Mike's Oud Forums

Oud repair -- strings too close to the face?

Brian Prunka - 1-15-2008 at 01:22 PM

Since we have so many talented luthiers here, maybe you can share your thoughts on a problem I'm having (and have come across on some older ouds)--

what do you do if there's not enough clearance between the face and the strings to play comfortably (without striking the face with the risha)?
I tried raising the strings up a bit at the bridge, which helped, but not enough (and it made the action at the fingerboard a bit too high).

I figure I'm not the only one who's had this problem . . .

journeyman - 1-15-2008 at 03:38 PM

Hi Brian,
I recently got a nice Turkish oud and I had this problem. The strings were so low that they buzzed way too much as well. I took it to a guitar builder and he leveled the top of the bridge, put tiny dowels in the existing holes and glued another piece of wood on top of the bridge. He then drilled new holes that were a bit higher (strings are now just under 3ml off the fingerboard at the neck/body joint) He matched the shape and finished it with the same colour and I can only tell that a piece was added when I look very closely. It worked great and only cost about $150. Jameel told me that he has also done this. Good luck.

Cheers,
Roy

Brian Prunka - 1-15-2008 at 04:06 PM

Thanks for the tip roy . . . i wish it was a simple fix like that, but I don't think that would work, as it would make the strings far too high off the fingerboard. Even raising the strings as high as they'll go on the existing bridge makes them too high relative to the fingerboard. I'm guessing there must be a way to put some relief in the face, or something.

Dr. Oud - 1-15-2008 at 04:16 PM

Another fix is to add a fingerboard on top of the existing one, so that the fingerboard surface is above the face. You can extend it down the face if you care to. This raises the strings but maintains a low action without increasing the torque on the bridge by raising the string holes there.

Brian Prunka - 1-17-2008 at 11:14 AM

Thanks Doc Oud, I had thought of that as a possible soultion, glad to know you think it's not a bad idea.
Even with a new fingerboard, I would still have to raise the strings at the bridge. even as high as they'll go now, there's not enough clearance. My concern is that even with a new fingerboard, it would be a close call as to whether it would solve the problem entirely (though it would certainly be better than it is now). That's why I was wondering what all the options were.

jdowning - 1-18-2008 at 07:55 AM

Is part of the problem due to the soundboard of the oud bulging up under string tension (between bridge and rosette) and not remaining relatively flat over time? If so, increasing bridge height might make matters worse by introducing greater torsional loads on the soundboard - as well as increasing the risk of the bridge being pulled off?

Jameel - 1-18-2008 at 09:29 AM

Brian, I missed this thread.

It sound like the neck is tilted up too much, right? So you're compensating by moving the strings closer to the face to make the action playable. The soundboard itself is sound? I mean, flat? I repaired a Shehata once where the face was sunken in around the bridge, placing the strings too close to the face, and making the action way too low. I did a temporary fix by adding a strip to the top of the bridge, but if the face is sunk, its a major repair involving removing the face. If the face is intact and sound, it sounds like a neck reset is in order. If there is enough fingerboard thickness, you might be able to taper it back towards the nut instead. That's easier and less invasive.

Brian Prunka - 1-18-2008 at 01:10 PM

Actually, i think the neck is fine . . . i'm not moving the stings closer to the face, I'm moving them farther from the face to make it playable. I think that the face is bowing outward slightly between the soundhole and the bridge. i'll try to take a clear picture and post it.

Dr. Oud - 1-18-2008 at 01:13 PM

The taperd fingerboard works, I've done it. You can lower the face without removing the wholething - just remove the edging along the area you want to lower, then loosen and re-glue the braces further down the ribs. The top edge can then be trimmed down and the edging replaced. The overall condition of the face and neck angle needs to be evaluated to decide what's the best solution. got pics?

Dr. Oud - 1-18-2008 at 01:14 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Dr. Oud
The taperd fingerboard works, I've done it. You can also lower the face without removing the whole thing - just remove the edging along the area that is high, then loosen and re-glue the braces further down the rib inside the body. The top edge can then be trimmed down and the edging replaced. The overall condition of the face and neck angle needs to be evaluated to decide what's the best solution. got pics?