Mike's Oud Forums

Face warping up on oud: best approaches to fix it?

eliot - 5-11-2005 at 10:17 PM

Fortunately this is not happening to one of my "better" instruments. However, I would like to fix a face that is warping upwards. It would appear that the face is also not totally in contact with a couple of the braces (though I know that the face was warped before the brace problem chimed in).

According to Dr. Oud's site, the best approach involves face removal and sanding down ribs (I'm reducing his longer detailed explanation). However, the spot where the warp is most noticeable is not far from where the neck meets the face - in fact the warp is happening where the face is on top of the wood block the neck inserts into. Thus, sanding down the ribs wouldn't directly address this dimensional deformity, I believe.

An approach I am considering would be to slap a thin slab of ebony on top of the existing neck (which is currently very thin), running all the way to the soundhole, and then raise the nut accordingly. Basically, it's Eliot's figurative attempt to "pave over" the neck-area warp. I *think* it would work, but wanted to hear if there's any major forseable problems with this approach.

Thanks for any advice or anecdotes,
-eliot

Dr. Oud - 5-12-2005 at 10:38 AM

Quote:
...An approach I am considering would be to slap a thin slab of ebony on top of the existing neck ...
-eliot

I recently did this on my Lemon Oud to correct the body warp after 25 years and raise the strings above the bump at the soundhole. It worked out really great.
If may be a glue failure that is allowing the face to leave the joint with the neck block surface and other braces. I think you'll need to correct this, but it can be done through the big hole (r & r the Shamsiya, as if).
The alternative fix would be to remove the face completely and level the neck block, tail block and relieve the top rib edges - not a simple job. I'd go with the "pave over".

eliot - 5-12-2005 at 12:41 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Dr. Oud
Quote:
...An approach I am considering would be to slap a thin slab of ebony on top of the existing neck ...
-eliot

I recently did this on my Lemon Oud to correct the body warp after 25 years and raise the strings above the bump at the soundhole. It worked out really great.
If may be a glue failure that is allowing the face to leave the joint with the neck block surface and other braces. I think you'll need to correct this, but it can be done through the big hole (r & r the Shamsiya, as if).
The alternative fix would be to remove the face completely and level the neck block, tail block and relieve the top rib edges - not a simple job. I'd go with the "pave over".


Thanks so much, Richard, for the quick reply! I'm glad to gear that you've had success with the pave-over in the past (and I'll definitely look into the glue issue you mentioned - since much of the oud is becoming "unglued" as it is that seems very likely). The latter suggestion is way out of my woodworking league.