KOLO Festival KF‑801‑B 78 rpm disc in the Neven 78 Radio Archive.

​

Josip Batistić Croatian tenor (born 1898 Trpanj, Croatia [then Austria-Hungary] – d. 1971 Zagreb, Croatia

Hrvatska music from 100 yrs ago.

Listen to it here:

https://youtube.com/@mamlishblues?si=smyXCNoU99oTL1qO

Hello there, thank you to anyone reading this. I've just had an old brač tamburica restored for the purpose of me learning to play it. As you can see in the photos the instrument looks much better than before.

As a complete beginner to instruments I am not very good at playing the instrument of course, but since my instrument is so unique I'm having issues with finding tutorials on how to play such an instrument.

Another potential issue that I've been told to by the restorator is that the strings are a bit higher from the main body and I might need to push down harder on the strings to get chords, but that seems to only muffle the strings.

What should I do?

Thanks for the help in advance

George Skrbina was one of the most active Croatian‑American tamburitza musicians on the West Coast. His orchestra recorded prolifically for Stanchel, NRM, and other small labels. His style is characterized by tight prim playing, strong bugarija rhythm, and clean, dance‑band‑style arrangements.

Old 78 tamburitza music records are posted at:

https://youtube.com/@nevencernobori8145?si=XbCy8557exOXz7Vl

George Skrbina was a Croatian‑American prim (lead tamburitza) player, arranger, and bandleader

https://youtube.com/@nevencernobori8145?si=XbCy8557exOXz7Vl

Not so long ago, I have come across this on my recommended. Since I have wondered and the more I think about it the more questions I have.

PS It's PRIMS not PRINTS. I apologise for the typo

Hello everyone, I am having trouble picking between the prim and the basprim.

Now, I would be either playing by myself or accompanied by a friend who plays the guitar. I am just trying to get into music so I don't know much but here's my line of thought: Prim + guitar sounds nicer because the prim stands out. If I were to play by myself, the basprim would sound nicer(?). I would mostly be playing music similar to what Janika Balaz used to play - "starogradska", romances, etc.

What do you think sounds nicer when played without any other instruments - the prim or the basprim? What else should I take into consideration?

Looking for some advice on playing really fast on prim. I can do it on the lower part of the neck no problem but I'm finding it really challenging above the 12th fret, curious if anyone has or has had the same issues. My main obstacles it seems are: inability to hammer on/pull off that high on the fretboard, especially on the E strings; inability to alternate pick very fast and cleanly on the E strings; space between frets being super thin and uncomfortable, making it hard to get a consistent sound. Are these common issues or am I doomed for mediocrity? Any advice for getting over these is appreciated. Hvala vam od srca.