Mike's Oud Forums

Where do you buy lute strings?

jshead - 2-15-2006 at 01:56 AM

I have often heard that lute strings are the best. Who do you buy them from? What guage do people recommend?
I think usually people say get them for the top two strings?

Dr. Oud - 2-15-2006 at 10:06 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by jshead
I have often heard that lute strings are the best. Who do you buy them from? What guage do people recommend?
I think usually people say get them for the top two strings?

http://www.vanzandtviolins.com/vn-strings.htm
http://www.kuerschner-saiten.de/english/start.htm
http://gamutstrings.com/

jshead - 2-17-2006 at 02:06 AM

Thanks, Richard.
Do you know any thing about which guage should be used?

Dr. Oud - 2-17-2006 at 08:15 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by jshead
Thanks, Richard.
Do you know any thing about which guage should be used?

The gauge can vary according to the string material and stiffness of the soundboard. Here's a link for a string calculator.
Some string makers will calculate the gauge for you if you give them the string length and pitch, then ask for a light gauge for a thin top if your oud has a thin face (2mm). Turkish ouds would use light gauge, but some Arabic ouds have thicker soundgoards (3mm) and sound better with slightly larger strings.

billkilpatrick - 2-24-2006 at 11:52 PM

synthetic gut strings available here:

http://www.aquilacorde.com/

- bill

tsugumi - 2-25-2006 at 12:30 AM

Site that I have ordered.

http://saitenkatalog.de/catalog/

http://www.lutes-strings.de/

tsugumi

dubai244 - 2-25-2006 at 03:16 AM

hi,
I recommand "Pyraminds" lute and oud strings, made in Germany. i use them and they are very soft.
Thanks

oudmaker - 2-25-2006 at 01:21 PM

Gentlemen

Here is the gages of my Pyramid lute strings set for 585 mm string length:

1st: 0.55 (PVF)
2nd: 0.66 (PVF)
3rd: 1008
4th: 1013
5th: 1020
6th: 1440

I don't sell them but you can order from Germany or for the people in USA can order from:

OLAV CHRIS HENRIKSEN/BOSTON CATLINES
34 Newbury Street
Somerville,Massachusettes 02144 USA
(617) 776-8688
Catlines@aol.com

One time Mavrothis used to sell them too!
Regards to all
Dincer

jshead - 2-25-2006 at 01:57 PM

Thanks for the great advise.
So people would recommend using lute strings for all 6(in my case) course not just the nylon strings? Somebody told me this.

I once bought a "Pyramid" lute set on Mohammed Ali street in Cairo. Turned out to be bogus. Good joke on me.
I got discouraged. However, armed with this great info I will give a shot.
I have a 1937 oud made in Cairo that is very nice and longing for good strings.

Greg - 2-25-2006 at 05:47 PM

jshead,

I know you have a Turkish oud, tuned to Arabic and an Iraqi Bashir style oud. I guess you are considering the lute strings for the Bashir style oud.

I recommend you contact Pyramid direct and give them the tuning and the vibrating string length of the instrument.
It may also be a good idea to give them an idea of your tension prefereces.
They will advise which gauges of lute strings are best for your purposes.

You can email Sabine Holz at <s.holz@pyramid-saiten.de>

Regards,

Greg

fyenix - 2-25-2006 at 07:05 PM

jshead i sent u a u2u msg. . .

Jameel - 2-25-2006 at 07:27 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by jshead
Thanks for the great advise.
So people would recommend using lute strings for all 6(in my case) course not just the nylon strings? Somebody told me this.

I once bought a "Pyramid" lute set on Mohammed Ali street in Cairo. Turned out to be bogus. Good joke on me.
I got discouraged. However, armed with this great info I will give a shot.
I have a 1937 oud made in Cairo that is very nice and longing for good strings.


Pyramid sells fine strings, and they are easy to deal with. Just tell them what Greg said. Any chance you'll share some pics of your 1937 Cairo oud?

jshead - 2-26-2006 at 02:27 AM

Yes, I will share oud pictures. I have 5 ouds. All with different personalities. Probably my second favorate is 1978 made by Gamil George or at least someone in his shop not sure which. It is my AX. I played in a rock band in my younger days. The story of how I got it is worth telling, hopefully. I was visiting Cairo and spending the evening with Mahmoud Reda former cultural minister or asst. cultural minister once removed or something like that. He created the Reda Folk Lore company that performed at the Baloon theater. So he took me to visit his dear frend who was a great oud player ( I will skip the part about backing on a fast moving 6 lane highway). His freind offered me this cool oud which I bought for $300.00. Reda was embarazed that I paid "so much" so he took me out for the evening. We stopped for incredable shrimp sandwiches in Heliopolis then spent the eveing at other freinds house where there was this fabulous tacht group practising. He made me a tape of the of the music which I still have.

jshead - 2-26-2006 at 08:26 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Greg
jshead,

-I know you have a Turkish oud, tuned to Arabic and an Iraqi
-Bashir style oud. I guess you are considering the lute
-strings for the Bashir style oud....
-----------------------------------------------------

You are right, Greg, about the Bashir style oud being my main concern. I got it in Jordan after spending time with Saker Hatter. He had this fantasic Bashir style oud. Mine is beautifully built but I really don't understand how to string it to get it to sound right.

The '37 oud sounds great no matter what I do to it.

AGAPANTHOS - 2-27-2006 at 02:51 AM

The hand made Pyramid set for lute is really a good choise. They have a very good response from any point of view. The only disadvantage with them is that they don't last for a long time since they made for rennaisanse/baroque lute which is playing with fingers and not with a pick. The gauge of the set depends on the type of oud you have and the tuning/s you use. In case that you have a Turkish oud the suggestion of my friend "oudmaker" is the right one while the instrument is tuned D A E B A E. In the case where the instrument is tuned in forths ,all the way up,you have to alternate the fifth and the sixth string ('bam teli') with strings which must have a grater gauge.