waseem
Oud Admirer
Posts: 3
Registered: 4-5-2022
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Beginner, Buying a new Oud
Hi all,
I'm a beginner and started learning back in February on a "cheapo" oud. I'm at the point where this oud simply isn't good enough and I'm planning to
buy a new oud. I'm travelling next week, and planning on visiting Abu Alaa's shop, but i have a couple of questions first.
- what should I be looking for in an oud? Anything specific besides the sound and looks?
- I'm 6'3" - is there an ideal size for me? The one I currently have feels a bit small.
- Is there any difference between ouds where the finger board stops at the sound hole, vs stopping at the base of the neck?
- I'm planning on spending around $1800-2000 on a new one. Any advice would be highly appreciated.
Thank you in advance!
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Brian Prunka
Oud Junkie
Posts: 2939
Registered: 1-30-2004
Location: Brooklyn, NY
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Mood: Stringish
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hey Waseem, welcome to the forum!
Action should be as low as is practical. Be aware that it will generally rise a bit over time so if seems a little too low at first and 'buzzy' that
this will often go away over time as the oud ages (usually on a good oud the most movement occurs in the the first year or so of being under tension).
It's a bit difficult to truly guage the sound when you're playing an oud, and this is especially true as a beginner as beginners generally do not have
great control over the sound to begin with. So it's a good idea to hear the oud played by an experienced player. Try to listen from a few different
distances, and note how well the sound carries and the various subtleties of sound. Note also whether the player seems to have to play everything one
way - many ouds will sound good played loud or soft, for example, but a great oud will sound great whether played loudly or quietly.
The size shouldn't matter too much, it's mostly just personal preference. If you're 6'3" and have commensurately long arms and large hands, you may
prefer an oud a bit on the longer side. You may find that a smaller oud will be more challenging to hold, but in general the time that people have an
issue is if an oud is too big for them (though you can find children playing full-size ouds and doing just fine so there's that).
I'm just under 6' and like an oud around 60cm scale, with the bowl around 18-19cm deep. I know folks my size who prefer slightly shorter ouds. I'm
fine up to 61cm but I find ouds over 61cm to start being a little less comfortable to play, I probably wouldn't pick one that size. I have one friend
who is about your height and he prefers ouds in the 61-62cm size. But again, this is all pretty much individual taste. Keep in mind that everyone
playing Turkish oud is playing a smaller instrument regardless of height, and it's not a problem. Also think of how people play the same size violin
regardless of their size.
Regarding the fingerboard - the only real difference is that fingerboard woods are generally more durable than spruce or cypress (cedar), so if you
play a lot in the upper register you may prefer to have an extended fingerboard with a harder wood there in the long run.
Abu Alaa makes good ouds in my experience.
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waseem
Oud Admirer
Posts: 3
Registered: 4-5-2022
Member Is Offline
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Thanks for the detailed response, Brian. I visited Abu Alana’s shop today and picked up this beautiful oud, and I’m so excited! I’ll post
pictures later this evening.
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