Chaz - 6-6-2022 at 11:22 AM
I've posted about this before, but a I'd like a fresh thread with slightly different line of question
We're planning a trip to Egypt in Jan/Feb. The major stops will be Cairo, Luxor and Aswan
One thing I'd like to do is visit one or more Oud makers. Cairo seems the best bet for this. I understand that there are/were a district of Oud
makers along Mohamed Ali Street. Some report this is no more and the makers once found there are no more or have moved to other parts of the city.
I've heard it both ways, but have yet to get a definitive answer. I would really like it if there was somewhere in the city I could visit 3 Oud shops
all within walking distance. I may or may not purchase an instrument (price and shipping to USA). Being a luthier myself, I would also be interested
in obtaining camel bone (if it's legal to take out of the country).
This could be a 1/2 day affair. I may require a guide - one who has appropriate knowledge of the neighborhoods and craft traditions. We are working
with an agency that provides such services, but I can't help but wonder if their guides would be truly helpful, so a guide isn't chiseled in stone
right now.
Pointers about where I could go, maybe a guide (references a must) would be most welcome
Chaz - 6-6-2022 at 02:18 PM
Doing some research I found, via the Egyptian Gazette in a January, 2022, of an Oud maker named Sami Afifi and he's on Mohammed Ali Street.
This looks worth a visit, and based on the article, his work is very reasonable.
Can't find any more info about him, yet.
John Erlich - 6-7-2022 at 06:25 PM
Muhammad Ali St., as far as I know, is less and less relevant. I'm pretty sure Maurice Shehata is still making good quality ouds, but his shop is in
a different part of the city: http://mauriceouds.com/2013/ & https://www.mauriceoudshop.com/ There are probably some discussion threads on this forum that are still relevant.
Good luck!
Brian Prunka - 6-8-2022 at 08:37 AM
this thread might be relevant:
http://www.mikeouds.com/messageboard/viewthread.php?tid=18760#pid12...