Jameel - 1-10-2007 at 06:28 PM
Here is a great way to get those new strings to stay at pitch right away instead of waiting days for it to happen.
Bring the string to pitch. Then pinch the string about midway (around the big soundhole works) and pull sideways across the face of the oud a couple
inches or so. Don't pull up on the string since you dont want to put upward tension on the bridge. Pulling sideways puts a shear tension on the
bridge, quite safe in fact. The string will quickly loose about a whole step. Tune it back up immediately, and pull sideways again. Each time the
string will loose less and less pitch, and eventually the string wont loose any pitch after the pull. It takes around 12 or so pulls, but that will
vary with the string and how much you pull. Here a short video to illustrate the pull technique. I used this on a pair of nylguts I changed out this morning. The string has held pitch perfectly all
day long.
SamirCanada - 1-10-2007 at 07:12 PM
Nice Jameelo, Iam going to try it out right away!
thanks
TruePharaoh21 - 1-10-2007 at 07:44 PM
Genius knows no bounds.
samzayed - 1-11-2007 at 12:29 AM
If you say it works Jameel, then it works, and works well 
amtaha - 1-11-2007 at 12:50 PM
This is really, really nice.
A while back I came across a video for someone showing how to stretch a bass guitar strings, but I dismissed the thought that something like this can
be done for oud's strings out of fear that it might push the strings beyond their elastic range.
I guess it had to take someone with lots of brains - and grace - to show the way.
Regards,
Hamid
Jameel - 1-11-2007 at 01:04 PM
It works like a charm. My new pair lost maybe a few cents overnight, but that was like 12 hours. Nothing like a normal new string. And they don't feel
loose or floppy.
Thanks Hamid, but WHOA! Don't do it like this bass player! Maybe you should delete that video so someone doesn't do that with their oud....
excentrik - 1-11-2007 at 06:16 PM
yes indeed Jameel- they stuck- and they sound great now too. Maybe we should nominate Jameel for the next President once we get monkey-man
impeached...
rock on with yer bad self!
tarik
Jameel - 1-11-2007 at 06:47 PM
I can't take credit for this technique. I learned it. Your guys' compliments should go to our friend Mimmo.
As for being nominated President, I'll pass that honor on to Jack Bauer. For all you 24 fans (including me!), only a couple days to go!! Woohoo!
palestine48 - 1-11-2007 at 07:24 PM
Hey Jameel, Im lookin for a new set of string for my samir azar oud, anyway you can help. the bassy strings sound kinda of floppy.
Its a floating bridge oud, tuned cfadgc