smast - 3-9-2011 at 01:55 AM
Hello,
First of all, apologies if this has been answered in some way or another - I did a search but didn't stumble across a specific answer.
I was travelling over the summer (UK summer!) and, as a guitarist, really wanted to pick up an Arabic oud. It was a bit of an impulse decision and
although I'm a competent musician, I'm not an oud player. So, I ended up with an oud that's not too bad but it's really very much a beginner's oud (my
budget was also not high). It's very difficult to tune, to the point that I don't know how easy/embarrassing it would be to tune in a live situation.
I've taken it to a local luthier and she says it would not be worth my while having new tuning pegs fitted (cost-wise). I'm not too bad with tuning
stringed instruments as I play the violin and I've played some sarod in the past. I've been using it with a sort of folk/fusion group (not at all
'authentic', though I would love to learn properly some day) and since we're going to be playing the material live, I really need an instrument that
won't let me down.
From my searches on here, it seems as though Sukar ouds are a good bet for someone at my level. I've also seen Gawharet El Fan ouds. I know that it
would be best to play the instrument first but I'm based in London, UK, and I'm not sure how easy it would be to find an Arabic oud or how long I
would have to wait until something came up.
Would anyone be able to make recommendations of Ouds under $600, please? I'd love to spend more but I just don't have the funds!
I'd be very grateful for any help.
Thanks!
fernandraynaud - 3-9-2011 at 05:34 AM
Generally forget the Gawharet El Fans. What I'd suggest is you try to find one of the Sukars with "ebony" pegs. There are basically two types of pegs
Sukar uses. The softer wood, often olivewood, that's dyed black, and the harder rosewood or ebony. The taper on the softer wood pegs is steeper, as
per tradition, and the reaming of the holes less precise. On the harder pegs, the taper is around 30:1 like on viola pegs, and the reaming more
precise. Guess which are more expensive. Both work OK in a stable-humidity environment, especially if you tweak the softer pegs a bit. But in a more
demanding environment, where humidity changes fast, the rosewood/ebony pegs are clearly superior, maybe "a necessity". It's very hard to tell on low
rez photos which pegs are fitted are on a given instrument. The hardwood pegs have a more complex shape, with a little "ridge".
I think he buys these pegs ready-made. On the photos the brown walnut oud is a model 1, the least expensive. The black oud is a model 14, with ebony
pegs.
So I would suggest hunting for a Sukar with the hardwood pegs, like a model 212 or 211 - these ouds are beautifully finished, light weight and
bright-timbered, or a 14 - these are very dark wood, heavier, with a more powerful bass. Many of the 14s have a black French Polished bowl that
scratches very easily, though it's not too hard to add some black shellac.
The Sukar models are more like "concepts", not dogma, each oud is a little different, so pay close attention to what photos you can get, and look for
the dark hard wood pegs (and fingerboard). With a little luck and patience you might find one around $600. These pegs tune smoothly and with a touch
of compound or chalk/soap treatment, they hold well. But all oud pegs are tricky. They need to have pressure applied as you tune, to seat the peg
deeper, especially as the humidity drops.
If I had an repetitive high pressure performance situation, amplified, and tuning was an ongoing problem, I'd seriously consider the heresy of
heresies: machine tuners, say on a MidEast Manufacturing electric. They happen to cost ... exactly six hundred dollars, and it looks like these are
(at last) nicely made electrics, though I've never tried one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txkRDQkn1Hk
with an electric you'd be in the best folk company
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmynqgnbJCo&feature=related
Most of the webtailers resell MidEast Manufacturing instruments, with right to return, and you can apparently also order direct. Sukar's electrics use
traditional pegs. Best wishes!
smast - 3-9-2011 at 06:06 AM
Many thanks, that's very helpful!
smast - 3-9-2011 at 11:51 AM
Hi fernand, I hadn't realised how extensive your reply is (I was viewing it on a phone!) - thanks so much for that. I will try and track down one of
those models, unless something else comes up around London. Great video links too! Though it sounds superficial, with an electric oud, I think I'd
miss having the oud to look at as a handsome piece of wood! I won't rule it out though...
bibo10 - 3-14-2011 at 05:34 PM
hey,
contact michael moussa, he makes outstanding ouds and he also lives in england. good luck
mgmmoussa@yahoo.com
myeyes2020 - 3-14-2011 at 09:45 PM
If you like the oud that you have, you may want to consider visiting a good luthier who may be able to solve your problem with for a nominal fee.
smast - 3-14-2011 at 10:39 PM
Thanks, guys, for your replies. I took my oud to a good luthier last week and she said the cost of rectifying the pegs alone would be the price of the
instrument... Unless I had the tools and did it myself, which I don't. But, I bought a Fathy Amin oud which was in London, and first advertised on
here. It sounds great.
smast - 3-15-2011 at 03:04 PM
Ok, sorry to be a pain but I've put a new set of D'addario strings on the new 60cm oud (I know they're not the best but I had to get hold of some
quickly) and it's a bit buzzy when played hard. I'm wondering if the tension is a little low? Is there another set that will work better with a 60cm
scale length oud? I had thought that the D'addario set was quite high tension. They worked ok with my (admittedly not very good) 61cm scale length
oud... I'm tuning to CFADGC
smast - 3-16-2011 at 04:34 AM
On second thoughts, perhaps I'm being a little hasty - I'll see if it settles down :-)
Brian Prunka - 3-16-2011 at 08:01 AM
The D'Addarios are not high tension when used for Arabic tuning.
The plain strings are a little light for some ouds. 60 cm would be OK I think. Which strings are buzzing?
Is the Fathy Amin oud a classic bridge or floating?
It's hard to know what's going on because "a bit buzzy" and "playing hard" are pretty vague and subjective terms.
To some extent, most ouds are "a bit buzzy", and are not really intended to "play hard" on. Also, brand new strings often sound a bit buzzy for a few
days and then are much warmer.
smast - 3-16-2011 at 12:50 PM
Yes, sorry, I realise that was very vague - I wrote it late at night!
There's no doubt it's buzzing a little by the bridge (not floating). By 'playing hard' I mean playing the oud loudly, not (having listened to a lot of
oud music but not having played much of it) with more force than I have heard it being played. Funnily enough, the plain strings seem to be ok.
I'm just comparing it to my previous, very basic, instrument. But, as you say, I think I should wait for the strings to play in/settle down.
Thanks for your suggestions - much appreciated.