Mike's Oud Forums

What to look at when buying a new Oud

CordaTesa - 1-30-2010 at 12:18 PM

Hi everyone!
I've just joined this wonderful community and I'm so happy to be here. My name is Rodrigo and I'm writing from Rome, Italy.

I'd like to ask you something:
What are the main characteristics one should pay attention to when buying a new oud? I mean, an instrument that would suit the beginner as well as the intermediate player.
Thanks in advance.
Cheers!

Aymara - 1-31-2010 at 01:31 AM

Hi,

welcome to the forums!
Quote: Originally posted by CordaTesa  
... I'm writing from Rome, Italy.


Then you have the same problem, I had last fall: It's not easy to get a good oud in Western Europe. Most ouds I found in European online shops were cheap ones, that were more useful as decoration objects, than for playing.

Look HERE ... Igor from Germany had the same problem. And HERE you'll see, which oud he finally bought.
Quote:
What are the main characteristics one should pay attention to when buying a new oud?


HERE you'll find a list. But as mentioned before, I bet it's similar in Italy as in Germany ... it's not that easy to get the chance to test an oud before bying.

A further question is, are you looking for an Arabic or a Turkish oud? Check Igor's thread about oud types. And where did you plan to buy? Maybe a trip to Turkey? Or an online shop?

CordaTesa - 1-31-2010 at 05:29 AM

Hi Aymara, thanks for answering!

The links you indicated are very useful and definitely appreciated.
I was looking for an Arabic Oud or a Turkish one but with Arabic tuning.
A couple of people are selling theirs privately in Rome: one instrument was made by Ismail Nacir of Tunis, but it's an amplified version; the other is from George Baytar of Beirut and it's a regular acoustic one.

Here are the links:

http://www.mercatinomusicale.com/mm/a_liuto-arabo-oud-roma_id144497...

http://www.mercatinomusicale.com/mm/a_vendo-oud-liuto-arabo_id70846...

If you were so kind as to take a look at both of them, I'd be very grateful to hear your comments. Thanks. Bye.

Sazi - 1-31-2010 at 05:40 AM

Hard to tell just by looking, pity theres no sound files, I like the look of the cedar topped Lebanese one myself, if they are local you'll be able to try them both out and see how they feel to you, they might be different scale lengths for instance, and you may prefer one over the other.

G oud luck:)

Aymara - 1-31-2010 at 05:51 AM

Hi again!
Quote: Originally posted by CordaTesa  

I was looking for an Arabic Oud or a Turkish one but with Arabic tuning.


I think it would be better to look for an Arabic oud then, which will have more bass than a downtuned Turkish oud.
Quote:
A couple of people are selling theirs privately in Rome ...


That has the advantage, that you can test them yourself ... try to record sound files while testing them and post them here, before you buy. At first sight, I would prefer the second one because of the longer fingerboard ... I'm a former guitarist ;) On the other hand I prefer ouds with 3 soundholes ... which usually results in more balanced sound characteristics.

BTW ... do you have any experience with other string instruments like guitar or maybe mandoline or even lute? That would greatly help to find out the quality of an oud while playing it. For a totally beginner it's hard to tell, how good an instrument is.

CordaTesa - 1-31-2010 at 09:31 AM

Good evening everybody!

To answer Aymara's question: I've been trained in Western classical music since I was a little kid. I play the Violin, so I'm kinda familiar with fret-less fingerboards :)
In the past years I've also been playing the Guitar, mostly Flamenco one. There are different "palos" (styles) in Flamenco that are strongly influenced by Arabian music, Zambra Mora in particular.
In my spare time I enjoy making Bamboo flutes for Irish music as well as for other different musical cultures.

See you next time!

Aymara - 1-31-2010 at 10:49 AM

Hi again,

sounds as if you should be able to check out the quality of an oud, when you play it ;)

So maybe start checking out the offers in Rome ... and search Youtube for oud videos to get a feeling for the sound characteristics of different oud designs.

CordaTesa - 1-31-2010 at 11:36 AM

Thanks Aymara, you've been very kind.

Aymara - 1-31-2010 at 11:57 AM

Quote: Originally posted by CordaTesa  
..., you've been very kind.


Like eveybody else in these forums ... without these forums I wouldn't play my own oud ;)

I bet you'll be the next one, who will say this some day.

Danielo - 2-1-2010 at 03:37 AM

Hi Rodrigo,

and welcome!

you should try contact Lazzaro who is a valued member of this forum, located also in Rome. He may have some oud to sell, or he may help you to find a good one!

Dan

CordaTesa - 2-1-2010 at 11:09 AM

Thanks for your suggestion Danielo, I'll bear it in mind.