Many people have a hard time when it comes to buying a musical instrument because they don’t know what to look for. Some make the mistake of choosing the first option they come across, which ends up in regret. It is important to take your time and find as much as possible about a given instrument before spending your hard-earned money. If you are interested to buy an oud, then you most likely want something that is going to turn out great and you will enjoy playing it every chance you get. There are many types of ouds out there. This includes Arabic Ouds, Iranian Ouds, Iraqi Ouds, and Turkish Ouds.

Arabic Ouds are the most popular. They are commonly found in North Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and the Levant. They produce a nice, round, deep sound and also have low sustain. Having a low sustain isn’t a bad thing, in fact, many prefer having it. You are going to see many qualities found within the category. You have options from exquisite professional instruments to decorative trinkets.

Turkish ouds are different because they are brighter and usually tuned at a higher pitch compared to the Arabic Ouds. They have a lighter and brighter tone and timbre because they are built with a thinner soundboard. It is also an inch shorter compared to the Arabic oud.

Another type is the Iraqi oud. This type can come with a floated bridge, which means it has not been fastened to the wood face. This results in a brighter tone. There are many other types of oud, but these are the most popular.

Action

When buying an Oud, it is a good idea to ensure that the oud has a low action. This is a term used for describing the distance between the strings and fingerboard. It is easier to play oud when the strings are closer. This is important because it can affect your experience playing the instrument. This can be frustrating when you are putting in a lot of time learning and improving your technique. You will have a hard time progressing beyond the basics when you have an oud with higher action. Unlike guitars, ouds don’t have truss rods that allow the neck to be adjusted. It is important to find out the action of the oud before buying because it needs to be at the top of your list. When buying online, make sure you ask for photos of the neck from the side.

Using the proper strings

You should not put too heavy gauge strings on the Oud, and this is even more important if you have gone for a cheaper Oud. There is no need to put a lot of risk by ordering one with heavy classical guitar strings. Make sure you learn more about strings so you can choose the best one for your oud.

Low quality or high quality

If you have experience with an oud and know about tonewoods, then you can use your understanding to choose the right option for you. You should look for quality, but you can expect to spend a little more on it. High-quality ouds usually have an ebony fingerboard, ebony tuning pegs, and a solid spruce top. Other wood options that can be used for bowl back are walnut, maple, padouk, palisander. Lower quality ouds don’t use ebony, which can make it harder to tune it.

You should invest time and effort into the process of choosing an Oud so you don’t end up regretting it when you start playing. You will be happier when you end up with an instrument you like and you are going to find yourself playing it regularly.