Can anyone offer an opinion about lutes made by Maurice Shehata?
I've seen some of the posts on the Forum, but I'm interested in knowing about Maurice's current production.
Thanks fernandraynaud - 11-30-2012 at 08:07 PM
I have a Shehata and have played a couple of others. They are considered among the best modern Egyptian ouds, and are carefully finished. The pegs
are ebony, nice. He uses a thick synthetic varnish on the bowl, pegbox and neck, and the soundboard is generally french polished or lightly varnished.
Whereas Sukars use a standard template and are both very powerful and consistent, relatively plain in appearance, Shehatas seem to vary much more. My
Shehata has a very narrow and thin/flat neck compared to a Sukar, and is much quieter. The timbre paradoxically retains a lot of the classical
Egyptian percussive character, yet with a rich "buzziness". The action is quite low. The neck is reinforced internally with something like a metal "I"
beam, or it could never stay straight given its flat profile, but unlike a Sukar or a Fadi Matta, it's not adjustable. Mine has a saddle in the
bridge, which can be replaced or shaved to adjust the action, with a pickup, a pre-amp with 2 EQ bands and an end-pin jack. The pickup and electronics
are Korean ARTEC, not very high end, but serviceable. It's a very attractive instrument.
[file]24998[/file]Mascun - 12-2-2012 at 03:38 AM
Thanks for your report, fernandraynaud, it agrees with most of the comments I have read in this forum. Do you think $1500 is the right price to pay
for a Shehata Algieba? This is the price that a parisian merchant is asking.naddad - 12-2-2012 at 08:01 AM
I've had a shehata, had lots of problems with it, it basically fell apart. I wouldn't recommend it although this is just based on my own experience of
one shehata oud. SamirCanada - 12-2-2012 at 09:07 AM
1500$ is probably the right price.
I have had several of them and I love them. Definitely they have a unique sound that not everyone loves but the playability is unmatched in most ouds
I have played.
When this man uses your ouds only it means you must be doing something right.
I have had several of them and I love them. Definitely they have a unique sound that not everyone loves but the playability is unmatched in most ouds
I have played.
When this man uses your ouds only it means you must be doing something right.
I have had several of them and I love them. Definitely they have a unique sound that not everyone loves but the playability is unmatched in most ouds
I have played.
When this man uses your ouds only it means you must be doing something right.
Having consistent quality and making a few high quality instruments are two different things.
I see your point, naddad: I have a Sukar, which I found very disappointing. Nevertheless nobody denies that the Sukar production is normally of fine
quality.Mascun - 12-3-2012 at 02:19 PM
Thanks for the pix Alfaraby, a splendid instrument indeed. My taste, particularly for the belly, is more conservative, but the craftsmanship and
artistry involved in making this oud is quite considerable.
