recently got this for my girlfriend, its an egyptian oud, so far it taken me about 2 weeks to get the strings in the right place, and then some time to tune it up,




should sound some thing like this...

[movie=youtube]vIzQMT5X9DU[/movie]

Great find (great girlfriend!)
Not graphite but cool nonetheless Trev!
Let us know when it works and what it's like !!

Very cool. What are the tunings on the strings?

Very good playing by Afif Taian, thanks Trev.

Youngjr1, the tuning for the oud is from low to high, E-A-B-E-A-D.

Check out www,godinguitars.com, they sell something called the Glissentar wich is actualy a fretless classical guitar with 11 strings design (normal tuning) for guitar players looking for the oud sound yet maintaining a familiar feel.

Don.

Umm

yep it quite an intresting instrument, there seems to be several diffent tunings you can have , firstly turkish , or arabic,, we have gone for arabic, thrn EABEAD seems to be the most comon, but it seems you can have several to suit what you are playing, getting some noise out of it isnt to hard , a bit if sliding and a few hammer on and it starts to sound arabic, but as for playing a tune , im lost, lol,

once you you have chosen the tuning getting and keeping in tune is the next chalange, it on a par with tuning and keeping the ashboury in tune but almost 3 time the strings!!

you can also have 12 string on it if needed!!

the glissentar seems a good compromise, possibly easier to play !

I think it is: the neck is wider and longer, the body is flat (balanicng an oud is a challange!). I've owned a Glissentar for a couple of years, it is a very interesting instrument and a lot of fun to play!