ilnokaly - 3-26-2014 at 02:16 PM
hello oudlovers ,
i am building a new oud , im using mahogany walnut cherry wood and african yellow teak wood for the bowl, (i think it is a nice combination)
concerning the soundboard i want to put an old high quality spruce top, any suggestion ? prices ? suppliers ? websites ?
concerning the braces , should it be spruce (in case if the soundboard is also spruce) ? or is there any other recommendation ?
SamirCanada - 3-26-2014 at 03:58 PM
stick with spruce yes. I like engleman myself, but first where are you located?
best find a wood supplier in your country so you avoid headaches with customs and for a better price usually.
ilnokaly - 3-26-2014 at 05:19 PM
and what about the braces ?
Dr. Oud - 3-27-2014 at 06:33 AM
braces should be the same wood as the face, preferable from the same log. Then there are different opinions about which way to orient the grain in the
braces. I use it perpendicular to the face, or vertical grain.
There are many varieties of spruce, engelmann is most common in Canada, Sitka from Alaska, European varieties from many countries. Cold weather
countries have slow growth trees which produce close grain wood. I'm not convinced it matters as many old magnificent ouds have unremarkable wood in
the face. One of my favorites has knots in the face, so it's more about how it's built than what you use. other soundboard woods include cedar (many
varieties) and redwood. old or aged spruce is difficult to find unless you find a luthier's estate sale and can get some of their stash.
Doc139 - 3-27-2014 at 08:03 AM
Hallo ilnokaly,
I don't know where you are located on this planet... but one of the best European alpine spruce soundboards for guitars, ouds etc. you find here in
Switzerland:
http://www.tonewood.ch
Alexander