AbbasAD
Oud Admirer
Posts: 4
Registered: 12-14-2014
Member Is Offline
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I bought my first oud! But should I return it?
Hello everyone,
I'm a new member (as you can see), but I've been a fan of this page for years! I hope you can help me.
Lately, I decided to buy an oud (I used to play some guitar and played classical music on a synth). I started to like Arabic music more and more.
So I went to a shop in Jeddah, and bought a cheap oud worth 600 riyals (for learning purposes) (that's 160 US). But I found a problem.
When I came home and tried to tune it, I found a problem with the pegs. I noticed the first peg (fifth string on G?) was kinda creaky but I was able
to tune it, although I was afraid of breaking it.
But that's not the bad part, I managed to tune the fifth, fourth, and third string. But when I came to the second, I could not get it in tune, because
the peg would slip an entire step down!
Should I go to the shop and ask him to fix it, or should I just return the whole thing and look for another oud? (He only had two inexpensive ouds one
for 350 riyals (93 US) and 600 (160).
I might just go to another branch or shop. But that's my main question, should I accept fixing it (if he offers) or should I definitely return it?
Thanks in advance!
EDIT: I don't know if this is ok or not, but I found this ad and I'm hoping to get your feedback on it. If it's ok, then I'll try to return this oud I
have and buy the one in the ad.
What do you guys think? He's asking 320 US for it.
Sorry for all the questions. This is my first oud!
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danieletarab
Oud Junkie
Posts: 213
Registered: 1-18-2009
Location: Palermo (Italy)
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
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Hello Abbasad! The oud in the photo looks nice and well made, but it's impossible to judge from a photo.
I am not sure I have understood your problem properly (which peg do you mean with "first" peg? What do you mean with "second" string"? The gg nylon
strings?).
Anyway, for istance you should go to the shop owner and show him the problem. Maybe there's nothing to fix but you're doing something wrong.
However, your oud costed very little money. Ouds of this price range are usually extremely bad, and their main problem is often the pegbox (they're
difficult to tune, or don't keep the tuning). If you can return it and save a little more money to buy a better one would be great.
Also consider that arabic ouds can be tuned in C or in F. What kind of strings are there in your oud? How you're trying to tune it? C or F?
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Hasan
Oud Addict
Posts: 35
Registered: 11-17-2014
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oud in pic looks very good for 600 SR ! Murad alturky is a known Egyptian luthier.
if the oud sounds nice and plays well i would spend some money on good pegs and few repairs in peg box if needed, but if you are not happy with the
oud and want to return it, i don't think you can get any good oud in that price range.
there's a guy in jeddah sales good egyptian oud. he got an account on instagram and youtube i think. since you live there you can meet him and check
his ouds. prices around 1500 SR . there's another guy in makkah.
check these 2 acounts on instagram:
OUDS4SELL
OUD_MAKKAH
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AbbasAD
Oud Admirer
Posts: 4
Registered: 12-14-2014
Member Is Offline
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@danieletarab: Hi! When I said first peg, I meant the peg for the fifth string (the the deepest-sounding string on a 5-string oud, the one which is
single-stringed) And by second string I meant the second sharpest sounding string (yes I think its the gg nylon).
As for tuning, I'm not sure. The tuning I was using was G-A-D-G-C I believe.
@Hasan: Hi Hasan. I think you misunderstood. The oud I already have is 600 SR, the oud in the pic is a different one I found in an ad, and it costs
1200. I'm thinking of returning the one I already have (the one witht he slipping pegs) and paying extra for this one. Keep in mind this is my first
oud!
Hope you understand my problem. and I'll check those accounts!
Thanks for the replies anyone! I'm in a bit of a hurry so I'm hoping to finish this whole thing today  Any more help is appreciated!
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AbbasAD
Oud Admirer
Posts: 4
Registered: 12-14-2014
Member Is Offline
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Update: So I went to the shop and he helped fix the pegs. So it's good now (although I still have trouble tuning, i can never get the right intonation
on the first string!)
Thanks anyway for the replies. Time to get stuck learning quick picking. (first piece to learn: Aruh Li Meen!)
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bulerias1981
Oud Junkie
Posts: 763
Registered: 4-26-2009
Location: Beacon, NY
Member Is Offline
Mood: John Vergara Luthier Lord of the Strings instrument making and repair
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Don't feel bad, tuning is a skill that you will develop better with time. When I teach, the first lesson is partially dedicated to some basic tuning
tricks. Here's one, whenever tuning the top pegs, place the pegbox (bottom pegs) on your left knee, this gives support when pushing down on the pegs.
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rojaros
Oud Junkie
Posts: 580
Registered: 7-9-2008
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
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Fitting pegs well is not an easy task and requires some patience and experience and also good tools, especially a good reamer. Most of the reamers not
sharp enough and tend to chatter, producing unround holes i which the peg has to be rammed too tightly to turn well or it will else slip. A spiral
reamer is very much easying good results. You also might need peg soap or similar product helping the peg to turn smoothly and nevertheless stick
well. If you like the oud well, you could also think of replacing the difficult ones with perfection geared pegs. Never again problems with tuning.
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