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Alfaraby
Oud Junkie
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ALL ABOUT FIXED BRIDGES
All About Fixed Bridges
In Arabic, bridge is called "Farass" (horse) or "Ghazal" (deer), maybe in order to emphasize it's prestige ! Well, this is only a personal unbacked
hunch. It's called "Jisr" (bridge) as well, indicating it’s a medium connecting between the strings and the SB.
Bridge is probably the second most important component in the process of producing sound out of an oud. Soundboard (SB) of course is the most
important. Luthiers have paid much attention to this feature since the early ages. Ibn Al Tahhan Al Musiqi (14th century) pointed out that: "as for
the bridge, it should not be made of ivory, ebony, gold, or any precious thing, because it makes the sound of the oud dull" (Jdowning's quotation in
another thread, adding: "minimizing bridge weight was certainly regarded as desirable").
The factors which determine, among others, the efficacy of the bridge are the density, weight, moisture & sonic speed passing through wood
species. The optimum bridge is one of low density and small size, so it won't increase the SB weight and don't decrease its response, on the one hand,
and at the same time transmits vibrations from the strings as quickly as possible, on the other. While vibrations pass through a surface at a certain
speed, they loose some of its energy due to the friction with the wood particles, so the faster it passes through, the less friction is created and as
a result, less energy is lost during the move. Therefore, we need the lightest and the smallest bridge, conditioned it has the ability to transfer
vibrations at maximum speed of sound.
Does this mean that all oud makers should use one species for the bridge, just like violin makers use maple for their violins? Of course not! This is
not accurate and impossible at the same time. Preferred sounds of an oud are not homogeneous and they depend on the players' tastes and different
tunings that are being used. The speed of sound and the weight of the bridge are very important in giving the required sound, maybe more than the
whole effect of the bowl.
The Iraqi school playing technique is based on a larger number of musical notes played in a given time, overall playing speed, the use of bells and
chords, and other characteristic of this school. All you need is a very quick translation from the string to the SB, without paying much attention to
sustain. We might even say that this school requires shorter tones in order to prevent mixing between tones that are played together.
In fixed bridges chosen for Iraqi ouds, rosewood should be picked because playing these ouds depends on fast tones so it's possible to add some extra
weight, even if it shall slightly affect the basses. Munir Bashir for example depends on a very fast and complicated plucking style and at the same
time pays much attention and emphasizes C & F basses in particular, so a lighter wood, let's say paddock might be chosen for his fixed bridge oud.
On the other hand, for traditional Egyptian and Syrian style oud, walnut should be chosen, for its lightness and slow transmission of sound, which
affects the fast vibrations of the trebles, while it would have negligible effect on the basses.
This of course is not a theory nor precise enough because we are disregarding the shape of the bridge and the total area of the SB and the total
weight of the bridge. The overall weight of the bridge is governed also by the shape, the height and the length of the bridge. It should be wide
enough to be glued on the SB and for distributing the pressure over a larger area of the attached SB, in order to prevent the bridge from flying off
once the oud is strung. Luthiers don't reduce the weight of the bridge to the minimum because the energy transmitted from the string to the SB needs
enough area to move in. If they reduce the weight of the bridge more and more, they are also reducing its volume and the surface of the vibrations
carrier.
The appropriate bridge weight needed is one which is capable to transmit the best quantity of vibrations from the string, without increasing the SB
weight and without affecting its own vibrating.
Guitar & Lute makers have conducted some researches and concluded that in order to keep the proper amount of material for transmitting the best
amount of vibrations and at the same time not to affect the SB vibration, the best possible weight for the guitar bridge is 35 grams and for the lute:
37 gram. (1.235-1.35 ounces). Since the SB of a guitar, oud and lute is similar to a large extent, it's reasonable that the best weight for the oud
bridge will not be far from 35-37 grams. On other shores of the Mediterranean, oud freaks weighed antique ouds bridges made by senior oud-makers and
found out that Mohammad Fadel's bridge weighed 36 grams; Abdo Nahat: 33 grams ; Tawfiq Nahat: 34 grams; Manol: 38 grams. Hence, we might estimate the
bridge weight of the great antique ouds to range between 33 up to 38 grams, not far from the guitar, the lute and the modern ouds.
Herewith I attach some photos of some wide spread oud bridges. Some of these shots were actually ripped off from other threads here, some were sent to
me by their owners while the rest is my photography of my own and others' ouds ... some are clear enough, some are less.
It seems like the most popular two designs are the famous trapezoid & Abdo Nahhat's special design. This design has been copied by tens of
successor oud makers in the Arab countries throughout the passing century.
You shall of course rebuke me and correct any false conclusions or facts I've scribbled. Right ? I had goodwill writing this thread, though I might
have made mistakes, so please don't hesitate.
Last but not least, I have to state that without the help of our fellow member's (Alioud16) work (and ouds) originally written in Arabic, none of the
above was ever possible.
(We haven't heard from the guy since July 5, 2010 – any news ?)
Please take good snapshots of your oud bridges and post it here, so that we'd have the biggest reservoir of oud bridges photos ever uploaded.
First bundle of photos are of Abdo Nahhat's special design
More to come ....
Yours indeed
Alfaraby
[file]30150[/file][file]30152[/file] [file]30154[/file] [file]30156[/file] [file]30158[/file] [file]30160[/file] [file]30162[/file] [file]30164[/file]
[file]30166[/file] [file]30168[/file]
alfarabymusic@gmail.com
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Alfaraby
Oud Junkie
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More of Nahhat Family Bridges:
[file]30170[/file] [file]30172[/file] [file]30174[/file] [file]30176[/file] [file]30178[/file] [file]30180[/file] [file]30182[/file]
[file]30184[/file] [file]30186[/file] [file]30188[/file]
More to follow ...
Yours indeed
Alfaraby
alfarabymusic@gmail.com
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hamed
Oud Junkie
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great thread Alfaraby, I was always curious about the woods and dimensions used for fixed bridges. Are these nahat ouds all using walnut wood for the
bridge?
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Adel Salameh
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Excellent article Alfaraby, thanks...
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Alfaraby
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Thanks Hamed & Adel. My pleasure 
Hamed: I guess so, but for some reason some of these bridges were dyed in black !
Here are some more of famous luthiers' bridges: Elias Nahat, Emil Khoury (Farid's), Gamil George, Gohary, Hifnawy, George Hayek
Enjoy
Yours indeed
Alfaraby
[file]30236[/file] [file]30238[/file] [file]30240[/file] [file]30242[/file] [file]30244[/file] [file]30246[/file] [file]30248[/file]
[file]30250[/file] [file]30252[/file] [file]30254[/file]
alfarabymusic@gmail.com
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MatthewW
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yes, excellent article Alfaraby. Those Nahat bridges are wonderful. About the glues the Nahats were using, was it similiar to the hide glue luthiers
use today or did they have their own 'special mix'?
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hamed
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here is a bridge shot of my father's very old oud, i think this was made by George Hayek supposedly but not 100% sure.
[file]30270[/file]
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Alfaraby
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It is Hayek's as much as I could detect. Compare with photo no 6 of the last bundle I've posted. It's quite the same bridge & pickguard.
Beautiful ! Please add more photos of the oud.
Thank you
Yours indeed
Alfaraby
alfarabymusic@gmail.com
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spyblaster
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very nice
here in Iran most of the bridges are made of walnut, there are also some made of Foofel (I have no idea what they call it in English but it's close to
rosewood)
I attached some photos of the most famous Iranian Luthiers
The Oud is my life, n my life is the Oud
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Alfaraby
Oud Junkie
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Quote: Originally posted by MatthewW  | | Yes, excellent article Alfaraby. Those Nahat bridges are wonderful. About the glues the Nahats were using, was it similiar to the hide glue luthiers
use today or did they have their own 'special mix'? |
Thanks Mathew.
Yes dear ! Very same old hide glue. Nothing much has developed since then. No other glues have the gap feeling hide glue has.
Yours indeed
Alfaraby
alfarabymusic@gmail.com
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Dr. Oud
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I beg to differ on this point. Hide glue is a poor gap filler because it shrinks as it cures. This attribute is what makes it such a strong adhesive,
but it does require a well fitted glue joint. In most cases the joint needs to be primed or pre-glued before actual joining to insure the surfaces
don't become dry or "cold" as the glue is absorbed by the wood, especially end grain joints like the neck/body.
Epoxies are much better at filling gaps, although I refrain from using them except for extreme cases of damage and only for permanent bonds, and never
on any soundboard component as epoxy always remains flexible, and so absorbs vibration. I don't use epoxy on neck repairs either because it requires
cutting the neck off to re-set, resulting in loss of the length of the neck and so requiring a spacer to re-set the neck at the proper length (1/3
string length). Epoxy will not bond to itself once cured, so it must be completely removed to re-glue any joint where it is used. Hide glue is always
softened with warm water, so a glue joint can be re-glued without removing the old hide glue.
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rojaros
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This is the bridge on my Stenzel oud (7 course)
[file]30302[/file]
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rojaros
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A detail picture
[file]30304[/file]
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jdowning
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Looks a bit like a 16th C lute bridge?
The wood 'Foofel' was said by forum member Peyman, in an earlier thread, to be boxwood, based on advice from Naser Shirazi. I have two logs of Persian
boxwood that I purchased from an importer in the early 70's. This is a very dense close grained wood, pale yellow in colour that I would never have
thought was a suitable wood for making bridges. An alternative suggestion made on the forum some time ago was that 'Foofel, was 'Betel nut' wood -
which might be equivalent to Walnut - another variety of nut wood? I have never come across Betel nut wood before so cannot comment further.
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rojaros
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That basically seems to be the idea ... these guys also new what they were doing  .
Whatever it is, it works really well and it looks very nice.
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Matthias
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Yes a little bit it reminds me too to a renaissance lute bridge, but as far as it can be seen it that pic it is totally different to a real lute
bridge with it's special form to optimize the string fastening.
I am wondering why
Best regards
Matthias
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rojaros
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| Quote: Originally posted by Matthias |
Yes a little bit it reminds me too to a renaissance lute bridge, but as far as it can be seen it that pic it is totally different to a real lute
bridge with it's special form to optimize the string fastening.
I am wondering why
Best regards
Matthias |
Maybe because it's an oud and not a renaissance lute? Different requirments for sound?
We can only speculate, best thing would be to ask Sebastian Stenzel directly what his idea was.
It works very well, as well as fastening and as adjusting the action is concerned. Looks good. Sounds great. ...
best
Robert
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jdowning
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So I assume that this particular style of bridge has no historical precedent for the oud?
However, the earliest, reasonably accurate, drawing of an oud dates to the early 14th C found as a unique (?) addition by a scribe to an earlier
version of Kitab al-adwar. The design of the bridge does somewhat resemble the design of two surviving late 16th C lutes - that I know about - as
described here, bottom of the page:
http://www.mikeouds.com/messageboard/viewthread.php?tid=8488&pa...
and here:
http://www.mikeouds.com/messageboard/viewthread.php?tid=8488&pa...
No reason why a lute style bridge should not work just as well on an oud but none of the surviving ouds appear to have such a bridge design - I wonder
why? I assume that the old oud makers knew what they were doing too.
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Dr. Oud
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I'm curious what is the "special form to optimize the string fastening"? Some of the oud bridges pictured show the forward tie block design (a more
recent development), as an alternate to the center tie block design of older ouds. I can only speculate that the forward tie block was introduced by
Manol around 1900 and is the standard in all Turkish ouds. This feature does allow a bit more string height adjustment then the center tie block. I
have not seen the forward tie block bridge used on any Arabic ouds made before 1950 or so.
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Alfaraby
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Have a look: http://www.mauriceoudshop.com/ouds/
Do they remind (a bit) of the design Stenzel had adopted ?
I'm learning a lot from your posts. Thank you.
Yours indeed
Alfaraby
alfarabymusic@gmail.com
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jdowning
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Most of those bridges seem to me to be of the 'mustachio' style - seen a lot on 'Oud arbi' and Turkish style ouds if I recall correctly?
Here is that style on one of the earliest surviving ouds (Egyptian) discussed here:
http://www.mikeouds.com/messageboard/viewthread.php?tid=12172#pid83...
Note that the bridge on this oud does not have drilled holes for the strings but slots - similar to bridge design of Baroque guitars.
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rojaros
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This might be slightly OT, but I remember talks with Master Stenzel when he tried to explain to me some of his ideas how to benefit from the
historical development of arabic and turkish ouds as well as from the wisdom and knowldge of the great renaissance lute makers. For instance he said
that though there is an understandable reason for switching to the three holes design of the top the benefit of this can be achieved by other
constructional means without sacrificing the precious vibrating surface of the top. That's why he decided to do a one hole design, like some vintage
ouds have. There are some other less obvious details of the construction I'm not going to divulge here that are also drawing from the techniques
european lute makers used.
The bridge also is a tribute to the european lute making as well as to oud making tradition, thats probabely the reason why it has both aspects,
european and oriental.
As the tying of strings goes I haven't seen in any oud anything that worked much differntly from what he did, apart from some turkish ouds that have a
straight bridge widhout any kind of 'moustache' and a more rounded top side, which makes tying of strings and especially adjusting the height more
difficult then withe a more square profile of this tie block. The inlay work defintely is a tribute to arabic designs; the renaissance lutes I have
seen had rather less decorated bridges, if at all.
Best wishes
Robert
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rojaros
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I missed to express my gratitude for all the wonderful pictures of historical and newer instruments showing the amazing variations on the one bif
theme: OUD
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Matthias
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Hello Richard,
I spoke about a lute bridge. So that is clear what I mean, see the pics below. There are drawings in cross section for baroque and renaissance lute
bridges and a third drawing of the bridge rojaros showd us, as far as I could recognize it from the dark picture and which is quite different to a
historical lute bridge about whom rojaros said " these guys also new what they were doing". It's a statement which quite correct and all lute makers I
know are using that bridge design, as it is totally perfect.
May be you can provide us with a more detailed pic rojaros.
Richard, you are asking why. My other two pictures show that. It is very easy on a lute bridge to change the distance from the soundboard to the
string without changing the scale ( please excusre that is not exactly realized here due to the "open" string hole ).
I never saw a lute bridge on a oud made in the period we are speaking about ( around 100 years ). did you? I think the most oud bridges have a front
side which is in a rectangle to the soundboard, not going foreward and would say never going backwards.
Matthias
[file]30317[/file] [file]30319[/file] [file]30321[/file] [file]30323[/file] [file]30325[/file]
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rojaros
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The bridge of my oud is just plain rectangle on front and back side. I find it easy to start with the string height lowest possible above the top and
than adjust it to my liking up, where it stays stable.
best
Robert
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