Mike's Oud Forums

Does anyone play 58.5 scale length oud in Arabic tuning?

Alan-TX - 10-13-2017 at 12:38 PM

Arabic tuning for this conversation = CFADGC

If you do I am curious what strings you use.

Thanks!

Jody Stecher - 10-13-2017 at 06:34 PM

I have used D'Addario EJ 95 A with the gg that comes with the set and with the next gauge up. Both good.

I've used MusiCaravan Arabic set both with the trebles it comes with and with Savarez trebles, whatever they call them, something close to PVF. all good

And I've used a combination of Pyramid lute and Aquila nylgut trebles. Also good.

well, it's a good oud so it always sounds good. !

hamed - 10-13-2017 at 07:39 PM

I've tried a bunch of different strings on that scale
Length: D'Addario, Pyramid Lute etc.. the best strings in my opinion are Kurschner Arab 2 strings. They are difficult to find in the US but I recently ordered a set from Turkey via eBay, these were delivered to me in a week.

I own a oud from a reputable Arabic builder which is kind of a dud with all other strings , I put a used set of Kurschners ( 1 yr old) on it and it sounds amazing.


Matthias - 10-14-2017 at 03:25 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Alan-TX  
Arabic tuning for this conversation = CFADGC

If you do I am curious what strings you use.

Thanks!


Hello,

I composed several sets with Pyramid and Savarez lute strings. You will find them in my shop at
http://www.music-strings.de

If you enter "So_c_585_M_" in the search field only the sets for a c-tuning on a 58.5 cm scale will be shown.

Savarez and Pyramid strings are always onstock to be shipped directly.

Best regards

Matthias

Kelly - 10-15-2017 at 08:33 AM

Hi Alan

I'm using a combination similar to Jody on a wonderful Peter Sayegh oud 58.5. Pyramid lute all sound good except top c which I've swapped for a nylgut lute NG 60/62. Better open string sound but not as rich up the neck as Pyramid .675 on this particular oud. Still undecided so I'll swap around a few times.

Mathias does good sets which are a good starting point for deciding which suits your oud and style of playing.

Happy experimenting!


charlie oud - 10-18-2017 at 10:11 AM

I find Pyramid Orange label are perfect tension for this string length, more so than they are for 60cm plus.

AKCinBE - 11-15-2017 at 04:32 AM

Hi there,

I bought my first oud in Athens last week. It was made by Dimitri Rapakousios (http://www.dimitrisouds.com/navpage.html) and is a 58.5cm turkish style oud with arabic tuning.

According to Rapakousios, Turkish style bodies with arabic tuning is somewhat of a trend nowadays, and most of the ouds he exports to the middle east are this style.

He told me:
"Your oud has a pyramid custom lute set on 0,54pvf 0,68pvf 1012 1018 1024 1035 for arabic tuning. Do sol re la so Do or RE HIGH TO LOW ( c g d a g C or D )
If you want to tune turkish you have to change gauges 0,50pvf 0,63 pvf 1009 1015 1025 1238( d a e b f# c # or B) all forths. Or 1020 1033 for la MI BASS.pyramid custom lute strings from Pyramidsaiten"

I hope this helps! Now, if you could help me figure out how to hold the damn thing, we'd be even :))


juju - 11-15-2017 at 05:00 AM

If you have the opportunity try Kurschner strings, they are wonderful. At present I prefer those to pyramid custom.
They cost the same price and last longer.

MattOud - 11-16-2017 at 06:20 AM

Hi Alan,
One of my ouds, 7 course, is 58.5 and I am not sure what strings they came with, but after a while i put aquila red set on and it sounds nice. It took some time to settle(over a week) but now stays in very good tune and sounds nice. When i switch again however, i may go back to a wound set because of volume. One thing i have found is that nylgut is quieter for me.

I am not sure if i like the 58.5 over my other oud which is 60, but i do like the strings once i got used to them that is!
Cheers.

ps: on the 7 course, i am tuned as follows: CGAADDGGCCFF as follows:
https://vocaroo.com/i/s0Nwb3xPus7d

suz_i_dil - 11-19-2017 at 08:15 AM

Hello
Personnaly I use Kenan Ozten, 0.10 set. they are carbon strings. I use them for arabic tuning on 58.5 or 57 stringlength oud. Sometimes I came to change the g fluorocarbon to a pyramid 1006 and even the C nylon to a pyramid 1009 AL, depending on the oud and my taste of the moment. I also use pyramid custom sets which are my favorite but cannot use always for a matter of price
Best