juju - 4-26-2015 at 01:51 PM
Hi,
my oud is a 11 courses arabic oud (61,5cm). I only play the high F tuning. I'm thinking about converting that oud into a 12 courses.
To be more precise, I'm thinking to ask a luthier to do this.
I'm wondering if there is an important impact on playbility with such a change. I'm thinking about the width of the neck that will increase a little.
At present my oud has 39mm at nut. What would be be the size for a 12 courses?
best.
Brian Prunka - 4-26-2015 at 06:17 PM
Typically one would just respace the strings at the nut and bridge if necessary . . . the string spacing may become slightly narrower. As long as you
have 12 pegs, that is all you need to do. This just involves cutting a new nut and possibly filling in the holes at the bridge and drilling new
ones.
If you are thinking about replacing the entire neck with a wider neck, that is usually not necessary, you can just space the strings about .5mm closer
together to accommodate the extra string. It's not even as big a change as adding a course, which people have done to old 5 course ouds all the time
without using a new neck.
juju - 4-28-2015 at 06:34 AM
Thanks Brian for your reply.
I was wondering what was the neck width of old ouds that had orignally 12 courses like the early Nahats. (for example the nahat that played "Hamza el
din").
Luttgutt - 5-6-2015 at 04:09 AM
Hi Juju!
There is no thing as an 11 course or 12 course oud 
You mean 11 strings to 12 strings right?
What is the problem then?
Do you have 12 pegs?
How many COURSE do you have now? 5?
How many holes on the bridge? 12?
Answering those questions might help us help you
It might be the case that ALL you need is one ekstra string to convert from 11 strings (6 course) to 12 strings (6 course)
juju - 5-6-2015 at 05:38 AM
Hi,
My oud has 5 double strings and 1 single string... from low to high : F AA dd gg cc ff.
I'd like to convert it to 6 double strings : FF AA dd gg cc ff
My pegbox has 11 pegs and my bridge has 11 eleven holes, so I'll have to change both.
I would like to know if the playability will be affected if I keep my actual neck (beetwen 39mm and 40mm at present).
Another question : what is the neck width of the old traditional 12 strings ouds (like Nahat) ?
best.
Luttgutt - 5-10-2015 at 04:06 PM
Hi again!
39mm is more than enough!
I have two 7-course ouds (13 strings), and the nut is 40mm!
And I have two 12 strings ouds that I converted into 7-course (5 double and two single) With 38mm nut.
The Width on traditional syrian ouds is 38mm.
Good Luck!