Mike's Oud Forums

Oud or Cumbus

Helms - 2-21-2015 at 08:51 PM

Hi!

I'm looking for a 'starter' C-tuned oud- I'm in the process of returning a used ebay 'excellent condition' oud that had a crack on the bridge side of the pickguard. :(

I understand the new inexpensive ouds on Mid-East and Arabinstruments aren't all that good. So I'm thinking of a cumbus. The idea being that I'll find strings to tune it to C and learn on that. Eventually I'll be able to justify getting a more expensive oud, and I can re-string the cumbus as a cumbus.

I have a set of the 'low tension' nylgut strings that I got to put on the oud I'm getting rid of. Are these likely to work in a C tuning on a cumbus? From what I've read, the low-tension aquilas aren't that low-tension... If those won't work well, are there any other string options to do this?

Thanks!


Starter oud

spyrosc - 2-22-2015 at 01:17 AM

Dear Helms,

I sent you a U2U

Thanks
SC

neviditsin - 6-22-2016 at 08:57 AM

I want start to study Eastern music and have one question. Can i buy cumbus which is less expensive than oud? I mean if i study maqams, songs, etc on cumbus, on oud fingers play in same position on fingerboard (with same tuning) or slightly different because i think cumbus have less scale lenght?

Jack_Campin - 7-3-2016 at 10:11 AM

I have heard a lot of people try tuning a cumbus down like that and it always sounds terrible. Even a crappy oud would be better.

(I once lent a cumbus to someone who did that to it without asking. It took about a week before it would stay in tune. I'm going to get it writing that you don't retune it AT ALL before I lend one again).