Jason - 6-2-2008 at 06:52 PM
It seems that every time I change strings I have a lot of trouble with the low string. The winding will start coming off and the string will stretch
and fall out of the peg. By pure luck I eventually get them to stick but I have come very close to losing a brand new string a couple of
times. It seems like when it stretches around the peg it's at too much of an angle for the windings to stay together.
Is there any trick to getting the low string to wind correctly the first time?
patheslip - 6-3-2008 at 01:22 AM
I have heard of a lute tradition where the outside strings are routed outside the peg box. Is there anything like this for the oud?
Doing this with the low string you'd have to drill a new hole into the peg but the run would be better.
Just an idea from a newbie. There could be a problem with the nut.
Dr. Oud - 6-3-2008 at 11:52 AM
it may be a sharp edge or undersized groove in the top nut that is catching the winding and causing it to unravel. Ti fix it would take some dressing
of the string groove(s) with a small round jeweler's file.
charlie oud - 6-3-2008 at 12:19 PM
Deleted my reply because I misunderstood your problem. Now I understand. Try this. Sharpen a pencil and coulor in the groove, the graphite acts as a
lubricant. C
Jason - 6-3-2008 at 02:55 PM
hmm
The problem actually occurs at the peg itself. When I crank the peg and the string reaches it's sharpest angle before winding around the peg that's
when the string begins to unravel.
This has happened on two different ouds so I thought maybe I was doing something wrong.
SamirCanada - 6-3-2008 at 03:10 PM
Jay
you will notice with the base string that when it comes out from the package, there is a part of string at one end of it that is not properly wound. I
suggest not to use this part and cut it off.
this happens maybe 1 out of every 2 sets of strings I get.
Also I have a suggestion for you to try.
At one end of the string. Tie a simple knot.
take the string trough the peg up all the way until knot stops the string from going any further.
Then take the string to the nut and all the way down to the bridge and tie it.
its the same idea as tying the bottom of a floating bridge oud.
you can cut off the extra material after the knot in the peg box so that it is clean.
it could work if my gut feeling is good 
jdowning - 6-4-2008 at 05:21 AM
From your description of the problem Jason, it seems to me that there are two factors causing trouble.
The first has already been well covered in previous comments. For the rotation of the peg to cause the string windings to separate, the windings must
be anchored at a point near the peg - that anchor point is most likely to be the nut. So the first remedial action should be to smooth the groove in
the nut by careful filing, by polishing the groove with a thread and by using a dry lubricant such as pencil lead - until the string moves smoothly
over the nut without any tendency to 'grab'.
Secondly, it is important that the string is wound at least two or three turns around the peg before coming under tension at the nut. This ensures
that the string and its windings are smoothly and evenly supported on the peg. To do this feed the free end of the string through the peg string hole
leaving enough slack on the string to provide sufficient turns around the peg shank as the string is brought up to tension. To ensure that the string
does not slip back through the peg string hole at this stage, tuck the free end under the string so that it is trapped under the string at the peg
hole and keep tension on the string as it is being wound on the peg by pulling it with the fingers until it is brought into contact with the nut. The
windings on the peg shank should be neatly arranged, side by side, towards the side of the peg box.
The attached image illustrates how it should look on a lute - but it should be no different for an oud. Note that in this case there are six turns on
the peg and that the last turn contacts the side of the peg box. This is because the string angle of this string is so acute so the string winding
helps to prevent the peg being loosened due to string tension. Note also that the string at the peg string hole is quite loose - all of the string
tension being carried by the friction of the other windings around the peg shank - not by the edge of the peg hole.
As previously suggested, one solution often used on lutes to reduce the acute angle of the outside string was to run the string to a peg string hole
drilled in the peg shank outside the peg box - a solution most often applied to the more fragile treble strings - but not something that is absolutely
necessary.
Jason - 6-4-2008 at 09:31 AM
Thanks for the help guys. All great suggestions I think my next string
changing will go much smoother
jdowning - 6-5-2008 at 12:51 PM
To pick up on Samir's observation about some strings that come out of the package 'not properly wound' . The section of 'open winding' on a heavier
gauge string is intentional - to facilitate tying of the string over the bridge. This end of a string should, therefore, not be inserted into a peg
where it might cause problems.