Rhett
Oud Lover
Posts: 17
Registered: 3-10-2009
Location: Phila
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Stripping the Varnish off of my Oud
Hello,
I was wondering if anybody had any advice for taking the varnish off of my Oud. It's a low priced oud from egypt, el rahwahat or soemthing like that.
Anyway, I used to intern at a violin shop, and we just used grain alcohol to de-varnish stuff. Will this work with all types of varnish>???
Also, i live in Philadelphia - dry winter, humid as hell summer. Am I putting my sound board at risk of warping or splitting by making it raw??
Many thanks, will post photos if I wind up doing the project.
-Rhett
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Dr. Oud
Oud Junkie
Posts: 1370
Registered: 12-18-2002
Location: Sacramento, CA, USA
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Mood: better than before
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Denatured alcohol is the solvent for shellac finishes. Use a pad of very fine steel wool to rub lightlu on the face. Rub across the grain to avoid
removing the soft wood between the grain lines. After it's dry, seal it with egg white - strain it, apply iy, wipe off thexcess and let it dry. No
finish will prevent warpage or splitting, although it may delay it somewhat by slowing the drying out process. Splitting happens when the wood shrinks
as it dries, warpage as well, but not so much as by the affect of the string tension.
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Matthias
Oud Junkie
Posts: 473
Registered: 1-24-2007
Location: Badenweiler, Germany
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Dear Rhett,
as I do not see your instrument and the varnish, I can tell you only three possibilities about what to do for the different varnishes:
1) Shellack: use high percent alcohol ( 98% ) and then you can wipe off the varnisch using some cloth
2) Nitro cellulose varnish: You can wipe off the varnish using acetone
3) DD varnish ( 2 component varnish ) the only chance you have is to scratch and sand off the varnish. This will naturally be a big stress for the
soundboard. I suppose this varnish is actually on your instrument, as this varnish is often used for cheep instruments.
After the varnish is off, you are nearly free to apply a new coating:
a) seal it with egg white as Dr. Oud proposed
b) I use only wax as the old lute makers did it and what I do too since now nearly 30 years
c) You can apply shallack if you like. I never do this, but this is a good protection for your soundboard, that does not disturb the sound.
hope this helps
regards Matthias
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Rhett
Oud Lover
Posts: 17
Registered: 3-10-2009
Location: Phila
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Thank you both for your advice! I'll probably do a little test area somewhere on the soundboard to see which technique would work best. I'm really
hoping that by doing this, the mid range of the instrument will become a bit less muddled. the oud has a decent sound in general, but compaired to my
first (which has a beautiful and balanced sound from low to high), this newer one has a really bright high end, solid low end, but the two mid courses
are just kind of dull sometimes. Many thanks!
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rojaros
Oud Junkie
Posts: 581
Registered: 7-9-2008
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Hi,
I did devarnishing a cheap egyptian oud actually only the soundboard) and it was alcohol soluble, I got from a luthier the advice to cover the
soundboard with kitchen roll paper and soak it with alcohol (I used cooking burner spirit from France for that). After it was soaked for a while it
was totally easy to remove the most of the varnish with the soaked paper. Then I sanded the sound board with fine sand paper. It improved the sound a
bit and how the oud looks immensly...
you can check with a little alcohol whether that will work. If it's not alcohol soluble then you can't damage anything anyway, if it is then you can
go ahead and remove it. I don't see btw much point to devarnish the bowl.
see also:
http://www.mikeouds.com/messageboard/viewthread.php?tid=8186#pid523...
best wishes for your project
robert
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Rhett
Oud Lover
Posts: 17
Registered: 3-10-2009
Location: Phila
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that you as well sir. I only ever planned to devarnish the sound board, and the section of fingerboard that extends to the rosette. the oud is made
by gawharet el fan. its a solid oud for sure, and ive put work into the pegs so its a nice project oud to have.. im definitely going to do this once
i have free time. will post pictures of course..
cheers,
i love this messageboard man
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charlie oud
Oud Junkie
Posts: 694
Registered: 11-19-2007
Location: Newcastle upon tyne. UK
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Just to add. Rhett, for changing appearnce only you can rub the sound board in circular motions with a very fine wire wool until the shine is less.
This will give the instrument a french polish look instead of a gloss look. No chemicals needed. This is a common practice on guitars which have heavy
gloss varnish on them which many people do not like. You could may be try this first to see if the sound changes before you strip the varnish off.
Best Wishes, Charlie
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Rhett
Oud Lover
Posts: 17
Registered: 3-10-2009
Location: Phila
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thanks charlie - will keep that in mind also. aesthetics is always a consideration, though in this attempt i am definitely going for sound, to
hopefully open up the mid range
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ibn sina
Oud Maniac
Posts: 75
Registered: 1-6-2009
Location: New York
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Hi,
Did you ever strip the lacquer off your oud? I have a similar inexpensive oud from Egypt, which I actually really like. It sounds great when someone
who really knows how to play plays it. Maybe I should think about this too?
Kiki
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