juju - 7-18-2016 at 04:12 AM
After years of playing on my arabic oud, I'd like to ask my luthier to change the fretboard. At present the action is pretty high because the
fingerboard was reduced to solve crack problems that produced buzzing (on fretted C and F). I'm wondering what kind of action I should ask to my
luthier ?
I like when the oud produces a very slight buzz (not annoying buzz coming from defaults of the fingerboard). I'm wondering if a low action is able to
produce a slight buzz (like turkish ouds) ?
Dr. Oud - 7-18-2016 at 07:36 AM
A buzz can be produced by hard plucking with the action at 1 1/2 - 2mm, at the cost of volume and basstone.The "slight" buzz is more likely coming
however, from a loose brace or crack in the soundboard. It is difficult to produce a buzz with low action without compromising the volume and bass
tones since the strings are restricted in vibration amplitude with the action very low. The longer string action of the Arabic string scale makes this
restriction more pronounced than on the shorter Turkish oud.