ChanningPDX
Oud Maniac
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New (to me) Turkish oud--Yet another string question. Help!
Hello, folks!
First, the good news: after over a year of being an oud-less (mostly) lurker on this forum, I finally got an oud last week!
It's an Ali Nişadır oud made in 2006, so it may not be one of his best (I've been told that his work before 2009 or so wasn't always
consistent), and it appears to be a pretty no-frills model (short fingerboard, walnut pickguard, plastic rosettes), but the oud itself is in excellent
condition and seems very well made.
The strings on the other hand... Well, the guy I bought it from is a lute player, and he put the strings on the pegs in completely the wrong order.
(For example, the bass string was attached where the 2nd course g 1 string goes, etc.) This made the oud very awkward to tune. I was able to get
everything except the 5th (F) course in tune--the F strings seemed a bit tangled in the pegbox. Sounded nice overall, but extra frustrating.
The strings also seemed pretty old and of unknown vintage. The seller included a spare set of Turkish strings marked "Avarez" (_not_ "Savarez") in
EAbead tuning, and I suspect this was what he had on the oud.
In frustration, I finally took the strings off, which I had been planning to do anyway, and I was about to put a set of Kürschner Premium Arab 2
string on it when it occurred to me that maybe I should check in with the Internet Oud Hivemind first.
Though I'd eventually like to explore Turkish music more in-depth, the only two oud teachers locally play in Arabic tuning, hence the Kürschner
strings. I had heard that many players used them for Arabic tuning on Turkish ouds with a 58.5 cm scale. Then I read all the threads on the forum
about string tension over the weekend... Does anyone out there know what the string tensions are for Arab 2 strings on a 58.5 oud? My understanding
from previous threads was that on a 61 or 62 cm oud, the tension would be quite high, but on a shorter scale oud, the tension worked out to be
medium-ish, but I couldn't find more specific information.
I guess my concern is that I don't think the oud has been played all that much in a while, Lord only knows what--if any--effect the weird stringing
arrangement had, and I don't want to jack the tension up a whole bunch at once. I'd be curious to know what other more experienced players think:
should I put the Kürschners on it now or put a Turkish set (like the MusiCaravan Necati Çelik strings) on and tune down for the time being? (I
realize that's less than ideal for Arabic tuning in the long run, but maybe OK for a beginner like me.)
Thanks for your advice!
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Jody Stecher
Oud Junkie
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Congratulations on acquiring an oud. It can be a life changing event.
Kürschner string sets come in different gauges. The ones appropriate for Turkish tuning are good for Turkish tuning. The ones appropriate for Arabic
tuning are good for Arabic tuning. Why use a MusiCaravan Turkish set for Arabic tuning when you can get a MusiCaravan Arabic tuning set?
I can verify that these work well at 58.5 cm scale in Arabic tuning C FF AA dd gg cc
I can also verify the good experience of using Kurschner Turkish gauge strings for Turkish tuning on a Turkish oud at 58.5 cm, Also the Necati set
from MusiCaravan are excellent for the same (Turkish ) purpose.
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ChanningPDX
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Thanks. I forgot that MusiCaravan also did an Arabic tuning set. I know that they're intended for larger ouds, but I trust your opinion. I might pick
up a set just to have something else on hand to try. I'll probably go ahead and put the Kürschner Arab 2 strings on and see how they feel... Reading
back through all the old threads about string tension just got me a tad nervous...
PS--In my other musical life, I play bagpipes and am a Scottish music tunehead. Loved your guitar playing on Alasdair Fraser's "Driven Bow" album.
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Jody Stecher
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Thank you. I can scarcely believe that was recorded nearly 30 years ago. After the album came out we did a 2 or 3 week tour of Scotland. That was
1989. We did most of it on back roads, rarely seeing a motorway. What a great experience that was.
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Brian Prunka
Oud Junkie
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Generally speaking, an "Arabic Tuning" set made for Arabic ouds should be safe on a 58.5cm oud in Arabic tuning. Turkish tensions are typically not
all that low, and the Arabic set will be lower tension than it would have been on a larger Arabic oud (most Arabic sets are intended for about 61cm
length). I don't know the tension on the Kurschner "Arab 2" set specifically, but it should be safe to try it. Just pay attention to whether it
seems excessive tension and take the strings off if so.
The big dangers are tuning an Arabic set up to Turkish tuning (on any oud), tuning an Arabic oud up to Turkish tuning (even using Turkish string
sets), or using a C-c' set for F-f' tuning.
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ChanningPDX
Oud Maniac
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Just a quick update--
I put the Kürschner Arab 2 strings on my Ali Nişadır oud earlier this week, and they seem to be working very well. Excellent tone and
virtually no buzzing anywhere. After a few days of settling in, they're pretty easy to tune and hold their tuning well, particularly the trebles. (I
think Kürschner trebles are PVF, but I can't remember for sure.)
I bought them from the seller "Atlantic Gate" on eBay (which, from the looks of their page, seems to be the eBay arm of the Sultan Music/CheapOud.com
people). Price was $25 including shipping.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Kurschner-Oud-Strings-CC-FF-OR-DD/162843118...
Brian, if you ever manage to get Kürschner strings back in stock, please let us know. (And likewise when you get the Pyramid Lute strings back in
stock, I'd love to know that as well.)
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Khalil_Oud
Oud Maniac
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Registered: 8-28-2016
Location: Montreal
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Hi all,
Good to read you !! thanks for the information
I'm wondering if someone have got a detailed information about Kürschner strings : differences between arabic 1 arabic 2 particularly, and C-107,
C-108... it's been a while that their website is under construction and even the old website had no indication, like they are not interested in giving
the right and clear information.
I like though the Kürschner strings for arabic oud (I tried the arabic 2), that's why I'm asking to get information : sometimes we need more tension
on some strings....
Thank you for your response!
Khalil
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ChanningPDX
Oud Maniac
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Registered: 10-15-2016
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If I recall correctly, the Arab 1 set is lower tension and the Arab 2 set is higher tension (at least relative to larger Arabic ouds, anyway). That's
all I know, I'm afraid.
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Brian Prunka
Oud Junkie
Posts: 2916
Registered: 1-30-2004
Location: Brooklyn, NY
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Mood: Stringish
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Quote: Originally posted by ChanningPDX  |
Brian, if you ever manage to get Kürschner strings back in stock, please let us know. (And likewise when you get the Pyramid Lute strings back in
stock, I'd love to know that as well.) |
Pyramid lute strings are in stock. Email me if it ever comes up as out of stock; until I find a new shopping cart software the old one has no way of
tracking the inventory of something with multivariate options.
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