faridoud
Oud Admirer
Posts: 7
Registered: 7-12-2007
Location: France
Member Is Offline
Mood: studious
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What's the best varnish for a top?
It's a question for oud maker as I know they are many in the forum. I'm wondering what is the best quality of varnish to protect the top and to not
affect the sound. It's to varnish my top in red cedar. My Luthier is specialized in violons and we need some advices to varnish my oud.
thanx
Farid
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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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Any varnish will affect the sound. There's a reason your oud has no finish, that is what gives it the characteristic oud sound. You can protect the
surface with a coating of egg white - strain the egg to remove the yolk and lumpy stuff, spread it on thinly, then wipe off the excess. Let it dry and
wash you hands before playing to keep the face clean. Wear a long sleeved shirt or drape a cloth under your arm to prevent staining the top.
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hama
Oud Junkie
Posts: 220
Registered: 9-11-2008
Location: United Kingdom/ London
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Mood: No Mood
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I purchased an OUD from Faruk Turunz and he applied french polish to the sound board , the sound is amazing
http://www.mikeouds.com/messageboard/viewthread.php?tid=9243#pid615...
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fernandraynaud
Oud Junkie
Posts: 1865
Registered: 7-25-2009
Location: San Francisco, California
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Mood: m'Oudy
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I am not an expert in ouds specifically, but in other instruments we see a similar issue. Of course untreated wood has a certain sound, but aesthetics
play a role, and it will get dirty. It's sort of intuitive, that materials with an elastic character will impart some of that to the soundboard, and
ruin it. Oiling a soundboard will dull the sound very significantly, many a harpsichord has been damaged this way. Varithane is bad, anything thick
and goopy is deadly. You want something brittle, and thin. Alcohol-based shellac is used OK on violins, harpsichords, etc, and I would feel
comfortable using it on an oud. Egg white sounds good. Always use the least amount to do the job. If you like a shine, french polishing is used on
many first rate instruments, and I can't see why it would not work on an oud. It's not a varnish, it's a way of thinly applying alcohol-shellac that
you can look up on the 'net.
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jdowning
Oud Junkie
Posts: 3485
Registered: 8-2-2006
Location: Ontario, Canada
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Egg white is one solution. A transparent thin wax finish is another. I have used a very dilute shellac finish just to seal the surface. It works but
is non traditional. Oil varnish is not an option.
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Segura
Oud Addict
Posts: 27
Registered: 3-27-2009
Location: Paris (France)
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
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No varnish. You cannot treat a oud as a violin or a guitar.
Segura
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