Mike's Oud Forums

Width of Fingerboard, Standard Measurements?

palestine48 - 1-1-2007 at 11:17 AM

Hi I was wondering if there is a standard measurement to the width of a fingerboaard. My samir Azar oud has a rather wider one than my egyptiin. Both have pros and cons. A wider board allows me to enunciate the notes more clearly where as a thinner one allows me to reach the low strings with more comfort and less stretch. What do the experts and players think?

P.S. Happy New Year

Dr. Oud - 1-4-2007 at 09:14 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by palestine48
Hi I was wondering if there is a standard measurement to the width of a fingerboaard. My samir Azar oud has a rather wider one than my egyptiin. Both have pros and cons. A wider board allows me to enunciate the notes more clearly where as a thinner one allows me to reach the low strings with more comfort and less stretch. What do the experts and players think?

P.S. Happy New Year

It's my opinion that only the Turkish oud makers following the Manol design tradition abide by any standards. Every other oud is different, and many makers produce different designs. There is a standard for the length of the the neck - it should be 1/3 the total string length. The width is determined by the individual builder or his client's preferences. Some one with small hands might prefer a narrow neck, a large handed player might prefer a wider one. The width of the courses at the bridge determines the taper of the sides of the neck, and this distance varies as well.
That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.