Hi MIGNAL,
Thanks for that, I wondered if you had developed a different strategy of your own, but I suppose that the coopering method is probably the oldest and most logical. I have seen woodblock prints from the 15th century showing the method you describe.
The oud is based on a semi circle as you say, although different countries have their own profile preferences. There are two methods of construction, one is using a complete mould and the other, a free assembly, see pic below.
Having said that I made a guitar many years ago, due to changing work patterns I couldn’t complete the evening class, and then 15 % mortgage rates killed everything.
The one thing that I haven’t done is make and fit the bridge. The problem now is that I have lost the information that contained the scale length...it is thirty years ish ago.
If you don’t mind me asking, is there any way of measuring the frets, say to the twelfth and extrapolate what it might be? Any advice would be appreciated.
I am intrigued to find out what it sounds like, as it was slightly different to the normal acoustic guitar build. The back and sides were mahogany and the front is cedar, with the neck joined using a slipper foot, normally used on a classical guitar. It is loosely modelled on a pre-war Martin 00 series with the slotted head.
Hi xy,
Thanks for the info, as it happens, your method is used by a number of makers, as it gets round the tear out.
Did you make your lutes to play? As to ouds being made by traditional methods, I suppose it depends on what you describe as ‘traditional’. I have seen home made video of a few workshops in the middle east, and there were no bandsaws, tablesaws etc in evidence. In fact, the shops weren’t large enough to accommodate them. So I would suggest that the greater majority of makers are using traditional methods. The spread of makers is vast; I have found people from Turkey to Iraq (some of whom have moved to Syria understandably) across Egypt to northern Africa. I also have video of al jazeera tv music shows, what a wonderful culture shock. Oud music is not to a lot of european taste, largely because it sounds as if ‘bum’ notes are being played.This is due to the scales used being utterly different to ours.
Regards....Dick.