bugaga - 8-24-2020 at 04:47 AM
I was searching for this subject in the forum, but couldn't find it, so I'm sorry if this was discussed before.
There is an oud I'm thinking to buy, which has a very nice sound, but the soundboard has bent over time. It's 30 years old now, so the wood should be
dry, but still I'm hesitating because I'm a bit scared that it will maybe bend more especially when I will bring it from Iran to Germany.
So what are your experiences with instruments that are in generall fine, but show these bends in the soundboard?
Kelly - 8-26-2020 at 01:40 AM
Hi There
It’s not uncommon for some lift/or warp from behind the bridge to occur over time on some ouds. This may affect action and playability as well as
connection of bridge to soundboard. It’s difficult to tell from the photo but bridge looks secure on this shot even though the amount of lift looks
quite pronounced. You could ask for more photos perhaps to better check this and also what pitch tuning it is currently strung at and what the
string height (action ) at the neck is.
It’s difficult to assess how stable it might be in transit even if the warping occurred many years ago. Maybe others on this forum might have a
better informed opinion.
bugaga - 8-26-2020 at 09:51 AM
Actually it's a videostill from a Whatsapp video she sent me. Didn't figure out to take a better screenshot. On the video it's good to be seen, but I
guess I have to hold it in my old hands. It's just far away, so I wanted to hear some opinions on it. It's offered to me by a professional player who
was introduced to me by a person I trust, so I'm sure nobody wants to fool me. It's just that I don't have any experience with an oud like that.