Mike G - 10-24-2008 at 02:33 PM
I'm going to Morocco and want to buy an oud. I play guitar so I think I want a mid-line instrument I can grow into but not out of too quickly. Does
anyone know which towns are known for their instruments, or some specifics on what to look for, or not to buy? Thanks.
suz_i_dil - 10-26-2008 at 01:57 PM
There is Khaled Ben Khaiba, who is famous in this country, his place in Casablanca but I don't have contact information.
Owain-Hawk - 10-26-2008 at 03:17 PM
I have Khaled's phone number, I think its pretty recent and as far as I know, he makes Ouds for Siad Chrabi,
"Le luth de Azzouz El Houri est fait par le Maître Luthier Belhaiba Khalid
00212 12 07 22 28
Casablanca - Maroc"
Another maker is Mohamed Lahlou, the shop is at "Rue de Marrakech" in Casablanca. Phone number: 27.52.43
I took this from inside my Oud that I bought from him, he also sells other instruments like violin and Ghembri (traditional Moroccan instrument). The
Oud itself is pretty nice for a bargain price (about £100) but the pegs are not so good, however the sound is very nice. And since I brought it back
the neck has bent and it now buzzes quite a bit, but I think its because I carried it in very hot weather.
Hope I helped, and please let us know what you get, I'm interested. 
SamirCanada - 10-26-2008 at 07:33 PM
try to get in contact with Abdallah Mourid,
he is also another great luthier.
sabbassi - 11-9-2008 at 12:24 PM
Hi,
Khalid Belhaiba is a good friend of mine. I'm trying also to build his website to put his work onlie. http://www.belhaibaoud.com. It is not yet finished, but you can already check his gallery and the atelier at the website.
Unfortunatly, his is very busy and you have to pre-order 6-8 months in advance. His ouds are state of the art.
You can try to call but he does not speak english. In the old medina in Casablanca you can buy ready made ouds. the palce is called Jamaa chlouh. Lot
of oud shops. you may be lucky to fing one of his ouds or Abdalah Mourid.
Owain-Hawk - 11-9-2008 at 12:29 PM
I'm looking forward to this website, Sabbassi. I might be going to Morocco in a few months time, does he not have Ouds pre-built that I could try, or
do I HAVE to make an order?
Thanks.
sabbassi - 11-9-2008 at 02:40 PM
Hi Owain-Hawk, probably yes, just call in advance so he can arrange one. This is a sound sample I recorder with my phone of one of his ouds (of course
the recording is bad) but you can have an Idea about it. Said chraibi plays mostly his ouds.
I will post in the near future more pictures and some video of his ouds. you can see some of his work now at the website.
sound sample
sabbassi - 11-9-2008 at 02:41 PM
sound sample
Owain-Hawk - 11-9-2008 at 02:46 PM
Hi Sabbassi, thank you, but I cannot open this file, you will have to convert to WAVE, I think you can download this software here to convert it..
http://www.miksoft.net/mobileAMRconverter.htm
sound file
sabbassi - 11-10-2008 at 12:35 AM
Hi, If I convert the file, the size is too big to be uploaded.
If you save the file locally to your hard disk, you can play it with real player.
Owain-Hawk - 11-10-2008 at 10:24 AM
I tried to play the file with real player, windows media player, VLC player, nothing worked. 
corridoio - 11-10-2008 at 11:04 AM
tried and on my computer it works with quicktime player but, as always, the file "loses" his extension when download from mikesoud so you have to:
rename, add .amr and it works
Anyway here is an mp3 version (I had to choose 48 kbs conversion to stay in the limit of 1 Mb), use the same procedure if it loses his extension but
with .mp3
ale.
Owain-Hawk - 11-10-2008 at 11:09 AM
Thanks Corridoi, it works now. The playing is very good!! Is it you Sabbassi? 
Nice sounding Oud, if I come to Morocco, I would love to meet Khalid.
sabbassi - 11-10-2008 at 12:23 PM
thank Corridoio.
I wish I was the player, I'm just a biginner. It is a friend of mine also a good friend of Khalid Belhaiba. His name is Khalid Jdidi, he is amazing.
He lives in Casablanca. The recording was this year with at belhaiba atelier including Said chraibi.
I can put some pictures of my Belhaiba oud if you want.
sabbassi - 11-10-2008 at 12:41 PM
I will ask him tomorrow about this. Drop me a message when you think your going.
patheslip - 11-10-2008 at 02:41 PM
I bought an oud in Morocco this April. It was great fun.
My advice to you would be, if you can't follow up the Casablanca maker or any of the other expert opinions, to rely to the friendliness, enterprise
and helpfulness of the Moroccan shopkeeper.
Go into a medium sized town; Essaouira is really nice. Try shops until you see an oud. Refuse all offers of carpets etc. Smile. Ask, in French
if you can't do Berber or Arabic, if they have any others. (Japanese, Spanish, German, Italian or English will work at a pinch.) Say that you want
to play it, not hang it on the wall. Smile. You will be shown all sorts of things. Smile. Some of them will be really useful. Some of them won't
be. Smile. People will find ouds and bring them to the shop for the next day if you say you'll be back. Pay what you think it's worth, then
everyone will be happy. 
Owain-Hawk - 11-10-2008 at 03:38 PM
I also bought an Oud in Morocco just before yourself. I also tried some of those "Hang on a wall Ouds" and they wern't bad! Some only cost about £10,
and if you find the right one, that was built perfectly by accident, you'll get a bargain.
Patheslip, could I ask you to perhaps post some pictures/sound samples of this Oud you speak of? 
samerali - 11-13-2008 at 03:54 AM
Hi there
I know a good oud maker based up in casablanca his name is abek alkareem khaleq n his work shop is based in the old market of casablnacaa
KR
patheslip - 11-13-2008 at 05:36 AM
I couldn't even start doing a sound sample, and as I fretted the beast (tied fishing line), and play medieval and early renaissance European dance
tunes with my plectrum held wrong I don't feel that they'd fit here.