I finally got around to trying some real gut strings.
Yesterday I replaced the plains on my #2 oud with gut strings from Aquila.
First observations, they come to tune very quickly. Not nearly as stretchy as nylon or nylgut (which is especially stretchy).
The texture is quite interesting. Kind of like a cross between nylon and beef jerky. No kidding, they are natural feeling, and have a nice toothy
feel under the pick.
Sound wise they are crisp, warm, ringing, sustaining, pure, rich. In short, they are what I imagined they would be--great. I really like them. I've
heard that they dont last long though. We shall see. I'm using these tuned in B (or A415), which my #2 oud sounds best in with Aquila Nylgut copper
wounds (I'm using the wound strings from the Turkish light set C#F#Be).
I'm attaching a sound clip. Please excuse the clipping and the few glitches--my recording setup needs some work....
they sound nice, so old school. Do you know if they accomodate floating bridge ouds? is the price different from the other aquillas?
thankspauldata - 6-27-2007 at 10:31 PM
Sounds GREAT! Your playing is quite excellent too!!!oudipoet - 6-27-2007 at 10:38 PM
hi jameel
first of all great playing and secondly gut strings sound pretty nicebut i guess u would have to change those gut strings more often tough. am i
right?adamgood - 6-28-2007 at 06:56 AM
Hi Jameel,
I'm having a tricky time finding the strings at the Aquila site, can you maybe point us to a link? I'm curious about trying these things out.
Do you notice any less volume from them or are they about the same as the nylon guys?
or, are you using the nylgut strings, is that what you've just tried?
I only see Nylgut strings available. Similar at the Aquila site, I didn't see "oud" gut strings (saw a listing for guts available, not specific to oud
but that don't matter).
Jameel's site is way wicked cool, I agree. I got my soft case in the mail a few days ago and it TOTALLY RULES!!!! Seriously Jameel it's killer. Great
design, great sewing and quality. Here in Holland we ride our bicycles hardcore and your case is saving my butt. I strap it on my back and go...no
more walking to the train station when I have to get to Amsterdam.
congratulations on a great product.
adamJameel - 6-28-2007 at 06:47 PM
First off, thanks for the comments. I wish I could hear these strings from the front of the oud. Let's invent a parabolic reflector so we can hear
ourselves...
Adam, glad you like the case. When I added the backpack straps I was envisioning exactly how you are using it. Excellent. And you're not dense. I
don't sell gut strings of any type. I got these directly from Mimmo at Aquila. They are not oud strings per se, but just tyipcal oiled gut strings for
plucked instruments like guitar, lute etc. If you want , I can get anyone these strings, or you can order directly from Mimmo. They are pretty
expensive (about the price of an entire set of regular strings or more, for just the top two courses), so I won't be carrying them anytime soon. Here
is the link for gut strings at Aquila Aquila Gut. They are not quiter than nylon or nylgut, so far. I think everyone should try them at least once. It's not like they are radically
different than nylon or nylgut, but they are different for sure.
oudipoet, I guess you'd have to change these out more often. I don't have any experience with them prior to this.
hamed, they come in two lengths I think, so they will work for floating bridge ouds.Elias - 6-29-2007 at 08:22 AM
Yeah!!!...Gut strings are something soooo beautiful....unique!!
apart from thei sound wich is as Jameel says...richer...warmer...deeper......ecc.ecc....the amazing thing is that it's something that lives...!....i
mean...it get warm and HOT under our fingers!!!....eating our musical feelengs...and expressions....something that lives and die (too soon
unfortunatly...)eith the contact of our hands........i played with them sometimes..and Mimmo's gut strings are great.....
ABout their short life there are many factors wich determinate it....from the season...humudity..climate..and other factors starting from the
production process.......in my experience the lasted from 3 days(the shorter life...in an intense period of playing..)to a couple of weeks....wich is
great if you consider the string jewels you have under you fingers.....They MUST be tested once in our life!!!
Salamat to all
Elias
