zalzal - 3-2-2008 at 09:34 AM
This is my new oud fm Marco shop in Muhammad Ali Street Cairo.
The Stringlength--------------- 58-59 cm, pyramide probably
The Soundbox(Bowl)--------- abanus (ebony) probably blackafricanwood, mpingo
The Soundboard(Top)-------- I do not know
The Brace system------------ Imagine is Bakr dagher & awlad as per Abd el rahman abd el hamid ahmed supervision.
The Soundholes--------------- three elliptical soundholes
The Pick Guard---------------- Abanus elliptical shape
The Bridge----------------------- i do not know, i think is abanus also
The Neck------------------------ what is the neck, where fingerboard meets bowl ??
The Nut -------------------------- what is the nut, where fingerboard meets pegbox?
The fingerboard----------------- abanus
The Pegbox---------------------- abanus
The Pegs------------------------- abanus
Tuning----------------------------- GG,AA,dd,gg,cc,00 (egyptian system, first course missing)
Finishing------------------------- Soundboard Nothing i think and bowl i do not know.
String length......................... 58-59 cm till the bridge and 68 till the bottom
Fingerboard width ............... 4,5 - 6 cm
Fingerboard lenght............... 19,5 till the bowl and 33 till the soundhole
Soundboard width................ 34
I like a lot the aesthetichs and the sound, rustic, sober, profound.
(Asap i'll try to post a sound example. I still do not know how to put a sound clip in the computer)
However i have many questions.
For example on the kind of wood of soundboard.
I think there is the gg string which is dead as sounds very bad.
I am sure it will sound better with new strings.
Which strings do you recommend me ??
As i will use the 6 courses, is there any precaution to be taken while replacing in order not to force the pression on the pegbox??
The bridge is almost movable 1 two cm lower higher of the soundboard, is it to get lower or higher tone??
Is the bridge ok??
It is the action correct??
It is like a small oud; If the string length to the bridge is 58-59 cm then it is like a turkish oud, but iraqui style ??
I do not like the situation of the pickguard. I always plays very near the soundhole. Is it feasible to replace it by a another one shaped to the
three soundholes and very near the sound hole ?. Will this replacement affects the sound and the soundboard ??.
I am very bad player and very clumsy with my hands, but when i touch this oud i can feel a fantastic workmanship. It is so smooth, you would not
believe is handmade.
Pls comments will be appreciated.
zalzal - 3-2-2008 at 09:59 AM
i do not know how to put several photos in one file, i just succeeded to reduce the size.
Let me post several photos "shuayya bi shuayya"
zalzal - 3-2-2008 at 10:00 AM
the pegbox looks like a cobra, i like it
zalzal - 3-2-2008 at 10:02 AM
what about the action??
zalzal - 3-2-2008 at 10:04 AM
again on action
zalzal - 3-2-2008 at 10:05 AM
the bridge
zalzal - 3-2-2008 at 10:07 AM
the label
zalzal - 3-2-2008 at 10:12 AM
The bowl is like a mirror
ALAMI - 3-2-2008 at 11:04 AM
Looks greart, Mabrouk, you finally got your all abanus black oud !
I love the "mirror" picture, is it your hair ?
Now seriously, the action looks high and one of the disadvantages of a floating bridge that it does not allow the "loops at bridge trick"
I am personally not a big fan of huge pickguards like we see on some turkish ouds, I believe that it should have an impact on sound as it is adding
rigidity to the vibrating sound board, it would be an extra motivation to learn to avoid those risha tappings discussed on another thread, and after
all some scratches won't harm.
May this dark oud bring light to your days... and nights
Oud Freak - 3-2-2008 at 01:03 PM
Zalzal,
What is weird is that you seem at the same time in love with this oud, but most of your comments seem to criticize it. Anyway hope you enjoy it.
In the pic attached you can see a real elegant and sober beauty, made by Mr. Ghadban.
Oud Freak - 3-2-2008 at 01:05 PM
The bowl of the black oud (wish it was mine)!
The bowl is black and beautiful but it is not ebony 
Alami, what do u mean by "loops at bridge trick"?
zalzal - 3-2-2008 at 02:01 PM
Allah yebarek fik ALAMI, thankyou yr comments, that's true, a big pickguard may reduce the soundboard vibrations.
So let's leave it as it is and make efforts to avoid risha tappings. Let's adapt the playing to the instrument and extract his best sound, instead of
trying to change the nature of the instrument to my never-good playing anyway.
Oud Freak, what a visual memory you have!!!, the shape of Ghadban's oud is almost the same. Just the wood changes. BTW i think Ghadban's oud is indian
rosewood, which is black i believe.
Criticism is not exclusif of love. I am baby on oud maters, just 4 years, so i am growing and criticism helps to stay in reality and improve
oneself.
For ex, there is like a small scratch in the fingerboard (left of the photo). Hope will not affect the sound once i change strings.
But stil the oud is a pleasure to touch, play and admire......till now.
Anybody can recommend me strings for this oud??
jazzchiss - 3-3-2008 at 01:28 AM
Nice oud, zalzal!
I use Bernd Kürschener 05102 Turkish PVF set on my Iraqi style Ghadban and it sounds fine (I tune it #C #F B E a d).
I bought them here: https://www.kuerschner-saiten.de/english/start.php?spr=e
SamirCanada - 3-3-2008 at 04:47 AM
Mabrook Zalzal,
btw...
Indian rosewood is dark purple usualy.
Unless it is died some other coulor.
Nazih's oud looks black because of the lighting but its dark purple.
I think the face of your oud is Pine or maybe Spruce.
aytayfun - 3-3-2008 at 12:39 PM
Here is a real ebony beauty from old times.
aytayfun - 3-3-2008 at 12:42 PM
And here is the face.
aytayfun - 3-3-2008 at 12:43 PM
One more pic peg box
zalzal - 3-3-2008 at 01:28 PM
Thankyou Jazzchiss. May be i'll ask saiten for gut strings. Am still hesitating. May be i'll put Dogal strings. It's a venitian stringmaker.
Aytayfun and Oud Freak, my oud is also real!!...
The soundboard looks very rustic in the photos, with very large wood veins, but in "reality" is as smooth as the bowl.
May be the sound board is pine as SamirCanada suggests. I imagine that "fake" pine is more gross than "real" fine spruce.
The veins of my oud are spaced and gross but still somehow parallel, which i think is important.
So it may be either a good quality pine or a less quality spruce.
Whatever, i like this rustic aesthetics.
Aytayfun pls post a photo of the soundboard to see the holes. Looking at the fingerboard i imagine the shamsiya/s must be a "real" beauty.
ALAMI - 3-3-2008 at 03:14 PM
Hi Oud Freak, "the loops at bridge trick" I was referring to is the possibility to push or twist the knots of the strings at the bridge to make them
higher or lower a little bit, this small distance is sometimes enough to make a buzzing disappear by making the strings higher or it could help to
make them lower for a lower overall action.
But you, you don't need to worry about this, you have a Matta.
Like you, I have a Matta oud and with the genius trick of Fadi's adjustable neck, the action is always perfect.
Sorry Zalzal for this "bifurcation" in your new oud thread, I have a small gift for you (and your new oud) in a neighbouring thread.
Btw I have Dogal strings on a oud, the GG and CC are great but the lower strings are too thick, Pyramids' lute strings are my preferred (for the
moment)
SamirCanada - 3-3-2008 at 07:08 PM
You cant make them Lower then the actual holes Alami... Just higher up on the brige so basicaly its only good if you have really low action and you
want to raise it. Unless you meant that the strings could have been tied high to start with and then you can lower them...
but on the other hand you can sand down your floating brige... Or make another lower one.
The sound wont be as loud but it could be nice still with the right strings.
aytayfun - 3-4-2008 at 02:00 AM
Ok, Zalzal taste it.
zalzal - 3-4-2008 at 02:59 AM
Fantastic rosettes Aytayfun, slim and flourished, and so thin, it is incredible...I like when the rosettes are aired; not very charged. Thankyou. It
is inspiring for a future oud.
It is true that i can sand down the bridge of my new oud to lower the action, or make a new one...good idea.
I am getting this afternoon some brand new dogal strings. Hope they work on iraqui style ouds and in one week they will be totally playable.
Multi Kulti - 3-4-2008 at 03:43 AM
Aytayfun who made this oud? Maybe Hadi Usta?
JT - 3-4-2008 at 05:33 AM
Hello Zal,
Congrats on the new oud man!
Can you please email me at ujt83@hotmail.com
my u2u isnt working for some reason.
All the best,
JT
Mike - 3-4-2008 at 10:11 AM
Congrats Z!
Some of the finer ouds on Mo Ali St. Can be found at Marcos' shop.
Alf mabrouk my friend,
Mike
aytayfun - 3-4-2008 at 11:02 AM
Hi Multi Kulti. She was born in 1894. Her midwife is Besiktasli
Vasil. 
This oud is made by Vasil of Besiktas in 1894.
Multi Kulti - 3-4-2008 at 11:38 AM
Just Perfect Mr. Tayfun...and the condition outstanding...
Thank you for the fotos
Nikos
P.s. Sorry to zalzal for hijacking his thread 
aytayfun - 3-4-2008 at 12:47 PM
I also apoligeze for confusing this thread. I would like to give some pictures of an historical beauty. I think the oldies will know the great master.
In a new topic. Step by step.
zalzal - 3-4-2008 at 12:52 PM
Do not worry at all Multi kulti and Aytayfun.
I liked this "hijacking" to the point that i showed the Aytayfun's oud to my 12 years old daughter, and she commented: "oh is very feminine, is it an
oud for ladies??"....
She meant the oud and the rosettes were very beautiful: "très jolie" she said.
Well today i changed the strings and put 6 courses of brand new venitian Dogal with tuning D, GG, aa, dd, gg, cc.
What a change of sound !!! Dogal strings are top quality.
However, as ALAMI pointed out with Dogal, after the gg ,cc, strings, the other strings are thick.
And the original bridge is thinked for thinner strings.
So the dd strings touches each other and there is a buzz, not very disturbing but present.
I will let the strings adapt to the tension and will see in a week.
May be a new bridge which takes into account the thickness of Dogal will have to be necessary.
abusin - 3-4-2008 at 02:14 PM
Alf Mabrouk Zalzal,
Beautiful oud, I hope it brings you happiness and prosperity and money of course
play it in good health.
regards,
Awad
zalzal - 3-4-2008 at 02:39 PM
Thankyou abusin, "However" Manchester eliminated Lyon.....
abusin - 3-4-2008 at 02:44 PM
we planing an oud meet sometime this year, come along so we can meet your new baby play some music 