Mike's Oud Forums

Advice on Buying Saadettin Sandi Oud

animalwithin - 10-28-2015 at 10:10 PM

Hi everyone:

I'm looking to get back into oud after a few years. I had a custom Dimitris oud that I sold a while back, now I"m looking for something to get back into oud that's not too crazy expensive. I originally was looking at cheapoud.com when I stumbled upon a cutaway acoustic-electric Saadettin Sandi oud. I've researched Sandi and it seems like he makes great ouds with no complaints. It is a flat back so I know it won't be as resonant but I like that it is more portable and all the video's I've found for it are great. Spruce top, mahogany back, ebony pegs and fretboard. Any advice for this purchase or any other recommendations? This oud is $900 USD.



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hans - 10-28-2015 at 11:17 PM

I started out with a sandi; the sound was quite good but i was put off by the plastic (fake mother of pearl) fingerboard, pick guard and rosettes. Don't think you're going to get something as good as the dimitris; then again, you were looking for something inexpensive :-}

animalwithin - 10-29-2015 at 07:45 AM

Haha well this one comes with a real ebony fingerboard and pegs. I'm sure the rosettes are plastic. What worries me the most is that the bridge is probably some sort of plastic as well, at least this has been my experience with electric-acoustic ouds thus far. Hard to top a custom Dimitris oud, this is true.

majnuunNavid - 10-29-2015 at 07:11 PM

It appears to be pretty good bang for your buck.

Alan-TX - 10-30-2015 at 02:49 PM

I have one of these that I am looking to sell. It has the guitar machineheads though not the ebony pegs. Its a great oud for travel. I am selling cause I don't use it.

Sandi ouds are great for the price. I just got a 60.5 cm scale length oud from him that I am liking quite a bit.

Let me know if you are interested and I will put some pics up in the For Sale forum.

animalwithin - 10-31-2015 at 04:53 PM

Can you tell me if the bridge is plastic or wood?

alchemy - 11-5-2015 at 08:22 AM

Hi, just my 2 cents. Around here there's a trio and two of them play Oud, even simultaneously in some compositions. One of the guys have a "regular" Sandi Oud (long fingerboard, probably VMIU-50) and the other one has a "cutaway" Oud that looks exactly like this though I don't know if it's a Sandi. The point is that the guy playing the "regular" full bowl Oud gets a deeper, rounder and full-bodied tone, while the one with the "cutaway" Oud sounds flatter, with lack of bass, thin sound. You can realize that immediately when they both play Oud in question and answer type of phrases. Just another thing to consider.
Of course, if mobility is more important for you in this case, then it's a better choice. But if price is the question, I just payed the same for a "regular" bowl Sandi Oud (shipping to South America included).
Whatever you choose, enjoy your comeback to the Oud!

Alan-TX - 11-6-2015 at 01:22 PM

Quote: Originally posted by animalwithin  
Can you tell me if the bridge is plastic or wood?


Mine has a plastic nut

Alan-TX - 11-6-2015 at 01:25 PM

Quote: Originally posted by alchemy  
Hi, just my 2 cents. Around here there's a trio and two of them play Oud, even simultaneously in some compositions. One of the guys have a "regular" Sandi Oud (long fingerboard, probably VMIU-50) and the other one has a "cutaway" Oud that looks exactly like this though I don't know if it's a Sandi. The point is that the guy playing the "regular" full bowl Oud gets a deeper, rounder and full-bodied tone, while the one with the "cutaway" Oud sounds flatter, with lack of bass, thin sound. You can realize that immediately when they both play Oud in question and answer type of phrases. Just another thing to consider.
Of course, if mobility is more important for you in this case, then it's a better choice. But if price is the question, I just payed the same for a "regular" bowl Sandi Oud (shipping to South America included).
Whatever you choose, enjoy your comeback to the Oud!


This is true. You don't have the physics to produce the lower bass tones with this Oud. Similar to how Acoustic Bass Guitars will never get the sound of an Upright Bass.