Loshem
Oud Lover
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Registered: 6-13-2008
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Oud making 101
Hey guys,
I wanted to ask a basic question to some of you seasoned oud luthiers about materials for building an oud. I know the best wood to use for any
instrument is one that has had time to dry properly so that the instrument doesn't warp or crack over time. My question is who do you get your wood
materials (binding/inlay included if applicable)? Are there any online distributors that are preferred? Thanks.
-Losh
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SamirCanada
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i use http://www.lmii.com
they pretty good but there is plenty more from where you can shop
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Loshem
Oud Lover
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what do you order from them? It looks like everything is fitted for guitars? Do you order a specific size and go from there?
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SamirCanada
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I order the soundboard and binding from them.
for the body woods its better to look around your area for fine wood supliers.
check the phone book that is where I found mine.
or even call furniture makers to see where they get their wood from.
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Loshem
Oud Lover
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Anybody ever use Wenge for the bowl or even worked with it in any bending? I am curious because it has a nice chocolate brown color that looks really
rich when finished.
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SamirCanada
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wenge is nice.
the only thing is that its really toxic when you work with it you must wear long sleeves, gloves and a respirator.
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Loshem
Oud Lover
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i heard it was very porous, does that effect resonance at all? Is the toxic quality based on allergy or is it toxic in general? How does it compare to
commonly used woods like Indian rosewood or European Rosewood? Does it bend easily or is it a tougher wood?
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DaveH
Oud Junkie
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Wenge is not actually a true rosewood, but that's not to say it isn't a nice tonewood. All rosewoods and Wenge too, have irritant properties. They're
not actually poisonous but can cause strong allergic reactions including dermatitis, but also respiratory and more systemic problems. It depends a lot
on the susceptibility of the individual woodworker. The dust is what causes the problems (or the oils in the dust). By the way, there's no European
rosewood. There are African, Indian and quite a few Latin American varieties.
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Loshem
Oud Lover
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Oops I meant Brazilian rosewood (brain fart)
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Loshem
Oud Lover
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Where do some of you luthiers buy your tools that are geared toward oud building? Specifically planes, scrapers, chisels and whatnot.
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Loshem
Oud Lover
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I notice some of you luthiers built an oud using maple ribs. I was looking around at the different types and I was wondering what kind of maple you
used (ie flame, quilt, or birdseye)?
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SamirCanada
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you can use either kind but the higher the figure the more expensive the wood will be.
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Jameel
Oud Junkie
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Loshem,
There are a few specialized tools for oud making like peg reamers and shapers, but 99% of the tools you use will be for fine woodworking. I have a
list of suppliers on my website. http://www.khalafoud.com/sourceslinks.htm
You could also try these fine suppliers:
http://www.craftsmanstudio.com/index.htm
http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/
Flame, quilt and birdseye maple are all the same species for the most part (acer saccharum or other acer species, but mostly saccharum in North
America) It's debatable whether these figures impart different sound characteristics. They are used mostly for their look. They are a little trickier
to bend too, since the nature of the curly grain makes the wood weaker and more prone to splintering on the outside of the curve.
I've seen a few ouds made with Wenge. I personally hate the stuff. It's hard to bend, extremely splintery (wear gloves) and the dust makes a huge
mess.
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