Mike's Oud Forums

Ripped Bridge! Pls Advise

hakeem.ram - 12-28-2006 at 07:57 AM

Greetings all!

This sure not a nice way to start the new year. I was just playing my oud this morning, some practise and placed it back on the wall where i usually put it.

The sad thing is that I came back in the evening to find the bridge ripped from the soundboard. Luckily the soundboard is not damaged. My poor guess is that it is just some glue work as this oud is already 10 years old with no repairs done. So perhaps it might be high time for it anyway.

I enclose the images below. My bet for now would be to sand off the glue from the soundboard and the bridge and fix new glue to that. Any other suggestions? What kind of sandpaper should I use? What kind of glue? Pls advise. I really very much appreciate it.

hakeem.ram - 12-28-2006 at 07:58 AM

This is the image up close

hakeem.ram - 12-28-2006 at 08:03 AM

Just for interest this is the pic of the label inside. this oud used to have rosettes but i ripped them off about 4 mths ago as there were really an eyesore rather than a decoration.

hakeem.ram - 12-28-2006 at 08:09 AM

another pic of the label

Dr. Oud - 12-28-2006 at 05:10 PM

You can use 100-150 open grit sandpaper with a flat sanding block on the face, but don't push down very hard, just enough to cut the old glue off. For the bridge, hold a piece of sandpaper on the face rough side up where the bridge mounts and rub the bridge back and forth on it until it fits the face with no gaps. The old glue was probably hot hide glue, if you can get some and prepare it would be best. You an soften the old hide glue with some warm water before applying new hide glue.
Otherwise, you can use epoxy or yellow carpenter's glue. Use a book or weight to hold the bridge down while the glue sets. Don't put too much pressure on the bridge, just enough to squeeze the excess glue out. Wipe off the excess glue while it is wet with a damp cloth.
Do not use white polyvinyl glue, any silicone product, cement, crazy glue or liquid hide glue, or powdered recorsinol boat glue.

oudplayer - 12-28-2006 at 06:13 PM

Hey bro
good luck with this man i know you can do it. btw what does this say
thx sammy

hakeem.ram - 12-28-2006 at 07:30 PM

Thanks a lot for the tip Dr Oud! Sure can deend on you for such advice! Reall great to have you around


Sammy, The label says

ÖZGÜR MÜSIK
TOPTAN ve PERAKENDE
UD ve BAGLAMA IMALATHANESI

HASAN CELEBI

GÜRCESME - IZMIR

Date of Mfg: 01/05/1996

hakeem.ram - 12-28-2006 at 07:33 PM

by the way, is it because i am using a high tension string (Aquilla) that i get this problem? Coz i understand that Aquilla strings are high in tension. But then again I am using arabic tuning, which is lower in tune as compared to turkish, on a turkish oud.

Another possibility would be due to environmental changes that the glue made way. previously this oud was in europe. now it is in singapore for the past 2 mths. The interesting note about Singapore is that the humidity is as high as 70-95% most of the time. How does this affect the oud?

SamirCanada - 12-28-2006 at 11:54 PM

Condider Yourself lucky the brige didnt rip a peice of the face as it came off.
Just follow the good Doc's advice and your set!!
Take care and good luck

Dr. Oud - 12-30-2006 at 11:37 AM

The humidity could have affected the glue if it was an inferior grade or poorly prepared. The picture of the bridge indicates there was not much glue applied to fully bond the bridge, but it looks like only a few thin lines of glue were used. Properly prepared, the bridge will not be affected by humidity. The tuning you describe does not sound like a cause either, I believe the bridge was simply poorly prepared for the adhesion to be effective.