permanentnovice - 10-27-2011 at 04:23 PM
Hi everyone,
I'm looking to buy my first oud. I'm a long time player of stringed instruments looking to add an oud to my skillset. I'm looking for something
that's no more than $500 and is a good quality (not tourist junk from the suk). I've heard good things about Sukars but there are so many models and
I'm a novice at understanding what to look for. I know what sounds good, though, and what a good instrument looks like.
If you live near Kansas City, MO, and have an Oud to sell, or you can offer me some advice as to what kind of oud to buy, reply to this post.
Thanks
PN
ExtreamTarab - 10-27-2011 at 07:56 PM
Hey PN,
Welcome to the forums, hope you find something nice and enjoy this great instrument 
permanentnovice - 10-28-2011 at 05:35 AM
Thanks, these forums seem very friendly. Is there any spot on these forums where a new oud player might go to find some advice on purchasing a new
oud? I've had some offers already of people trying to sell me their ouds, but if I don't know what to look for it's unwise of me to make a decision.
I'm also in the market for a bouzouki, but I'm not sure I can afford both at this time.
littleseb - 10-29-2011 at 05:40 AM
hi permanentnovice, g'day to you!
there are quite a few threads about buying ouds on these boards, it's worth it to go through old posts, there is some sound advice to be found.
on a general note: first you need to decide what broader sound you are after - turkish or arabic? if you are unsure about the difference - have a bit
of a youtube session and see what sound you prefer. turkish ouds tend to be a bit more trebley, over-toney and 'buzzy', whilst arabic ones are more
bassy and warmer sounding. a floating bridge oud is somewhere in between, i find (generally spoken).
i'd definitely recommend you to try as many ouds as you can before buying one (in person or on the net). are there any oud players in your area who's
ouds you can try? any music shops?
if you decide to buy one on the net - be sure you know what you're after.
sukar ouds are solid instruments and the ones in your price range are ok as beginner instruments, but bare in mind that you might out-grow them at
some point. i started on a sukar, was happy with it for about a year, but then got bored of it. they are not the finest instruments, but are
definitely a step up from tourist ouds. good thing is that they have a adjustable neck (queue fernand for songs of praises ).
i think zulu started on one and was quite happy for a while but then upgraded to a shehata (?).
the ones i've played seemed to be fairly consistent in terms of quality, but it's worth remembering that every oud is hand-crafted, so there is
fluctuation.
they have a wide range of ouds for all sorts of prices. google them and find out.
you say you are a muso and you know a bit about instruments. so - whatever you try - pay attention to the usual: action, weight, first impressions of
craftsmanship, buzzes, quality of sound, and, most important imo, how the oud feels to you. try to find an instrument that's just right for you. a lot
of new ouds and ouds in shops have crappy strings, so allow for improvement with regards to this.
if you find something you like - post some pictures and sound files (if you can) here. there's some well clued-up folks around who are happy to help
and advice. if you buy on the net - let us know who the seller is and ask people for their experience. post a link to the instrument in question.
if you take pictures - take as many as possible from as many angles as possible so that people get a clear idea of quality or the lack of it.
good luck, let us know how you get on!
seb