Mike's Oud Forums

what strings do I have? help

chaldo - 5-31-2012 at 05:16 PM

Hi, I am so happy with the strings I have, can anybody tell me what brand are those?

thank you


Chaldo

photo

chaldo - 5-31-2012 at 05:18 PM



Img_9424-.jpg - 234kB

suz_i_dil - 6-1-2012 at 09:04 AM

HI Chaldo,
there is many oud obsessives here but not to the point to recognize strings just by looking...

Do you have any clue to help : tuning, string length. Not enough, but at least we can tell you some hypothesis.

regards

chaldo - 6-2-2012 at 09:50 AM

Quote: Originally posted by suz_i_dil  
obsessives


heheheh, you're certainly right, but for some reason I have always thought some "obsessives" or just 'strings used eyes' were able to tell just by looking at the string set.. a myth maybe?

well the string set is tuned C E A d g c. I don't have the original string length, I think giving you my oud's string length wouldn't tell you anything about the strings that are on it... it's 58.x cm

But there is something I should mention, what I am looking for is to know what major sting brand set they are from.. like ex:"pyramid orange" or Labella arabic set, or the aquilla arabic..

thanks for your help

Brian Prunka - 6-2-2012 at 10:47 AM

They're not Labella (their nylons are rectified) or Aquila (nylgut is whitish, unlike the clear nylon in your pictures) that much is certain.

Going by looks, it's impossible to tell, but here are the likeliest possibilities among the more widely available strings:

D'addario J95
Pyramid Orange
Pyramid Super Aoud
Daniel Mari
MusiCaravan Arabic
Kurschner

Since you are using Arabic tuning on 58.5cm, I think it is safe to elminate the D'addario as a possibility (they don't sound great tuned that low on a short scale oud).
The trebles look a little thinner to me than the ones on the Pyramid sets.

How is it that you don't know what strings they are? Did they come with the oud? The best bet would be to ask the person who put them on or supplied you with the oud . . .

Where do you live, where did the oud come from?

chaldo - 6-3-2012 at 07:36 AM

Brian, let me email you. :)

Giorgioud - 6-3-2012 at 10:01 AM

Hello Chaldo,
I shall put my ha'penny worth: how about Galli strings? The are extremely pliable and, although lacking the "robustness" of other brands, they compensate for it by being surprisingly tension-free, which makes the left hand work easier. Maybe it's this brand you have got on your oud?

Oud Freak - 6-3-2012 at 10:22 PM

Mirror Mirror on the Wall, tell me which strings are these all!
Trebles definitely neither aquila nor rectified nylon... anyway, the wound strings seem to suffer of heavy wear and tear and better be changed. Best

Brian Prunka - 6-19-2012 at 05:02 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Giorgioud  
Hello Chaldo,
I shall put my ha'penny worth: how about Galli strings? The are extremely pliable and, although lacking the "robustness" of other brands, they compensate for it by being surprisingly tension-free, which makes the left hand work easier. Maybe it's this brand you have got on your oud?


You win the prize! 95% sure they are the Galli GR75 set. Your description matches their characteristics exactly and the gauges are spot on (actually the unusual gauges made it easy to tell what brands it wasn't).

Giorgioud - 6-20-2012 at 10:26 AM

Thanks Brian,
Do I get my free set of strings then? :-D I use Galli on and off, they are a cool set to use. I've got them on my new Fathy floating bridge, but they are better suited on a fixed bridge to be honest, where they perform at their best. Same gauge as the Aquila light tension, but some folks might find Aquila less comfortable to play (although I don't) because of the nylgut material. I hope Chaldo has solved the mistery and can order a set, maybe from a trusted and efficient American firm ;-)