The Sato (Uzbek: Сато) is a bowed tanbur, or long-necked lute, played by performers of Central Asian classical and folk music, mainly in Uzbekistan.^[1] It has five strings. When plucked, the top string is pressed to the neck to produce a melody; the other four strings are drone strings.^[1] Frets on the neck are made of tied string.^[2] The soundboard has holes drilled in it for sound holes.^[2] It is made from mulberry wood.^[2]

Famous Uzbek musician Turgun Alimatov is solely responsible for reviving the art of playing the Sato, as it had completely disappeared for a number of centuries before he took it up in 1957. Thus he has been considered as the founder of the Sato and its playing style and technique.^[3][4] Professor Abduvali Abdurashidov is the foremost teacher of Sato and composer of the art of Shash Maqom (also called Shashmaqam) in Tajikistan.

• the sato, a Central Asian instrument with 5 strings.
• The bridge of the instrument the sato is called xarak - also the word used for bench and donkey
• the inlays are usually mother-of-pearl, and the frets are generally made of string or gut.
• the highest frets on the sato are made of wood.
• The strings are tied off in a loop and anchored on the metal plate at the bottom. the top string is set slightly apart from the 4 drone strings, and is elevated higher above the finger board as well.
• 1869, Russian Turkestan. Long necked bowed "kamanche," but possibly related to Sato, based on instrument type and location