farid-s-heir - 8-24-2006 at 05:24 AM
Hi everyone!! I need some help about my new OUD, if somebody could tell me what to do that would be very nice!! I just bought a new OUD (made by a
syrian oudmaker: Ibrahim SUKAR). It is supposed to be a very good oud but some notes can't sound correctly and they are muted!!! maybe it's beacuse of
the neck that is too low... can someone answer to me!!! thanxxx
Dr. Oud - 8-24-2006 at 07:16 AM
New ouds are often set up with the action low to accomodate the eventual bending of the instrument from the constant string pressure. You should
contact Mr. Sukar for advice, but meanwhile...
Exactly which notes are muted (string & position)?
1. At the joint of the neck and body, measure the distance from the fingerboard to the bottom of the strings. This should be at least 3mm, lower may
cause the strings to interfere with the fingerboard when pressed down.
2. Hold a string down on the fingerboard at the first position (near the top nut) and at the neck/body joint and look toward a light or window at the
midpoint of the string. If you can see light under the string or a gap - the neck is warped and will interfere with the string vibration when pressed
down. This may require flattening the fingerboard (a long flat sanding block with 100 grit, then 220grit garnet paper), or replacing it. If the neck
has a tension rod adjustment (like guitars often do), it can be adjusted to flatten the fingerboard.
You can raise the strings by tying the loops at the bridge near the top surface of the bridge. If this isn't high enough, place a shim (a popsicle
stick or cofee stirring stick) under the strings at the top surface tio raise the string loops higher.
farid-s-heir - 8-25-2006 at 07:12 AM
Thanks for your help Dr. OUD I'll try to do what you told me!! You asked me which notes exactly didn't sound well!!! The D note on the C string and
all the notes higher (the C string sounds clear otherwise)... Then the low G string (every note I play on it) can't sound correctly!!!