Tom C
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Registered: 4-16-2021
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Newbie, string attachment question
Just picked up my first Oud from a listing on Reverb, item described as "very good", but on receipt it will need some work. It seems to be a Syrian
electric oud. It's the frame type.
First question- the strings past the bridge go into holes in the face, and emerge into a slot at the base of the instrument, and are held with simple
single knots where they pass through the wood. It looks like there should be a bridge or something there. I can fashion something with mahogany if I
know what it should look like. Here are links to pics, I can take different ones or answer questions.
https://ibb.co/Rp3cq0k
https://ibb.co/qBsHNXm
Secondly, there are 12 tuning pegs. Are there sets if 12 Arab strings, or should I use a Turkish set? I didn't see any 12 string sets tuned C to c.
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dusepo
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Location: London, Britain
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Mood: Dastgah-e Chahargah ?????? ???????
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Looks like this is a floating bridge oud, so yes you'll need a floating bridge if there isn't one there.
Yours looks like it might be one of these Sukar ouds?
If so, the bit I've circled in red here is the bridge:
On most floating bridge ouds, they'd be a lot smaller and narrower, but I assume this model's bridge contains the pickup and some extra electronics,
hence the size.
For comparison, here's a floating bridge acoustic oud:
Your problem may be that if the bridge is missing, you'll also need new pickups etc., since this is an electric oud.
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Tom C
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That top one looks like my oud.
I misspoke, I do have a bridge, its the tail piece part, where the ends of the strings attach at the bottom that doesn't look right. Its a slot on the
bottom, where the ends of the strings come through, they are merely knotted off. Looks like a sloppy arraingement to me. I'd expect a loop type
securing, or at least a hardwood piece.
I'll post a link to a better pic of the end part.
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Tom C
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Here is a link to the slot at the end where the strings are just held with single knots. Just doesn't look right to me.
https://ibb.co/tJ019WK
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Jody Stecher
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Location: California
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The most common instance of the bass course doubled on a Arabic oud is F tuning (FF through ff). The typical *Turkish* set has 11 strings, with a
single bass. Using Turkish gauges may not be the best choice for Arabic C through cc tuning. Just leave one bass peg unstrung. That 12th peg is there
to give you the option of using F tuning (with the proper gauges for that tuning).
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Tom C
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So, if I understand, use an 11 string set of C to c, with only one low C string. That's fine, the instrument was strung that way when I got it. I'll
be completely restringing it, because the strings are shot. Thank you.
Next, checking to see how they should be anchored at the bottom. Does anyone have any advise based on the picture I posted above?
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Brian Prunka
Oud Junkie
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Location: Brooklyn, NY
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While it's true that acoustic floating bridge ouds use a tailpiece for tying off the strings, this is not really necessary on a solid-body oud since
the body itself can simply be drilled with holes and have a space for tying off the strings. With an acoustic body, you need something solid to tie
the strings to (i.e., you can't simply drill holes in the body).
So I think your arrangement is fine, though if the strings actually feel insecure, it seems like you could loop them out and around the body and then
tie them off. But fundamentally this looks okay.
On the string question - Jody is right, Arabic ouds typically have 12 pegs to give you the option of using the low (C-c') tuning or the high (F-f')
tuning. Turkish ouds typically have 11 pegs (though some makers still add the extra peg as an option) because none of the common Turkish tunings use
12 strings.
These ouds often require pretty long strings in my experience. I think the D'addario Arabic set should work okay for C-c' tuning. The Pyramid 650
Orange set has slightly shorter strings and may not reach all the pegs. The LaBella OU80 would work ok, but the trebles will be too light for C-c'
tuning, and their OU80A is for high F tuning.
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Tom C
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Very good, Brian, thank you. I'm used to seeing strings without ball ends tied off, as is common in a classical guitar, so the simple knot sticking
out of the hole just didn't look stable, and I also worried about the knot digging into the wood. Also, there are what might be small digging marks
around the slot, as if there was something there before. but without actually seeing the bottom of one, I have a hard time telling if that is the
correct configuration.
I thought of making a mahogany dowel, and looping and tying the ends around that, but with a simple dowel I'd have to loosen all the strings just to
change one. I can leave the configuration as it is when I replace the strings, unless I earn otherwise. The electronic seem to be in very good shape.
As a beginner to ouds (but I play as a "duffer" several string instruments,) do you think should I start with the C or the F tuning and strings? I
want to be as authentic as possible with the instrument, so since it is a Syrian oud, I thought the Arabic tuning would be more genuine.
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