Rafoud - 11-14-2012 at 11:03 PM
Hi! Long time no see ... It's maybe a repeated thread but I couldn't find an answer so I'll try posting this topic.
After a few years quite happy with a begginers Gawharet el Fan's instrument I've bought a 2008 Tunisian Haddad.
Beautiful sound... But I just discovered a vertical crack on the ebony fingerboard.
What should I do? Oil? Glue? Give it back to he previous owner? Any ideas? any previous thread?
The crack is not very big. Mostly visible in the lower part of the fingerboard but I fear it can keep on cracking upwards....
And once again 
thanks for this necessary Forum, Mike!
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BaniYazid - 11-14-2012 at 11:13 PM
Salut Rafoud
Can you post a picture of the crack ?
Where are you in France ?
Rafoud - 11-15-2012 at 01:22 AM
Salut Bani Yazid! Je t'ai répondu par email
I've added some photos if it helps! In the third one you can't appreciate it, but it's for perspective matters
Thank you all!
dkhoury35 - 11-15-2012 at 03:49 AM
If the oud is well made I don't think it will get any worse I've seen many ours do this
BaniYazid - 11-15-2012 at 03:59 AM
Contact Pick & Boch in Lyon :
http://www.pick-et-boch.com/restauration.html
(devis gratuit pour les fentes)
Is there a crack in the soundboard bellow the fingerboard ? If not it may be not so hard repair it by yourself, if yes, I advice you to take your oud
to a luthier.
Good luck.
SamirCanada - 11-15-2012 at 04:20 AM
Don't panic my friend. C'est pas la fin du monde ça.
This is very common problem since ebony and spruce are very different in density and moisture absorption. To make sure it doesn't happen, keep the
humidity in your house constant all year long. This size crack is a cosmetic problem only.
It is a very easy fix. Take a scrap piece of ebony, sand it with very fine sandpaper and collect the dust. Spread and press the ebony dust into the
cracks and remove the extra dust. Apply drops of "crazy glue'' instant glue along the cracks on the dust. It will seep in an seize immediately. After
the glue is very hard (20-30 min), use a scraper to remove to bring the area it flush and sand down that areas with 400 or lighter sandpaper if you
have some. Put some lemon oil on your fingerboard et voila.
Put lemon oil on your finger board every time you change the strings. Just don't let it touch your soundboard.
BaniYazid - 11-15-2012 at 04:28 AM
L'expérience a parlé !
tu peux suivre les conseils de Samir les yeux fermés.
Les "scraper" (racloirs) ne sont pas cher, et le "lemon oil" tu peux en trouver dans la plupart des magasins de musique.
Rafoud - 11-15-2012 at 05:04 AM
Waw! That's a precise and reassuring explanation
Thank you so much, really!
It is more or less what I thought as my place is quite dry (damn electric heating) but of course, first I panicked 
Thank you again to all three and I hope it helps someone in the same dire situation. http://nooooooooooooooo.com/ )
francis - 11-15-2012 at 07:33 AM
Efficaces les francophones! Bravo.
SamirCanada - 11-16-2012 at 05:56 AM
Ah ouais c'est déjà réparé?
Comment ça été? Bien je l'espère...