kamran - 6-14-2021 at 11:10 AM
I purchased an oud in Cairo back in 2007 or 8 which (as you'll be able to see in the attached photos) has a label indicating it was made by one
Abdel-Hamid Darwish, and which was refurbished by the reputable Fathi Amin in 2002. The oud was very much my style, with a simple and elegant design,
and a light and clear tone. It became my primary performing oud when I had a fairly active ensemble when I lived in the UK, and I really loved the
instrument.
A few years ago in an accident the headstock of the instrument came off (cleanly). Subsequently the bowl of the back of the oud has also developed ~3
cracks, along the seams of the wood strips that make up the bowl. I imagine all of this is fairly easily repaired, and I for a long time have wanted
to learn how to do the repairs myself. But I think I have to be honest with myself that I don't have the bandwidth to take this on now, and with two
other very excellent ouds I can't justify holding on to this one.
So I'd be happy to find a new home for this oud -- perhaps someone who would like to refurbish it for resale, or as a project. To that end, I'd accept
reasonable offers for the oud, I think in the range of $500 would be fair but am open to your thoughts or suggestions. Folks in the Boston area are
welcome to drop by see the instrument sometime.
Here is a video of me performing with the oud -- it's pretty well mic'd and so this should give a sense of the sound of the instrument when it was
playable: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGRmWG7mMm0
Jody Stecher - 6-14-2021 at 12:42 PM
What a lovely oud. What are the dimensions please? How deep is the bowl? How wide across the top? And what is the scale length please? (nut to
bridge). Thanks!
kamran - 6-15-2021 at 01:13 PM
Hi Jody, thanks for your query. Here are some of the dimensions -- if you need any other measurements please let me know.
Scale (from nut to bridge): 60.75cm
Width (at widest point: 36cm
Depth ~17cm
Also happy to share more photos etc. And yes, I really think it's lovely. I wish I could repair it myself!
Just one last bit of detail: there's no date on the original label -- which is half-covered by the new one -- but from the style of the printing of
the label my guess and the guess of the person I bought it from was that the instrument probably dates to the 1920s or so?
Jody Stecher - 6-15-2021 at 01:26 PM
Thanks, Kamran. I have sent you a U2U. I am interested in this oud and in getting it repaired and making music again.