Marjan12
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Fathi/Sayed Ameen oud
Hi -
Can anyone comment on Fathi (and his son Sayed) Ameen's ouds? I am about ready to have him make me one (a 3/4 one) but want to get some feedback
before I order b/c I am such a newbie, and - though it may be cheap for an oud - it's still a lot of money...
Thank you -
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bibo10
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I have a fathi amin, it's beautiful.
the craftsmanship and sound are very good. good wood quality, good action. very egyptian sound...love it.
+++++++++++
Michael-GOD BLESS EGYPT
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fernandraynaud
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As I understand his ouds show up marked up and credited to others. I have heard only good things.
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Hatem_Afandi
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Fathy Amin is a well-known luthiere in Egypt. He is one of the best. His son, Sayyed, works with him in the same shop. He turned out to be a better
luthiere (apologies to those who don't agree)
Getting him to build a 3/4 size oud is a good idea because he always builds "educational" instruments for students at the Faculty of Musical Education
and the Cairo Opera House. They are slightly smaller, but the workmanship is excellent.
Below is their web-page:
http://www.fathy-ameen.com/gall/index.php
The clips below are for Dr. Atef Abdel Hameed playing some of these educational instruments. They are mainly made of lower quality Mahogany wood.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_w-N6VyDSfU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzFOG_j0Nz8&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOp9FrDJcMk&feature=related
Good luck,
Hatem
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Alfaraby
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I hate saying this, but I have to . You may not like it, but this is what I know from my own knowledge and/or experience : There are no Fathi
Amin's new ouds .
(One may argue with points of view, but not with facts) .
Fathy Amin didn't touch an oud for at least two decades . He's got (or had till lately) some Mahmoud working for him . He buys ready parts from
luthiers in Cairo and they (I mean Mahmoud) put them together.
On the other hand, Sayyed does not work with his father. He's got his (work)shop in Faisal street, while Fathi is still attending his 6 m2 shop in the
old pigeons market, sayyeda A'eishah square سوق الحمام
القديم ميدان السيدة
عائشة downtown Cairo. He's got nothing there but some old tools & one or two ouds in need for repair . He visit his
son's sometimes , even-though they are not always in good relationship. Once they were even heard slandering each other like any competitors.
Fathi's hands are sterile clean. They seem they didn't touch any tools or woods whatsoever for quite a long period of time. I saw his hands very
closely & they seemed to me just like my late father's, who hadn't touched a tool in his whole life . Everyone who had experienced working with
wood, knows you can't keep your hands as clean as, e.g. let's say, a teacher, a lawyer or a physician.
I have testimonies from people, including journalists being oudists themselves, who inquired this issue very thoroughly and came up with one solid
conclusion : NO oud called nowadays Fathi Amin's - except perhaps for those mute boxes that look just like ouds, made and/or assembled by Sayyed,
his only son, but have nothing to do with his father's craftsmanship & experience .
The reputation Fathi had got was earned due to his life-time project making ouds. Once he was a legend, but now the man is 75-76 years old & make
no ouds at all ! Sayyed himself is an average Egyptian luthier, just like any other who makes ouds for or in Mohammad Ali street for 50 $ a piece !
So my advise is : If you're lucky & find an old Fathi's, just grab it and run, but if you're looking for a new born oud, keep away from
these people . They sell reputation, not ouds.
I beg you pardon
yours indeed
Alfaraby
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Hatem_Afandi
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Salaam Alfaraby,
With all due respect, I am afraid that your information is a few years old.
I owned a Fathi Amin oud that ended up with a member of this forum. I leave any further comments to him.
The oud was built on 2008.
Here is a couple of pictures for it:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/9259935@N07/2728709192/in/photostream
http://www.flickr.com/photos/9259935@N07/2727882729/in/photostream
Here is a clip for it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSacEcgndLk&feature=related
Here is another clip for another Fathi Amin Oud:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLpqxxfxaRg&feature=related
Here is a picture of a Sayyed Fathi Amin oud I used to own. This oud belonged to Ammar El Shereie before I acquired it. It is the middle one in the
bottom raw:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/9253705@N07/4116818359/in/photostream
http://www.flickr.com/photos/9253705@N07/4116818337/in/photostream/
As I mentioned in my previous post, Sayyed Fathi Amin turned out to be an excellent luthiere.
I tested a few of Sayyed's educational ouds. The workmanship is excellent.
Here is a clip for Sayyed's educational ouds:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzFOG_j0Nz8&feature=related
Here is an interesting video about Fathi Amin:
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1082442980269
The video is presented by two oud icons, Ammar El Shereie and Dr. Atef Abdel Hameed.
I am sure that their narrative is more credible than any comments from a hobbyist like myself.
Although I do believe that everyone is entitled to his own opinion, I find editorial comments about others extremely deplorable.
I neither have the qualification nor the background to critique anyone's work.....This is wrong!
Regards,
Hatem
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Alfaraby
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLpqxxfxaRg&feature=related
If this is called excellent oud of an excellent luthier played by an excellent oudist, I really
have nothing further to say !!
Yours indeed
Alfaraby
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Hatem_Afandi
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You shouldn't!
You neither have the knowledge nor the right to put anyone down!
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myeyes2020
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Alfaraby,
Of course you are entitled to your opinion.
In addition to Ammar El Shereie and Dr. Atef Abdel Hameed, a few other reputable oudists also recommended Fathi Amin ouds. Personally, I admire the
work of Dr. Atef and am very grateful that he is kind enough to share his instructional videos like the one you posted. His accomplishments and
reputation among musicians speak for themselves.
Salam,
Adel
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Alfaraby
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It seems that whosoever tries to fly outside the flock is an outcast ?. Why saying an artist is excellent is always welcome, while saying he's poor is
just "putting him down" ? Why disseminating a rumor or an information based on a "clip" or a hearsay is legitimate, while a testimony of an eye
witness & self experience (from 2010 & not old info.) is rejected and overruled ?
The "knowledge", one has or hasn't, is absolutely off this argument, but I have to reveal I've been in this scene for over 35 years now, heard &
sow - & sometimes even bought - thousands of ouds from all over the globe, so I may have gained some "knowledge" over the years, haven't I ?
I've stated my personal testimony based on my & others' personal experience with this specific luthier, after we bothered to investigate the
suspicions he does not touch the ouds supposed to be made by him. Four different nationalities were involved to abstain bias. The conclusion stunned
us all.
Second, who grants the right to determine who got the "knowledge" ? Who has the monopoly over "knowledge" ? It's a pity that a controversy is being
sometimes personalized, while the majority of us don't really "know" each other or "know" a thing about other's "knowledge" !
Once again : as I've indicated, I think Fathi's old ouds are really remarkable, & I wish I could reach one of his old masterpieces, but the
luthier stopped making ouds approximately two decades ago, so there are no such a thing called new ouds of Fathi that one may order. Sayyed is not
Fathi. He might have improved a bit, but he's still way beyond his father whilst he used to work. Ordering an oud from Sayyed is like ordering an oud
from "Jamil George's luthiery" still working in Mohammad Ali st. Does this make the oud Jamil George's ?
FATHI AMIN DOES NOT MAKE OUDS ANYMORE !
Excuse me for saying the truth
Yours indeed
Alfaraby
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Marina
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I wisited mr. Fathi last February - 2010 in his workshop. He was very kind and showed me very expensive MOST BEAUTIFUL AND GOOD OUD I have ever seen
in my life. Yes, it was a little bit big.
It can be that he made his oud before, because Alfarabi said that he does not make the ouds anymore. I realy did not asq if he makes oud or not, I
just assumed that he still makes ouds, by, on the 2nd thought, he is in a very good age...
Or, if it was his son's work - it is great. His workscop is near Hazreti Aisha or something like that, very far away from main Mohhamed Alii street.
So, I had dificullties finding him. But I am still sory that I could not afford the oud I saw - it was specialitet, and he wanted 4000 $, yes, not
Gne, but $.
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Marina
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PS
The oud I saw was nicer than the oud on video.
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Hatem_Afandi
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Ahlan Marina,
I remember you sharing this information during your visit to Cairo. I am sure that it is always a fascinating experience.
The oud in the video is one of his different standards. Definitely, it is not top of the line, but it is a nice one.
As far as his son, I was also impressed with his work and knowledge although I never met them in person. We talked over the phone and I played quite a
few of their ouds.
I am sure that each one of us can share all kinds of stories about visiting these distinguished artists.
Did you get a chance to visit Maurice? I always stop by his shop when I visit Cairo.
Salaam,
Hatem
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Marina
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Hatem watch this:
Marina at Mr. Maurice Shehata workshop with Nahat from his colection
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Hatem_Afandi
Oud Junkie
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Marina, this is VERY Impressive !!!!!
Obviously, MY FRIEND (?), Maurice, had a very special reception for Professor Marina. I didn’t even realize that he had any old ouds
collections…..
Did you buy it?
OR
Maybe the right question is: Is he willing to let go of it?
How come you didn’t record any clips with that beauty? It looks like you forgot your cam that day.
Thanks for sharing,
Hatem
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Marina
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I wish I could buy it ;-))))))))))))
I did not even asq ;-))))))))
And I was too owerhelmed by this oud to think about recording something ;-))))))
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Alfaraby
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Quote: Originally posted by Marina  | | I visited mr. Fathi last February - 2010 in his workshop. He was very kind and showed me very expensive MOST BEAUTIFUL AND GOOD OUD I have ever seen
in my life |
Well dear, it's probably the same oud he showed me when I had visited him earlier. Actually this oud was maid by Fathi himself, sold to someone, who
sold it back to the luthiers or made some trade-in with them. He keeps showing this oud to everyone who steps in his workshop. He doesn't have any
other oud there, right Marina ? Well, this makes it even clearer ! I've been in this same movie .
The other beauty with Marina (nice to meat you Marina) at Maurice's workshop is a 1930 Abdo George Nahat's, repaired and/or restored by Maurice, &
in a fairly good condition . It's not for sale. This is Maurice's "pension" as he stated 
Cheers
Yours indeed
Alfaraby
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Marina
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Hi there!
Yes, I saw one great oud at Fathi Amin's workshop!
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Abusaid
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Very nice pictures Marina. I have been with Mr. Maurice in his workshop and his Nahat is very impressive.
About Sayed Ameen, I have bought from him a couple of ouds, and they are very nice ouds, easy to play, good craftmanchip and with beautiful and
traditional egyptian sound.
Best regards,
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rokus666
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I know this thread might be old, but I might be really lucky running into this.
I found one of his ouds.
http://www.mikeouds.com/messageboard/viewthread.php?tid=14826#pid10...
If this is the original oud, which I think it is because of the craftsmanship, I guess I am a lucky person.
Ethno-musicology enthusiast, composer, sound tech, collector, Classical Guitarist
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Sam
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I totaly agree with Alfaraby 
Sayed Fathy Amen doesn't really make descent Ouds! and if he makes one . he knows when to do it. only if you were a well-known musician or someone who
is going to pay thousands of dollars which doesn't deserve for such an Oud!
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