The brač is the alto-tenor tamburitza — the most recognised solo voice in the tamburitza world. Its warm, expressive tone makes it the main instrument for solo improvisation and melodic lines within the ensemble.
Building a brač demands special attention to the balance between projection and warmth. Our workshop uses resonance spruce or cedar for the soundboard, walnut or maple for the back, and a neck usually shaped from a single piece with a carefully turned headstock. The fingerboard is ebony, with hand-set frets.
The brač traditionally has four or five strings grouped in pairs. Its tonal range covers more than two octaves, enabling virtuosic playing. Every brač we build undergoes individual acoustic voicing — the bridge is cut to the specifics of the instrument and the strings are chosen for the desired tone character.
Customers often ask for personalisation — initials in the rosette, a specific inlay pattern, an ergonomic neck profile. All those choices are made together during the specification phase.
The brač emerged in the 19th century as the core solo voice of the Pannonian tamburitza orchestra. Pero Tkalčić, Antun Schwarz and other early makers shaped the brač into an instrument recognisable by its round bridge, elongated neck and characteristic turban-style head with tuning keys. Today's brač retains that silhouette, but modern performers — from the Croatian Radio-Television Tamburitza Orchestra to ensembles in the diaspora — have expanded its repertoire from traditional folk to classical music, jazz and contemporary original works.
Ordering a brač from our workshop typically takes between eight and twelve weeks. The price of a brač starts at EUR 600 for a standard configuration; you can further specify the wood selection (extra-aged spruce, selected walnut, maple with particular texture), the number of strings, the headstock style, neck dimensions and specific aesthetic details. The price of a brač tamburitza depends primarily on materials and the level of personalisation — we agree the quote and discuss the specification before starting the work.
A brač from Varaždin means an instrument built for performance and exposure — solo concerts, studio recording, decades of stage use. The workshop also offers a full range of brač service: new bridge cutting, fret replacement, voicing, restoration of damaged or antique instruments. Hand-built tamburitzas from Varaždin are valued precisely for that completeness — from build through long-term care of the instrument.
The brač is an instrument played for years, often decades — and that is why wood selection is the most important decision at the start of the build. Our workshop maintains an archive of selected spruce, walnut and maple that rests for special orders. Spruce for the soundboard has 0.5 mm growth rings and a uniform structure. Walnut for the back is chosen for a texture that combines strength and acoustic openness. The quality of wood determines whether a brač will 'mature' in tone over time or slowly choke. Hand-built tamburitzas from Varaždin rest on exactly this decision.