Edward6311 - 10-9-2014 at 05:06 PM
I am hoping someone can tell me about these reduced price Ouds offered by Faruk Turunz. How do they compare to other not reduced priced Ouds he has
for sale? How is the quality compared to the other more expensive Faruk Turunz Ouds? What makes them reduced price?
Also, if I were to order one to be shipped to the US, would they guarantee I would receive it undamaged from the shipping?
I am interested in buying one, but want to find out as much as I can about the different qualities and there prices.
Does anyone know the approximate price for the shipping to the US?
Jody Stecher - 10-9-2014 at 06:49 PM
The reduced price ouds have a simpler finish that is less time consuming to apply. That brings the cost down. There is no option for custom features,
features that bring the cost up on other models. For more information try the search function in this forum. For shipping costs contact Faruk Turunz
at his website.
DavidJE - 10-9-2014 at 10:48 PM
Jody is correct.
I have one of Faruk's custom ouds and one of his reduced price ouds. I would say the quality of the two are identical, as is the sound quality. The
differences are cosmetic. With the custom ouds you can get more intricate rosettes and pick guards, different types of woods, and the finish is
different (a glossy french polish instead of a matte varnish). You might have a relatively small difference in the sound due to different wood
selection and the different polish, if the polish is applied to the soundboard, however those differences wouldn't be that significant in my opinion,
and they wouldn't lead to a "better" sound...just a different sound depending on the hardness of the wood, and so on.
I love both of the ouds and often have a hard time deciding which one I want to play (one of mine is Turkish tuned and the other Arabic), so I would
very highly recommend either. It just depends on what you want in terms of cost vs. customization.
spyblaster - 10-10-2014 at 01:07 AM
If u plan to buy a reduced price oud from Faruk, u better do it when u go to Turkey. because if he send it to you you should also pay 500$ for DHL and
a hard case.
That's why I still don't have a Faruk oud. I wish he would send via airmail which is very cheaper.
franck leriche - 10-10-2014 at 01:26 AM
Also, there's no small wood inlay (sorry i don't know the luthier's term) on the pegbox, neck and back.
The wood of the fingerboard might be a little softer than the customs ones.
The spruce of the face might also be the leftover from the best.
You get what you pay for, but for that money, you get a very well done and very good sounding instrument.
if you live in a very humid area you might have some trouble with the very low action.
Istanbul is a medium humid climate, so think about it.
When i was in Sidi Ifni ,south Morocco, two years ago the humidity was so strong i couldn't play my reduced price oud.
That was the worth case i had. Otherwise the oud was sensible to variations but not so badly.
Now, i've got two double soundboard ouds and sold the reduced price one, but i'm thinking to buy one again when i travel to unsecured places.
danieletarab - 10-10-2014 at 06:31 AM
They are beautiful. I own an arabic one and it's just perfect. But as I wrote already in another post, althought the oud is very cheap for his real
value, it costs a lot to be shipped (customs takex, western union commission, exepition fees, compulsory hard case which costs 250 euro).
I tried a custom one also, and there was a difference (because of the different kind of woods), but it was not a difference in quality (I prefer my
reduced anyway!)
If I could go go back, I would go to Istanbul myself to pick it up (I am from Italy). It would cost the same (flight and hotel included), I would meet
a great Master, and I would visit again beautiful Istanbul 
DavidJE - 10-10-2014 at 06:53 AM
I flew to Istanbul to get each of my ouds. It was less expensive than the shipping + customs, and it was a great experience getting to meet Faruk and
his crew, see how they do their work, etc. However, that's flying from Austria. From the US it's going to be much more expensive to fly to Istanbul.
Then again, Istanbul is a fantastic city to visit, so if you can spare the money and time I'd highly recommend going and picking it up yourself.
I've already posted it somewhere on this forum...but I made a blog post about my experience going to Istanbul to pick up my oud, here: http://www.functionalselfdefense.org/blog/faruk-turunz-master-oud-m...
Jody Stecher - 10-10-2014 at 07:53 AM
In 2012 I paid $250 for DHL shipping from Istanbul to San Francisco. This was for a Faruk Turunz Turkish oud. It wasn't a Reduced Price model but that
should make no difference to the shipping cost except to perhaps slightly raise the insurance cost. On this end I paid no customs duty and no hidden
costs. No belly button tax, no uncle tax, no Absence-of- Tomato Soup tax. Hidden surprise costs depend on the country to which the parcel is shipped
and on the mood of the customs officer who handles the parcel. I have occasionally been hit with surprise delivery costs on parcels received from
other countries but always it amounted to dozens of dollars, not hundreds. It is possible, even likely that DHL has raised its rates since 2012. I
don't think it has doubled. To be sure of the actual cost, actually ask the actual seller. Faruk Turunz will respond to your email and tell you the
cost.
franck leriche - 10-10-2014 at 08:06 AM
Definitely, go to Istanbul, eat morning cheese börek, drink tea, try to eat all the turkish food on the two other meal, drink a lot of Rakı(
well, not too much....) meet Faruk and his crew...go to listen to some fantastic musicians....bring back a whole bag of lokum, spices, herbs....visit
all the fantastics mosque and museum and hear the amazing azan, specially on friday...and above all breath the atmosphere of one of the greatest city
on earth.
If i could, i would go to Istanbul every month!!!!