mavrothis - 9-7-2007 at 04:32 AM
Hey guys,
I just got back from Greece and thought I'd share some pics of the oud and Taso Theodorakis' shop with you all. It was really great to hang out with
Taso in person in Thessaloniki and play and talk music. The food was great too!
Here are a few pics to start (I love this oud!), and I'll post sound after a little while.
You might be tired of hearing about copies of this famous maker or that maker, but this instrument really is like a brand new Manol in my opinion.
The body shape, woods, lightness (950 grams), and mostly the sound, which is very dry and wooden to my ear, make me feel like I'm playing a very old
oud.
The back is Greek walnut (lighter colored wood) and mahogany, with maple and ebony (or rosewood) spacers. The top is cedar, which is not like a
Manol, but shows it's bassy sound early and has a beautiful color.
Let me know what you think! I totally recommend Taso as a great maker who loves the old ouds and is very inspired by them, and who also pays close
attention to the details of your order whether it be via email, over the phone, or in person. He is a great guy - another very talented and
imaginative young luthier in Greece.
Take care,
mavrothis
mavrothis - 9-7-2007 at 05:26 AM
I'm having trouble uploading pics to the forum, so I have added pictures here:
Tasos Theodorakis Oud Summer 2007
Audio and/or Video will be added soon too.
Thanks,
mavrothis
mavrothis - 9-7-2007 at 06:11 AM
With Taso and his amazing oud collection in Thessaloniki, Greece...
Multi Kulti - 9-7-2007 at 06:28 AM
Ela re Mav! Are you back?
For the people of the Forum I must say that i had the chance to play this oud and there are not so many words to describe how nice it sounds.Warm and
round and it was only one week old.After a month i played it one more time and i was impressed how fast the sound improved.Louder and bassier...
Congratulations one more time to Tasos for this oud and to you Mav for the new baby.
By the way Tasos is going to restore my old Armenian Oud i have and as i see from his progress the results will be excellent...
Nikos
P.S. MAv I miss already the great time with Oud and meze in Thessaloniki and Markopoulo..
oudplayer - 9-7-2007 at 08:03 AM
Hey mav
welcome back man nice pics and i cant wait for the vids soon.
i love yr oud its is very plain however looks extreamly old and well kepted up if you know whaty i mean,
the face has a amazing wood color to it and and bowl is outstanding colors as well.
btw how would you tune this oud, is it made to play turkish syle parsay or arabic? or shall i say how will u bee tunign this oud,
i just wanna keep my options open when i decide to buy a new oud.
thx sammy
mavrothis - 9-7-2007 at 10:55 AM
Ela Niko! I hope you had a good trip back to Germany. It was really great to spend so much time with such great friends and musicians, I hope we can
do it again soon. I can't wait to see how your old instrument turns out after Taso finishes with the repairs. 
Sammy, this isn't an old oud, it's brand new by Taso Theodorakis. I'm not sure if you understood that from your post. I have it tuned E A B e a d' -
it is an oud based on Manolis Venios' instruments with a string length of 58.5 cm.
Thanks guys,
mavrothis
ps - Udi Nikos Saragoudas playing my new oud:
Jameel - 9-7-2007 at 05:07 PM
Welcome back Mav. And congrats on the new oud. Looks very nice. I really like the inlay. And what a collection Tasos has! I bet you were enjoying
yourself there. Your face says it all. Can't wait to hear it.
Greg - 9-7-2007 at 08:20 PM
Congratulations Mav, what a beautiful instrument.
One more pearl to add to your already impressive collection.
This one sounds like it is very special, enjoy it in good health.
Regards,
Greg
beautiful oud
Ararat66 - 9-8-2007 at 01:09 AM
Hey Mav that's one great loking oud. I've been considering an oud from Tasos myself, I contacted him before summer and he makes great guitars aswell.
What a great loking shop, you must have been like a child in a sweet factory!
This woody quality you talk of is music to my ears - if I order now it may arrive for my birthday on New year's eve? hehehe.
Congratulations on your resonant friend - I know you wil fly with it - can't wait to hear your sound clips!!
Best wishes
Leon
Mike - 9-8-2007 at 08:50 AM
Hey Mavro,
Welcome back buddy! You're new oud looks killer. Love it man. Mabrouk! Loved the pictures of Greece too. It looks like you had a fabulous time. Good
for you my friend.
Take care,
Mike
Jonathan - 9-8-2007 at 10:33 AM
Can't wait to hear it. Can't wait.
Looks like Tasos has his 1924 Karibyan in that pic. Is that a Manol in your hands, Mav?
mavrothis - 9-8-2007 at 11:06 AM
Thanks guys!
I'll get a recording up soon so you can enjoy the sound - very different from any other new ouds I've played, I really love how it sounds vintage
already in the wound strings. In a year or so I hope that it will be completely broken in.
Yes Jonathan, Taso has a few really nice Manolis Venios ouds, one of which I'm holding in the picture. I really enjoyed playing them all (of
course!). The Karibyan is very nice too, warm sounding and very easy to play.
Thanks again guys,
mavrothis
spyros mesogeia - 9-9-2007 at 03:59 AM
it is a beautiful instrument and it sounds very nice,we are so lucky that there is another very good luthier here in Greece.Congratulations Taso,nice
work my friend.
Each flower has his own parfume,this is the beauty of the oud.
Kaloriziko Mavroydi,we allready miss you here bro.We will see you again hopfully next year,and we will play again together as a few days ago.
Taso keep up the good work
Regards to all
Spyros Koliavasilis
spyros mesogeia - 9-11-2007 at 01:14 PM
Nikola,
next time that you will come,we will make a way to have more evenings together my friend,so we can drink more tsipouro and hear them [Nikos &
Yasemi Saragouda] as they sing and play......
This was a wonderfull summer,with alot of ouds-songs,but and great expectations......
I am so proud that now I have two good friends-luthiers in Greece.
as my teacher told me many many years ago.....'''each flower has his own parfume'''.each oud has his own sound.
I am so proud and happy.
Mavro,I really hope bro to see eachother and the next summer......
Regards to all
Spyros
recording on youtube
mavrothis - 9-11-2007 at 01:24 PM
Hey guys,
I've uploaded a recording of my Theodorakis oud, with a little slide show (I couldn't locate the camera to record a real video). I hope you like
it.
Tasos Theodorakis oud sound on youtube
Spyro, what a great summer my brother - thanks so much for everything. I'm still thinking about the great times we had and hope that we will all be
together again next year. Say hello to everyone for me.
Take care,
mavrothis
spyros mesogeia - 9-11-2007 at 01:29 PM
for sure we will see eachother bro,in Hios.
Take care bro.and don't forget to take care your ouds..............
oudman - 9-12-2007 at 03:07 AM
Mav
The oud looks beautiful and the sound is fantastic.
Every time I hear you, the playing is more lovely than the last.
Enjoy it in good health.
Warm regards
Victor