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Building an Oud - Nahhat style with video!

Yaron Naor - 8-4-2012 at 01:00 PM

After repairing some "Nahhat" ouds, I have decided to build an Oud that will be a Nahhat style,
I used the geometrical analitics of our good friend John Downing and here are some pictures:
I HOPE that the sound will be a bit close to the real thing (-:

I found a 25 years old Cedar top...
and I designed the ticket that includes my face as the Syrian builders used to do.

Enjoy...
Yaron Naor

jdowning - 8-4-2012 at 04:28 PM

Nice work Yaron. It WILL sound like an original- I can feel the 'vibes'!

Microber - 8-5-2012 at 02:12 AM

Very nice soundboard !
Could you post pictures of the bowl.
Congratulations.
Robert :applause:

Finished, ready for recordings

Yaron Naor - 8-5-2012 at 04:00 AM

Thank you all for your support
Today I put the strings on, and in a few days we will have a video!
The sound is amazing and I hope it will set on the Nahhat sound

Enjoy
Yaron Naor

Danielo - 8-5-2012 at 05:44 AM

Congratulations Yaron,

I really love the very clean and perfectly executed design :applause:

Is the bracing also copied from a Nahat ?

However one thing is lacking for a perfect Nahat look : the moustache

Dan

Yaron Naor - 8-5-2012 at 07:55 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Danielo

Congratulations Yaron,

I really love the very clean and perfectly executed design :applause:

Is the bracing also copied from a Nahat ?

However one thing is lacking for a perfect Nahat look : the moustache

Dan

Thanks Dan (-:
For your compliments, and yes, the bracing is the exact bracing of the Nahhat, I have change a bit the pegs-box to be more comfortable for the strings and the pegs are from Ebony
Unfortunately I don't have a mustache so the ticket stays like that (-:
Regards
Yaron Naor

Alfaraby - 8-5-2012 at 02:49 PM

Excuse me !
Though nice looking oud & fine job, it did not remind me of any Nahat I've ever seen: 19 ribs, beech wood bridge, no rosette, different pegbox, ebony pegs, full neck-block, non-homogeneous soundboard ! ! What exactly did you mean by saying a "Nahat style" oud ? :shrug:

I hope the sound will meet the expectations more than the "looking".

Good luck

Yours indeed
Alfaraby

jdowning - 8-5-2012 at 04:45 PM

What is a non-homogeneous soundboard?

Alfaraby - 8-5-2012 at 09:39 PM

Like we see in AAAA tops. Nahat usually used HQ wood for soundboards.
I didn't find more accurate description. Excuse my poor technical language.

Thank you

Yours indeed
Alfaraby

jdowning - 8-6-2012 at 05:20 AM

The reason that the reference to non-homogeneous sound board caught my eye is that all wood is a non-homogeneous material - some more so than others. So I was curious about how the sound board of this oud might differ from that of a Nahat oud.

The luthier trade today grades its wood on cosmetic considerations (as well as on some physical characteristics such as density and stiffness) - straight, fine grain, uniform colour, perfectly quartered etc always supplied in two book matched pieces so satisfying customer demand (and profit margins!). However, it is perfectly possible for an experienced and knowledgeable luthier to make fine sounding instruments using woods that would not otherwise pass muster aesthetically in today's market and by assembling them together as multiple piece soundboards.

As far as I can judge from the images posted, Yaron has made the sound board from four pieces. From some images that I have seen of ouds that are said to be Nahats, the sound boards can be made from up to six pieces and may contain some of the wildest, crooked non uniform grain that can be imagined. For example the Nahat oud recently restored by luthier Michael Cone appears to have a sound board made from six pieces (See 'Analysis of Nahhat Bracing' page 1 on this forum). Also have a look at the images of the 1906 Abdo George Nahat oud posted on Richard Hankey's website for an example of extreme crooked grain.

So could this mean that these ouds are not genuine Nahats after all?

Alfaraby - 8-6-2012 at 10:25 AM

When I said Nahat, I meant Abdo; who was known as super pedant choosing the SB.
One may find some other brothers' ouds in which the maker did not pay the same attention to this part of the making. Moreover, SB have been often replaced.
None of any Nahats I've seen (and I don't assume ALL Abdo Nahat ouds) has this kind of wild spruce. None has cedar either. So when making Nahat style oud the contemporary maker should follow Nahat's footsteps in every specification possible. That's all !

Yours indeed
Alfaraby

Microber - 8-6-2012 at 11:04 AM

I don't like non-homogeneous soundboard !

Robert

jdowning - 8-6-2012 at 12:18 PM

You might not like the sound of a sound board made from an homogeneous material either microber - sheet plastic or metal perhaps!!

Yaron - what is the species of cedar that you are using for the sound board and how do you know for sure as it is often difficult to precisely identify a softwood species without microscopic examination of the wood cell structure.

Alfaraby - same question - what is the species of sound board wood that was used by Abdo Nahat and how do you know? And if a sound board has been replaced (by other than say, Abdo Nahat the original maker) what then - no longer an Abdo Nahat oud I imagine?

As a matter of interest, do we know how many Nahat ouds survive in original condition - is there a data base cataloging details of these instruments and their location?

Microber - 8-6-2012 at 01:20 PM

Hey John, I was kidding about the opinion of Alfaraby.
See the quote of my previous post.
Yaron I like your work very much.

Quote: Originally posted by Microber

Very nice soundboard !
Could you post pictures of the bowl.
Congratulations.
Robert :applause:

Alfaraby - 8-6-2012 at 01:22 PM

As much as I have been told by reliable sources in Damascus, and I've talked to many, Abdo Nahat used Carpathian spruce, top grade, carefully chosen by the master.
I believe that oud that have been severely damaged and restored is no longer an Abdo anymore. Not only in the case of replacing the SB. Even If it was opened and closed carefully, it's not the same oud anymore.
There's no data base whatsoever concerning living Abdos. People don't report to the "Nahat authority" about their possessing. I know at least two who have unknown number of Abdos and nobody knows about them anything.
I don't want, but I feel jealous.

Yours indeed
Alfaraby

Edward Powell - 8-7-2012 at 03:19 AM

I think he said "Nahhat-style", not "Nahhat-replica". There is a big difference.

Yaron, your Nahhat-style oud here is an absolute masterpiece! Thanks so much for posting these beautiful pics! It is very inspiring for me - keep up your great work!

And here it is...

Yaron Naor - 8-15-2012 at 04:31 PM

I am so exited!

See my friend Master Juzif Oude is playing my Nahhat

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TljYhADaUA&feature=youtu.be

Thanks all for all your feed-backs and knowledge
Regards,

Yaron

Dr. Oud - 8-31-2012 at 09:15 PM

Well, I like it, whatever you want to call it. It has a very rich tone and good balance, a very nice job, congratulations. Now, what's with the oud in the back with the big ears?

Yaron Naor - 9-3-2012 at 02:40 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Dr. Oud

Well, I like it, whatever you want to call it. It has a very rich tone and good balance, a very nice job, congratulations. Now, what's with the oud in the back with the big ears?

Thanks doc! I really appreciate it that you took the time to view and listen...
The oud at the back is my "OUDAR" a unique combination of a Turkish size/sound oud with a shape of a guitar and a flat back
It is easier to play and it sits good on your leg, the sound is a very special Turkish sound
https://picasaweb.google.com/116712080015313073524/FlatBackTurkishOu...

Thanks for your interest
Regards,
Yaron

fernandraynaud - 9-3-2012 at 05:51 AM

Congratulations! It does have a great sound, though the automatic gain control on the camera makes it sound like it sustains forever ;-) Did you French Polish the non-homogeneous soundboard, or use a brush? Shellac or? But, moustache or not, you really should put the date, your cell-phone number and your e-mail address on the label, like Abdo did.

Yaron Naor - 9-3-2012 at 10:42 PM

Quote: Originally posted by fernandraynaud

Congratulations! It does have a great sound, though the automatic gain control on the camera makes it sound like it sustains forever ;-) Did you French Polish the non-homogeneous soundboard, or use a brush? Shellac or? But, moustache or not, you really should put the date, your cell-phone number and your e-mail address on the label, like Abdo did.

Thanks!
I apply shellac on the oud body only, on the soundboard I put one cote of a special liquid that I make here, to prevent the wood from drying too fast (old Cedar is a drying sensitive wood) and crack, and preventing the oil from the fingers and the hand.
For sure I have put the date and my signature on the ticket!

In the image, Mr. Dominique with his new oud!

Thanks,
Regards
Yaron Naor.

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