Mike's Oud Forums

D'addario Strings - New Sets

Brian Prunka - 2-6-2012 at 02:34 PM

I'm looking for volunteers to test out some new Arabic sets by D'addario I've been working on with them.

I will ship them free of charge to anyone in the US or Canada who wants to try them. If you live elsewhere, I may have to charge some of the shipping cost to you, depending on where you live and how expensive it is. Or if you are planning on ordering something anyway, I will include it in your order.

D'addario wants your feedback and opinions so that they can offer good Arabic oud sets, so please only ask if you are wiling to try the set and and will give feedback.

These are the sets available:

Arabic Classic oud - normal tension 35.6N/3.63Kg
Arabic Classic oud - low tension 31.6N/3.2Kg
Arabic Floating Bridge F-f' - med-high tension 36.5N/3.72Kg

cheers,
Brian

EDIT: I should mention that while I'm calling the F-f' set "floating bridge", it is not so high in tension that one couldn't use it on a fixed bridge oud if you don't mind higher tension. It's still lower than Aquila.

NY Oud - 2-7-2012 at 02:17 PM

Hey Brian,

I will try a set. I am using their strings currently. I like the way they sound on my Sukar. Maybe these will sound better. Thanks for the opportunity.

Anthony

Brian Prunka - 2-7-2012 at 02:41 PM

Great, Anthony. Are you planning on seeing the Tawadros brothers this Saturday at Alwan? If so, I can bring them then. It would be good to meet you.

Cheers,
Brian

Microber - 2-8-2012 at 12:03 AM

Hello Brian,

I am volunteer to try a set on my Fadi Matta 7 courses floating bridge. But as I am in Belgium, I will pay the shipping cost if it's not to much.
Let me know.

Robert

charlie oud - 2-8-2012 at 05:05 AM

Happy to volunteer for the Arabic light tension set for use on my 1950 Anton Abrass Syrian oud and will provide feedback and pay postage.

Brian Prunka - 2-8-2012 at 08:32 AM

Charlie and Robert,

Thanks. I'll get them in the mail to you and let you know the postage. Britian or Belgium should be around $5, maybe a little less.

franck leriche - 2-8-2012 at 08:59 AM

i would like to try them on my Nahat, but i like to have it like 2kg/per string, what about the low tension?

Brian Prunka - 2-8-2012 at 09:33 AM

Franck, what is the scale length on your oud?

The low tension set is calculated to average tension of 31.6N or 3.2Kg average tension on a 62cm scale oud. If your oud is shorter, the tension would be less.

Consistent tensions across the strings don't provide even response, so the tensions vary from 2.5 - 3.9 kg.

In comparison, the standard Pyramid 650 set is average 3.9Kg, as is the Aquila "light" set, both at 61.5 cm.

1 cm change in string length changes the tension by roughly .13Kg.

So if your oud is 61cm, the D'addario set would be roughly 3.1Kg. If your oud is 62cm, the Pyramid set would be roughly 4.0kg.

Part of this process is to get feedback, so if you tried them and felt the tension was too high for your oud, that would be valuable feedback. However, if your oud is very fragile, I don't want you to risk any damage!


edit: corrected tensions

MatthewW - 2-8-2012 at 09:34 AM

Hi Brian-
I have 13 courses, 58.5 cm fixed bridge by N.G.
I tune Arabic/Iraqi: single low C to high FF.
I usually find the Pyramid Arabic Orange set 650/11 to work OK with my oud, with the addition of the double high FF, like D'Addario rectified NLY20 /NLY21 or thereabouts. I've ordered strings from you in the past so perhaps you'll know which set would work best. As long as the new D'Addario strings are not overall too on the treble side I'll be happy to give 'em a go.
let me know what shipping charges might be and I'll Paypal you. thanks!

Brian Prunka - 2-8-2012 at 09:57 AM

Thanks, Matthew.

The F-f' set is about 3.72Kg average, which is in the ballpark of the Pyramid 650 set, actually slightly less.

I can send you that one, do you need an extra low C?

By the way, the Kurschner high f' sets I have include the low C for 7 course oud (which is what I assume you meant, not 13 courses!)

Shipping should be about 4.00.

If you need an extra low C, just make it 5.50.

MatthewW - 2-8-2012 at 10:27 AM

hello Brian
sorry for any confusion on stings!

when I said 13 courses, I meant 13 individual strings...is this correct termonology?
I use one single low C string,
then from low to high double courses/strings:
FF, AA, DD,GG, cc, then the high ff.

I hope that is a bit clearer buddy :)

let me know if you have any more questions, I don't mean to string you along:D

paypal sent, thanks.

Brian Prunka - 2-8-2012 at 10:29 AM

I have one low tension set left that I'm holding for you Franck, if you want it.

There are two normal tension sets left and five floating sets left.

Brian Prunka - 2-8-2012 at 10:33 AM

Quote: Originally posted by MatthewW  
hello Brian
sorry for any confusion on stings!

when I said 13 courses, I meant 13 individual strings...is this correct termonology?
I use one single low C string,
then from low to high double courses/strings:
FF, AA, DD,GG, cc, then the high ff.

I hope that is a bit clearer buddy :)

let me know if you have any more questions, I don't meant to string you along:D

paypal sent, thanks.


:D

A course is any number of strings that are played together:

c'c' is one course made up of two strings.

Sometimes an instrument like a buzuq has three strings tuned octave-unison-unison. This is still one course.

So you have seven courses, six of which are double strings.

I knew that was what you meant, but there actually are thirteen course lutes, like this one:

NY Oud - 2-8-2012 at 01:55 PM

Brian I will be in the city for the show this weekend.

NY Oud - 2-8-2012 at 04:49 PM

Brian I will be in the city for the show this weekend.

Brian Prunka - 2-8-2012 at 08:47 PM

Okay, I'll see you there and bring the strings.

cheers,
Brian

franck leriche - 2-8-2012 at 10:25 PM

Thank you Brian, but i'm afraid it would be to much tension for my "old" oud.

I think i'll keep going on custom aquila's and kurschner's custom strings since it's 64cm.

Microber - 2-9-2012 at 12:58 AM

Hi Brian,

What will be the tension for my Fadi Matta floating bridge.
The scale length is 60cm.

Thanks

Robert

russianoudi - 2-9-2012 at 01:58 AM

Hi Brian!

I can try arabic classical set normal tension
CFAdgc

Can you ship it to Russia?

Thanks a lot

Alexander

Brian Prunka - 2-9-2012 at 06:34 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Microber  
Hi Brian,

What will be the tension for my Fadi Matta floating bridge.
The scale length is 60cm.

Thanks

Robert


Hi Robert,

It would be roughly 3.8Kg.

Luttgutt - 2-10-2012 at 06:10 AM

Hi Brian!

I would like to try the F-f high tention on a 7 course, floating bridge, 58,5cm, cedar face oud.

If you have any offer for me for my B and EE strings, you can include it.

Thanks again

Brian Prunka - 2-10-2012 at 12:50 PM

Quote: Originally posted by franck leriche  
Thank you Brian, but i'm afraid it would be to much tension for my "old" oud.

I think i'll keep going on custom aquila's and kurschner's custom strings since it's 64cm.



Yes, that's for the best. 64cm is rather long, and there's really no other choice than to assemble custom sets. There aren't enough ouds that length for anyone to offer a ready-made set.

This set would wind up being 3.4Kg on your oud, which I don't recommend for an antique.

For your oud, I would recommend Kürschner, Pyramid or Savarez historical (lute) strings.

Brian Prunka - 2-13-2012 at 12:45 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Microber  
Hello Brian,

I am volunteer to try a set on my Fadi Matta 7 courses floating bridge. But as I am in Belgium, I will pay the shipping cost if it's not to much.
Let me know.

Robert


Robert, you haven't given me your address. You can send it to me through u2u or through oudstrings.com

Brian Prunka - 2-13-2012 at 12:49 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Luttgutt  
Hi Brian!

I would like to try the F-f high tention on a 7 course, floating bridge, 58,5cm, cedar face oud.

If you have any offer for me for my B and EE strings, you can include it.

Thanks again


I should have the EE and B in a couple of days. Send me your mailing address and email address through u2u or my website.

Cheers,
Brian

Jason - 2-14-2012 at 03:42 PM

I'll try the low tension set if Franck can't use it. I have a 62cm Sukar fixed bridge... a lot of strings I've tried in the past have felt kind of "plinky" on this oud so I'd love to try something new.

As an aside, as a guitarist and bassist I've had nothing but good experience with D'addario.

Brian Prunka - 2-14-2012 at 05:22 PM

Hey Jason,

I accidentally deleted your u2u message. If you can email me through my oudstrings.com, that would be better. I think I can help you figure out a good set for your oud. All the normal tension sets have been sent out, and I don't think the low tension is what you want.

the email is info@

Cheers,
Brian

Jason - 2-14-2012 at 08:13 PM

10-4... I sent you an email. Thanks

juju - 3-29-2012 at 07:45 AM

Hi,
I can do test on my oud ... I'm in France, I can pay for the shipping if it's not too expensive ...
At present I'm playing on "Kurschner strings" on my syrian oud (tuning : C F A D G C).
Best,
Julien.

dkhoury35 - 5-15-2012 at 11:45 PM

I would love to do a test for you on my sabbassi oud and my bilhaba oud . one is floating bridge and the other fixed bridge tunning c ff aa dd gg cc thanx ill u2u u with my address in australia melbourne

sylvainbd - 5-16-2012 at 05:04 AM

Hi oud lovers

I have a turkish oud with fixed bridge and diapason is 58.5cm.

But i am used to play with an arabic strings set (Green Galli) in DGAdgc.
I d like to change my tuning and try my oud in EABead.

Does tension is roughly the same between arabic an turkish tuning ? Maybe I have to find turkish strings with low tension ?!

Thank you for your reply.

Brian Prunka - 5-17-2012 at 07:57 AM

Dear Sylud,

The Arabic strings are generally heavier for the lower tuning, and may be too high in tension if you tune up to the Turkish tuning.

I am not too familiar with the Galli strings, so I am not sure which set would be most appropriate for your oud, but one labeled "turkish" tuning would probably work.

The D'addario J95, LaBella OU80, Kurschner, or Musicaravan Turkish sets would work.

The Kurschner sets I carry are all for C#F#Bead' tuning, not the EABead' tuning. They do make one, though.


Anyone who has tried these sets and hasn't sent me feedback, please do so . . . D'addario has been asking about it and I would like to be able to offer these sets.