Hi
I'm new to this forum.but I've been browsing for a few days.
I bought a very cheap oud from Marrakech a couple of weeks ago. I almost hesitate to call it an oud actually, for although it has a bowl back and a
swept back pegbox, it only has four "strings" attached to a very simple bridge. The bridge is basically a small l shaped block (of softwood, I
think).
The oinstrument is quite crudely made and finished, but I've sanded it down to remove varnish runs and rough woodwork, and am in the process of making
it vaguely playable by adding four proper strings. I've bought some soprano ukelele strings tuned in fifths, because I'm a violin player and a
beginner mandolin player, so I thought I'd borrow the fingering I'm used to.
The original "strings" (four equally sized bits of nylon) are quite high at the bridge. I could drill some holes lower down that the original ones,
but I'm wondering if I should replace the simple bridge altgether, perhaps with something like a ukelle bridge?
I hope none of this offends proper oud makers and players.
I know I'll end up with something that isn't an oud, perhaps a"mandoud"
Sorry I can't add pictures - my files are too large it seems.jdowning - 2-24-2013 at 12:40 PM
You can resize your images to fit within the forum size limits with free software 'PIXresizer.
