Kossaz

Kossaz is a rare ethnographic type of the dombra. It is carved from a single piece of wood and features five strings. The instrument has two resonator bodies: one is covered with a wooden soundboard, while the other is covered with leather; in some versions, both sides are enclosed with wood.

Playing the kossaz requires great skill and precision, which may explain why this instrument—also known as the double dombra or double-bodied dombra—is extremely rare today. The kossaz has been tested and approved by renowned musicians such as: Nurgisa Tlendiev – National Hero, composer, dombra player, and kui performer, Karshyga Akhmediyarov and Baltabai Kabylanov – famous dombra virtuosos.

Among the people, it is also referred to as kossaz, kos shanak, or kos moiyn dombra (meaning “double body” or “double-neck dombra”). The crafting process is complex and requires hard woods such as oak, rowan, birch, or beech.