never on sunday

[eightmoremiles]

Idling away my precious time last week, I turned on the cable movie channel and, to my surprise, the 1960 film "Never on Sunday" was just beginning. I knew mandos were about, and sure enough, in an early scene in a taverna there is a small mando like group playing while men drink ouzo and dance. One of the instruments had a very small pear shaped body like a mandolin, the body being about the size of its players hand. The neck looked to be about a foot long, with a small headstock. Does anyone here have sufficient knowledge of Greek plucked string instruments to identify that particular one? The visual effect was odd, as the player's right hand almost completely obscured the small body, while his left hand moved all over the fretboard.
Thanks

[Jason Nagati]

I haven't seen the movie, but it sounds like a Greek baglama:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFVJi...eature=related

[eightmoremiles]

Baglama? How is it tuned? That sure looks like the instrument I saw in the movie. Does Stew-Mac sell a baglama kit?

[John Flynn]

It has three double courses is typically tuned D-A-D. It is essentially a half-size version of the Greek bouzouki. It is not to be confused with the baglama saz, or Turkish baglama, which is a larger instrument. There is a great documentary on YouTube about the Greek folk music genre of Rembetika. These little instruments were popularized back when Rembetikists were persecuted by the Greek government and it was dangerous to be seen carrying a bouzouki. The little baglamas could be carried concealed under a coat and were sometimes even smuggled to people in prision.