Information on Oud – 3oud Vibes

In order to exchange knowledge about the Oud instrument and benefit others, especially those who are passionate about the Oud or those who are new to this instrument, I share with you a series of information. The content will primarily be answers to some of the questions that come to our minds about the Oud. The content is based primarily on my modest personal experience and on my exchange of information with some Oud makers and players. I also rely on a scientific method, which is Nethnography, by browsing the content of some electronic pages and social networking sites specialized in this field (such as Oud selling sites and Facebook and YouTube pages for Oud lovers), summarizing it, adding valuable information, and organizing the whole into structured sections. The content will be concise and short and it is systematically translated (By AI) into any language adopted by this website (e.g., Arabic, French, Turkish, etc.). Please forgive any wrong translation as the latter is achieved by machine-learning models. You can make your contribution by asking questions and providing answers by feeding this website’s forum (for this, click on the icon Forum).

Note: The content in this site can evolve over time. Thus, more questions and answers can be added in due course (i.e., the content would be enriched)

What are the criteria that should be considered to buy an Oud?

Like every person who wanted to buy an Oud instrument for the first time, I didn’t know much about the Oud back then and I didn’t have specific criteria to facilitate my choice of the instrument or guide me in making the decision. Apart the oud sound (this factor is more likely to be difficult to be assessed by a beginner), here are some of the most important criteria, noting that the explanation of some of them (such as the type of the Oud bowl, the quality of the strings, etc.) will be addressed in different sections.
The 11 criteria:

Firstly, the type of wood used for the Soundbox/Oud bowl (for example, Rosewood, Walnut wood, Mahogany, Ebony, Palisander, etc.). A special topic will be devoted to soundbox/Oud bowl.

Secondly, the type of wood used for the Oud face (for example, cedar wood, cypress wood, etc.). We will explain this criterion in detail in another separate topic.

Thirdly, the wood of the face and the wood of the soundbox must be free from any defect such as wood knots, cracking, etc.

Fourthly, it is preferable for the soundbox to consist of 21 ribs or more (e.g., 25 ribs).

Fifthly, the face of the Oud must be a maximum of two pieces. The face consisting of three or more pieces is not preferred.

Sixthly, the wood of the fretboard and the tuning pegs is best to be from Ebony. We will explain this point in a later bulletin.

Seventhly, the length of the fretboard/neck (from the top of the fretboard to the soundbox) must be a third of the length of the string. For example, if the length of the string (awtar) is 60 cm, the length of the fretboard/neck must be 20 cm.

Eighthly, there are four types of Oud neck design: female-male neck (KHABOUR), tongue neck (LISAN), adjustable neck (maʿyārī), and fixed neck (THABIT). It seems that the best of them could be the fixed and the adjustable necks (THABIT and 'maʿyārī'). We will explain this point in a later bulletin.

Ninethly, there are different brands of strings (AWTAR), but recognized brands, such as Kurschner, Pyramids, Labella, and Aurora, would be satisfactory. We will address this topic later.

Tenthly, avoid as much as possible buying commercial Ouds. It is better to start learning how to play an Oud by using one from a maker known for the quality of his products. By quality, we mainly refer to the right dimensions of an Oud. It is not necessarily that an Oud should be expensive. I will provide you later with the names of some Oud makers in the world.

Eleventhly, there are other optional criteria such as the shape/type of the Oud (e.g., IRAQI, SHARQI, TURKI, IRANI, etc.), the number of sound hole rosettes (one, three, etc.), ornaments, etc.

What is the best wood for making the Oud? (Part 1)

The Oud generally consists of three basic components or pieces which are the sounbox (The back of the Oud), the face (the front of the Oud), the fretboard (the neck of the Oud), and the tuning pegs (Keys). There are other components such as the bridge, the bone (that is placed on the top of the fretboard), and the strings, but in the content of the following answer, we will focus on the first four components.

Firstly, in communication with some Oud players and makers, there is a relatively consensus that the best wood for the fretboard and the pegs is Ebony. This wood is black in color and has very high durability and resistance, which helps to prevent the fingerboard and the pegs from damaging.

Secondly, as for the face of the Oud, in general, there is a general agreement among Oud makers and players on two types of wood: Cedar and Spruce. As for Spruce, there are different species, but it seems that the best is German Spruce. The color of this wood tends to be very light/pale brown and close to creamy white. As for Cedar, its color is leaning more to brownish, and it is darker than Spruce. There are also different species of Cedar, depending on its source. There is the North American Cedar, The Asian, The Mediterranean, etc.

Thirdly, as for the soundbox, the matter will be more complicated. There are at least three basic factors in choosing the wood of the soundbox. The first factor is more related to visual design preferences and is a factor that tends more to the side of feelings and emotions. The second factor, which is more objective and technical (i.e., cognitive), is related to a person's auditory taste. Thus, it is more related to the Oud players' preferred sound. The third factor is the strength and hardness of the wood for soundbox. We start by explaining the factor of visual taste. There is a saying that tastes and colors are not discussed. And this is indeed true in choosing the wood of the soundbox. Wood colors vary and what adds to the complexity of the matter is that Oud players and makers sometimes prefer to mix two or more types of wood. There are those who tend to be more blackish (e.g., Ebony), those that are more brownish (e.g., Wenge, Rosewood (Palisander), Mahogany, etc.), those that are less brownish (e.g., Walnut, etc.), those that are creamy/whitish (e.g., Maple), and there are those that tend to the orange or red color like Padouk. Of course, other colors are also available. Oud players and makers opt sometimes to a mix, for example, ribs of Padouk and Wenge. Anyway, this topic remains interesting, and we are not basically looking for one answer since tastes differ and everyone has to choose his preferred wood color. But from my personal point of view, I advise using visual taste and auditory taste together so that you can choose your favorite wood.

What is the best wood for making the Oud (Part 2)

In the first part of my answer to this question (see part 1), I mentioned that there are three main factors for choosing lute wood. I explained the first factor (related to visual taste) and at the end of the answer, I advised using the visual taste factor alongside the auditory taste factor to find out which types of wood you prefer. In this second part, I will explain the auditory taste factor and the wood hardness factor together.
The sounds of the oud vary from a sharp sound, to a mellow, to a muted sound. According to the experts in wood, if we take several pieces of wood types (with the same specifications in length, width, and thickness) and then patted them by hand (or finger), they would emit different sounds. Generally, there are woods that are more resonant and echo than others. If the oud maker or player wants to get a mellow sound, he should choose the right wood for that. And if the oud maker or player wants a sharp sound, he should choose the right wood for that, etc. Of course, there are many types of wood that emit almost the same sounds. Here, so as not to confuse the person in the choice, he should use visual taste (the first factor) and consider the hardness of the wood (the third factor) together with the second factor (the sound of the wood) to identify the most suitable wood. For example, walnut wood is characterized by good hardness and a sound that is preferred by many. But if the color of walnut wood does not appeal to you, you can choose a second type of wood (such as sisso). This type of wood is solid, emits a beautiful sound, and its dark color might be appealing to you.
So as not to prolong more in this topic, here are a few types of woods that are mostly used in the making of Ouds:

Firstly, Sissoo wood: Also known as Indian rosewood or Sheesham (or Seesam) (Dalbergia Sissoo tree). It is known for its very dark brown color with a traight grain and occasional streaks. Sissoo wood is prized for its durability, strength, and attractive appearance.

Secondly, Mahogany wood: It is a tropical wood (mainly found in South America, Africa and Southeast Asia). It is renowed for its reddish-brown color, straight grain and smooth texture. The mahogany wood is highly valued for its durability and attractive appearance.

Thirdly, Walnut wood: It is mainly found in North America, Europe, Africa and Asia. It is known for its brownish color with varying shades and a straight, fine grain. It is often used for music instrument and it is characterized by its durability and attractive appearance.

Fourthly, Palisander wood: Also known as rosewood, palisander is characterized by its dark brown to purplish-black color. This type of wood can be found in various regions, including Brazil, India, and Madagascar. Palisander is renowned for its beauty, durability, and resonance.Wenge wood: it is color is dark brown to black with fine, straight grain patterns. It is mainly found in Central Africa (Congo, Cameroon, and Gabon). Wenge wood is valued for its durability, strength, and unique appearance.

Fifthly, Wenge wood: it is color is dark brown to black with fine, straight grain patterns. It is mainly found in Central Africa (Congo, Cameroon, and Gabon). Wenge wood is valued for its durability, strength, and unique appearance.

Sixthly Padouk wood: It is a tropical hard wood. It is known for its attractive reddish-orange to deep purple coloration. This wood can be found in different regions, such as Africa, Aisia, and Australia. Padouk wood is prized for its distinctive color, durability, and resistance to decay and insects.

Seventhly, Teak wood: It is a tropical hard wood. Teak can be found in South to Southeast Asia (e.g., India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Myanmar) and it is characterized by its golden-brown color, fine grain, and smooth texture. It is highly known for its strength and attractive appearance.

Here is below a video that includes useful information on Oud components and other matters:

Which is better, a fixed bridge or a movable one?

I have researched this topic, and to be fair, based on the comments I have read on some websites and social media platforms, there is no general agreement. There are Oud players and makers who strongly prefer the fixed bridge. Others, however, argue that the movable bridge is better.
Proponents of the fixed bridge state that the sound of the movable bridge is not authentic to the sound of a traditional Oud (i.e., the fixed bridge). Thus, it does not showcase Arabic/Middle Eastern melody style. They add that the sound of an Oud with a movable bridge is not warm but leans more towards being sharp. Additionally, a movable bridge needs to be set on a strong Oud face (due to strings stretching).
Proponents of the movable bridge argue that with a movable bridge, the Oud face will be safer (i.e., strings stretching would exert less pressure on the Oud face). They also mention that you can play more musical notes and it is suited for virtuoso players: those highly skilled musicians who excel in technical proficiency and often perform with a flair for showmanship. In summary, the choice of a fixed or movable bridge highly depends on the Oud player’s preferences.

Here is below a video explaining some of the differences between fixed and movable bridge (Note that opinions reflect individuals' positions):

Who are the oud makers and to contact them?

Here is a list of some oud makers with contacts if available. You can search online for their phone numbers or social media pages. Please note that the list is not exhaustive and can be expanded over time. As the list does not contain all oud makers, you can send me other names, and I will be happy to add them to the list. Please suggest only oud makers known for the quality of their ouds.

EGYPT