charlie oud - 12-28-2007 at 02:10 AM
Happy new year to all, Im wondering if anyone can enlighten me as to the sound quality of an oud I love the look of on the sphinx shop web site. It is
made by Gawharet el fan, product code; gawharaoud 1., price us$599.
Abusaid - 2-13-2008 at 11:26 AM
Hi Charlie,
Have you receive your GEF oud?
I`m actually buying a GEF oud in SphinxShop and I want to know about your experience.
Thanks for your help.
charlie oud - 2-13-2008 at 02:06 PM
Hi Abusaid, I am expecting my GEF pro oud any day now. Essam at Egypt cart(sphinx shop, nile cart) emailed me to appologise for the delay(2 weeks
late). However I am starting to feel a little anxious because the oud should have been with me at the end of last week. I have just emailed him to let
him know my oud has still not arrived. I will post more on this forum as soon as I receive the oud. To be continued.................... !
charlie oud - 2-14-2008 at 12:33 AM
Still no oud and am becoming a little suspicious of what is going on, the shipping alone has cost me 140 us$. Ive been told the oud was sent on the
28th of january & their site states express "7 days world wide shipping". They have not provided me with any tracking number and say they will
contact the shipping company and let me know ASAP. Im still waiting. Getting angry. Bought via ebay who are requesting feedback on the goods and the
service. They have 1 week to get the oud I ordered to me. After that I will cancel and demand a full refund. They have been polite & understanding
with their emails but am now wondering if I can trust what they say. Sick, Fed up. Charlie
charlie oud - 2-14-2008 at 04:49 AM
Reply from Spinx shop, appologising for delay, blaming an individual who was given the responsibility to ship my oud, they suspect he used another
shipping company and they cant seem to track the item. They have now promised me that the oud, or an identical one will be with me by next thursday
and have offered me $100 to spend on anything from their site as a "gift". Its a long email and appears to understand the problems, my feelings etc..
One reason I chose this company is because they promised a delivery time. Ive had to return my borrowed oud. The delay has left me oudless. I now have
another week of oudlessness. Hell. I still hope to post a positive review of this oud, but if it aint here by next thursday as promised (for the 3rd
time). I feel it will be my duty to other players to tell the full story on seller feedback at ebay, this forum, and to anyone else who may wish to
use this company. There is still one week in which to hope for a happy ending. As above. Charlie
Abusaid - 2-14-2008 at 05:09 AM
Hi Charlie,
Don’t be afraid. I hope you’ll receive the GEF oud the next week. I bought the US$510 oud from GEF on January’s 29 ... I’m prepared to wait
for it. Well, about the quality, I bought another GEF in the GEF store in Mohammed Ali street 10 years ago, it has good quality, not the best
obviously, but it sounds pretty good and I have no problem with the action.
Well, about your oud, Essam seems to be a honest man, so just wait another week and you ‘ll be happy with the GEF oud.
charlie oud - 2-14-2008 at 05:28 AM
Hi Abusaid, Thankyou for calming me down, glad to hear you are happy with your GEF oud. Suppose im being a bit impatient. You are right, Essam does
come over as honest, I hope this is so. Going to look at your oud on the site now. Mine is the ebony/walnut model, full fingerboard with a single
decoration on the fingerboard. Regards Abu & sure we,ll exchange more when my oud finally arrives. Charlie
Mike - 2-14-2008 at 08:34 AM
Hey Charlie,
I'd give him a little while longer. I'm sure you'll get your oud or a refund soon enough. Gawharet el Fann ouds are usually made by Mourad el-Turkey.
His ouds are very good for the price. I think you done good mate!
Best,
Mike
charlie oud - 2-14-2008 at 09:14 AM
Thanks Mike, Years ago I used to play renaissance lute, and am reminded of a saying while waiting for a 6 course lute, "A good maker never delivers on
time". Im hoping for a decent oud and of course its not that late. Its more the annoyance of being told to expect the oud on a given date, that its
been despatched but still no trace of it 2 weeks after that, then having to do all the chasing. But sure all we be fine in the end. Thanks for the
makers name, was wondering who it might be. Regards, Charlie. ( hope yours progressing well)
Kelly - 2-15-2008 at 03:08 PM
Hi Charlie
I've deat with Essam a few months back re Shehata oud. The oud came in reasonable time and in good condition. He is a reasonable guy. Do not fret! and
let us know how you get on with the new oud when its settled in
charlie oud - 2-19-2008 at 09:41 AM
Hi Kelly & all, They,ve sent me the wrong oud, really fed up and beginning to wish I never bothered. Will send it back, which will be at my
expense. Who knows what will happen next ?. Tired, Charlie.
Abusaid - 2-20-2008 at 11:03 AM
Hi Charlie,
Believe me, I’m filling like you, but I’m a long distance to Cairo as well as Casablanca. I have receive today a wrong oud from Sphinxshop, well
good luck in you’re trip.
charlie oud - 2-20-2008 at 11:35 AM
Hi Abusaid, Im sorry this has happened to you aswell. Im getting very tired of the service and am still deciding what to do because it is too
expensive to ship back from the uk. They say they will send me another but I will have to pay shipping,and will they send me another wrong oud?. I may
not travel to Cairo or Casablanca but save my money and try order direct from a maker. Cant decide. Good luck, Abusaid. Charlie.
abusin - 2-20-2008 at 01:32 PM
Hi Charlie,
That was a stressing ordeal mate, have a look at Kelly's oud on the thread below and if you like what you see and hear, me and Kelly are planing a
visit to M. Mussa you can come along and get some ideas or you may find something interesting .
Also have a look at his website, you can ask for one made to your specs, go on now support the local produce
Regards,
Awad
Kelly's oud
Kelly - 2-20-2008 at 01:50 PM
Hi Awad
You're loving that oud man !
charlie oud - 2-20-2008 at 01:58 PM
Thanks Awad, have U2U,d Kelly to call me re these nice suggestions. I take it you can contact her Ive given her my mobile no. You can get it from her
& we can discuss all this.
Alan-TX - 2-20-2008 at 09:33 PM
I have purchased a Gawharet el fan Mother of Pearl tabla from Egyptcart. I asked for the hoop to be replaced as it was poorly cast. I was told they
would replace the hoop but they never did. As a result the drum has become a very expensive dust collector...
On the other hand I know people who have bought items from them with success.
Based on my experience and the ones posted here plus the ones that I know that have been happy with their purchases I think the lesson is that if you
recieve a good item from Egyptcart\Sphinx Shop then you will get a fair deal. If you happen get a dud and have to or want to return the item then you
are SOL as the shipping costs make it not worth the price to return it.
sphinxshop - 2-20-2008 at 10:03 PM
Dear all
its me essam, i have just read this thread, first i like the word that says that if you got a good thing from us then you got a good deal ( hanks
for that ) , but beleive me if you got something wrong we let you keep it ( i have my reasons that i would like to say ) and we send you a total free
replacement ( maybe it takes time but you will definetly have it ) .
for sending this replacement its either free shipping if its small size or we let you pay for the shipping if its big size like a total oud.
concerning charlie, i have offered you to send you a total free replacement for only the shipping fees 140 $ , and you keep the oud you have as a gift
, you can sell it for 400 $ for example, so i think this is a good deal ?!
believe me guys we always like to make our customers happy, maybe we get late a little in sending some order but you all understand its a craftmans
work, like charlie oud , the oud back was furnished so he didn't get the same colors as its on photo, he got them very dark , so i have ordered a new
one to be manufactured with unfurnished bowl, don't you all think that i pay from my own money to send him this replacement just and only just to make
him happy with our service ?believe me i do my best to make our service good fo everyone, i don't say no return / no refund ? i even informed him to
make him a full refund ( - shipping fees ) and to keep the oud he have ?! and i also asked you for a photo of theoud you received and you said you
dont have camera so i said its ok and i took your words as it is , didn't i do that charlie ? beleive me i really like to help anyone who have any
problem with our service, so please if you have any problem with our service, please email me on info@sphinxshop.com
your brother in egypt
Essam
Abusaid - 2-21-2008 at 04:42 AM
Hi Essam,
I`m very happy to read your post, and I really hope to be happy with the oud, but the not the wrong one. I'm sending you an email.
Mike - 2-21-2008 at 08:09 AM
Charlie,
Please send me an email at mike@mikeouds.com. I might have a buyer for your oud.
Best,
Mike
Abusaid - 2-22-2008 at 02:47 AM
I have received an email from Essam, he will send me another oud, I’m sure this time it’ll be the correct one, and I ‘ll keep the wrong one as a
gift.
Thanks Essam.
charlie oud - 2-23-2008 at 12:18 PM
Have made peace with Essam and feel it was commendable of him to enter a post on this forum outlining his commitment to customer satisfaction. I
confirm the offer he made to me. Its all been a bit wierd, movin on. C.
Alan-TX - 2-24-2008 at 10:27 AM
Good to see things worked out and that everyone is happy.
cjmichael - 2-24-2008 at 04:06 PM
Honestly, the oud that I bought from nileshop is just sitting in its case and hasn't moved since I bought it last summer. Now that I have purchased a
beautiful Iraqi oud from Proff, I know what they are supposed to sound and play like, and I know that my defective GEF oud from nileshop is far beyond
playable. Every local luthier I take it to is either too scared to touch it or wants to charge way too much. I had resolved the HORRID buzzing
problem by raising the action from the bridge, but if you look in past forum posts that was both a bad idea and the action became way too high for
intermediate playing. I honestly don't know if the thing buzzed due to mis-handling in shipping or not, but as I understood I had also purchased
insurance (that didn't really do anything). After I foolishly raised the action from the bridge I brought it to Essam's attention that I ordered a 6
course oud and the bone that came with the oud only had five courses. He sent me a new 6 course bone, some picks, and a set of strings, but the bone
doesn't fit the oud at all and I can totally understand that since it wasn't crafted specifically for my oud (since, after all, it was with me).
I tried to make the most out of what I had, and now that I have my Haider Naj'm oud my nileshop-bought oud is sitting in the closet growing mold. I'm
finally posting this because I'm so frustrated that I haven't found anybody willing to repair it for a decent price and I just have to vent. I did
not -- and still do not -- feel like risking more money to pay for shipping to fix this one or get a replacement through nileshop. I'm glad people
here are resolving their problems and that Essam is making himself available to help.
Let us know how things are when you get your oud!
charlie oud - 2-24-2008 at 04:44 PM
Hi cj, Though Ive been offered another oud Ive chosen to move on and not take up the offer but maybe Abusaid will let you know how things turn out for
him. C.
Abusaid - 3-21-2008 at 06:16 PM
Well, finally I have received the GEF oud that I want from Sphinxshop. I keep the first oud (the wrong one) as a gift from Essam.
The sound it’s great, easy to play, it comes with Pyramid (orange label) strings, but I put in it Aquila (CFAdgc) from Khalfoud.com
I’m only a beginner but I think it’s a good oud.
I want to be grateful from Essam (SphinxShop, Nilecart), he gave me all his help.
Now, I’m a happy costumer.
another picture
Abusaid - 3-21-2008 at 06:19 PM
Abusaid - 3-21-2008 at 06:21 PM
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