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Alfaraby
Oud Junkie
Posts: 796
Registered: 9-18-2009
Location: Holy Land
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Mood: Cool
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KAMIL MOWAIS, NAZARETH - 53 YEARS MAKING QUALITY OUDS
The Master Luthier: Kamil Mowais of Nazareth
كميـل مو يـس - الناصرة : 53
عاماً في صناعة
الأعواد
By: Jamil Elias, Nazareth.
Kamil (Camille) Mowais is probably the most eminent luthier in the Holy Land. He has supplied hundreds with the best
ouds ever seen and heard around, in the second half of the 20th century. One can hardly find an oud player who hasn't got, or at least once owned, one
of Kamil's ouds.
His efforts have always been focused on producing sound. Although he has built beautiful ouds throughout the years, his main interest has always been,
and abides in the art of sound reproduction. His main concern was and still is, as he states, "Bracing, bracing; all the other issues are
solvable."
Kamil made his first oud when he was still a 22 year old young man back in 1959. The building of his first instrument was part of his leisure time,
but fortunately he continued to build ouds as a growing interest during this time. At an early age he retired from his job as a carpenter, and devoted
himself solely to luthiery. Kamil constantly tells his guests that before starting to make his first oud he had never actually seen oud-making in
progress. He has learned the whole process by himself. Initially he used to replicate Nahat's, Fadel's and others' ouds, brought to him for minor
repair jobs; but then eventually started to make his own unique style.
In his first steps in carpentry, Kamil used to watch his masters, the most skilled carpenters in the city, make furniture and he fell in love with
wood. From the early age of 14 he was convinced he wanted to be a carpenter, specializing in highly complicated jobs. Kamil fulfilled his dream and
worked as a skilled carpenter for over 25 years, until he had to retire in the mid 1970's, for medical reasons, at the young age of roughly 40.
Kamil worked alone throughout the years with no apprentices, associates or employees. He has never had any assistance whatsoever, not even from his
brothers or children. He would make all the decisions for his creations himself. from general aspects like wood species to the last tiny details of
polishing and tuning. No one has ever touched an oud he was making until it was completely finished, polished and tuned.
Up to the last couple of years, he used to carve his own pegs, until the famous ready made Indian pegs took over his own. Generally, he has never
bought any ready made parts except for strings. He still makes his own purflings and ornamentation by himself, and even used to cut his own
soundboards from the wood of local fir trees until recently, when the ready made European spruce and Canadian cedar soundboards became obtainable
through the internet.
His workshop is as simple and primitive as a 18-19th century luthiers' workshop! Except for the electric saw and drill, all other tools are the same
known: rulers, vise, files, plane, saws, drills, hammers, reamers, chisels, knives, molds, pliers, pencils, nails, sandpaper, hot glue, shellac and
etc. One can breathlessly stand still in his 10-12 sq. meters workshop, staring around and wondering how these few basic tools and raw materials are
capable of producing such a beautiful musical instrument out of a couple of logs leaning against the wall. "The hands, not the tools - no matter how
many or how sophisticated they are - make the instrument come to life.”
Mowais has made his bowls out of every available wood, including rosewood, ebony, wenge, maple, pear, cherry, paddock and etc. But his favorite has
always been walnut, first local, then when endangered African and American walnut. "Walnut is the most suitable wood for producing the well-known deep
mellow sound of the Syrian oud", says the master, "I've tried every possible wood I'd bumped into while hunting, but came into conclusion there's no
equivalent to the walnut for our Arabic traditional ouds.” (Needless to say, hunting is Kamil's other hobby). This is why 90 % of Mowais’ bowls in
the past decade are made from walnut, sometimes integrated with other wood, but generally just pure walnut.
Mowais used to make highly ornamented soundboards with mother of pearl inlays. Most of his ouds are well known for his detailed work on the
soundboards, but lately he has quit inlaying M.O.P or any other materials in his ouds, concluding that "Ouds should be all wooden. The word "oud" in
Arabic means ‘a piece of wood’, so the name just suits the instrument".
Kamil's soundboards are made of spruce and red cedar. He believes cedar gives immediate results, while spruce needs time to get better. "Players can
afford to wait to get better sound, luthiers can't". Therefore he tends to use more cedar, claiming that the sound you'd hear when the oud is finished
is the same you'll hear 10 years later! On the other hand, spruce is supposed to improve and might even exceed cedar in the years to come!
At the age of 75, Kamil Mowais rarely makes ouds, and for more than half a century now has only had some unexpected recesses. In every oud he makes,
he tries to reach for the ultimate sound, sometimes with great success, sometimes, with even greater!
Personal p.s: I first met Kamil in 1978, when I ordered my first oud , and kept in touch with him ever since. My last visit was on April 22, 2012 when
he proudly introduced his last beauty. By doing this he unintentionally closed a full 50 years' circle for me. The oldest oud he had once shown me was
a 1962 piece work of art, brought to him by it’s original owner for maintenance!
So here is how 50 years oud making looks like.
More photos to come ...
Yours indeed
Alfaraby
1962 
1975 
1978 (restored lately) 
1982: see here http://www.mikeouds.com/messageboard/viewthread.php?tid=10917
alfarabymusic@gmail.com
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Alfaraby
Oud Junkie
Posts: 796
Registered: 9-18-2009
Location: Holy Land
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Mood: Cool
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More photos :
2007
2008 
2009 
2010 
alfarabymusic@gmail.com
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Alfaraby
Oud Junkie
Posts: 796
Registered: 9-18-2009
Location: Holy Land
Member Is Offline
Mood: Cool
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& More
6/6/2011 
9/12/2011 
alfarabymusic@gmail.com
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Alfaraby
Oud Junkie
Posts: 796
Registered: 9-18-2009
Location: Holy Land
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Latest oud :
2012 
I hope you like them !
I may find some soundfile in my mess. Just excuse me for a while & I shall post them as well.
Yours indeed
Alfaraby
alfarabymusic@gmail.com
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MatthewW
Oud Junkie
Posts: 1031
Registered: 11-5-2006
Location: right here
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hello Alfaraby-thanks for sharing this heart warming story of Kamil Mowais, and the many photos of his ouds. 
looking forward to some sound clips!
best, MW
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bulerias1981
Oud Junkie
Posts: 770
Registered: 4-26-2009
Location: Beacon, NY
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Mood: John Vergara Luthier Lord of the Strings instrument making and repair
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unbelievable workmanship. Bravo ya Afendi Mowais
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Brian Prunka
Oud Junkie
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Location: Brooklyn, NY
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Wow, he seems to have taken his luthierie to a new level--these look amazing.
Ask him why he doesn't have a website! I've liked the sound of every one of his ouds I've heard, but they are hard to get outside of Israel.
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Adel Salameh
Oud Junkie
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Thank you dear brother Alfaraby for these beautiful photos....
I remember very well Kamil Mowais oud.... when i started learning the oud back in 1980 my teacher Ustaz Khalid Sadouq had one of his ouds.... I used
to play that oud and liked it very much....
It"s a shame that he does not have a website to show his work....
thanks again, Salamaty,
Adel
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Alfaraby
Oud Junkie
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Thanks Guys !
As I've indicated, Kamil is 75 years old. He's not familiar with English and never touched a computer. He lives alone with his spouse after their kids
got married, therefore it's hard to ask him to be on the web. Anyhow, he thinks it's "too late" !
I tried several times to convince him to launch a site or even a page in facebook, offering my help, but he consistently refused.
On the other hand, Kamil refuses to publish himself in any other method, assuming his ouds were and shall always be his agents. Moreover he does not
work regularly and can't stand the current demand for ouds !
Well, I gave up.
Here are some more photos of one of the latest ouds.
I hope you'd like it as well !
Thanks indeed
Alfaraby
2012 
alfarabymusic@gmail.com
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bibo10
Oud Junkie
Posts: 300
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Location: New Jersey, USA
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Amazing work, the last Oud is my favorite!! Can I please hear it???
+++++++++++
Michael-GOD BLESS EGYPT
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Faladel
Oud Junkie
Posts: 339
Registered: 6-12-2004
Location: Spain
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Mood: ya salam
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Kamil is a very great luthier , his ouds has an autentic Arabic sound ,I love his ouds and sound....Very professional. Thank you brother Alfaraby.
Oud Player
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charlie oud
Oud Junkie
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Location: Newcastle upon tyne. UK
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Mood: chords prefer frets
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What a wonderful thread, many thanks Alfaraby for posting this summary of a grand master.
Best Wishes, Charlie
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MatthewW
Oud Junkie
Posts: 1031
Registered: 11-5-2006
Location: right here
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hello Alfaraby- I can understand Kamil not bothering with a computer at 75, apparently not using one up to now has not been any problem with making
his ouds available to those who seek him out. With the last set of photos dated 12.04.2012, do you mean he finished this oud on this date? what a
beauty!
I'd also like to say to Adel Salameh (if he sees this) that it is really nice to have professional oud players contribute to the forum; he is one of
my favorite players.
regards, MW
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Adel Salameh
Oud Junkie
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Thanks you Matthew .... it's very nice of you to say this.....
I am doing more teaching these days... I would like to see more oud players in Europe... and they are proving to be great.....
Good luck to all of you and thanks Alfaraby for this article ...
Salamaty,
Adel
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spyros mesogeia
Oud Junkie
Posts: 896
Registered: 9-10-2003
Location: WASHINGTON DC
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Mood: play my ouds
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Alfaraby
Oud Junkie
Posts: 796
Registered: 9-18-2009
Location: Holy Land
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Thanks guys. I'm honored !
There's an Arabic idiom that says : "The shoemaker is barefoot" ! Of all Kamil's ouds, I've forgotten the most precious oud on Earth !
my oud !
How could I have done something like this to my "wife" ?
So here it is !
1991 
Enjoy
Yours indeed
Alfaraby
alfarabymusic@gmail.com
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spyros mesogeia
Oud Junkie
Posts: 896
Registered: 9-10-2003
Location: WASHINGTON DC
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Mood: play my ouds
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))))))
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spartan
Oud Junkie
Posts: 207
Registered: 11-30-2007
Location: Athens , Greece
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Amazing work, real art.
Please put a sound file if it's possible!
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Alfaraby
Oud Junkie
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Here's a short video of a young local player trying an oud at Kamil's place. I could hear his voice in the first seconds.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8775h5mG8Wc
A very good example how the new Mowais's ouds do sound like.
Enjoy !
Yours indeed
Alfaraby
alfarabymusic@gmail.com
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Adel Salameh
Oud Junkie
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very beautiful Arab sound.... great looking oud ..... the player is nice too...
Shukran ya Alfaraby
Salamaty, Adel
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stos
Oud Junkie
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nice oud! I really like the sound!
do you know if he stills sell ouds nowadays? do you know his approximatly prices?
thanks a lot!
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Alfaraby
Oud Junkie
Posts: 796
Registered: 9-18-2009
Location: Holy Land
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Prices ?
I usually don't ask such questions . Moreover, he does not work regularly & as said, can't stand the big demand for ouds.
Here's another video : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQ3V13THJCM.
Look at the different rosettes !
Compare with 1982 oud : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLG-46U-J8U&feature=related
& see the difference !
Enjoy both
Yours indeed
Alfaraby
alfarabymusic@gmail.com
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Adel Salameh
Oud Junkie
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The oud with the one rose is very special.... I very much like that old style... traditional Arab sound.....
the oud from 2011 is very nice too....
the 1982 is a fine instrument but I prefer the other ouds sound.....the new ouds sound much better... I believe Kamil Mowais has improved a Lot with
age....
a real master Luthier.
all the best ,
Adel
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Alfaraby
Oud Junkie
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You're right Adel ! You seem to have read my thoughts. I wanted this comparison & conclusions, and you just picked the hat. Bravo! It is as said,
age makes the oud, and the maker, better !
On the other hand, you might find unbelievable old ouds of Kamil's. I have played the 1962 oud, and believe it or not, it was Abdo's same tone:
mellow, warm, sweet, strong wide, open and stable.
Thank you
Yours indeed
Alfaraby
alfarabymusic@gmail.com
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Alfaraby
Oud Junkie
Posts: 796
Registered: 9-18-2009
Location: Holy Land
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For the first time ever on the web, here are some photos of Master Luthier Kamil Mowais, back then and now.
See ? Time do make some changes. Oh ! Ask ME !
In the latest photos, taken lately, the master is double-checking an oud of our friend Nizar Rohana, while he's in a long
tour in Europe .
Nizar has some of the finest Kamil's ouds. He deserved each one of them. This one as well .
Yours indeed
Alfaraby
alfarabymusic@gmail.com
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