Mike's Oud Forums

String Replacement on Floating Bridge Oud?

spirit - 4-10-2011 at 06:46 PM

How does one replace the strings at the bottom below the bridge? On the Sukar in question it appears they must be knotted underneath, but there doesn't appear to be any access. It doesn't look like the dark wood piece that the strings go through is removable ( though please indicate if this is a false presumption). The Sound hole is pretty far from the string anchor which is at the bottom of the oud, but the strings appear to go into the oud body down there, not out the rear/bottom like some other floating bridge instruments.

Any suggestions would be most welcome

Thanks

Floating Bridge End Piece

spirit - 4-10-2011 at 08:01 PM

Floating Bridge End Piece

OudStringAnchor.jpg - 46kB

Hatem_Afandi - 4-11-2011 at 06:49 PM

Hello Spirit,
I agree with you. This is a tricky one. I have three floating-bridge ouds.
Usually, the bridge location on the sound board is marked with a pencil. I do suggest that you do mark it before replacing the strings.
Also, you have to be fully aware of the "upper and lower" sides of the bridge on the sound board.
On the nut side, use a pencil to ensure that you mount it exactly the same way.
Once the positions and the orientation of both the nut and the bridge is established, it will become a straight forward job.
Good luck,
Hatem

spyblaster - 4-13-2011 at 05:49 AM

hey spirit
tell me, its the new sukar ovation oud, aint it? if so then there's nothing to worry about, the bridge is fixed! just open the strings from the peg box, then push them to the bowl at the bottom. reach in from the sound hole and pull the strings out of the instrument.
notice that the primary string course might have been tied together so you can only remove them course by course, not one by one.
Amir