jack - 7-25-2013 at 08:45 AM
I just saw Gord Grdina play last night with his band Haram, and they were profound. While looking up more of his music this morning, I stumbled upon
this interview and performance. You have to skip ahead to minute 4:00 to hear his story of how he acquired the oud, and then to minute 5:00 to hear
him play. So my question is this: is his oud a Nahat, that someone found in a falafel shop near Vancouver, for $150?
http://youtu.be/AjfmwZARozk
Alfaraby - 7-25-2013 at 09:56 AM
NO ! NOT A NAHAT !
Not the bridge, not the rosette, not the pickguard, not the general design. The pickguard may have been replaced, so have the rosette, so we can't
count on that, but the overall impression is that it's not a Nahat's. Though it looks Syrian to me, I can't say whether it's origin is Damascus or
Aleppo. I tend to think it's more Damscene, but not sure.
I also considered it might be Egyptian, Laithy in particular, but since the owner said it's Syrian from the year 1915, I excluded this choice. It must
have a label that indicates its identity, otherwise he wouldn't have said it's so. Well, I presume ! If we can ask him for the label, it would be
wonderful to take a look on.
Anyhow, I think it's a great oud, despite the effects used in this recording, but one can tell just by listening a bit deeper, it's even better in
life than in a studio
Moreover, this tuning is causing the oud to sound sharper than it should. Such an oud should never be tuned higher than a full whole step lower, down
to BbFCGEbBb, in order to hear how it really sounds like.
I envy the owner 
Yours indeed
Alfaraby
Brian Prunka - 7-25-2013 at 11:53 AM
Gord is a good friend, and I've played his oud before. I think it is a Bedrossian.
paulO - 7-25-2013 at 07:07 PM
That is one fantastic sounding instrument, wow - love it !! Thanks for sharing jack.
Regards,
Paul
hamed - 7-25-2013 at 08:02 PM
Hey Guys,
This oud was restored by Nicole Alosinac of Vancouver. I contacted her a few months ago about restoring one of my father's old ouds.
This oud we are talking about is from aleppo, but i can't make out the label, the last name looks like Yamine.
http://www.nicolealosinacluthiery.com/guitarPages/Oud.html
David
Brian Prunka - 7-26-2013 at 05:18 AM
Amazing repair work.
It would actually make sense if the oud wasn't Bedrossian, as I didn't think it looked quite like his work, but I thought that was what Gord had said.
Doc139 - 7-26-2013 at 05:45 AM
Aa amazing repair work, in fact - chapeau, Madame Luthier Alosinac!! I think she did a great job - and it's a most beautiful old oud indeed - happy
owner!!
Thanks for sharing.
Alexander
SamirCanada - 7-26-2013 at 06:03 AM
Excellent Repair!
I agree with our friend Faraby here, he should tune that bad boy down a little.
I cant really make that first name on the label though. Looks like it was made in Halab (Allepo)
He plays very well also, not an easy piece to play.