Oudmokum
Oud Lover
Posts: 12
Registered: 9-8-2015
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Craking nut when tuning
Hello Oud lovers,
I just bought an arabian oud which is of course not perfect but sounds quite well.
Apparently, the maker saved some money on the quality of "secondary" parts.
The sound board is quite good but keys, bridge, and nut are made of cheap wood.
My problem is that when tuning, the bass strings (wound) produce a cracking sound in the nut. It's quite impossible to tune with enough precision.
Even the strings began to file the nut, producing some wood powder. So I made a new nut of ebony, but the cracking sound remain.
Wrong form of the nut groove? Have somebody a clue? Should I use bone?
I'm surprise I could not find any similar problem.
I thank you all in advance.
Bernard
(it's definitively not the pegs, what I expected at first)
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Matthias
Oud Junkie
Posts: 473
Registered: 1-24-2007
Location: Badenweiler, Germany
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Quote: Originally posted by Oudmokum  | Hello Oud lovers,
I just bought an arabian oud which is of course not perfect but sounds quite well.
Apparently, the maker saved some money on the quality of "secondary" parts.
The sound board is quite good but keys, bridge, and nut are made of cheap wood.
My problem is that when tuning, the bass strings (wound) produce a cracking sound in the nut. It's quite impossible to tune with enough precision.
Even the strings began to file the nut, producing some wood powder. So I made a new nut of ebony, but the cracking sound remain.
Wrong form of the nut groove? Have somebody a clue? Should I use bone?
I'm surprise I could not find any similar problem.
I thank you all in advance.
Bernard
(it's definitively not the pegs, what I expected at first)
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Hello Bernhard,
bone will be the best material for the nut, or even ivory, but not necessary.
The cracking comes from a rough surface of the grooves in the nut, what increases the friction. So you only have to polish out the groves and the
cracking will disappear.
Also there should beno sharp edge at the fingerboards side where the strings leave the nut,
Matthias
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Oudmokum
Oud Lover
Posts: 12
Registered: 9-8-2015
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Thank you Matthias.
Then I understand that the curve should be very regular to accompany the string over the angle.
I will try this, or find a professional.
Bernard.
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Alan-TX
Oud Junkie
Posts: 118
Registered: 2-18-2008
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After checking and fixing the nut check to make sure your strings do not cross in the peg box.
Strings crossing in the peg box can also cause some creaking and tuning problems. Be as careful as possible to not cross the strings in the peg box.
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Oudmokum
Oud Lover
Posts: 12
Registered: 9-8-2015
Member Is Offline
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Thank you Alan
Yers I'm aware of this problem.
I decided to order a nut of bone by Yaron Naor (on this forum)
I could make one I guess but my eyes are not the beste and I dont have the right tools.
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