I've had my Turkish oud for a few months, tuning it to classical pitch: EABead.
I noticed recently that the face of the oud is bulging slightly behind the bridge and dipping in front of it. I found this alarming and immediately
slackened the strings off and the face returned to a flat plane. Am I over-reacting and is this a 'normal' characteristic of the oud?
Thanks for any info.Franck - 11-16-2011 at 07:56 AM
This is normal to a certain extend, makers will give a slight inward curve on the face of the instrument where the mizrab hits the strings. This is
done so the mizrab won't hit the face when it hits the string when played hard. Of course, the thinner the soundboard, the bigger the warp on it. Go
see an oud maker if you think it warps too much (I wouldn't go to guitar or violin luthier, this is specific to the oud).
Hope it helps. Good luck.DoggerelPundit - 11-16-2011 at 09:32 AM
The curves and dips described are indeed normal for most Turkish style ouds. However, they are fixed in place according to the bracing and are not
supposed to move at all, i.e. they remain even when the oud is completely unstrung. Franck is right, this face movement should be looked at by an oud
luthier.
Maybe Dr. Oud or Jdowning will weigh in on this one.
-StephenDr. Oud - 11-16-2011 at 10:40 AM
The string tension on a fixed (glued) bridge twists the face, causing the dip in front and the hump behind the bridge. This is a common problem with
all ladder braced stringed instruments, and probably led to the development of fan and X bracing designs for guitars.
Turkish oud faces are often very thin and this deformation is very common. The relief or "slight inward curve" is to prevent the face from rotating
around the next brace, which can cause a hump below the sound hole. This hump can be a problem for string clearance, sometimes causing rattling or
buzzing of the strings on the face. The clearance for mizrab action is incidental.Lynzz - 11-16-2011 at 04:16 PM
What brand of strings are you using on your oud?
Can you post photos?
Where are you located?
The strings are the ones that came with it and I assume they are the same as the spare set. The brand is 'Gold'; no manufacturing info on the
packet.
Can post photos at another time. I would have to re-tune the instrument, but I have more pressing priorities at the moment.
I'm in Armidale, NSW, Australia.Greg - 11-16-2011 at 04:47 PM
As others have said, a small amount of bowing is normal. If you are concerned that your bowing is not 'a small amount', then a lighter string guage
would be prudent. If you are unsure, why not ask Armidale's Peter Biffin to take a look to see if he considers the bowing to be excessive. http://www.spikefiddle.com
