SamirCanada
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Shipping Advice
I have a question regarding the different methods people have used to ship ouds?
Iam required to ship a oud to the states from Canada. Does anyone have a good experiance with UPS? Iam planing to use there collect on delivery
method. Also I need advice on packaging methods. should I make my own box or use theres?
Thanks guys
Samir
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cshrem
Oud Maniac
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Get abox with the dimensions of the oud, so the oud dosent move around, put 3 layers of bubble wrap around the oud, then fill the box with those small
fluffy things that look like marshmellows
Charlie S.
cshrem@gmail.com
NYC NY,USA
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SamirCanada
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a box made of what?
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Jonathan
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I have shipped ouds quite a few times, and I think you can get away with cardboard as long as the oud is in a hard case, and padded with tons of of
those styrofoam "peanuts". I have had very good experience with DHL. The other option, which I have also done, is to double box when using
cardboard--one cardboard box a few inches smaller than the other, and peanuts everywhere. My experience with UPS is pretty hit and miss,
unfortunately.
Also, if you are not using a hard case, definitely double box. If you use a single box, I would not get one the same size as the oud--if it is the
same sixe, if it gets banged on one end, the peg box can snap off. Get it a little bit bigger.
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cshrem
Oud Maniac
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YA, thats what tgose fluffy things are called, styraphome "peanuts"
Charlie S.
cshrem@gmail.com
NYC NY,USA
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SamirCanada
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Good idea Jonathan. Thank you for that. I'll check to see if they have a payment collecting service.
Regards
Samir
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paulO
Oud Junkie
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I've had an oud shipped from Viken Najarian as follows:
1. Oud was in it's own hard case.
2. Case was placed in a heavy cardboard box.
3. Cardboard box was filled with foam peanuts untill the case "floated" in a sea of foam peanuts.
4. Note: the oud must fit pretty snugly in it's hard case. I had a problem where an oud bounced in the hard case, and hit the side where the handle
was, and it put a crack in one of the staves ! Just make sure the oud's protected where it might bang against a not so padded part of the case !!
John Merjanian shipped ouds in a massive plywood box lined with foam, with the lid screwed down with about 40 or so screws. Then that would get put
in a shipping carton, He always liked FedEx..I never had a problem with any of the ouds I got from him. The box was totally beefy, and after several
trips, still looked none the worse for wear. !!
Good Luck...PaulO
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Haluk
Oud Junkie
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Hi Samir,
I advice plywood crates for to send safely.I am sending instruments to US., Canada,Japan and Australia,in plywood crates,wrapped by buble nylons,by
express mail service of post office. Don't forget to put a label outside of crate "This package contains musical instrument,please handle with
care,don't throw,fragile" for to protect from violence of some officers.In some customs(for example Italy),officers wants to see the invoice of
instrument outside of crate,in a nylon envelope. Otherwise,the instruments staying at customs for a long time.
To send by DHL or FEDEX best but shipment cost is expensive.
Regards.
Best is to send by DHL or FEDEX,but shipment cost is expensive.
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Hank Levin
Oud Maniac
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My experiences with UPS have been disastrous. Last year, one oud arrived smashed; another arrived intact, but the outer box was crushed and torn.
(They did pay for the damage, however.) DHL is cheaper and more dependable in my experience.
You can get good size outer cartons from U-Haul for just $6 or $7. It's silly to ship the oud without it being in a well-fitting hard case, though an
inner carton might work.
Peanuts are fine, but make sure the oud case is suspended within them. The case can shift so that it's touching the outer carton, with no cushioning.
Then a fairly small bash can wreak havoc. Better to suspend the oud case inside the carton by taping or gluing foam rubber blocks at the contact
points where it touches the carton, and make sure it's wedged so it can't move around. Peanuts (or bubble wrap) are still a good idea, but the blocks
make them somewhat superflous.
Under no circumstances should the oud be shipped (or put in airline baggage) with the strings taut. If there's any damage whatever, what might have
been only a small crack or separation will likely result in a total implosion.
This wisdom came at great expense. Good luck.
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Jonathan
Oud Junkie
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Ah, UPS. Once, they threw a box with an oud in it over a 5 feet tall gate into my backyard because I was not home. Sure, the box said fragile, but
that did not seem to matter. It was an old oud, and it pretty much fell apart--it is still getting repaired.
And now, just as that memory was fading, this arrived yesterday. I have the before pictures that the guy I brought it from sent me--the oud seemed
fine, but this is how it showed up. The box was in decent condition, but I am guessing it was dropped. The oud was, however, only in a single box
with peanuts and bubble wrap--no hard case or double box. Who knows, maybe the joint was weak already. Still, this is the last time I am ever going
to use UPS.
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oudmaker
Oud Junkie
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Jonathan
The joint failed is the weakest point of an oud on revers direction. If it had strings on with a little pull, I believe the pegbox would have been
survived. I don't agree with the advise "never send an oud with strings on" By the way it looks that you got yourself a beautiful oud. Who is the
maker?
Dincer
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Jonathan
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Thanks, Dincer.
The oud is by Hagop Ohanyan, 1968. I have never had one by him before, and truthfully, it looks much better now that I have it than the pictures
that I received before I purchased it. Beautiful wood, lightweight. It has, though, perhaps the ugliest mizraplek that I have ever seen. Still, I
am going to keep it all just like it is. I do not know too much about this maker, but I believe that this is one of his later ouds. I am not sure
what the wood is. It has a greenish cast, and, it almost makes me think of poplar. Still, I don't know if poplar is used on ouds, and I don't know
if it is even available in Turkey.
Another Istanbul oud. For somebody like me, it's just incredible how many great ouds were made in Istanbul during the last century, and continue to
be made there. I know that great ouds come from all over the world, and in all varieties, but, for me, these ouds are "it". Elegant in their simple
lines, beautiful workmanship and, often, very high quality raw materials. Thank goodness this tradition carries on in you, and in some others.
I just can't seem to understand why almost no ouds seem to be made from the interior of the country. I am sure that there are exceptions, of course,
but the ouds are just not seen that much, in my opinion. I know that Istanbul was the center for music and instrument production for Turkey, but I
have never seen an oud from Kayseri, for example, or anywhere else in central Turkey. Perhaps these just never make it out of the country.
I will post a couple of other pictures. I think it will play nicely--I will post a sound file when it is fixed. Ouds are taking over on me. I am
practicing every spare second.
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oudmaker
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Jonathan
I went to his shop in Istanbul 1970. I bought and stiil have a saz from him. I saw one of his oud in the hands of Steve Pananos an oud player and the
first musician come to me to learn something 1968 help me a lot when I was realy green in US.
Ohanyan was famous I should say the most famous saz maker in Turkey at that time. I don't remember seeing any oud in the shop. I think he had his son
working with him. Later I looked for him and his shop was no longer !!
What happened I don't know. I will be going back to Istanbul at the end of August. I will make some research and let you know. He was probably passed
away. Good craftsman he was!!
Dincer
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Jonathan
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I know that on ebay, about a year ago, there was an Ohanyan listed from, I believe, 1928, which is why I am figured he was quite a bit older when he
made this oud.
It seems very very nicely made. That mizraplek, though, I will never get used to.
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Jonathan
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I didn't notice this until I looked at the above picture, but the bridge is off-center, toward the bass side. Do you think this is intentional, or a
mistake? I am pretty sure that the bridge is original. The oud looks like it was not played too much.
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oudmaker
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It is intentional. It also should be slightly slanted so bass string will be approx. 1 or 1.5mm shorter. Both help the player be more comfortable.
I was in Hadi Usta's shop when he was repairing Coskun Sabah's Manol and He said " look!! the great Manol put the brigde slanted!! He sometimes did
bad work like this"
GREAT MANOL KNEW WHAT HE WAS DOING !
Dincer
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oudmaker
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Jonathan
You have another beauty laying on the shelf at the Ohanyan's picture.What it is?
Dincer
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Hank Levin
Oud Maniac
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Dear Jonathan--
Indeed, you are lucky the head joint was weak. If it had been holding well it might not have broken; but then again if it did break it might have been
much more messy to fix. Evallah.
It is true that the tension of the strings pulls the head into place somewhat; but I don't really think it would protect it from a severe shock. True,
some tension wouldn't hurt, and indeed might help protect the head joint. But I've just had to fix too many ouds that imploded in baggage or in being
shipped---particularly Turkish ouds. The faces are just so thin, and the glue area is miniscule considering the amount of tension when fully cranked
up---I sometimes think it's amazing that they hold together at all.
About the mizraplek on the Ohanyan---Matt Umanoff, a friend of mine in New York during the '60's who did awsome pearl and abalone inlay work (usually
restorations on old Martins) used to call that stuff "mother-of-toilet seat." I always chuckle about it when I think of it. I guess at the time
plastic of all kinds seemed like exotic material to makers in eastern countries. I've seen gorgeous instruments made in India that also used that
stuff. Must have been considered much more refined than just crummy old bone, horn or tortoise shell.
Dincer Usta has a very sharp eye, doesn't he, Jonathan?
--Hank
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Jonathan
Oud Junkie
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That plastic is hideous, but it seems like it is going to be a very nice oud. I paid very little for it, and I am surprised how nicely it is made.
I can't really understand why putting the bridge off to the side makes playing the oud any easier. It seems like it will pull the strings so that
they are a bit closer to one side of the neck, too.
Dincer, the repair that you instructed me on seems to have gone very well. Everything is in place, and right now I just have the bass and treble
strings on at a fairly low tension. Later today, I will add the others, keeping the tension on the neck low. Insallah, the repair will hold. I
think that it will.
Again, Dincer, thank you. You have once again been very helpful to me.
Tesekkur ederim.
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oudmaker
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What about the oud on the shelf?
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oudmaker
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Jonathan
WHAT ABOUT THE OUD ON THE SHELF BEHIND OHANYAN IN THE PICTURE?
Who is the maker?
Dincer
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oudmaker
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Sorry Jonathan I just cheked my U2U .Thank you
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chaldo
Oud Junkie
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some 6 years later, we are still wondering what was on the shelf... mystère et boule de gomme
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