This oud was purchased through Ebay. It arrived with the pegbox broken off. Only the bowl was relatively well-made, and thus utilized for a complete re-building of the entire instrument.
When
it arrived, the peg box was broken off. The oud was very cold and I suspect that
this contributed to the breakage. The glue joint failed, not the wood, so I don't
think it took much force to pop it loose.
The
peg box was also very poorly made, and the pegs were made of soft wood. The pegs
themselves were terribly rough and ugly.
After
seeing the pegbox and examining the soundboard, which was terribly thick--way
over 2mm--I decided that I would re-make almost the entire oud. The back itself
was well made, a bit thick as well, but very solid with no cracks. After removing
the soundboard with a little heat (I wasn't too careful because I wasn't saving
it) I was glad for my decision. The braces were very rough and heavy and not shaped
or sanded smooth at all.
The
braces around the sound hole were even "broken" to length.
I
replaced the neck with a stringer of maple down the center and into the neck block
of the back.
The
new walnut peg box with bone end cap and ebony pegs. The oud is a 5 course instrument.
Gluing
the wenge edge binding onto the new soundboard.
The
soundhole purfling. Ebony and maple veneer. There is a little mistake, or "special
detail" at the top.
The
fingerboard backing. This is necessary to build up the thickness for the main
fingerboard.
Planing
African blackwood for the fingerboard by hand.
Gluing
on the fingerboard. The face is masked to protect from the hide glue used to attach
the fingerboard.
