sharkey
Oud Lover
Posts: 13
Registered: 6-13-2004
Location: pennsylvania
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
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buzzing on new oud
Sorry for the mistake, I am new here.
I bought a new, beautiful Shehata oud, it plays beautifully, but it buzzes at third position and above. Is this a standard, temporary situation, or is
there something that should be corrected? Thanks.
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Elie Riachi
Oud Junkie
Posts: 582
Registered: 4-9-2004
Location: Kansas
Member Is Offline
Mood: Gebran Tueni Lives For Ever, 12-12-05.
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Inspect closely the windings on the wound strings, sometimes the windings break at the bridge where they are tied and buzz like bee at certain
notes.
Other than that there has been many threads regarding the subject. You can find them by doing a search ofthe the forums.
Elie
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Dr. Oud
Oud Junkie
Posts: 1370
Registered: 12-18-2002
Location: Sacramento, CA, USA
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Mood: better than before
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There are a number of causes:
1. The neck could be warped or cupped. Hold a string down at the top and bottom of the fingerboard and look at a light from the side. If you see any
gap under the string, the fingerboard needs to be flattened. You need a flat sanding block as long and wide as the entire fingerboard. A scrap of
plywood is usually good. Start with 80-100 grit to level the surface, remove scratches with 150-180 grit, finish with 220 grit, then polish with 0000
steel wool.
2. The action may be too low. The strings should be no less than 1/8 inch/3mm at the neck/body joint. You can tie the string loops at the top of the
bridge and/or add a shim to raise the strings.
3. The string tension may be too low if you are tuned to a low pitch. Try a higher pitch tuning.
4. Your mizrab is too stiff and you are plucking too forcefully. Ease up a little.
5. While it should not be present on a new oud, a soft fingerboard will wear in the center, causing grooves that will buzz. Correct it as in no. 1.
6. The strings may be crossing over inside the peg box. Loosen and rewind the strings so they go straight and don't cross over other strings.
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sharkey
Oud Lover
Posts: 13
Registered: 6-13-2004
Location: pennsylvania
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
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Elie and Dr. Oud, I really appreciate your suggestions. Being a classical guitarist, I understand the importance of tying on a string, so, Elie, I
restrung at the bridge, following your suggestion, and made sure the ends of the strings, now freshly cut, did not contact. But it didn't help.
Dr. Oud, tonight I will begin following your suggestions. Thank you both.
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sharkey
Oud Lover
Posts: 13
Registered: 6-13-2004
Location: pennsylvania
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
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It seems the problem is in the construction of the neck. It is misshaped, and the strings are much too close to the neck. Strung over the top of the
bridge brings it to the correct level at the juncture of the body and the neck. I am getting the bridge rebuilt by a luthier.
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