SamirCanada - 10-25-2005 at 10:44 PM
That my friends is the weirdest oud I ever seen.
http://cgi.ebay.com/PRECIOUS-MOROCCO-PROFESSIONAL-ROSEWOOD-INLAID-O...
TruePharaoh21 - 10-25-2005 at 11:06 PM
Samir,
A similar shaped oud was owned by Sayyed Mekkawi (who composed Ya Msharni and El Leila el Kebeera). I agree, though, very strange shape. Maybe The
Doc, oudmaker, Jameel, or any of the other builders that I've left out (I'm very sorry if I did) might be able to tell us of any acoustical
differences. I'm assuming the bracing would be a bit different, as far as lengths of the actual braces and such. Enlighten us! Please!
TP21
""Weird" oud
spyrosc - 10-26-2005 at 12:01 AM
I own a similar one that I bought as a curiosity from Egypt.
The shape is not for improved or different acoustics.
It is really a ladies' oud (a "sittati"). It is shallower and smaller and fits better in a lady's arms.
The sound is fine. Not as deep as its bigger brothers.
Spyros C.
Jameel - 10-26-2005 at 04:38 AM
If the Car Guys (Click and Clack) saw that oud, they would say it was built by Bud Tugly. 
Dr. Oud - 10-26-2005 at 08:03 AM
Well now Jameel, even the ugliest Bud is loved by someone, somewhere (hopefully). To address the structural question, Every instrument is different,
but somehow many sound ok and a few are pretty good. It's all a matter of balancing the forces imparted by the string tension and then making the
structure light enough to move as much as possible. Next is the search for the resonant frequency for the instrument's size and shape. Here's where
everbody gets to try their ideas. Early guitars had simple ladder bracing like we see in most ouds, but later Torres developed the fan brace system.
In 1902, Carl Anderson invented the X-brace system. In 1956 a physicist named Kasha developed a brace design based solely on the acoustic properties
of the soundboard and the frequencies desired. The prototypes were built by Richard Schnieder. Jim Redgate in Australia developed the lattice brace
system in 1980 and on it goes...This oud is limited by the smaller face area thaT produceS the fundamental soundwave, and a smaller body to reflect
the bass harmonics. I'n not so sure it's only a "sittati" or "hanum" oud though, 'cause I recall seeing one played by a man.