Shraim
Oud Admirer
Posts: 3
Registered: 12-2-2015
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Oud Humidifier
Hey guys, I am new here and to the world of Oud. Just purchased my first Oud about a month ago. My Oud has Rosettes so no open sound holes which means
no way of inserting a Humidifier to keep the wood from cracking. I live in the North East of the US which means my heat is blowing hard about 7 months
a year. Besides keeping the Oud in a case with a case humidifier, does anyone have any suggestions or recommendation on how to keep the Oud safe
during the winter season?
Thanks
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hans
Oud Junkie
Posts: 186
Registered: 5-6-2014
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Hi there, i use a humidifier to humidify the room where i keep my ouds
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jdowning
Oud Junkie
Posts: 3485
Registered: 8-2-2006
Location: Ontario, Canada
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The interior of an oud bowl is not closed from the atmosphere by the presence of rosettes (they are full of 'holes' after all) so the relative
humidity of the bowl interior will be the same as that of the local environment outside of the bowl.
The relative humidity in North American heated homes during the winter months can be very dry (40% RH or less in my experience) without some kind of
interior climate control that will limit relative humidity to (ideally) around 55%RH - a museum standard that covers most requirements. So - to be
safe - if you use a humidifier you will also need to measure and control the general relative humidity of the air in the room where the oud is to be
stored.
However, much depends upon the prevailing RH when an instrument is assembled - which is why I reserve that procedure to winter time conditions for the
instruments that I make here in Canada - summer time being too hot and humid.
Best to control room environment where the oud will be stored and played.
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hans
Oud Junkie
Posts: 186
Registered: 5-6-2014
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That is very interesting what you write there. I have two ouds by ramazan calay from istanbul. The one oud reacts much more strongly to winter
conditions in holland than the other. I wonder whether that could have to do with different seasons in which they were built?
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IlPersiano
Oud Maniac
Posts: 62
Registered: 1-8-2016
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Quote: Originally posted by Shraim  | Hey guys, I am new here and to the world of Oud. Just purchased my first Oud about a month ago. My Oud has Rosettes so no open sound holes which means
no way of inserting a Humidifier to keep the wood from cracking. I live in the North East of the US which means my heat is blowing hard about 7 months
a year. Besides keeping the Oud in a case with a case humidifier, does anyone have any suggestions or recommendation on how to keep the Oud safe
during the winter season?
Thanks |
Hi there!
It is important in my opinion to have a hygrometer. it's not to expensive nowadays. so you can check the moist in the air accordigly to the
season..
Many luthiers agree with the fact the is not the moisture itself that is crucial for the oud (or other string instruments). But what "traumatize" an
oud is the sudden chenge of moist or temperature.
The percentuage of moist shouldn't be below 30% or more then 60%. Ideal would be about 50% moist, about 20C emperature and keep the instrument mostly
in a costant climate, without sudden change. If then you need to move, put in a case which isolates.
I hope this help.
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Shraim
Oud Admirer
Posts: 3
Registered: 12-2-2015
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Thank you guys. All great advice. Looks like I will be using a large humidifier and keep all my instruments in one room. I am not so good at keeping
up with temperatures and humidity levels so best to invest in a decent humidifier.
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