Mike's Oud Forums

41 cm width oud

wazza - 10-16-2004 at 03:18 PM

hi everybody
I built a bowl without any mould using a rib model from a 38 width oud but at the end of the bowl making i foung the width of the oud being 41 cm is it an enormous oud, do you advise me to finish it or not.
thanks.

Andy - 10-16-2004 at 05:30 PM

It is a big bowl. If it were my project, I would finish it because I would always wonder about the sound and the finished look. Do you think you will be able to hold it well enough to play?

Dr. Oud - 10-17-2004 at 10:26 AM

You might be able to reduce the width. First wipe the top ribs with a damp cloth or sponge or water spray to soften the wood. Then clamp the ribs to a board cut with the opening curve at the original 38cm. Use the cut off piece of the board as a clamp pad on the outside of the rib. The body will elongate when you apply the clamp, so you will have to realign the neck and tail blocks. I would rather have a longer narrow oud than a shorter wider one myself.

wazza - 10-21-2004 at 05:09 PM

thank you for your help
i think i will resize the bowl because i would like to offer the oud to my nephew (7 years old) so it becomes similar in dimensions to turkish or to child's ouds