Mike's Oud Forums

Ouds and direct sunlight?

JassimbinMater - 5-21-2020 at 06:13 AM

Is direct sunlight bad for ouds? I have some antique ouds on display in stands in my apartment. the apartment is temperature controlled, but for a few hours every day (or I guess most of the day for some them) sunlight coming through the window strikes them directly.

So, the question is, will this negatively affect the ouds or damage them in anyway?

Brian Prunka - 5-21-2020 at 06:28 AM

I'd avoid this if possible. They may be okay, but sunlight can't be good.
Even in a controlled environment, the amount of heat from direct sunlight can be substantion, and the glue in an old oud is usually very susceptible to heat. Maybe some window shades or curtains during the hours of direct sunlight would solve the problem?

John Erlich - 5-21-2020 at 02:51 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Brian Prunka  
I'd avoid this if possible. They may be okay, but sunlight can't be good.
Even in a controlled environment, the amount of heat from direct sunlight can be substantion, and the glue in an old oud is usually very susceptible to heat. Maybe some window shades or curtains during the hours of direct sunlight would solve the problem?


I want to chime in here to amplify what Brian is saying. You really want to be careful with heat and direct sunlight on ouds. I played my 7-yr-old Iraqi oud at an outdoor wedding on the hottest day of the year (not actually that hot, where I live, near the coast, and certainly nothing like Baghdad, when the instrument was built!), and, as a result of the relatively brief, but intense exposure, the bridge came up, taking a layer or two of the facing with it.

kokomal - 5-22-2020 at 04:12 AM

Can't be good for that oud. Over the course of a couple years, we have seen large amounts of fading of the wood on our dining room table, chairs, hard wood floors, etc. Sunlight will disintigrate curtains over time. Blinds slightly tilted in the opposite direction will also block most of the direct light, while still allowing u to see out the window.

Another solution is to put a UV film on that window. It is not too expensive and does not need to tint it that much for significant reduction in harmful UV rays. We did this in our home after we noticed all the fading/destruction.

JassimbinMater - 5-22-2020 at 01:08 PM

Thanks for all of your responses and suggestions. It’s what I expected to be the case, but not what I was hoping for :)) I always limit my ouds exposure to the elements and don’t take them outside unless conditions are ideal, but I just wasn’t sure how much the sun by itself would affect them. I’ve shifted the ouds to a location where they’re not in the direct sunlight, although it’s not great as a display