Mike's Oud Forums

Pegbox construction

FastForward - 12-14-2009 at 12:44 PM

This is a simple question regarding pegboxes that occurred to me last night.

Many oud makers construct the walls of the pegbox by laminating two pieces of wood (each about 3mm or so thick).

Is it recommended or acceptable to laminate additional pieces of thin veneer (0.5mm thin) between the two pieces of wood. The main reason is just cosmetic, just of the looks of it. For example, having a 3mm maple strip followed by a 0.5mm walnut veneer, followed by a 0.5mm maple veneer, followed by a 3mm walnut strip. Here two pieces of thin veneer are sandwiched between the two strips. You can think of also other constructions, e.g. walnut, maple veneer, walnut, etc...


Will this type of construction weaken the pegbox?

Matthias - 12-14-2009 at 12:55 PM

Quote: Originally posted by FastForward  
This is a simple question regarding pegboxes that occurred to me last night.

Many oud makers construct the walls of the pegbox by laminating two pieces of wood (each about 3mm or so thick).

Is it recommended or acceptable to laminate additional pieces of thin veneer (0.5mm thin) between the two pieces of wood. The main reason is just cosmetic, just of the looks of it. For example, having a 3mm maple strip followed by a 0.5mm walnut veneer, followed by a 0.5mm maple veneer, followed by a 3mm walnut strip. Here two pieces of thin veneer are sandwiched between the two strips. You can think of also other constructions, e.g. walnut, maple veneer, walnut, etc...


Will this type of construction weaken the pegbox?


Hello,

veneer ist not good as it does not have any stability. Only solid wood is acceptable.

We have this layers in the european lute. Two layers of beech and outside ebony or another wodd fitting to the neck and/or fingerboard.

On my oud I use maple and rosewood or something else looking good. My last one had olive wood outside. Looks very fine. Can be seen on my website at
http://www.lutes-strings.de/english/Aoud_Munir-Bashir.php

Regards

Matthias

FastForward - 12-14-2009 at 02:02 PM

Thanks Matthias

I understand that veneer is not stable, but I am not using it on its own, it is sandwiched between two pieces of hardwood (e.g. a 0.5mm maple veneer sandwiched between two 3mm pieces of walnut).


I would be worried about the glue joint with the veneer as the fibers in the veneer might split and cause additional damage to the pegbox.

sabbassi - 12-15-2009 at 02:19 AM

from my experience the wall thikness is about 7mm, if you add 0.5mm veneer in between, it shouldn't do any harm . the whole would be a solid 6.5mm + 0.5 veneer. (wood+titebond+veneer = wood)