Mike's Oud Forums

My New Website---featuring the Brass Luthier's Gluepot!

Hank Levin - 11-23-2005 at 08:30 PM

Dear Oud Lovers--

I'm really thrilled to announce the new http://www.MusiCaravan.com website:

www.MusiCaravan.com

It will eventually feature ouds, oud strings, neys, bendirs and other items I've been purveying through the years. For now the main feature is this incredible little brass gluepot I'm really excited about. I haven't wanted to strike up a lot of conversation about it until now, as I really haven't time for a lot of correspondence, questions, posting photos, etc. But now that it's all (pretty much) here in the website, I'll be tickled to refer ya'll to it, and answer any questions left over after you check it out.

The Oud String page and the Instruments page are still under construction. (What you see there are "placekeepers.") Hopefully they'll be up in a few days…and I plan to keep adding to it. I've got a fair amount of instruments that have been waiting for this page for some time! I'll also be posting some repair photos, music clips…and some hard-to-find CD's.

Take a look and let me know how you like it!

Best,
Hank Levin
MUSICARAVAN:applause:

mavrothis - 11-24-2005 at 06:07 AM

Great looking site Hank, I wish you the best! This is a great addition to builders and players, great work!

mavrothis

Mike - 11-24-2005 at 10:35 AM

Hi Hank,
The site looks very nice. Looking forward to watching it grow and develop.
All the best,
Mike

Great Site!

LeeVaris - 11-24-2005 at 11:23 AM

Congrats Hank,

I look forward to seeing this site develop... now how about that oud! :buttrock:

Multi Kulti - 11-24-2005 at 01:58 PM

Very very nice...continue the good work and we are looking forward to seeing more ouds from you and from Mustafa Usta...

Friendly

Nikos

Congrtulations

sydney - 12-21-2005 at 12:15 AM

Your site looks very nice and simple.

All the best master Hank.

I am wondering if you have 7 course strings? if so, how much would they be please?

Thanks.

7 Course Strings

Hank Levin - 12-21-2005 at 06:47 PM

Dear Sydney,

At this time we have only strings for Turkish ouds, which generally have 6 courses. There are 7 course ouds made in various places, including Turkey, but they are anomolies and there are no specs (string lengths, tunings, etcl) available on them to which to produce strings in quantity. If you provide these for your oud, we may be able to make up a set that would be workable for you.
---Hank.

RE. 7 course

sydney - 12-21-2005 at 07:04 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Hank Levin
Dear Sydney,

At this time we have only strings for Turkish ouds, which generally have 6 courses. There are 7 course ouds made in various places, including Turkey, but they are anomolies and there are no specs (string lengths, tunings, etcl) available on them to which to produce strings in quantity. If you provide these for your oud, we may be able to make up a set that would be workable for you.
---Hank.



Thank you master Hank,

I guess it is more practical going your way.

The usual problem for floating bridge ouds is the length of the strings but with my case , the 7th string in addition.

I am thinking 1.2m string length should be good.

RE: tunning - I use C F A D g c f.

With the floating bridge oud I find that a little higher gage is needed to produce the right sound. I do not know better than you. So what gages would you go by for that? If you could also explain the cost for one set and three sets that would be great.

You can e-mail me on emad_philip@hotmail.com

Thanks for you help

Hank Levin - 12-21-2005 at 07:29 PM

>>I am thinking 1.2m string length should be good.
RE: tunning - I use C F A D g c f.<<

Huh? 1.2 meters for vibrating string length? That's 46.8 inches. That's one helluva big oud. Let's try that again… Hank

SamirCanada - 12-21-2005 at 10:24 PM

I think he meant that its not long enough to be able to attach it to the peg and to the base. Not the actual vibrating string lenght wich should be around 60cm for a Abdo Dagher oud.
Still tho 120cm is like double what the vibrating string lenght would be.

Sorry I did not explain my self

sydney - 12-21-2005 at 11:53 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Hank Levin
>>I am thinking 1.2m string length should be good.
RE: tunning - I use C F A D g c f.<<

Huh? 1.2 meters for vibrating string length? That's 46.8 inches. That's one helluva big oud. Let's try that again… Hank


I know it sounded like a king Kong oud :D

It's 60 cm vibrating length.

I just measured from the nut to bottom of the oud it's 71cm

from the nut to the last peg it's 22cm but I'd like to allow for extra length in case anything happens. So I guess if you could go for 100cm rather than 1.2m for the total length that would be good.

Thanks

Hank Levin - 12-22-2005 at 10:25 AM

Dear Sydney,

Our wound strings are only 97 cm long---3 cm short of the 100 you requested. (The two nylon courses are longer, about 117 cm.) If 97 cm will work for you, we can proceed.

The 60 cm vibrating length is only a couple of cm longer than the Turkish oud. Thus, if you use our MusiCaravan strings for the top 6 courses and we provide a thicker string for the bottom course, it may work. I need to know if you need one or two strings for the bass (bottom) course. (Turkish ouds use only one string for that course.) You should get just one set and try it out. If it works for you, you can order more.

Please email me at hank@musicaravan.com for the prices and mailing info---no need to clutter this forum up with those details.

Best,
Hank Levin