nizzrooster
Oud Admirer
Posts: 7
Registered: 3-13-2010
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Hello All! I'm New Here!
Hi. This is my first post here. My name is Nick, I live in Detroit, Michigan and I have no idea how to play the oud.
I got an oud as birthday present a few years ago and it has been sitting in the case ever since. I know absolutely nothing about the oud. I don't even
know how many string it's supposed to have.
I don't know what to tune it to, I think i need new string and and I definitely need a new nut. If anybody could give me any info as to where I can
get a new nut, strings and possibly a book or something so I can learn scales and what not that would be wonderful. Thanks.
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Sazi
Oud Junkie
Posts: 786
Registered: 9-17-2007
Location: Behind my oud
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Mood: مبتهج ; ))
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Seek and ye shall find...
http://www.mikeouds.com/messageboard/viewthread.php?tid=6809
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nizzrooster
Oud Admirer
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Registered: 3-13-2010
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thanks for the instant response...
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spyblaster
Oud Junkie
Posts: 285
Registered: 2-17-2010
Location: Iran - Karaj
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hi n welcome to the forums
BE VERY CAREFUL!!!!!! pegs may become sticky n may break the peg box if they are not used for some time. so do not force them if u couldnt tune it.
tune it gently n if u didnt succeed, ask a luthier to fix it.
regards, Amir
The Oud is my life, n my life is the Oud
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jdowning
Oud Junkie
Posts: 3485
Registered: 8-2-2006
Location: Ontario, Canada
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"The Basics of Oud" by forum member Marina Toshich is a good introduction to the basics of playing the oud. It comes with an instructional DVD as
well.
Published by Mel Bay Publications Inc. ISBN 978 - 078667863 - 1
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oudtab
Oud Maniac
Posts: 85
Registered: 3-17-2009
Location: France
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Bonjour nizzrooster et bienvenue,
I've written few pages about the oud at : http://sites.google.com/site/oudguitare/generalities
You can also download the Jamil Bashir oud method at : http://www.mikeouds.com/messageboard/viewthread.php?tid=6257
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nizzrooster
Oud Admirer
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Registered: 3-13-2010
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Would I need to find a luthier that specializes in ouds or will any luthier know how to work on ouds?
Thanks for the help, info and warnings, by the way.
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fhalaw
Oud Junkie
Posts: 144
Registered: 7-9-2009
Location: Montreal, Qc
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It might be a good idea to first find out how much your oud is worth. If you got an market ornamentation for a present there is no point even talking
to a luthier since a new nut+ strings might cost more than the oud.
Sorry for the bluntness but make sure you dont rush into anything, and ask people here when you are not sure.
Fadi
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nizzrooster
Oud Admirer
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Registered: 3-13-2010
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I took several pics of the oud but they won't seem to want to post. I don't know what the problem is.
The sticker on the inside says "Pyramids International Company" and the model number is LN 323 W and there is a sticker that says "MADE IN EGYPT."
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nizzrooster
Oud Admirer
Posts: 7
Registered: 3-13-2010
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Here. I hope this works.
http://pbckt.com/sL.cAR
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Sazi
Oud Junkie
Posts: 786
Registered: 9-17-2007
Location: Behind my oud
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Mood: مبتهج ; ))
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Personally I think it looks like it's worth getting a luthier to go over it, the soundboard, despite the number of pieces, which, as long as they are
glued together ok doesn't make much if any difference, has decent tight grain, ( a well respected luthier, Joze Ramirez, says its better to have a
soundboard made of a few pieces of good wood than a two piece of lesser wood), it has obviously been put together with artistry, the decoration is
nice, and well done, the pegs look like walnut, or possibly olive, which is fine, they probably need shaving and the holes reamed... and Egyptian nuts
are great for throwing away and replacing...
All the best with your oud, S
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nizzrooster
Oud Admirer
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Registered: 3-13-2010
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So are there luthiers that specialize in ouds? Or could I take it to any classical guitar luthier or violin repairman?
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spyblaster
Oud Junkie
Posts: 285
Registered: 2-17-2010
Location: Iran - Karaj
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hey it seems like a nice oud. violin makers are really helpful for the pegs, coz the pegs of these instruments are like each other. ofcourse luthiers
are supposed to be more helpful generally, specially oud makers. but it depends on the maker. get some local info n find the best choice.
good luck
The Oud is my life, n my life is the Oud
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Luttgutt
Oud Junkie
Posts: 578
Registered: 1-10-2009
Location: Norway
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Welcome to the forum nizzrooster!
I don't really see why you need a Luthier!?
What is wrong with the oud?
Why don't you try to put new strings (Daniel Mari is good and cheep, so it is good for testing). And see how it sounds then..
You might need to wrk a litle on the pegs (soap and choack, no big deal).
Doen't look like you need to change the nut. Why do you think so?
Good luck
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nizzrooster
Oud Admirer
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I'm thinking the nut needs to be changed because right where the 12th string (lowest) would sit is where it's broken. It's very difficult to see in
the pictures. But you may be right, Luttgutt. It looks like it may not really affect the string at all.
I think I'm just gonna get some new strings tune her up and give her a whirl.....
The tuning pegs are a bit tight. What would you recommend for making them a little easier to turn?
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fernandraynaud
Oud Junkie
Posts: 1865
Registered: 7-25-2009
Location: San Francisco, California
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Mood: m'Oudy
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Pegs HAVE to be tight. The standard trick is to smear a little bit of very dry white ivory type soap on the pegs where they meet the pegbox, and then
criss-ross with chalk. You want the pegs to turn smoothly once they start moving, but stop on a dime, and stay put when you are stopped. Too much soap
and they will not hold, too much chalk and they will jerk. So start with very little and try to get a feel. Also, very important, the string should be
wound onto the peg against the pegbox wall in such a way as to pull the peg in. While you tune, you must also keep pressing the peg in. You have to
develop a technique for getting a bit of a running start to adjust a string, so if you want to tune 20 cents up, you have to drop lower and then come
back in "running" and pushing the peg in, and land where you are aiming: takes practice. Some ouds require more force and can only be tuned with the
right hand and the instrument standing up resting on a chair. If a peg cracks it's not the end of the world, it can be glued back together with Super
Glue.
This looks like a perfectly good student oud. With a little work you can make it sweet. The bass course is almost always a single string, so the nut
is likely A-OK. Hard to make out detail on the photos. If I were you I'd order a Daniel Mari Arabic set from Bill Ostrie ($7.99). Very Very lightly
sand the pegs with 400 sandpaper , and touch the working surfaces of the pegs with soap and chalk. If the soundboard has a glossy rough varnish (hard
to tell on photos), make a few passes with 000 Steel wool to smooth it down to eggshell finish, it's much nicer. If as I suspect that pickguard is
vinyl, get a sheet of oak or cherry or whatever veneer and trace your vinyl pickguard to cut out a wooden one. Thoroughly varnish or lacquer to
stiffen and strengthen, fine sand. When dry glue down with liquid hide glue where the vinyl one was (it's easy to remove). When strings arrive string
with 11 strings if the nut has grooves for the high strings. If not, read up and make shallow grooves for them. The bridge has the holes. If the nut
grooves are a problem, you can play it with 9 strings for now, a lot of people play them that way, though I'd shoot for 11 if you can. I'm sure you've
found what the standard tuning is, and it's nice to have the full C FF AA DD gg cc .
Congratulations on finding your best present yet! Best success, welcome to the forums, and don't let anybody put that oud down, it's perfectly fine,
as you play it you will find it develops a tone and personality. Who knows, years from now, when you probably have several more expensive ouds, you
may find this is the one you reach for, like a comfortable old shoe.
To study the oud the Arabic Maqams are a whole new world to discover. Marina's book and DVD are great to get started, and then get OufProf's DVD
called Learn Maqamat on the Oud V 2.0 (find on e-bay). It shows how to play all the core Maqamat on video with exercises, discussion, examples, so
it's a great value. This forum's search feature is simple but will help you find anything you might wonder about.
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