I am looking for horn rishas, there were a site called Mid east Bavly music, but it seems that it's not working anymore, has anyone tried those
pyramids rishas on Jameel website?
ThanksAymara - 6-17-2010 at 10:09 AM
Hi,
horn rishas are currently very hard to get as it seems. My sweetheart bought untreated horn on a medieval market and built me a risha out of it with
her Dremel.
Natural horn is fantastic and it was definitely worth the hassle. But it needs to be oiled frequently.
MidEast Manufacturing has been buying from Bavly. They get a container with instruments and rishas every couple of months. All US based retailers buy
from MidEast (product OUDP). Every few months MidEast runs low and prices go up, then they dry up. We are now in a drought. MidEast and 99.9% of their
resellers show "out of stock". If Bavly goes out of business this could be trouble. Bavly supplies other musical items, probably including the dreaded
"standard oud". Any news?
These are excellent blanks. Different pieces have different length, color, etc. Out of 6 usually a couple are long enough to make two rishas. Average
size 20 cm x 1.2 cm x 0.76 mm (8" x 1/2" x 0.030"). One can easily sand them to desired shape, and thickness is perfect. They sound grittier than any
plastic, richer. Horn is like feather, horsehair, nails. It grabs the string. For a brighter timbre you can rub it on a violin rosin cake, it's a
different sound yet! They don't really need any special care, they ship oiled, you can rub them occasionally on your forehead, the same way feather
quills in harpsichords are oiled.
I think I have rishas for lifetime ....)spyros mesogeia - 6-17-2010 at 08:46 PM
ANYTHING MORE SIMPLE TO DO?
On Amazon or on e-bay?
Regards to allfernandraynaud - 6-17-2010 at 09:05 PM
Look for some online shop that has some MidEast Manufacturing / Bavly OUDP packages. I think AndreasInc has a few, they haven't replied with an
out-of-stock MSG to my order for one. Keep trying the many online shops, many show that they have it but they usually don't check inventory until the
final checkout. It's boring, but maybe you will find one.spyros mesogeia - 6-17-2010 at 09:07 PM
3.59 € for one risha???? Do they ship to canada?Tarbool59 - 6-18-2010 at 12:38 PM
For that price, it's worth to try to make your own...fernandraynaud - 6-18-2010 at 01:12 PM
You can make at least a couple dozen rishas from your mother in law's horns fernandraynaud - 6-19-2010 at 11:01 AM
The price per unit is not too critical unless you chronically lose rishas, as they last a long long time. One thin one split on me while sanding. A
little superglue (cyanoacrylate) and it's good to go. Another thing is you can mount a horn tip on a plastic "handle". Once you've played with horn,
you won't go back.
I have tried the packs of horn from amazon etc. A pack of 6 could yield 1 or 2 good mizraps. However, I figured out a better hit rate - mizraps from
buffalo horn scales/blanks that are marketed for custom knife handles, sold as a pair, ranging from $8-15. Yields 10+ excellent mizraps per pair of
blanks.
They are available from Ebay and general googling. Since I prefer shorter mizraps, the length of the longer blanks (5") suit me. This material is
superior as it is much denser, thus snappier, sounds brighter and polishes to a shine. It is black/dark brown in color. When shaped into thin mizraps,
they are translucent with streaks of white or tan, and truly luxurious. Object d'art....my ouds agree
I use medium hand files, then 120 to 2000 grit sandpaper, and finally leather to shape them. They still need initial moisturizing, and could also
split from rough use, but much less due to their density.
Once you've used mizraps from buffalo horn scales, you will never go back.....
The pic shows, from left: horn scale/blank on it's side, sawn strips, finished mizraps.
Zen of Mizraps.
fernandraynaud - 6-21-2010 at 01:04 AM
Mizrap, Mizrap? What is Mizrap? Oh, you mean Reesha?
This is a great find! Here is one I see right away.
5" is long enough. But I DO like the "grip" on the strings of the Bavly material, I wouldn't want the material too "glassy". Are these soft enough to
have a "bite", or do they glide off the strings like a hard plastic?
But I can see that your mizraps are "truly works of art that took a long time to make". Manil - 6-21-2010 at 06:22 AM
I tried the Bavly reeshas and I liked them much more than the plastic reesha I have, the plastic reesha was perfect in terms of stiffnes and the sound
was very bright, but still hearing this plastic sound, since I started using horn reesha, i have a new feeling with my oud, the only sound I hear is
the notes and not the sound of the reesha on the strings, what i like the most about Bavly reeshas is that the give a heavy timber to my oud, I was
sick of the bright timber of the plastic reesha, it sounds more arabic, more like an Andaloussi oud not a guitar, I will place an order from Mid East
and see what happens, will let you guys know.
Thanks a lot for your help people, Will try those buffalo horn, I heard some oudist use Ghazala rishas, have anyone tried those?fernandraynaud - 6-21-2010 at 09:17 AM
Good luck, Manil, they GONE! They just called me, MidEast had one pack left, it was shipping to me, and they called to say they were damaged and no
good to ship! see Contest #5. It's your only chance of getting a Bavly cow-horn blank for at least another month! Manil - 6-21-2010 at 10:01 AM
I responded to your contest, see the answer!
picks options
fixingahole2 - 1-21-2012 at 07:42 PM
I bought the mideast ones (6 pack), there are pretty good (at least some of them, don't count on all 6), as well as the pyramid ones (plastic, nice).
lately, I am doing my own, I just have too many power tools at home. Once I get my hand on a nice horn, I just make as many as I can. I like the cow
horn better, they project more than plastic. I specifically prefer the brighter color ones.
Buffalo horn are good as well, and it really come down to too many factors - color, shape - length, width, thickness, tip design, just anything...
I got my hand on a beautiful black & white horn, and it really sound different on the two different tips (one end is black, other white, see pic).
Anyway, if anyone would like a pick, I am willing to shed for cost...
)
