Arab Instrument
Oud Junkie
Posts: 269
Registered: 4-27-2009
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Mood: No Mood
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Check this oud for sale
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VicDiesel
Oud Lover
Posts: 14
Registered: 1-30-2010
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Does anyone have experience with arabinstruments.com? How are Gawharet-el-fan ouds? I'm I'm looking to spend $500, is this value for money?
Victor.
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alfaraby
Oud Junkie
Posts: 796
Registered: 9-18-2009
Location: Holy Land
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Mood: Cool
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Hello Victor
Gawhart Alfann (hereinafter referred to as GF  ) stands for a music shop, located
in Mohammad Ali st. Atabah/ Cairo/ Egypt, and not at all of a lutheir or a "brand" !! They buy ouds from makers all around Cairo, stick their sticker
inside & sell around the globe.
You may, by luck only, have a good oud of GF, but this would be a mere coincidence . These are mostly commercial stuff sold in Cairo for 100 $ + - but
when they're exported abroad they might easily jump to 300 $ .
After all, the guys in GF are nice & tolerant, but they're merchants not artists, so beware !
The same is applicable to Arabinstruments, they're nice & cooperative, but have nothing to do with HQ ouds. They might have liked to, but decided
to sell as much ouds as they may, earn & maybe start importing really professional pieces .
Spare your 500 $, add the same, & you'll get a fairly good oud for a 1000 $ .
& by the way, don't ever buy without trying the instrument yourself ....
Good Luck
Yours truly
Alfaraby
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VicDiesel
Oud Lover
Posts: 14
Registered: 1-30-2010
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Quote: Originally posted by alfaraby  |
Spare your 500 $, add the same, & you'll get a fairly good oud for a 1000 $ .
& by the way, don't ever buy without trying the instrument yourself ....
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Thanks for the advice. I was in fact looking at some more expensive instruments. However, trying instruments out is hard. I Live in the US, and it's
hard enough to find a seller on the same continent as me, let alone close enough to try out the instrument. The only ouds for sale here in town are
(from the looks of it) very overpriced.
I'll probably have to buy from someone who looks reputable, and who sells an instrument from a reputable maker.
Victor.
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alfaraby
Oud Junkie
Posts: 796
Registered: 9-18-2009
Location: Holy Land
Member Is Offline
Mood: Cool
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Well, the right place to do so is here, right in this forum
I have posted one myself here :
http://www.mikeouds.com/messageboard/viewthread.php?tid=9736#pid647...
Good Luck
Your truly
Alfaraby
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VicDiesel
Oud Lover
Posts: 14
Registered: 1-30-2010
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I'm sure you're a nice guy, but
1/ since september you haven't found the time to post pictures or a sound file
2/ you don't say where you're located
3/ 1500$ (and up?!) for an oud of unknown origin?
Can you understand that I'm not jumping on your offer?
Victor.
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Arab Instrument
Oud Junkie
Posts: 269
Registered: 4-27-2009
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GEF is a company that exist since 1940 and has a factory which creating many instruments such as ouds.
I don't know in which shop in Cairo you check GEF ouds but if you do want spread some misleading words, at least do an honest research!!.
Our company based in Israel and i think that we are the only one who attached sound sample for every instruments including the right picture of it.
We have an excellent feedbacks from our customers you can check them in our website and also in at Ebay (http://www.arabinstruments.com/112730/Feedback)
so please stop spread your theory .
This is not an appropriate way to do it.
Thanks
Assaf
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Luttgutt
Oud Junkie
Posts: 578
Registered: 1-10-2009
Location: Norway
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Mood: Curious
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Hi Victor!
Strange that nobady has responded to your question! I am sure someone out there has delt with arab instrument, and can give you a feedback (I
haven't).
But for what it is worth, I like the way Arabinstruments are presanting there ouds! Clear and straight forward. They post all detailes about every
single oud. With pictures, video and price!
And in my opinien, this oud in particular sound good for the price!
I hope you get more response from the good people here..
Good luck
Geko
p.s. I have played a GF oud once. And it was very easy and relaxing to hold, because of the shape of the bowl. You can see from the picture that it
has a narrower bowl then usual ouds.
p.s. you are right, the music file is not working anymore on the website I gave. We'll have to find out why. Sorry about that.
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Arab Instrument
Oud Junkie
Posts: 269
Registered: 4-27-2009
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
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Dear Luttgutt
Thank you for your feedback
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zakiya_alali
Oud Junkie
Posts: 409
Registered: 10-4-2008
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Mood: Jameel Bashir is a Legand
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Hi VicDiesel
for $500 u can get decent sukar oud(contact me if you are intersted)
KR
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fernandraynaud
Oud Junkie
Posts: 1865
Registered: 7-25-2009
Location: San Francisco, California
Member Is Offline
Mood: m'Oudy
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Vic,
I can second what zakiya_alali says about Sukars. Ibrahim Sukar is an engineer who has figured out a design over the years that works well and he
makes it in a variety of woods and finishes, but by now the design is consistent. His ouds have an adjustable neck and a great bracing/soundboard
system that produces a rich timbre with a lot of harmonic "nodes", unlike a more common design with one or two peaks (in the bass). The Sukars have a
strong and rich Arabian timbre. The current production cheapest Model 1 is a great deal, though the woods are not the most expensive and you might
want to dress it up a little (as I did mine) if you cannot afford a model with e.g. a more durable ebony fingerboard and better pegs. I have played
all the ouds I can touch, and I continue to be delighted with my Model 1.
You have to understand there are different types of people here with very different ideas. The $1000+ crowd has every right to be a bit snobbish. That
includes guys with $2500 vintage ouds and the people who go for very well-finished instruments made by luthiers who cater to that market. There are
some truly stunning instruments that pass through this forum.
But Zakiya_alali is right, you can get a very decent Sukar for $500. Palmyrami on e-bay will even sell a Model 1 Sukar with hard case for $350-400
when they have them. They get them all packed from Syria, complete with photos. Beware their other ouds, they are not dishonest but it's fair to say
that when it comes to ouds, they have approximately no idea what they are selling.
I have no direct experience with ArabInstruments but LuttGutt is right, they do indeed present their instruments carefully and honestly. They keep
improving their presentation and obviously work hard to position themselves as reputable dealers in the midrange market.
I can vouch for the fact that Gawaret El Fan's label (or business card) shows up in all sorts of instruments. The GEF web site presents a singularly
narrow range of models.
It takes a tremendous know-how or luck to make a determination from a sound file recorded on a video camera. As a recording professional I marvel at
the idea that a sound file can be considered "objective". ArabInstruments' ouds as presented in YouTube clips all sound fine, especially of late with
the new player they are using to demo. Yet it's pretty clear from a lot of other info that the "professional" Gawaret El Fan ouds are not in the same
league as the Sukars, something ArabInstruments has agreed with in the past, and demonstrated in their pricing.
I think it's worth mentioning that Turkish ouds tend to be better finished, while the Arabian instruments tend to be made with simple tools and have a
rustic quality that unjustly discourages many a first time buyer at first sight. Some of the most famous and excellent vintage instruments have a
Neanderthal charm that only an expert fully appreciates. Even the preferred unfinished soundboard is not to everyone's taste. The varnished
soundboard, on the other hand, is usually the mark of a "decorative" or "tourist" oud. The peg system on Arabian ouds takes a little getting used to
as well.
I would say Sukars are by far the safest (if not the only safe) bet for someone buying "remotely". If you cannot try out the instrument, the greater
consistency of the Sukar design over even quite expensive and potentially great ouds, is a very comforting feature.
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celloting
Oud Admirer
Posts: 2
Registered: 11-4-2010
Member Is Offline
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I would like share my unpleasant experience of buying my first oud from bubitrade, this is the Ebay business arm of arabinstruments and a guy by the
name of Assaf Kassel has made a contribution on this thread.
Basically, after much reading and research, I decided to buy one of their Professional Egyptian Oud Arabic With + Sound Sample costing 410USD.
Problem was that they sent me the wrong oud, one with a cut-away fingerboard precisely what I did not want. On top of that, the soft case did not fit
the oud, particularly the peghead. There was also a fairly massive dent on the top end of the fingerboard.
I contacted them to point out the problem and asked for them to send the oud I paid for, they refused and offered a refund instead, but not including
the return postage from UK (which would cost nearly 200USD!), which I suspect these guys already knew full well. They know their business well and
like to play games with their customers.
The worst bit was that they never once acknowledged their mistake, never once apologised for sending me the wrong oud and then proceeded to accuse me
of 'blackmailing' them and ruining their business! What? I mean, I paid honest money for the oud, they sent me the wrong oud, they never admitted
making the mistake. See, I reckon they knew it was not the correct oud yet they sent it. You know why? Because they knew right from the outset that
it would cost us (from the West) far too much to return the oud!
They like to play games with customers, so beware!
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Sam
Oud Junkie
Posts: 375
Registered: 3-23-2009
Location: Cairo - Egypt
Member Is Offline
Mood: Selling Ouds
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Content of post removed by moderator. G
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