Maasfoor
Oud Lover
Posts: 13
Registered: 10-5-2012
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Need opinion on these ouds (first oud)
Hi guys,
I have been reading a lot on this forum and I really appreciate all the good information. it's very helpful. Now, I am a beginner and I need to buy a
good oud and not spend too much money at the same time. I found (below) a few on ebay (I know many forums said to stay away from ebay but u never
know) and I would appreciate any opinions... also let me know if you know of a good place/person to buy a good cheap oud from
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ali-Khalifeh-Sons-Hand-Made-Syrian-Oud-Arab...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/110954287586?ssPageName=STRK:MEBOFFX:IT&...
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Greg
Administrator
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Welcome to the forums.
Here is the best place to start your research: http://www.mikeouds.com/messageboard/viewthread.php?tid=6809
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Dr. Oud
Oud Junkie
Posts: 1370
Registered: 12-18-2002
Location: Sacramento, CA, USA
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Mood: better than before
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These eBay ouds for $300 are made in Pakistani factories and are for decorative purposes, they are not musical instruments. You will find them of such
poor quality and green, cheap woods that trying to tune and play them will be a frustrating experience, often resulting in abandoning the oud
altogether. It usually costs more than they are worth to repair these ouds to a tunable & playable condition. Better to find a good used oud in
the Buy/Sell forum for around $600 - $800, then you'll have a musical instrument that will tune, play and hold it's value. If you can't find a good
used one, Look for a Turkish maker's student model, usually around the same price. A decent oud cannot be found for $300.
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Maasfoor
Oud Lover
Posts: 13
Registered: 10-5-2012
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thanks for the replies.. I knew it wasn't gona be that easy
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littleseb
Oud Junkie
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Location: london - uk
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keep an eye on these boards, good, reasonable-priced beginner's ouds (low-range sukars etc) pop up for sale fairly regularly.
also keep an eye on ebay etc and ask people on here for their opinions.
you'll be grand 
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Maasfoor
Oud Lover
Posts: 13
Registered: 10-5-2012
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opinion on this oud's pic (no info except it's syrian and old)
alright guys,
my friend has an old syrian oud that he wants to sell and all he knows about it is that it's syrian and it's old. He sent me a pic hopefully you guys
would be able to recognize it and maybe tell me if its good and how much it's worth.
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Marina
Oud Junkie
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Location: Bosnia
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Those r not good ouds. Hard to play and worth 150$ +-. Sometimes they r playable. I have one of those ouds and when a new student wants to bye
something like this in Jaffa or Jerusalem, I just lend them this oud for a while (because I take a pitty on their money). They give it back to me
after a week and buy Sukar - cheep and ok for begining. The same Syrian oud was at 4 student's hands and alk the time come back to me just like
Lessy.
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Maasfoor
Oud Lover
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thanks for the reply.. I really thought this was and expensive good quality piece.. I'm glad I asked
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fernandraynaud
Oud Junkie
Posts: 1865
Registered: 7-25-2009
Location: San Francisco, California
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If you can still find a Sukar (given the situation in Syria), those are best value and predictable, they are not just beginner ouds. Otherwise Turkish
ouds are on average better made than Arabians.
Forget the Pakistani stuff. The average Egyptian and Syrian ouds are poorly made, and are a useless time drain unless you are good with your hands and
into learning a lot, fast. Some are salvageable but always check the one thing that's all but unfixable: a high action over 3.5-4 mm. If you're not a
wood worker type, just look for a Sukar or a Turkish student model.
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Maasfoor
Oud Lover
Posts: 13
Registered: 10-5-2012
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hey again guys,
I have decided to get this sukar (link below) and I would like to get your opinion before i purchase. The seller told me its model 1 and is slightly
used in good condition. He is willing to sell it to me for around $500+shipping but I still think that is kind of high because they are $680 brand new
on arabinstruments.com. what do you think of the price? will it keep its price if i ever decide to resell? I was also comparing its pic with the new
one on arabinstruments.com and i noticed the bridge where the lines attache is a different collor; ebay one is black and arabinstruments is light
brown. The wood in general from the ebay seller is slightly darker too. Is that normal? also what else do you think i should ask the seller to make
sure of its quality and authenticity? Your help will be much appreciated
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=221130419354...
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Maasfoor
Oud Lover
Posts: 13
Registered: 10-5-2012
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this is the link for the one from arabinstruments.com if you want to compare.
http://www.arabinstruments.com/112730/Syrian-Oud-By-Ibrahim-Sukar
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charlie oud
Oud Junkie
Posts: 694
Registered: 11-19-2007
Location: Newcastle upon tyne. UK
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Mood: chords prefer frets
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Hello Maasfoor
A sukar will do you fine. He uses various colours with wood for all models so dont worry about that. No harm in asking seller for details regarding
authenticity and ensure the adjustable neck device (fitted to all sukars so you can set your preferred action) is in working order. They are not over
priced when new, so if in doubt go for the new one. You will get a dependable arabic oud sound which you will probably want to improve on in a few
years. In terms of playability and durability however, a sukar is for life.
Best Wishes, Charlie
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littleseb
Oud Junkie
Posts: 224
Registered: 10-14-2008
Location: london - uk
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sold on this forum, might be just the right thing for a beginner:
http://www.mikeouds.com/messageboard/viewthread.php?tid=12473
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fernandraynaud
Oud Junkie
Posts: 1865
Registered: 7-25-2009
Location: San Francisco, California
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The Model 1 is the most variable, not to worry. Some have long fingerboards, some short, different color woods, etc. Model 1 is the most basic Sukar.
All Sukars sound good, and have the same basic design. The difference of the lower ones compared to the higher models like the 212, 214/14, 211 etc,
is that the pegs are rough, and the fingerboard a softer wood. At this point, not knowing how much is left of Sukar's workshop in Aleppo, it might be
a good idea to buy up what Sukars are still available. Sukars will probably continue to go up in value.
That said, a decent floating bridge oud, especially one capable of being strung with 7 courses, is not usually found at the price of Hamed's. Usually
people start out with a fixed bridge oud, and only later pick up a floating bridge instrument.
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Maasfoor
Oud Lover
Posts: 13
Registered: 10-5-2012
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Thanks for all the input..nice to know there isn't much difference in the sound quality between the different models..the seller sent me a pic of the
certificate and it looks like the date when it was made is hand written over the original date i'm assuming this is normal because I have seen the
same thing on a different sukar.. I also asked him about the adjustable neck and he didn't say anything about it..I honestly don't know what the
adjustable neck is suppose to do but is it possible to tell from looking at the pictures.. The certificate pic is below
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Maasfoor
Oud Lover
Posts: 13
Registered: 10-5-2012
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littleseb
Oud Junkie
Posts: 224
Registered: 10-14-2008
Location: london - uk
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Mood: high
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the adjustable neck allows you to rise / lower the action to your personal preference. this is done by fiddling with a wing nut you will find inside
the bowel, near to where the neck meets the bowel. you can not tell by the pix you posted whether it has such device or not.
the label looks slightly different to the label in my old sukar, but, for what it's worth, i dunno if my sukar was genuine. it had an adjustable neck
though.
seriously though, if i was in your position i would have a good look at hamed's floating bridge oud i linked to before. it does look like something a
bit special / unique and the price seems fair. in my opinion, of course.
good luck.
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